Getting Rid of a Trojan Virus - What to Do If Your Computer Is Infected

"Trojan Viruses are malicious programs that can cause a lot of problems for your computer and jeopardize your personal information. Trojans can overwrite data, shut your computer off randomly, download files on its own, install a backdoor so hackers can remotely access your pc, track your personal information and worse.

Run an Anti-Virus - if you have an anti-virus program installed (which you should) then run the scan and 'delete' anything it finds. Deleting is important because if you only quarantine or clean the found files the trojan can reinstall itself afterwards. There are a number of well respected and free anti-virus programs out there, but make sure they are on the level before you download them. Of course there are a number of security suites you can pay for as well that have a lot more bells and whistles. There are other programs you can find like HouseCall and Trend Micro that are specifically designed for trojan removal. Since these two programs operate from an online browser instead of your computer, it may be more difficult for a Trojan to fool them.

Manual Deletion - if your antivirus can't identify or remove the trojan you will have to get rid of it by hand. The scanner will have no doubt located a number of troublesome files and maybe can give you a clue as to what you are dealing with. Check your systems program adder/remover in the control panel to see if you can find any programs installed you don't recognize. You can also check the running process with CTRL/ALT/Delete to see if there is anything suspicious. If there is make sure to end the process.

Identify the point of origin - If you can pinpoint the way you got the trojan you may be able to find help. This is particularly helpful for viruses that are a little older and more well known. Google the name of the program it came packed in or the name of the email address, or even the exact text of the pop up add you clicked. Many times other people have been in the same situation and have posted their solutions online.

Message Boards - in a similar vein, you can often find people on message boards who post a lot about getting rid of trojans and other types of malware. There you can find information on tutorials and even executables that can uproot trojans from your computer. Never be the first person to try something, unless you are good with computers. Make sure that the process you find in the forums has been effective for a lot of people. While the process of removing this particular type of malware is find it, keep it from executing and deleting it, each trojan has its own idiosyncrasies and requires specific steps in order to be effectively removed.

Reinstall the Operating System - even though this is the most effective way to get rid of a trojan it is also the most drastic and should be considered a last resort when everything else has failed. While this is definitely extreme, even the most advanced users have to resort to this tactic every once in a while. Before you being it is imperative that you back up your data files. Even if your OS reinstall disc or program insists that they can reinstall without losing your files, back up your files. This is one area where safe is infinitely more advisable than sorry.

The reinstall process can take a few hours, but it is one way to get your computer back to functioning as well as it did the day your first turned it on, trojan and malware free. If you are uncomfortable with this step you can have a tech support specialist help you with the process."