Spyware and viruses are becoming the largest problem in the battle of keeping you computer running smoothly.

10 Signs Your PC Is Infected
 

To quickly determine if your computer is infected with spyware, click the check box next to any statements below that you can answer "yes" to:

There is a distinct difference between spyware, Malware and viruses.

Viruses can and do cause damage to your computer, your files, and the software programs you use. Viruses attack your computer at the base level of programming. As some of you know, computers use a "binary" language as where we as humans, use a base 10 language. Computers do tasks and perform calculations based on the binary or base 2 programming. This basically means that a computer uses ones and zeros as a communication tool to do it's job. When a virus infects the code inside of your computer it changes the "meaning" of certain commands that cause your computer to "freeze" or "lock up" or just cause errors. An example of this would be something like this:

11100100011101001 may mean something like.. launch microsoft word... as to where...
11 00 00011 010 1 may mean, let's go to McDonalds for lunch!

Its a matter of how and where the ones and zeros are placed. Viruses "eat" or destroy bits of data like the missing ones and zeros that you see above that cause malfunctions or miscommunications with your computer.

A lot of times, the only way to fix this kind of damage is to first get rid of the virus and then reinstall the affected software.

Spyware and Malware on the other hand is just purely annoying and generally slows your computer down to a crawl if it is even usable. Spyware usually doesn't harm your computer when it's infected it just makes it impossible to work with. Click here for more information

The purpose of spyware is to trick you into buying a product to fix a problem with your computer that you really don't have! Sound confusing? This is why it's called SPY-ware or sometimes it's also known as malware.

Usually spyware is brought into your computer by "pop-ups" that show up when you are browsing the internet with internet explorer. They will usually appear to be a message from your computer telling you that there is a problem with your computers performance or your system has detected a virus then it prompts you to click on a button to fix the problem. This NEVER fixes the problem, it only makes it worse. When you see one of those messages that state something like "Is your computer running slow? Click below to run speed check" by clicking on yes, no, or cancel all does the same thing... it brings a "spybot" into your system. The only way to avoid that is to click on the "x" on the top right of the window. This is a Windows default exit and is the only safe way to get out of it. You must keep in mind though, if you got the false warning to begin with, you have already been infected with one or more spyware or malware programs.

These programs are designed to do only one thing, sell you products you don't need. You'll notice that if you click on one of those warnings, it brings you to a web page that want's to sell you some program that will supposedly fix your problem (the problem that was created by them) and they want your money!

Again, the only way to fix this problem is to remove the spyware with honest spyware removal tools and be educated as what not to do on the internet.

We at Atascocita Computers specialize in virus , spyware and malware removal and cleaning up the mess left behind by them. We strive not only to fix your computer problems but to further educate our customers to help them to avoid these kind of problems in the future.