Virus Scanning Software Advice

Here are some good programs to use to scan your Windows system. They are useful to scan an infected system to try to remove existing viruses. You should also use one or more of these programs to reduce the chances of your Windows system being infected in the future.

1. AVG Free Edition:

Go to http://download.cnet.com/ and search for "AVG Free" to find the latest version of the AVG virus scanning software (it will have a name similar to "AVG Anti-virus Free Edition 2011"). Some tips for using AVG:

• Always use "whole computer scan"
• Under "scan options," check everything, including "files without extensions" in "additional scan settings".
• Set up automatic scans with the Scheduler function to periodically check you system.

2. Spybot Search and Destroy:

Go to http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/ to download this adware/malware scannning software. Here are some tips:

• Disable the "Teatimer" function during install
• Go to File > Advanced View and set up a scanning/update schedule for Spybot

3. Malwarebytes:

Visit http://www.malwarebytes.org/ to download Malwarebytes. Malwarebytes specializes in finding and removing malware. In our experience at SWCP, there are some malicious infections that only Malwarebytes can remove. Some tips on use:

• Always do an update in Malwarebytes prior to scanning so that you have the latest database of malware.

If you have questions about using any of these programs please email help@swcp.com.