Operating System

How to Remove Malware or Viruses From Windows 7 PC: Step-by-Step Guide

If you see that the speed of your computer has slowed down, there is a possibility that your system is infected, and you should act quickly before the infection spreads in the system.

By doing a few simple steps, you can remove the malware from your system and stop worrying about the spread of malware and viruses in your system.

Malware infections or viruses damage your devices for example, they can steal your data and wreak all kinds of havoc.

You should act as soon as possible to remove malware and viruses.

In this article, we want to explain How to Remove Malware or Viruses From my Windows 7 PC.

So stay with us until the end of the article.

How to remove a virus from a PC

Whether you have another kind of malware or a virus, by doing the following steps, you can effortlessly get rid of viruses and malware and clean your system.

1.Download antivirus software

In general, two types of antivirus software that can identify and remove malware and viruses from your computer called real-time and on-demand.

The real-time malware scanner works in such a way that it detects viruses in the background while you are using your computer.

Whenever you need to detect malware, you can turn on Microsoft Defender, which is an on-demand scanner.

For complete protection from malware and viruses, especially against new threats created by malware, you can install AVG Antivirus FREE, real-time software, which provides relatively strong protection compared to the standard tools you get from PC manufacturers.

2. Run a virus scan

After you have installed your antivirus on your computer, here you need to scan your computer using antivirus to detect viruses and malware.

By installing a scanner called AVG, it will scan your computer for any hidden malicious code

To do this, follow the steps below:

  1. Open your Antivirus app.
  2. Select Scan or Smart Scan.

3.Delete or quarantine infected files

Your antivirus software alerts you if there is any malware or not after scanning your computer. Therefore, follow the steps below to remove the viruses or put the infected files in quarantine.

Remove Malware or Viruses From my Windows 7 PC

AVG Antivirus FREE easily removes viruses and prevents future malware infections.

4. Restart your computer

After deleting the infected files, you must restart your computer so that the malware and virus infection is completely removed from your computer.

If your computer is still not cleaned of malware, and viruses by performing the above steps, and there are malware such as Trojans and advertising tools in your system. You should scan your computer more carefully to completely clean your system of contamination.

5. Enter Safe Mode

To do this, you must first restart your computer in safe mode, which is the default Windows startup setting, with only your essential drive programs and files running.

To enter Safe Mode on Windows 10:

  1. ‌ Hold down the Shift key while clicking Power > Restart.
  2. After your computer restarts, click Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Enable Safe Mode.‌

6. Delete temporary files

In the next step, you can delete your temporary files. Because you may have downloaded malicious programs and may have infected your malware.

  1. Start typing Disk Cleanup into the search field on the Windows taskbar and select it when it comes up.
  2. Then, scroll through the list of files to delete and check the box next to Temporary files.
  3. Then select OK.
Remove Malware or Viruses From my Windows 7 PC

By deleting temporary files, you will get rid of malware and viruses, and your computer speed will also increase.

7. Schedule a boot-time scan

If you don’t get rid of the viruses after deleting the temporary files, you can program the malware to start working when your computer boots.

In this case, you should run a virus scan at computer boot time.

To run a boot-time scan:

A boot-time scan is an advanced antivirus feature designed to root out system-level malware before operating other programs and system boot up.

  1. Open your antivirus app and in the scans tab or in the settings, you’ll see an option for a boot-time scan.
  2. You should also see options about what to do with any infected files found during the scan:  move to quarantine, fix or delete. Choose your preferred setting.

After you’ve set up your boot-time scan, the next time you restart your computer, here the antivirus will automatically scan your computer for malware and viruses.

Note: The scans you run at startup may be time-consuming, so your reboot may take longer than usual.

Common types of malware

1.Ransomware:

Most malware prefers to remain hidden from the user’s view as much as possible so that it can steal more information away from his eyes. But ransomware, due to its specific nature, usually works the other way around.

Ransomware often enters the system through an attachment or a link in phishing emails, infects it, and asks for a ransom by encrypting the user’s data or kicking him out of the system. And giving the user access again to his locked system or data, he is asked to deposit money into the hacker’s account through bitcoins or other cryptocurrencies.

Maybe this method seems simple, and you say to yourself that no one will be deceived by it. But the fact is that this method is effective, and many times, the activities of companies, hospitals, police departments, and even the whole city have faced severe problems.

In 2016 alone, cybercriminals stole more than $1 billion through ransomware attacks. According to a Europol report, ransomware attacks overshadowed many of the world’s cyber threats in 2017.

Like any other type of malware, ransomware attacks can be prevented. But as soon as it is implemented, if there is no good backup of the files, it is difficult to fix the damage caused to the system.

According to studies, about a quarter of victims pay the ransom to the hacker, and of these, 30% cannot access their encrypted files even after paying the ransom.

Unlocking encrypted files, if possible, requires special tools. To protect yourself from ransomware attacks, the best advice is to make an offline backup of all your vital files.

2. Trojan:

One of the most common types of malware is Trojan, which often disguises itself as a good and helpful tool to force the user to install it. The Trojan is older than the virus. But more than any other malware has damaged current computers.

The name of this malware is taken from the story of the Trojan horse, in which the ancient Greeks hid inside a giant wooden horse that was given as a gift to the city of Troy, and when the horse entered the city, the Greeks came out and took over the city.

