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How to Automatically Remove Computer Malware

New computer malware is unleashed on the public every day. As new threats emerge, the danger posed to your personal information and security can increasingly be put at risk. The following steps are intended to help guide you through removal of malware and computer viruses through use of an anti-virus program on computers using the Windows Operating System. Depending on the specific virus or malware that your computer is infected with, these instructions may not suffice if your antivirus program has been disabled by the attacking program. Please note, these steps have been recently revised based on recent experience with a number of the comptuer scareware/rogue/fake antivirus programs being deployed by computer malware authors.

Steps to Automatically Remove Computer Malware

Malware Removal Step #.5 – Get an antivirus program if you don’t have one! Malware Bytes and Avast Antivirus programs are two of my current favorites that you can download free trials to use before purchasing, though you lose out on real-time monitoring when you use the free versions of the software. Read my review of 10 of the best 2009 commercial antivirus programs for other ideas. You will also want to download the free RKill.com process stopping application produced (for free) by the good folks at Bleeping Computer. Both of these downloads (MalwareBytes and RKill) should be done on a computer not infected with malware and saved to a USB stick or portable hard drive.

Malware Removal Step #1 - Copy the RKill application from the portable media to the infected computer’s desktop. Then, double click the program to run and stop all computer malware processes running on the infected computer. This is almost a necessity with many of the new scareware spyware installations out there now which are designed to keep you from entering safe mode or stopping computer virus processes from running on your computer.

Malware Removal Step #2 - Turn Off Windows System Restore
The following steps will turn off Windows System Restore in XP. Variations of the directions will be required to turn off System Restore in other variants of Windows.
1 – Click the Start menu button.
2 – Right-click the My Computer icon, and then select the Properties menu option.
3 – Check “Turn Off System Restore” on the System Restore Tab.
4 – Click the “Apply” menu button and choose “Yes” on the confirmation message.
5 – Select the “OK” menu button.
Note that you have to be logged in to your computer with administrator permissions to turn off System Restore.

Malware Remove Step #3 – Move the Malwarebytes installation file to the infected computer’s desktop and install. After following the default  menu prompts, run a complete virus scan of all drives on the infected computer and the portable drive used to copy the RKill and Malwarebytes program files to the computer. Allow the program to remove all infected files discovered on your computer.

Malware Removal Step #4 - Restart Your Computer in Safe Mode
To restart your computer in Windows Safe Mode, rapidly depress the “F8″ keyboard function key during the normal rebooting process. Then choose “Save Mode” from the startup menu which appears on your computer screen.


Malware Removal Step #5 - Update Your Computer’s Antivirus Definition Files
Open your anti-virus software. There will be a “Update Virus Definitions” menu option or equivalently worded menu choice available for you to choose. Note that you must be connected to the Internet to update the Antivirus definitions.


Malware Removal Step #6 - Conduct another  Full Anti-Virus Scan of All Local Drives
Select the appropriate menu option in your antivirus program and run a complete scan. This will help ensure the original scan by Malwarebytes was effective.

Malware Removal Step #7 - Clean or Delete Infected Files
Choose the representative menu option in your antivirus program to remove the malware from your computer.

Malware Removal Step #8 – Restart Your Computer Normally

Malware Removal Step #9 – Turn On Windows System Restore

1 – Click the Start menu button.
2 – Right-click the My Computer icon, and then select the Properties menu option.
3 – Check “Turn On System Restore” on the System Restore Tab.
4 – Click the “Apply” menu button and choose “Yes” on the confirmation message.
5 – Select the “OK” menu button.
Note that you have to be logged in to your computer with administrator permissions to turn off System Restore.

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July 9th, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Category: Malware Removal
Recommended AntiVirus Product for Malware Dictionary Users:



MalwareBytes Pro










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