What is a Computer Worm?
The goal of a computer worm is to replicate itself in order to spread to more computers, often machines on the same network. Worms can be spread via email, instant messaging, or peer-to-peer networks such as music sharing websites. Once on a computer, a worm doesn’t need to attach itself to a particular program or file, and it can occupy a lot of bandwidth on your computer. Worms usually access your computer thanks to some sort of hole in your security firewall. Computer worms will slow down your system, and can also modify files until they are unusable. A worm can also stop the Internet from working. One of the easiest ways to avoid a computer worm is by having current anti-virus software running on your computer at all times, and an active firewall.
How to I remove a computer worm? Follow the Free tips below.
Before you attempt to remove a computer worm from your computer, you should stop system restore from running. This tracking program is meant to help you restore your computer to a previous date when you encounter a problem, but it may also inadvertently help a computer worm regenerate. To disable system restore, click on the Windows start button and go to the Control Panel. Choose “System and Security” and then “System.”
Choose “System Protection” from the left side toolbar. When the pop-up window opens, click on the “Configure” button and choose “Turn off system protection” and then “OK.”
Option 1: Run the Windows Malware Removal Tool.
The Windows malware removal tool is a standard feature on Microsoft Windows. While it doesn’t replace an anti-virus program, this tool can search for and help you remove any malware on your machine. If your computer worm makes it difficult to open new programs, restart your computer manually and then hit the F8 key to bring up the advanced options menu. Go into “Safe mode with networking” before you attempt to run the tool.
To get rid of the worm:
Click on the Windows start button and enter the word “Run” (no quotations) in the search field and hit the “Enter” key. When the Run dialogue box opens, type “mrt” into the Open field and click “OK.” If prompted by a pop-up window, click “Yes” to allow the malware removal tool to open on your computer.
Click “Next” on the Windows malware removal tool screen to proceed.
Choose “Full Scan” to let the program search your entire computer for any malware. Since this process can take several hours, it’s a good idea to connect laptops to a power source to ensure that the battery won’t die in the middle of the scanning process. Click the “Next” key to start the scan.
Wait for the scan to complete. If and when the program finds a worm on your computer, it will present you with instructions for how to remove the malware. Follow these instructions exactly, and then reboot your computer.
Option 2: Use an Anti-Virus Program
Visit the website of a trusted anti-virus program, such as AVG. You don’t have to get the paid version of the program to get a full computer scan. If you are unable to download or operate the program because the worm interferes with it, go back to safe mode.
Go to http://free.avg.com in your browser to download the AVG free scan program. Alternatively, open the Windows menu and search for “Run.” Hit “Enter” to open the Run box and then enter the URL (http://free.avg.com) into the run box and click “OK” to get to the site and download the anti-virus program.
Once the anti-virus program has downloaded, go to the Windows start menu and click on All Programs. Select AVG free to launch the program.
Click on the “Scan options” link in the left-hand toolbar of the AVG main menu. Choose the “Whole computer scan” option. This allows the program to search your entire computer hard drive, making it more likely to uncover the worm’s location and successfully isolate it. Your scan will automatically begin, and you can watch the scan’s progress and see when a threat is detected.
Wait for AVG to scan your entire computer for threats. Depending on the size of your hard drive and the number of files you have, this may take either several minutes or around one hour. When your scan is complete, AVG will alert you to any detected threats. In some cases, the anti-virus program will automatically quarantine and remove the threat, or it may ask you to confirm which action you want it to take. Click on the “Address issues” button and then highlight the worm on the following screen and choose “Remove selected.”
Reboot your computer in regular mode to complete the process. Repeat the process if necessary.
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