Learning how to remove malware successfully can be a very difficult task. Some malware may not respond to conventional antivirus programs. Some may require starting the computer in safe mode, running antivirus software, and then restarting. Some programs may become so embedded that the only way to remove it is to restore the computer to its original state, and start all over; something no computer user wants to do.
Malware is any computer program that is meant to cause harm or inconvenience to the computer user. Malware often takes the form of adware, which places unsolicited ads on your computer in pop-up windows seemingly at random times. These often monitor your Internet usage and may even target you for certain ads. All of this uses up valuable resources, thus prompting the computer user to research how to remove malware.
There are other reasons, besides the waste of computer resources, that a person may want to investigate how to remove malware. Some of the ads may not be suitable for young children. Others may just be annoying, or even cause the computer to lock up during simple functions. Fortunately, for the user afflicted with malware, there are a variety of ways to remove the offending software in most cases.
The first step in finding out how to remove malware is to determine which type of malware is on the machine. This can usually be done by running an updated, antivirus scan. If the scan turns up nothing, doing an Internet search using a description of the problem will usually yield some results. If the antivirus program can get rid of it by itself, the hard work is done. In cases where the antivirus software is ineffective, more work is needed.
The next step, if the antivirus protection is ineffective, is to research more advanced malware solutions. Be careful when searching for malware solutions, though. Other malware may latch on to the computer during this process. It is a common technique used by authors of the software. Using message boards to find effective software is one method, but do not trust only one source. Find a solution that two or more message boards point to.
If this is also ineffective, there are still a couple of other options. Taking the computer into be serviced by a professional is one way. The other way is simply to restore the computer, and reinstall the operating system. This will mean any information not backed up externally will be gone. Thus, when most users seek how to remove malware, this often becomes the step of last resort.