Sometimes your computer really needs a professional to repair it, but not always. There are also times when a simple anti-virus or malware remover can clean your computer automatically and fix all sorts of problems. Below are some resources to help you fix your computer on your own. But if they can't solve your issues, then give me a call.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Malware (also called spyware) wreaks havoc on computers. Visiting the wrong website, or clicking the wrong link can allow malware to install itself automatically on your comptuter without your knowledge or permission. Common symptoms of a Malware infection are:
- Increased pop-ups, often of an illicit nature
- Spyware or virus alerts that pup up all the time trying to sell you a product to remove them (this is a scam)
- A dramatically slowed computer
- Your internet stops working
If your internet hasn't stopped working yet you can download a trial version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for free. The trial version will scan and remove many Malware infections, however it will not protect your computer from future infections (youhave to purcahse the full version here if you want that feature).
Virus can spread to your computer through emails, websites or files that you received from other infected computers. They can do a number of things, from turning your computer into a "zombie" that sends out SPAM, to erasing all the information on your hard drive. If your computer is running very slowly and you don't already have an up to date anti-virus scanner on your computer, try downloading AVG and running a full system scan and see what it picks up.
DropBox is a free easy to use online storage application. It has two primary purposes: to securely backup important files and to enable you to access those important files from any computer you use. DropBox allows you to store up to 2 gigabytes of data on their servers for free.
You just download a little application that once installed, creates a folder on your computer called "My DropBox" anything you put in that folder gets automatically saved to your online storage space. If you install DropBox on a different computer and connect it to the same DropBox account, all the files in your DropBox will show up on that computer as well, allowing you to edit them, or add new files, while DropBox keeps all your My DropBox folders synced between all your computers. If you're at a computer that doesn't have DropBox installed, you can go to the DropBox website website, login with your account, and download any file in your DropBox.
