You often hear people say “your computer needs a service”, But what does that actually mean. In the industry, Computer servicing can have multiple meanings, however it usually relates to the software side of computing. So when they say your PC is being serviced, They usually mean they are going to remove all viruses and pop-ups from your PC.
Virus Removal Disclaimer
While we have taken all care in our virus removal guide, THINGS CAN GO WRONG. Please be sure before you proceed, You have a backup of all your important files! Lets begin! We will be revolving around Windows 8/10 in our guide. As good as you think Windows 7 may be, It is an old operating system and we will not be covering it in this guide, since Microsoft has removed support for it so it is now open to internet attacks, which an antivirus in itself won’t protect you from – Upgrade your version of Windows if you are still using it!
Getting Started, Speeding Up Startup
The first thing to do when you start working on your PC is to get a blank piece of paper and a pen. Put it in front of you and record everything you do with the machine. This way if something is removed from the PC that shouldn’t be, you can easily refer back to what needs to be reinstalled. We will start by checking the computers current state by recording the boot time and what applications are starting with the PC.
Start by removed unnecessary start up programs. To do this in Windows 10 right click on the Start Menu > Task Manager and then select the tab Start Up
Right click an item to disable it in this screen
Here you can go ahead and disable everything to speed up your startup in Windows 10/11, However most viruses will be using a service instead. Be careful disabling things that relate to external hardware here (headphones, mice, keyboards) as that might affect the 3rd party functions. After you have disabled some start up items restart the computer.
What Programs For Virus Removal?
While there are literally thousands of programs that will remove viruses, This is a list of the best ones that have had a lot of success and praise from the community. I have posted these programs in the order that I usually run them in. Simply download from the links provided and run the programs in most cases:
AVAST
Probably the best FREE antivirus out there today. Has been around for years and consistently rates highly in AV Comparatives tests.
Spyware and Malware Removal Software
ADWCLEANER
Adwcleaner is one of the most effective programs in the business right now for removing Adware, Toolbars and potentially unwanted programs. It is also one of the most simple applications. 99.9% of the time you can load the program, Hit Scan and have a quick glance to make sure its not going to remove any critical file, And then you click Clean. Its that simple. You will have to restart after this. We will move onto the next application…
MALWAREBYTES
Yet another application. This one focuses more on Virus and Malware removal. This one takes a lot longer to run simply because it will scan over every file. Highly regarded in the community for removing Viruses and speeding up your PC. A very small program and the free version works perfectly fine.
CCLEANER
CCleaner is a little bit different to the other applications we posted. This program will go through the registry, temporary files etc and remove all the junk from the background. It is one of the ONLY true registry cleaners out there.
Whats next?
After you have run all these applications. You can check out removing unwanted software by going to the “Programs and Features” section. Keeping this clean and the old junk off your computer helps. Also look for anything obscure that resembles the pop ups you were getting (Slimware is a big one to remove). Also double check your browser extensions and make sure there is nothing fishy in there.
How to prevent Virus Removal again?
One of the BEST ways to prevent getting viruses, adware and spyware on your computer is to just be aware of what you’re clicking. One application that is highly recommended to use is Google Chrome with the AdBlock Plus Extension. This will stop A LOT of the junk popping up on most websites. However AdBlock Plus may interfere with some content on some sites. You could also try Brave browser which is essentially Google Chrome but with its own built in ad blockers and extra security.
So that’s it for this guide. However if having read through this article you still don’t feel tackling the virus removal yourself please give us a call!
Our Services
Southern Computer Services offer full computer virus removal and protection services in the Southern Adelaide Suburbs. We are experienced specialists in removing viruses, spyware & malware – no matter how complex. We firmly believe however that the first defence against computer viruses is user education followed by up to date, trustworthy, antivirus software.