Krishna Because whole-computer scans take so long and make your computer so sluggish, you might schedule your computer to do its scans at a regular time when you’re not using it. Personally, I have my antivirus program scan my entire computer on Mondays at 2:00 a.m. Sometimes I stay up late on the computer on Sunday … Read more
Most antivirus programs, in addition to letting you scan your entire computer for viruses, also give you the ability to scan individual files and directories. Some antivirus programs require you to open the antivirus program, select the scan option, and then browse to the file(s) or directory(ies) you wish to scan. This works, but it’s … Read more
The brute-force method of scanning your computer is to look at the entire hard drive and every file in it. It’s actually pretty easy to tell your antivirus software to do this — just scan drive C:, or all hard drives, or however your antivirus program offers the choices to you. There are probably ten … Read more
Because e-mail is one of the chief means of transporting viruses, most antivirus programs have options that help them work with your e-mail program. This only applies when you are using a “local” e-mail program to read and send mail, and not when you are using a Web browser to handle your mail. The options … Read more
As instant messaging (IM) rises in popularity, it has become the new way for viruses to jump from computer to computer. Consequently, it would be nice if your antivirus program was aware of your IM activity so it could watch for any suspicious activity indicative of a virus. Configuration for IM in your antivirus program … Read more
Most antivirus programs operate in two primary modes: They’re used to “scan” your entire computer (or a part of it) for viruses that may already be present there. They’re used to actively monitor your computer’s activities — in particular, that part of Windows that controls the creating, opening, and closing of computer files … Read more
Before I explain what antivirus software is, it’s worth reviewing the nature of software in general. Understanding software doesn’t mean you have to write computer programs or wear a hat with a propeller on top. The fact is that the word software is at the heart of viruses and the defenses against them. Knowing some … Read more
If you’re like many of us, it isn’t hard to get into the mood to give your computer a thorough cleaning — and I don’t mean with spray disinfectant. Rather, I mean that it’s time to go cloak-and-dagger and check for spyware on your computer. Spyware can be a lot of things. In general, it’s … Read more
There are some tools and procedures that can tell with 99.44 percent accuracy whether your computer has a virus. Here are the actions to take: Find out whether your computer has antivirus software: Find out whether your antivirus software is up to date: If you already have antivirus software installed on your computer. … Read more
Stalking the wild computer virus starts with observation: There are a lot of ways that a computer can begin to act strangely for no apparent reason. These changes in behavior may be the result of a virus, but there are other possible explanations as well. This article describes some typical virus-induced symptoms, as well as … Read more