Computer viruses and spyware have become common place as more and more computers connect and communicate with one another. However, not all viruses and spyware are alike. Some are benign; they hide in the background and are nothing more than a minor nuisance. Others are malignant; they create all sorts of problems, everything from freezing your machine to deleting files. Now, what happens if you run into a bunch of the really bad guys? You know, the one’s which immediately inundate your computer with pop-up advertisements once you login. Or the programs which grind your computer to a halt, so much so that you are unable to load, let alone run, your favorite anti-malware package.
One of the best ways, we at Computer Repair Calgary have found, to deal with a computer which has become inundated with computer infections is to boot it into safe mode and then proceed to run several anti-malware applications (such as Avira Antivir, Avast, Superantispyware, or MalwareBytes).
Many computer knowledgeable people are aware of Windows safe mode. For those who are not, safe mode is a special Windows environment in which only basic drivers and software applications are loaded. One of the key features of it is that startup programs (those that are supposed to load and run automatically upon login) are disabled. Consequently, viruses and other malicious code which were configured to run automatically can no longer do so. As a result, when booting in to safe mode, you will often find significantly fewer problems. This does not mean that these problems do not still exist. All it means is that you are now free to download, install, and run a number of anti-malware software (without having to deal with a bogged down machine).
This is great, you may be thinking. But how do I get into “safe mode”? All you need to do is restart you machine and then hit the F8 key as your computer loads up (before you see the Windows logo). If you have completed the procedure correctly you will notice the words “safe mode” in the corners of your screen. If not, you will have to restart and try the procedure again.
There you have it, if you ever come across a situation in which your computer is unusable due to a virus, simply boot it into safe mode and run your normal suite of removal products. It may not be a silver bullet cure; however, it will make the job a little bit easier to deal with.
Keith writes at Computer Repair Calgary on a variety of computer-related themes. One such theme is: how to deal with faulty RAM.
