Virus Removal

Cost – P.O.A

If your computer has been infected by a virus or viruses, or you suspect you have a virus, we can often safely remove them from your system leaving your system un-damaged. Most Viruses can be safely removed with no lasting effects, though more dangerous viruses which have caused damage to key operating system files and hard disk areas may require a complete system restore or re-install. We will attempt to remove the virus and try to recover any lost or damaged data (if applicable) at the time of the service. If we diagnose the virus as being of a more dangerous variety, requiring a complete system restore along with hard drive format and partition to remove then you will be advised of this.

As a rough guide, if you have recently had access to the Internet or files on CDROM or other media, and if you computer system is bootable, but showing some odd behavior, then your may have a virus, which can normally be removed at the time of the service with no lasting effects.

Odd behavior can include being unable to access the internet or certain internet sites, odd error messages, anti-virus software which used to be installed is no longer running, unable to update your virus definitions via the Internet, slow behavior of the computer, the computer crashes often etc. If your computer no longer boots, and gives an error message referring to the "master boot record (MBR)" or "boot sector" you may either have a hard disk failure, or a virus which has attacked and destroyed or written to your "master boot record", (sector 0 of the disk). With this type of virus we can often salvage the hard disk, and sometimes the files on it, though more often than not  we may need to re-partition the disk which creates a new MBR. Unfortunately this process often leads to an un-readable disk so effectively destroys all data and files on it which means that the disk must be re-formatted and the operating system re-installed – a Clean Install. We have software tools available to re-create only the MBR, leaving the data areas of the disk un-touched, however we advise customers that the process MAY or MAY NOT work, and you should plan for the worst case scenario.

Note: A full clean install of your operating system is not included in the fixed service price, as this is a time consuming process, but we will quote you a competitive rate to complete this work if it is necessary.

What is included in this service:-

• Collection and return of your PC.
• Virus or multiple virus identification and removal.
• Advice of Internet safety and security and how to avoid catching Viruses in the future.
• Computer Internet security audit. We will check you Internet settings to ensure that you are using 'safe' settings. We will also provide advice on how best to secure your Internet access.
• Installation and configuration of the excellent AVG Anti-virus Free edition if you are a home user.  This package offers fabulous features and "Virus definitions" are updated daily or whenever a new virus is identified, ensuring you have the best possible protection against viruses and Spyware. If you prefer, we can supply any other Anti-Virus software that you request.The software will be registered in your name, and we will invoice you for the extra cost along with the service.

What is not included in this service:-

• Any additional software or hardware required. Normally none is required.
• Repair of the Operating system (Windows) which requires a complete re-installation. This can be carried out at a discounted rate which you will be advised of before any work commences. You must also provide us with the original Windows installation disks, and their unique installation number (normally attached to the computer in the form of a label).
• Any guarantee to recover lost files or programs which have been destroyed by the virus.
• Back-up of your data. We do not back-up your data, so please ensure you have saved all important files to floppy disk or CD before we start work on your PC. We offer a back-up service for an extra cost should you require it. We cannot be held responsible for files lost or deleted during work on your computer though we will endeavor wherever possible to leave customer's files unchanged. Occasionally it may be necessary to delete or over-write files during the process. Booking our service is acknowledgment of these risks.