how to delete viruses

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im pretty much a n00b when it comes to computers, i know enough to keep mine up and running but my system has slowed down alot due to a few virus's and some programs that can't be deleted no matter how hard i try.
there seems to be a trojan and something called antivirus 2007... which is confusing to say the least.
im using nortan antivirus but whenever i try to delete them it says thet the folders are being used so cant be deleted,
i tried to run task manager to figure out how to end the usage of them but apparently task manager has been disabled and i cant get it working.
help would be greatly appreciated.

Boot your PC in safe mode (press f8 at start up) and then run you virus scanner it should be able to detect and remove the virus and with some luck repair the corrupted files.

It might take some time to run.

Once done boot normally, update your scanner and run again.

Also, if Norton is unable to remove those viruses/trojans, then you really should get a better anti-virus solution.

Sophos Anti-Virus is a really good anti-virus solution and by registering at their homepage once every month you actually don't need to pay for it either.

Combining that with anti-virus programs which you run as active x plugins in internet explorer at the same time as Sophos is installed, since having more than one anti-virus solution can make your system unuse'able.

Online anti-virus solutions: E-SET (NOD32), Panda ActiveScan and Bit Defender is a example of a few of them which does this for you.

Install Linux


Seriously if you are going to use MS I have had a great deal of success with Avast (its free for home use!)

http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html

It fixed up a couple of our computers that non of the majors could clean.


Also my partner shares MY laptop so it has a Windows partition, Avast has a Ubuntu version which allowed me to scan and fix windows from inside Ubuntu

I was so tempted to say this...

Dual boot a linux. Install clamAV and scan the windows partitions from there. Since they will be inert, viruses will be helpless. Us the linux to back up windows at the same time.

Unlike you I have far less self control

@ scetch Fuzzy is correct, the best idea is a dual boot system. You have stated that you are a Noob to computing. Are you able to take a screenshot of Device Manager. If you can, post it and we can look at it to see if there will be any difficulties installing linux.

If not pm me and I will walk you through it

my granmother use norton. i feel so sorry for her, my dad refused me to delete it and find a better antivirus.

what norton did was this:
"hy there, you got a virus. aint that cool?"
"yo, you got another virus. wooh!"
"dayum, your computer is just riddled with viruses!"
and im like
"THANX FOR THE INFO NORTON!! !!"

go get AVG, Avast, Kaspersky, any one of those kicks norton right in the nuts any day.

to the other people: he/she explicitly says she/he's a noob. are you guys serious? "install linux"? didnt you guys read? NOOB. go install it FOR him/her, or dont give such lame-ass advice

I'm a n00b, and I run Linux. I'd be glad to install Linux for anyone near enough who wanted me to help them out with it. Besides, that comment on Dent's part was very obviously tongue-in-cheek, and he followed it up with advice on how to deal with viruses in Windows.

yeah, yeah, i just bubbled over.
i get like my mother when asking for computer help myself, this person was brave enough to point out being a noob, and got "go change your OS", i overreacted >:0

Thanks Orwell, I also acknowledged the 'noob' comment and offered to walk him through it.


Also I would dispute that windows is more suitable for noobs than say Ubuntu. I do not use Windows simply because I find it too hard to control. I checked out my windows programs. included are Search and Destroy, Adaware, Avast, Avg(disabled), Trend Micro(disabled) Reg Checker, Hijack This, and various file recovery programs. Ubuntu has only Avast and that is to fix the windows partition!

Ubuntu installs straight from the box and I would suggest that a 'noob' would do far better to learn to use linux than to be a 'noob' using Windows.

@ sketch happy to help if you want to pm me.

BTW Orwell; love my CUBE thanks for the help