Things like your computer acting erratically, locking up, blue screening, or just not running
at its "usual" performance  pace often signify  that  the strange  behavior of the  computer is
indeed the work of a "virus".

What exactly is a virus? A virus is a computer program written to reproduce itself, spread
and quite often, cause damage by impacting computer performance or deleting data. While
dangerous, a virus cannot spread on its own; it must be executed or run to do any damage.

What  kind  of damage  can  a  virus  do?  The  majority  of viruses  are  not  much  more   than
harmless e-graffiti  (commonly  known as "hoax  viruses"),  ways for hackers to prove  that
they could have disabled your computer system had they so desired. The  viruses with both
bark and bite, capable  of crippling your operating system or wiping crucial files from your
hard disk, are the REAL dangers!

So.. how can you prevent this from happening to you? Well, there are several things that can
and should be done. First and foremost, purchase a good anti-virus program and keep it up-
to-date. Most people  think that  if they purchase the anti-virus software and install  it, that
they're finished. No, no, no, no, no!

Virus protection is like taking  cold medicine. You  wouldn't  take  one  dose  and  expect to
never get a cold again. Well, it's the same with updating your anti-virus software. Because 
there are as many as 6 new viruses created every day, updating should be  done as often as
once a day.

The  more often  your anti-virus checks for updates, the  less likely one  will slip through its
defenses.

If you do get a virus and cannot remove it with a change of anti-virus software then you will
need to call a professional in to help you out.