Infected?

Off the top, there's a very strong possibility that you are, in fact, infected by some kind of virus/spyware/malware. This is especially true if you're running a Windows machine. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Windows, I use it. It's just true. In most cases the infections come out faster than the cures, not unlike most things in our world, hmm? While I don't have the slightest clue what to do about the swine flu, I do have a few great ideas on how to help you figure out if your PC is infected, and if so, what can you do to clean it up.

First off, do you get popups? Of any kind? Since most browsers have built-in pop-up blockers, if you're getting popups... you're probably infected. Secondly, if the machine is sluggish. What I mean is that if you haven't installed anything new, you haven't changed the way you use your PC, and yet it is still running slower, and sometimes making you click a program 2 or 3 times before it will actually run. If this is happening, you're probably infected.

Other more obvious signs that you're infected :
1. Some programs just stop working, specifically security-related software.
2. Your antivirus stops updating itself.
3. Windows Security Center gets turned off.

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Before I continue, I want everyone to understand that if you are seriously infected, or if you do not feel comfortable being responsible for whether your computer continues to run or not, stop right this minute, and go to our website, www.westcoastitsolutions.net . We'll get you in touch with a certified professional, who will help you remove these infections.
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Okay, if you're still reading this, you've decided to take matters (wisely or not) into your own hands. I admire your spunk.

So, first off, you need to figure out how badly you're infected. I recommend downloading a program called SuperAntiSpyware, and installing it, and scanning with it. Clean out any infections this program finds. It most likely will want to restart at the end of the scan as well, this is acceptable, as some files need to be deleted before Windows takes control.

Now secondly, never just scan once. Scan it again, and see if any scragglers are left. Also, watch the 'severity' rating of the infection. If you see a lot of 'high' severity infections, you may have to go into Safe Mode and perform a scan. I'm not going to tell you how to get into Safe Mode; if you're reading this particular part of this post, you should already know. If after you scan it comes up clean, then make sure your antivirus software is up to date, and scan with it as well.

Please understand that there is not one software that is a fix-all, cure-all. I recommend starting with SuperAntiSpyware based only on my own experience and preferences. Use what is best for your situation, and PLEASE, when in doubt, contact a professional. Your data is important, no? I thought so, and wouldn't you feel terrible if you had to blame yourself for it being gone? I thought so. Drop by our website, www.westcoastitsolutions.net, and visit the contact us page. Get ahold of us, we'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.