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I can't open my cellphone inbox. I think it is a virus! How can I remove a cellphone virus?

Antivirus Software for Cell Phones

Unfortunately, virus and malware developers have kept up with the latest trends just as the rest of the world moves toward a mobile Web. Viruses can and do infect cell phones. While not nearly as rampant as viruses targeting the Windows operating system, there are malicious programs that target the operating systems of popular mobile phones. Just as the best defense in a PC virus attack is antivirus software, the same is true of antivirus software for cell phones. Most antivirus software for cell phones will include solutions for wiping out know virus infections, making getting your hands on one of these programs a must.

First, you'll need to know what operating system your phone runs on such as Android or Windows Mobile. From there, start your search at well-known antivirus developers such as Kaspersky, Bit Defender, or AVG. Many of the major computer security developers are creating antivirus software specifically for cell phones. Like their PC cousins, these solutions have a variety of desirable features such as real-time blocking and automatic updates. Some also include useful functions designed specifically for the mobile nature of these devices such as remote "find" and remote "locking" should your phone be misplaced or stolen.

As with PC-based antivirus tools, costs vary from one developer to the next. If you already own a computer Internet security tool, you may want to start there as your existing program may have some mobile features built in. For example, Trend Micro's Titanium Security (Maximum Security edition) protects mobile devices as well as PCs.

Flashing Your Cell Phone

Another option is to "flash" or reformat your cell phone which essentially resets it to its factory condition. This is a drastic measure that will remove all of your custom settings and any apps you may have installed. If you don't have many customizations, such as if the phone is relatively new, then this might be the easiest option. Refer to your cell phone's user manual for instructions on how to perform a "factory reset."

My Dell laptop fails to shut down. It restarts automatically when I try to shut it down.

Why Windows Restarts at Shutdown

According to Microsoft, the two main reasons a computer restarts at shutdown are because "automatically restart" is selected or Roxio Easy CD creator (or Direct CD 5) is installed on your computer and is interfering with shutdown.

Solving the Computer Restart Problem by Updating Roxio

First, let's rule out or confirm the presence of Roxio Easy CD Creator or Roxio Direct CD 5. If your computer has either program on it, you'll need to update the driver by visiting Roxio.com and downloading the most current driver for your program and system. After updating the device driver, restart your computer to finalize the update and then test the computer to see of the problem is solved by shutting it down.

Solving the Computer Restart Problem by Disabling Automatically Restart

By default, some Windows operating systems enable "automatically restart" so that when the computer encounters a stop error or system failure, it reboots itself. However, this can interfere with shut down operations. To turn off this option, go to the Control Panel and choose the category labeled "Performance and Maintenance." Find the System icon, go to Advanced > Startup and Recovery > Settings. Now find the section labeled System Failure and de-select Automatically Restart. Click OK when prompted and then shut down your computer.

Resolving Underlying Stop Errors

If this solves the restart problem, but your computer continues to freeze up as you shut it down, there could be underlying issues that should be addressed. A little computer maintenance may be in order. Hopefully, either the new Roxio drivers or disabling automatically restart will solve the problem once and for all.

I have been trying to download 'Google Chrome' unsuccessfully because of a malicious website which is preventing me from doing so. I have managed to identify the threat as: Trojan.ADH.2. Would I be able to get rid of this inconvenience myself?

What are Trojans?
Trojans are malicious programs that get their name from the story of the Trojan horse. Like the warriors that hid inside the Trojan horse, malicious programs hide inside other programs.

How Trojans Infect Computers
Because they are hidden inside other programs, trojan malware arrives without the user's knowledge. For example, downloading a free screensaver or game could introduce a trojan to your computer without your knowledge. Similarly, exchanging files with others or clicking on an infected attachment in an email message is another common way that trojans arrive. To make matters worse, many trojans are programmed to invite others into your computer! These are called "downloading trojans."

Trojan.ADH.2
Malware developers are constantly playing cat and mouse with antivirus developers. However, Trojan.ADH.2 has been identified and many antivirus/antispyware programs are capable of removing it. If you have an antivirus/antispyware program on your computer, it may be able to remove Trojan.ADH.2 for you. However, the trojan itself may interfere with your program's ability to update itself.

Removing Trojan.ADH.2
Start by rebooting your computer into Safe Mode with Networking. This loads minimal programs and software, yet allows your computer to connect to the Internet. Launch your antivirus program and update it. Once updated, run a full system scan and follow any prompts to remove the malware. Because trojans often download additional malware, don't be surprised if you have several malicious programs to remove.

If your computer security program doesn't find and remove the threat, another one might. Many computer security developers offer free online scanners for personal use. In a pinch, a supplemental scan could do the trick.

How do I remove an unwanted virus in my PC?

Computer viruses can cause all kinds of harm if they're not dealt with promptly. Fortunately, you have several options. Unfortunately, it might be tricky because virus makers are always trying to work around current defenses. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Using System Restore
If you suspect that a computer has infected your computer, you may be able to mitigate the damage right away by using System Restore. System Restore is a feature in Windows that takes periodic "snapshots" of your computer's configuration (but not its data). If you have this feature enabled, try restoring your computer to a restore point just prior to the infection. For example, if you know that an email attachment launched the virus and you just received the email today, pick a restore point from the yesterday or the day before. This should restore your computer to its pre-virus condition. However, it won't do anything about that infected email, so make sure to delete it (and don't launch that infected file).

