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Virus / Spyware
 
These days with most homes having a computer with
internet access viruses and spyware are becoming more and more of
a problem, there are more of them coming out and the ones which
are coming out are smarter and harder to protect against.
It is more important than ever now to have protection against
these things, if you suspect your computer has either a virus or
spyware on it, or if you just want the reasurance of knowing you
are protected then we will be able to recommend, install and
configure the best protection for your system.
What is the difference between a virus and
spyware:
Spyware and adware collect information about you
without appropriate notice and consent.
A computer virus spreads software, usually malicious in nature,
from computer to computer.
Spyware can get installed on your computer in a
number of ways. One way is via a virus. Another way is for it to
be secretly downloaded and installed with other software you've
chosen to install. You know how easy it is to skip reading all the
documentation on a free program and just click "OK." That's often
how they get you.
In short, spyware is a specific type of unwanted
software that covertly collects your information. A virus is a
specific way software can be covertly distributed, often by
e-mail. Both spyware and viruses can cause damage to your computer
or cause you to lose important data.
Signs you might have Spyware on your
computer:
If your computer starts to behave strangely or
displays any of the symptoms listed below, you may have spyware or
other unwanted software installed on your computer.
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I see pop-up advertisements all the time. Some
unwanted software will bombard you with pop-up ads that
aren't related to a particular Web site you're visiting.
These ads are often of an adult nature or sites you may
find objectionable. If you see pop-up ads as soon as you
turn on your computer or when you're not even browsing the
Web, you may have spyware or other unwanted software on
your computer.
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My settings have changed and I can't change them back
to the way they were. Some unwanted software has the
ability to change your home page or search page settings.
This means that the page that opens first when you start
your Internet browser or the page that appears when you
select "search" may be pages that you do not recognize.
Even if you know how to adjust these settings, you may
find that they revert back every time you restart your
computer.
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My Web browser contains additional components that I
don't remember downloading. Spyware and other
unwanted software can add additional toolbars to your Web
browser that you don't want or need. Even if you know how
to remove these toolbars, they may return each time you
restart your computer.
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My computer seems sluggish. Spyware and other
unwanted software are not necessarily designed to be
efficient. The resources these programs use to track your
activities and deliver advertisements can slow down your
computer and errors in the software can make your computer
crash.
If you notice a sudden increase in the number of times a
certain program crashes, or if your computer is slower
than normal at performing routine tasks, you may have
spyware or other unwanted software on your machine.
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Signs your computer might have a virus:
After you open and run an infected program or
attachment on your computer, you might not realize that you've
introduced a virus until you notice something isn't quite right.
Here are a few primary indicators that your
computer might be infected:
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Your computer runs more slowly than normal
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Your computer stops responding or locks up often
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Your computer crashes and restarts every few minutes
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Your computer restarts on its own and then fails to run
normally
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Applications on your computer don't work correctly
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Disks or disk drives are inaccessible
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You can't print correctly
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You see unusual error messages
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You see distorted menus and dialog boxes
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If you think your computer might have a virus or
Spyware on it, then get in touch and we will check it out for you.
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