I recently received a call from a client who complained of a virus getting into his computer, and his antivirus program not being any help. In this case, it was Symantec’s Norton Antivirus informing him that it was not able to remove the virus.
This happens occasionally, as some especially nasty computer viruses can really burrow their way into a system and become very difficult to remove. However, the fact that his computer had picked up a virus was his own fault, as the virus was exploiting a known security hole in his Windows operating system, a hole for which Microsoft had long ago released a fix.
“Doyle, remember that list of weekly computer chores that I gave you?” I asked. “Have you been running Windows Update? It’s on the list.” “No,” Doyle meekly replied, “I sort of forgot.” Yes, Doyle had forgotten one of the cardinal rules of Internet security: run Windows Updates! As Norton Antivirus was unable to automatically remove the infection, the virus would have to be removed manually.
The first thing to do in such a case is to learn the name of the virus. If your antivirus scanner discovers a virus, write down the virus name and any other descriptive information available. If necessary, rerun the scanner and record this vital information. Next, visit a website that specializes in helping people remove computer viruses. That’s assuming that the virus is not particularly fast or destructive, and that you can still access the Internet.
The Symantec website (www.symantec.com) is a good tool for manual virus removal. Simply enter the name of the virus into the search function box found on their home page, press “enter,” and you will most likely be presented with a list of “security response” results. What you’re looking for is a “removal” tool, or, if you have to do it the hard way, a list of removal instructions.
Generally speaking, the removal tools are easy to use. Just follow the instructions, and you’ll be in good shape. The lists of manual removal instructions can sometimes be short and sweet; sometimes they can go on for many pages. Try to be patient, read the instructions carefully and pay attention to detail. You’ll probably need to be fluent in using certain Microsoft utilities such as Windows Explorer and the Windows Registry editor.
Windows Explorer (not the same as Internet Explorer) is the Windows file manager. Properly configured, you can use it to view and manipulate most every file on your hard drive, and it’s probably one of the best programs that Microsoft has ever released. The Windows Registry editor, known as regedit, allows you to change Registry database entries, affecting the deepest of your system’s configurations. Use of these programs to help in virus removal may not be for the timid or inexperienced user, as the potential exists to do more harm than good. When in doubt, seek experienced help before getting in over your head.