Signs Your Computer May Have a Virus

Are you wondering if your computer has a virus? Is your computer acting differently than usual? It may be trying to tell you something. Read this list below to see if your computer has any symptoms of a virus. If your computer shows one or more of the signs below, it may be an indication of a nasty virus on your computer.

Error Messages – Messages that appear saying you are infected are a good indication that you may have a virus, but only if they come from a virus protection software you have previously installed. Some of these messages are actually illegitimate virus programs in disguise that try to trick you into paying for a supposed virus cleanup while just stealing your credit card info and infecting your data. If you are unsure about a message, never click on it. Instead, run your own virus scan manually. And always check if the message is appearing only on a particular web page. If so, it may just be a fake advertisement. If you are really infected, the window should pop-up on your desktop, or across web pages, not just within a specific page or Internet browser.

Crashing, Freezing or Running Slow – If your computer is locking up, freezing, or running slow, and nothing else has changed recently, it may be that a virus is running through your system and using up your RAM or CPU. You can check this by opening your Task Manager (press CTRL + ALT + DEL, then choose “Task Manager”) and checking if your RAM or CPU column stays close to 100% for extended periods of time, or by looking at the running applications for anything that you aren’t sure what it is. There is a lot of information in this window, but they are generally named after applications you have installed. If something sounds odd or out of place, it may be a virus or spyware program.

Getting popups – Adware is a kind of virus that infects your computer and injects ads, toolbars, and other spyware into your computer. If you start seeing a lot of ads while on the web, or notice browser toolbars that have been installed without your permission, you probably have a virus. Another symptom may include changing your default search engine.

Slower than usual boot times – If the computer takes a long time to boot or shut down it may be a sign of a virus. You should have the hardware checked out to be sure nothing is failing, and run a virus scan immediately to ensure your data is not at risk. Particularly if your computer takes a long time to start up, you should check which apps are running at start up and make sure they are all legitimate programs.

Mouse cursor has changed – Some annoying viruses may change your mouse cursor to something else, making it into an elf, or a unicorn, or a horse. Some apps may change the cursor temporarily, but if the problem persists after closing the app you most likely have a virus on the computer.

Blue Screens – A general indication of hardware failure, a blue screen can also be a symptom of a virus.

Devices not working – External devices such as printers, camera, or other USB devices or even internal devices such as CD or DVD drives can also be blocked by viruses. Internal devices can also be disabled, stressed, or work incorrectly due to viruses too.

If your computer is showing one or more of these signs, it may be time to bring it into Buffalo Wired for a thorough checkup. Our virus removal services will clean off the virus and leave your data secure, or if you aren’t already protected, we can set up secure virus protection software on your computer. Contact us to find out more.