Using Antivirus Software
If you don't currently have antivirus software installed, go down to your local office supply store and buy a reputable product. You can also try buying antivirus software online, but here's where it get tricky. Some viruses block well known security sites such as Symantec, Norton, and Trend Micro specifically so that users cannot quickly solve their virus problem. Even if you use antivirus software out of the box, the software itself may not be blocked by the virus from updating itself which may prevent the software from detecting and removing newer viruses. When this happens, you may need to download the latest antivirus updates to a CD or USB drive using another computer and then patch your antivirus software with these updates.

Using Online Antivirus Scans
Another option is to try a free online antivirus tool from a trusted vendor such as Trend Micro's House Call. These online tools are good in a pinch, but shouldn't be relied on for continuous protection. For example, they're good at detecting infections on demand but they don't automatically update themselves nor do they scan your computer regularly or block threats in real time. Again, you may have to download the tool on a separate computer if the virus is actively blocking security sites.

After removing this unwanted virus, consider investing in a full featured antivirus solution such as ParetoLogic's Antivirus Plus.

I own an Acer Aspire laptop 2930, Windows Vista, over 2 yrs. old. Am seeking external webcam advice. Internal cam it came with has broken cable. In 2010 I purchased at Best Buy an external Dynex cam $45 & geek squad installed the program. Only used it about 20 times and when inserting it on side of computer would cause it to shut down , screen go black & computer would make a ringing dinging sound. I even had to put comp. into restore and fine now, so I will not use again!! I would like to know what low cost cam (don't need mic or nothing fancy, just something to save my long distance relationship) would be compatible and safe for my computer. I would be using with Yahoo messenger. I see online is cheaper to buy?

Okay, what you need to purchase is an external webcam that is compatible with your operating system, Windows Vista. There have been mixed reviews on a number of different webcam brands and their compatibility with Windows Vista.

Buying a Webcam Online: Price and Return Policy

While buying a webcam online can provide a lower cost, it is important to make sure that the brand is a reputable one. You also need to check on the return policy for the website that you intend to use. Nationally recognized websites such as Best Buy, Newegg, Nexrag, and Amazon offer decent return policies. In fact, Best Buy will even take your return in the store if you have purchased an item online.

Buying a Webcam: Compatibility

The best strategy to use when buying a webcam for your Acer Aspire 2930 laptop is to search for one that offers compatibility with Windows Vista. The webcam must be compatible with the operating system or it isn't going to work properly and may lead to performance issues such as the ones that you have described.

Buying a Webcam for Acer Aspire: Microsoft LifeCam Series

As far as a specific webcam, the Microsoft LifeCam series of webcams have had some good reviews. These models are compatible with Windows Vista, making them good options for you. They include: LifeCam Cinema ($79.95), LifeCam HD-6000 for notebooks ($59.95), LifeCam HD-5001 ($49.95), LifeCam HD-5000 ($49.95), and LifeCam HD-3000 ($39.95).

My advice is to check out these models and the features they have to offer to decide which one to go with. The three with the lowest cost are similar and yet offer slightly different features, yet each of them should work well with a laptop that uses Windows Vista. Of course, I cannot guarantee that you are going to be happy with any of these models, but they have been designed to work with Windows Vista on laptops.

Since you would essentially be using a Microsoft product, you could easily expect that it would work with the operating system that you are using.

What would a MMS virus look like? Maybe like this: #x&>$:)!x#xxzvxzc@!?

What are MMS Viruses?

MMS viruses are viruses that infect cell phones, typically spreading through Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) and Bluetooth connections. Though the target (cell phones) and deliver methods (MMS) are different, MMS viruses aren't unlike computer viruses that spread through email systems. Like an email virus, an MMS virus arrives as an attachment that must be executed before the virus can launch.

What Do MMS Viruses Look Like?

Like computer viruses, MMS viruses can display different messages in the originating message and may use different types of attachments in order to trick users into clicking. For example, the Locknut.B mms virus arrived with an .SIS attachment and pretended to be a Symbian patch. If you happened to own a mobile phone running the Symbian operating system, you may have fallen for this trick, clicked the .SIS attachment, and infected your cell phone!

Is a message with "#x&>$:)!x#xxzvxzc@!" a MMS virus? Maybe yes, maybe no. If you receive any message with junky or untrustworthy text and an attachment, don't click the attachment! Besides, how important can an attachment be if it's accompanied with garbled text?

Preventing MMS Viruses

The same general guidelines apply to MMS viruses as email viruses:

• Never open unexpected/unsolicited attachments
• Never open attachments from someone you don't know
• Never open suspicious attachments (and #x&>$:)!x#xxzvxzc@! qualifies as suspicious)
• Install security software for your cell phone

In addition to the general guidelines, you should turn off Bluetooth "discoverable" mode when you're not using it because MMS viruses use Bluetooth to find discoverable cell phones nearby to infect. Complete strangers within your phone's range could have infected cell phones and if your phone is discoverable, you could get an MMS virus sent via Bluetooth.