Last week, I covered AV tools from Microsoft in the Top Story, “Microsoft’s six free desktop security tools.” This article adds a selection of third-party tools, a dozen of the best-regarded and most popular anti-malware cleanup tools currently available. With just a little work - literally a few minutes - you can equip yourself with the tools needed to rid a PC of most malware or verify that a system isn’t actually infected. Thoroughly cleaning a system might require the use of multiple AV products, multiple scan/clean cycles, and even Linux-based tools running outside Windows.īest AV practices also include proactive planning - preparing for infections, rather than scrambling for the right malware cleaner after the fact.

Unfortunately, it can be far easier to detect malware than to remove it.

Whatever the signs, experienced Windows users typically resort to one or more anti-malware scanners/cleaners. Or maybe the system seems to be working fine, but you’d still like to verify that malware hasn’t taken hold and is working silently in the background. Sometimes the infection is more subtle: It feels like Windows or installed apps just aren’t working as they should. Can you help?Ī Windows infection shows up in many ways: strange system behavior such as excessive, unexplained activity odd warning or that aggressive popup you can’t remove. It should provide all the information needed to remove even the most tenacious malware infestation. We suggest you keep this story handy for future reference - bookmark it or print it out. If it’s been a while since you had to clean someone’s machine, it can be difficult to remember the best techniques and apps for restoring a system to good health. But every so often, a friend or family member says those dreaded words: “I think I might have a problem with my PC.” Typically, by then the infection - a bogus antivirus popup, for example - is well established. Having established best-security practices on your PC, you’ve been free of malware infections for a long time. Here’s a typical scenario for a veteran computer user. Use one or more of these free tools to clean up even the worst malware infections - and keep PCs clean. Need to get a system clean of malware and/or verify that it’s completely malware-free? TOP STORY A dozen tools for removing almost any malware

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