What is a computer virus? First of all, it helps to know what it is. A computer virus or malware is a software program that has been created by a person with the intention of causing destructive problems such as applications that spy on you, corrupt your data or give control of your computer to someone thousands of miles away. Viruses and malware are generally limited to damage to the software, however hardware can be targeted as well.

Once you suspect that you have a computer virus, what do you do? Here are some tips for computer virus removal:

Don't panic! This is the most important tip. Do not assume that you need to wipe your computer clean and start from scratch.

Determine that you have a virus. If you suspect that your computer has a virus, some symptoms may be your computer is running unusually slow, complaining with lots of errors, random reboots, blue error screens, or tons of pop-up windows. If any of this is happening, make sure you close all of your files and opened windows. Run antivirus software to make sure it is operating. Do this before updating it with the latest virus definitions. If it is operating, update your antivirus with the newest virus definitions and run it again. If it is not operating, the virus may have disabled the antivirus software. To get around this, download the software onto another computer then save to a disk or flash drive. Use the disk or flash drive to load the software onto the computer with the virus. Once loaded, scan your computer and follow the directions given to remove or disable the virus.

Start your computer in "Safe Mode". This may be an option if the antivirus program is still not working. This mode is usually is used when there is a system-critical problem that interferes with the normal operation of Windows and can help troubleshoot the problem. To start your computer in Safe Mode, you can press the F5 key or you can press the F8 key and select Safe Mode from the boot menu. Once started in Safe Mode, try running your antivirus software. This scan may find malware. If you can remove all of the malware applications found, this may correct your problem.

Hire a professional. If you've been through all of this and your PC is still having problems, it is time to call in reinforcements. There are plenty of companies which are more than happy to help. Simply check in your local phone book under "Computers; Repair and Service". When pricing these services, find a company that will take a look at your computer and give you a free estimate. They will charge hourly rates for their services.