As a network administrator, helpdesk tech, or other computer professional, you don't remove that many viruses. Most company networks are secure enough that viruses are not really an issue.
The issue is when friends, family and people from work get viruses in their home computers. There are so many request for virus removal that it is easy to be desensitized. I am as guilty as anyone when someone asks for help and I tell them they should take their computer to the Geek Squad, or Nerd Herd. There are literally thousands of viruses, and unless you are a professional virus expert it is impossible to keep up with all the removals. So, listed below are some popular virus removal tools and programs.
Some viruses are so specialized that you must first discover the virus you have before you can remove it. There are many no-cost online virus checkers. Listed here are but a few to help isolated the infection:
These websites will scan and remove viruses, or isolate and inform you to what you have.
- BitDefender Scan Online
- Dr.Web Online Check
- eTrust Antivirus Web Scanner
- Ewido Online Scanner
- F-Secure Online Scanner
- Jotti's Online Malware Scan
- Kaspersky Online Scanner
- McAfee FreeScan
- Panda Activescan
- Symantec Security Check
- Trend Micro Housecall
- WindowsSecurity
- Microsoft Security Essentials
Adware and Spyware Removal
- Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2008
- MalwareBytes Anti-Malware
- Microsoft Windows Defender
- Spybot Search and Destroy 1.6
Removal Programs for Specific Infections:
- About:Buster - Removal of CWS HomeSearch Hijacker or res:// hijacker
- Combofix - all in one removal tool for many issues
- CWShredder 2.19 - CoolWebSearch Removal Tool from Trend Micro
- Elite Toolbar Remover
- I-Lookup Toolbar Uninstallers - Version 1 and Version 2
- Incredifind and PerfectNav Uninstaller
- Kill2Me - Removal of Look2Me infections
- Lop.com Uninstaller
- OmegaKiller for removing hijackers like Omegasearch.com Prosearching.com. Search200.com. Mysearchnow.com. Searchexe.com
- SDFix - another multitask removal tool
- SmitRem for removing Spyaxe, SpySheriff, Winhound and others
- VX2.BetterInternet for XP/2000 for Removing Look2Me
- VX2.BetterInternet for Windows 9X for Removing Look2Me
- WildTangent Remover
Tools for Investigating Adware and Spyware Infections
Programs to Delete Undeletable Files
TCP/IP and Winsock Repair Utilities
Free Anti-Virus Programs
