The first thing that springs to mind is a corrupt registry so either try to do a system restore or use specialist software like Registry Mechanic to sort out your registry.

This might also be viruses/spyware. I’ve seen certain viruses keep themselves alive by blocking certain applications or processes that may kill them. Try running your anti-virus and spware software (update first) to get rid of any possible threats. If they won’t run, try running them in safe mode by pressing F8 repeatedly on startup. Try running MsConfig too to see what strange programs and processes might be starting up with your pc.

Look also at the Device Manager to see if their are any problems with attached devices or their drivers.

Test downloading in another browser to see if your download problem is browser related.

This looks like an AVG specific error message so maybe try re-installing the AVG program.

You could also try stopping this message/service from starting by clicking on Start – Run – type “MSCONFIG” and press ENTER. Click the Startup tab and untick the entry beside C:\WINDOWS\system32\VirusRemoval.vbs then apply and ok. You may have to restart your pc after this.

The obvious first solution is to boot into safe mode by holding down F8 on startup. If the pc starts properly and continues to run then it may well be some program that starts with the pc on main startup. You could try temporarily uninstalling NOD32 while in safe mode or use “Start – Run – Msconfig” to locate the startup process for NOD32 and disable it to stop it starting with the computer.

While on the safe mode options screen you could also choose to restore the pc to when everything last worked.

In general, when computers freeze you need to look at what you done just before the problems started and try reversing it. You should also check your system has enough resources such as hard drive space and RAM and do regular virus and spyware checks. Also check the system fans are still running and the CPU is not overheating.

If you do as the program suggests you will actually be installing a virus so if you’ve done that or if you just want to get rid of the pop ups, follow the instructions below:

1. Go to ‘Start – Control Panel – Add or Remove Programs” and look for Antivirus 2009 in the list and click remove/uninstall.
2. If its not in the above list go to “C: – Programs and Files” and look for a program folder with a similar name and delete it.
3. If theres no program folder or it wont delete press”Ctrl-Alt-Delete” at the same time to bring up the “Task Manager”. Click the ‘Processes tab’ and look for anything related/similar to antivirus 2009.exe then right-click and ‘End Process’. Now try going back and deleting the Antivirus 2009 folder from Program Files.
4. You can also try “Start – Run – type in ‘msconfig’ and click ok. Click the ‘Startup’ tab and look for any line related to Antivirus 2009 and untick it to stop it from starting with the pc next time you boot up.
5. Finally, download Adaware 2008, install it, update it and run to scan the entire pc and make sure all traces of this and other viruses are removed.

More detailed/technical removal instructions can be found HERE.

The first time I seen these it almost got me too but then you realize theres no way a website can know whats on my pc unless I tell it some way. These popups are actually viruses themselves and if you do as they say and click on them, they actually download and run a virus on your pc.

Sometimes even if you click close or the X button top right of the popup window you still initiate the download. What you need to do is close this window another, more complicated way! Heres how:

1. Press the ‘Control-Alt-Delete’ keys simultaneously to bring up the Task Manager.
2. In the ‘Applications’ tab, look for your browsers name, ie – Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.. highlight it and click the ‘End Task’ button at the bottom right. This will close all active browser windows including the virus so you might loose whatever site you were on but you should be able to click on the site window from behind the popup virus and save what you’re doing first. If not, its better to be safe than sorry.
3. When all browser windows and popups are closed, update and run any anti-virus software you have just to make sure you’re clean.

1. Make sure your anti-virus program is fully up to date before you scan, if you last updated your anti-virus program 7 days ago and a new virus was written yesterday then you wont be protected.
2. Run your anti-virus program in safe mode. Turn on your windows xp pc and tap F8 repeatedly untill you see a list of start options including ‘Start in Safe Mode’. Choose this and the pc will load up as normal but with none of the programs that normally start with the pc. This also stops the virus from loading as well hopefully!
3. Use the System Configuration utility to check and stop certain programs/viruses from starting with the pc. Access this from ‘Start – Run – (type) Msconfig’. Go to the ‘Startup’ tab and have a look down the list for anything that looks dodgy. You can have google open at the same time to search for the ‘Startup item’ names and see whether they are legitimate or not. If you find a dodgy one just untick it and it wont start next time.
4. You can also try to stop viruses that are currently running by pressing ‘Control-Alt-Delete’ together to bring up the Task Manager and in the ‘Processes’ tab right-click on any process that you think might be a virus (check google first!) and choose ‘End Process’. This might help if your anti-virus program is being blocked.
5. By all means try a different virus program if one doesn’t help, they are not all the same! You can download lots of free anti virus packages to try out but only have one installed at once.

Viruses, I’ll describe in another post but Spyware is possibly more dangerous and more prevalent. You contract a spyware in much the same way as a virus, ie – browsing the wrong sites, opening email attachments, usb sticks, etc.. They typically manifest themselves by popping up adverts automatically when you’re browsing the internet which is harmless but annoying and will slow down the pc if unchecked.

More worringly you can get hold of a spyware program that can set itself up to log whatever site you visit and whatever you type then send a report back to the writer giving him more info that you’d be comfortable with!

The good news is that like all of these spamss, viruses and spywares, you can prevent them easily and cheapily. Heres a couple of excellent free programs do deal with Spyware specifically:

1. Adaware
2. Spybot

Remember, no anti-virus or spyware program is any use unless you keep it updated.

When I was on callouts I’d ask people exactly what happened and what they done right before their pc got into the state I found it in and I had some funny responses ranging from turning off the pc immediately to pulling out the phone lead and being afraid to turn the pc back on.

In reality most viruses focus on doing what they do in a stealthy way, they don’t really want you to know they’re there so they run in the background. They only manifest themselves by slowing down your pc or making it act a little funny. Occassionally, they might be a little more sinister and cause your pc to not restart or steal your valuable info but I’ve never experienced this – perhaps because I keep myself well protected!

Heres how you can too. Heres a list of the best anti-virus packages out there. Installing one of them should keep you protected but only if you keep the program updated. I use Bullguard:

Paid for:

McAffee
Norton Anti-virus
Bullguard

FREE:

AVG Antivirus
Avast Antivirus