Fill out this form to email this article to a friend

Your name		Your email
Recipient email	You may enter up to 20 multiple email addresses, separated by commas.
Your message
Validation Code	Hear validation code
	Enter validation code

We were unable to send your email.

Click here to try again.

Solutions: So you installed a virus. Now what?

By John Torro, Times Correspondent
In print: Saturday, October 4, 2008

Story Tools E-mail this story Contact the editor Print this story Comment on this story Social Bookmarking Digg Facebook Stumbleupon Reddit Del.icio.us Newsvine

ADVERTISEMENT Loading Video...

I downloaded a file to my C drive. I am not able to delete the folder and all of its files. I deleted all but two files. I cannot rename them or move them. It says I need permission to delete them. The name of the folder is PCHEALTHCENTER. It told me I had spyware installed on my hard drive. I ran Windows Defender and AVG. Neither found any spyware or any other problems. How can there be files on my hard drive that I cannot delete? How can I delete them?

You downloaded and installed a virus. I can't stress this more strongly: Don't ever download any program that says you have spyware or viruses. Make sure your Windows Defender and AVG are up to date — they should have found this problem if they were. Also, make sure Windows Automatic Updates are turned on. If you have the paid-for version of AVG, contact support and find out why it failed. To remove the problem, follow the instructions on this page: spywareremove.com/remove PCHealthCenter.html. Just follow the manual steps. Do not download any automatic removal tools.

I am finally getting around to using processlibrary.com, which you wrote about in the June 16 column. When I open the ProcessLibrary, I see there is a scan called ProcessScanner. There is also a SpyEraser. Are these okay to use? Are they helpful? Or is this one of those things that will tell me I have all kinds of problems and need to pay a lot of money to fix them?

While ProcessLibrary.com provides a great service with its free process reference library, it is, after all, in the business to make money. I would be hesitant to download and run programs advertised on these sites. I've said it many times and I'll repeat it: All you need to run a healthy and safe PC is a good antivirus program (I recommend either Microsoft One Care or Norton AV), Microsoft Windows Defender — which is free — and the built-in firewall that comes with Windows XP and Vista. Common sense is also a vital component — not sold in stores.

Send questions to personaltech@sptimes.com or Personal Tech, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Questions are answered only in this column.