Viruses are sneaky critters. They can attach themselves to email, common
downloaded programs or files, even disks you buy at the store and use every day.
You should have your anti-virus software set up so it performs a cursory scan
every time you turn the machine on. However, it's also a good idea to run a
system-wide check once a week, just to be sure you don't have any stow-aways
lurking in the corners. This task can take a long time, depending on how much
information you have on your hard drive. So, it's best to run a system scan
while you're busy doing something else. You can even set up your program to
automatically run a system scan at regular intervals.
To scan your system for viruses:
Click on your anti-virus software icon. Then click on run full system scan.
While you're there, make sure the auto protect and email scanning features are
turned on.
Check for Program Updates
The basic programs that run your computer often have updates available
online. Downloading these updates will keep everything running smoothly and fix
any annoying bugs that have been discovered since the program went on the
market. Your system can check for updates automatically and either tell you they
are available or download them immediately.
To set up your system to check for updates, go to control panel and click on
performance and maintenance. Then click on system properties and automatic
updates. Check the appropriate boxes. Or go to "Help" and search for
updates.