Microsoft malware tips
The Microsoft site has many pages with computing tips. Some are very elementary and not very useful but there are also some helpful ones. Among these is the article Computer viruses: description, prevention, and recovery. It includes a list of possible symptoms of a virus infection. (The term “virus” is used here to denote malware of all types.) The list is not a definitive check on whether you have a virus; you can be infected and still not show any obvious symptoms. Your system can also display one or more of these symptoms from some cause other than a virus. Nonetheless, it is a list worth keeping in mind:
Symptoms of a computer virus
- The computer runs slower than usual.
- The computer stops responding, or it locks up frequently.
- The computer crashes, and then it restarts every few minutes.
- The computer restarts on its own. Additionally, the computer does not run as usual.
- Applications on the computer do not work correctly.
- Disks or disk drives are inaccessible.
- You cannot print items correctly.
- You see unusual error messages.
- You see distorted menus and dialog boxes.
- There is a double extension on an attachment that you recently opened, such as a .jpg, .vbs, .gif, or .exe. extension.
- An antivirus program is disabled for no reason. Additionally, the antivirus program cannot be restarted.
- An antivirus program cannot be installed on the computer, or the antivirus program will not run.
- New icons appear on the desktop that you did not put there, or the icons are not associated with any recently installed programs.
- Strange sounds or music plays from the speakers unexpectedly.
- A program disappears from the computer even though you did not intentionally remove the program.
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