Computer viruses and malware come to our shop to DIE!

Viruses and malware can be really frustrating.

If you think your computer is infected with a virus, just give us a call. We have had people tell us "I just formatted my hard drive to get rid of the virus and lost all of my data when I did that." It is rarely necessary to format a hard drive because of a virus infection. Even when that is the case, we can usually retrieve your data safely before formatting the drive.

We currently recommend using Windows Defender - its free, doesn't expire, and works very well.

What is spyware?

There are varying definitions of exactly what it is, but in our opinion, it is any program that has been installed on your computer without your knowledge or your permission.

How does it get in my computer?

Spyware is typically installed on your PC by surfing malicious websites. Popup messages and inline malicious ads are a prime source.

How can I keep from getting spyware?

The Google Chrome browser has a very good extension called AdGuard Ad Blocker. This extension blocks many of the inline ads that have malicious code embedded in them. We recommend using Microsoft Edge for browsing the web.

What does spyware do?

Spyware typically monitors your computer and sends off your personal information to somebody somewhere on the internet. This is usually not a good thing.

Observations:

You have every right to know who is accessing your computer and why. In our opinion, most spyware activity should be illegal. We view spyware the same way we view breaking and entering - someone has forcibly entered your property without your knowledge or consent.

If you bring a PC to our shop for a cleanup, we check your PC for spyware and remove any spyware that we find installed as part of our routine cleanup.

FAQ

Signs that your computer has a virus can include slower-than-normal performance, unable to launch programs, pop-ups and other unexpected behavior. The only way to know for sure is to scan for viruses.
The best course of action is to have the infection removed as soon as possible. Delaying could lead to slower performance, data security issues and, in extreme cases, data loss. Don't worry. When you have a virus or spyware problem, help is just a phone call away.
We try to remove the infections without affecting your data, but virus and spyware can be unpredictable. If you know a virus is present, the safest thing to do is simply turn off the computer until it can be cleaned.
Yes. We will check and double-check that the virus, spyware and all malware is removed once-and-for-all. If it's not removed, we will keep working until it has been completely exterminated.
Most likely. Viruses, spyware and malware often use extra system resources, which can slow down a computer. Removing the infections will let your computer stretch and show you what it can really do.
Never say never. We will keep trying until we have exhausted every option. In a few extreme cases, it may be necessary to securely wipe the hard drive and reload Windows. If that is necessary, we will first back up your data, then restore it after the reload is complete. This ensures that you get to keep your data.

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