Do You Think Your PC Has a Virus
A computer virus is malicious code that replicates by copying itself into another program, the computer’s boot sector, or a document, and that changes how a computer works. The virus requires someone to knowingly or unknowingly spread the infection without the user’s knowledge or permission. A computer worm is a program that can propagate without human interaction. Viruses and worms may also be known as malware.
Browser hijacking is unwanted software that modifies a web browser’s settings without a user’s permission to insert unsolicited advertising into the user’s browser. A browser hijacker may replace the existing home page, error page, or search engine with its own.
To help block ads and potential browser hijackers, I recommend using uBlock Origin Lite in Chrome and Edge.
My Recommendation: Remove Third-party Antivirus
Most computer users have one of the highly advertised 3rd-party security suites: Norton, McAfee, Trend Micro, Kaspersky, or AVG Internet Security. A new computer may have security software installed by the manufacturer (usually a trial version). A subscription from your Internet provider (Verizon or Comcast), or perhaps you bought it in a store.
I recommend uninstalling any 3rd-party antivirus software by following these removal instructions. Doing so will allow Windows 11’s built-in Windows Security to activate automatically. You will save money and, more importantly, let your computer run faster with fewer warnings and pop-ups.
Note: Usually, the uninstall is available in the All Programs folder. If not, use the add/remove feature built into Windows. If this uninstall doesn’t wholly remove McAfee or Norton Security, you can use one of the tools below.
- Uninstall third-party antivirus software from a Windows 10 computer.
Learn to use your System: Getting Started Tutorials for Windows.
If You Are Having Issues With the Chrome Browser, Try These Instructions
- Remove unwanted ads, pop-ups & malware
- Block or allow pop-ups in Chrome.
- To help block ads and potential browser hijackers, I recommend using uBlock Origin Lite in Chrome and Edge.
- Tools and tips to help you stay safe online. by Google
- Do I Need More than One Anti-malware Tool? – By Ask Leo! YouTube
- Windows Security is built into Windows 10 and 11. It uses real-time protection to scan everything you download or run on your PC.
- Microsoft Safety Scanner: a scan tool designed to detect and remove malware from Windows computers. Download it and run a scan to find malware and try to reverse changes made by identified threats.
- Stop Trying to Clean Your Infected Computer! Just Nuke it and Reinstall Windows by How-To-Geek – Trying to clean an infected Windows system and ensure it’s clean and safe afterward. It’s usually not a good idea to do this — reinstall Windows and start over.
- Perform a clean install of Windows 11: Step-by-step guide.
- This tutorial is intended to help you perform a clean Windows 11 install, step by step.
Legally Download a Clean Windows 11 Directly From Microsoft
- Download Windows 11, the current release:
There are 3 options below for installing or creating Windows 11 media. Check out each one to determine the best option for you. - This site also has downloads for reinstalling Office 365 or Office 2024