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Clean a PC infected by a virus or other malware

Having an antivirus does not guarantee that your system is malware-free. Scanning your PC regularly is useful, but using the antivirus already installed while you are infected is often ineffective. A malware’s first job is usually to remain undetected by installed antivirus software, making repeated scans useless in most cases.

If you suspect or are certain that your PC is infected with a virus or other malware, you can use the following tools to clean it:

Difficulty

Simple method

  • ESET Online Scanner [ download.eset.com ]: A powerful tool you can use to remove malware from any PC directly through your web browser, without installing a full antivirus.
  • ESET Crysis Decryptor [ download.eset.com ]: A free decryption tool for victims of the Crysis ransomware.
  • ESET Malware Removal Tools [ support.eset.com ]: Standalone tools designed to remove particularly resilient threats and other malware.
  • ESET Retefe Detector [ download.eset.com ]: A standalone malware removal tool.

Difficulty

Alternative method for advanced users

Even if you have never used Linux before, this operating system can be extremely helpful for Windows, especially when dealing with viruses, as Linux is almost immune to them. Here’s how to proceed:

  • Download an ISO image of a Linux distribution, such as Linux Mint [ linuxmint.com ].
  • Install Linux in dual boot mode (be careful not to erase your Windows partitions), then install ClamAV [ clamav.net ].
  • Scan your Windows partitions with ClamAV. Since it runs on Linux, Windows-based viruses will not be able to affect it.