Trojan malware has a similar function. In this way, it enters the system secretly and in the form of a practical tool such as updating or downloading flash, and as soon as it enters, it starts the attack.

The Trojan must be run by the user to access system information. This malware is often transmitted to the system through email or by visiting infected websites.

The most common type is a Trojan that presents itself as an anti-virus program, and a message appears that your computer is infected with a virus and that you need to install this “software” to remove it.

Users were also deceived by it and invited to their computers by installing malware.

Trojan can access all the information on the system depending on its capabilities, including account login and password information, screenshots, system information, bank account details, and many more. After gaining access, the Trojan collects this information and sends it to the hacker. Sometimes Trojans allow hackers to change information or disable the system’s anti-malware program.

3.Worms:

The history of worms in computer systems is more than that of viruses and goes back to the era of computers. Computer worms started with the advent of email in the late 1990s, and for almost ten years, computer security experts were surrounded by malicious worms that were sent as email attachments.

It was enough for a user to open an email infected with a worm to infect the entire company in a short period.

The distinguishing feature of a computer worm is its ability to self-replicate. For example, the famous I love you worm targeted almost every e-mail user in the world, flooding phone systems with invalid messages, shutting down television networks, and even disrupting newspapers in some places. Worms such as SQL Slammer and MS Blaster also cemented their place in computer security history.

Worms are more destructive and troublesome than viruses because they can reproduce without requiring any action from the user. To activate, viruses need a user to run them along with the infected program. But the worm uses other files and programs to do its evil deeds.

4. Rootkits:

A rootkit is a malware designed to remotely control a computer without the user or security software noticing its presence. Cybercriminals can use rootkits to execute files, steal information, manipulate system settings and software, or even install other malware. A rootkit can enter the system by installing and running applications or phishing attacks and security holes.

A rootkit is one of the most dangerous cyber threats; because it can hide its presence and even disable system anti-malware programs and cause severe damage to installed applications. Hackers can spy, organize DDos attacks and steal valuable data with the help of rootkits.

To prevent and detect rootkit attacks, do not click on suspicious links that are usually sent to your system via email, use specialized programs to scan your computer, keep your system always up-to-date and control your internet traffic.

 It is hard to find and remove the rootkit after it is installed on the system; that’s why cyber security experts emphasize that in this case, like all other cases, prevention is better than cure.

5. Adware:

The ultimate goal of most cybercriminals is to make money, and for some of them, using adware is a good and hassle-free way to do that.

Adware does just what its name suggests and is designed to push ads to the user. In some cases, the only way to get rid of these annoying ads is to click on them, and every click generates income for the cybercriminal.

In most cases, adware has nothing to do with the victim’s data and does not harm the device; they are just incredibly annoying and force the user to repeatedly click on pop-up windows to close them.

However, if this happens on a mobile phone, it will quickly drain the battery or take up the entire screen, making it practically impossible to use the phone.

6. Spyware:

The work of spyware can be seen from its name; Spying and hacking into other people’s computers and devices. Spyware has access to your browsing history, the apps you use, or the messages you send. Spyware can be downloaded and entered into the device as a Trojan or other methods.

For example, a toolbar you download for your browser may contain spyware that tracks your Internet activities, or malicious ads may secretly transfer spyware code to your computer through an unwanted download.

In some cases, a form of spyware is sold to parents as software intended to control a child’s Internet use and is designed to bypass security and antivirus software. On the other hand, some companies use spyware to secretly monitor their employees.

Spyware can often be easily removed because, unlike other malware, they do not have malicious or malicious intentions; all you have to do is find the executable file of the spyware and stop it from running.

Spyware doesn’t aim as badly as other malware, including remote access Trojans; but both use the same method to log in. As a result, the presence of spyware in the system is an alarm for the user that his system has a weakness and must be fixed before facing more serious threats.

7. Virus:

A virus is a piece of computer code that inserts itself into the code of another independent program, then forces that program to perform malicious actions and spreads itself.

Conclusion

In this article, we tried to provide solutions to remove malware and virus so that you can easily clean your device from viruses and malware. We recommend that you follow these instructions.

What other solutions do you know to clean your device from malware?

Sarah Kmz

Sara is a talented author and technology enthusiast with a passion for writing about Windows tips and tricks. She was born and raised in Seattle, Washington and has always had a love for all things related to technology. After completing her degree in Computer Science at the University of Washington, Sara began working as a software developer. She quickly discovered that she had a talent for writing and decided to combine her two passions by starting a blog about Windows tips and tricks. Sara's blog quickly gained popularity and she became known for her clear and concise writing style, as well as her ability to explain complex technical concepts in a way that was easy for anyone to understand. Her blog has become a go-to resource for Windows users looking to optimize their experience and make the most out of their technology. In addition to her work on her blog, Sara is also a prolific writer of technical articles for a number of different publications. Her writing has been featured in numerous technology blogs and websites, and she is widely respected in the industry for her expertise in the field. When she's not writing or working on her blog, Sara enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with her family and friends. She is also an avid traveler and is always looking for new places to explore and new experiences to have. Overall, Sara is a talented writer and technology expert who is dedicated to sharing her knowledge with others. Her passion for both technology and writing has made her a respected figure in the industry, and she continues to inspire and educate others through her work on her blog and beyond.

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