Viruses and malware can slow down your computer, steal personal information, and even lock away certain files. If you see strange activity or pop-ups or your device starts moving slowly, you should act at once. This article guides you on how to remove virus from hard drive manually as well as by using an advanced method.
1: Disconnect the Infected Device The Best Defense Against Internet
If you have a virus, the first thing to do is disconnect from Wi-Fi or unplug the Ethernet cable. At the same time, this allows it to stop the infected systems from communicating with the control server of the malware, exfiltrating additional data, or further spreading the infection. In a situation where your files have already been damaged, you may need to learn how to delete corrupted files before recovery.
2. Boot into Safe Mode
Safe Mode only loads the absolute minimum system files needed, preventing viruses from starting as easily.
- For Windows, restart your computer and go press F8 or Shift + F8 (on older versions) or go to Settings → Update & Security → Recovery → Advanced startup.
- Mac: Restart and hold Shift and keep holding it until you see the Apple logo.
When you enter Safe Mode, it gives you a cleaner environment inside which to do virus scans.
3. Use a Trusted Antivirus Program
Use a virus definition and run a full system scan — not a quick scan, as viruses like to hide in hard to find directories. Always keep your antivirus software updated so that it can provide you the latest definitions for threats. After scanning if it detects infected files, follow its removal steps. Once you have cleaned it, you should even show hidden files on Mac or Windows to verify that nothing suspicious remains.
4. Remove Temporary and Unwanted Files Manually
Temporary file locations are common hiding spots for viruses. Removing these, can aid in the speed of scans, and the removal of potential threats. This is how to delete temporary files to ensure a safe cleanup procedure. Also, make sure to examine your Downloads, AppData, and Program Files folders for any executables that should not be there.
5. Check Startup Programs
Certain viruses set themselves to boot with your PC.
For Windows: Ctrl + Shift + Esc → Click on the Startup tab. Disable unfamiliar entries.
For Mac: System Preferences → Users & Groups → Login Items
Deleting any suspicious startup entries can prevent the virus from reactivating.
6. Restore from a Backup
One of the safest ways to remove a virus is to restore your data from a clean backup, given that you have been backing up on a regular basis. If you do, make sure the backup was prior to the infection. Make sure to create a backup after cleaning so you lose none of your data again.
7. Advanced Cleaning – Wiping the Drive
In fact, in extreme cases, viruses can hide under the system files. In such cases, formatting or wiping the hard drive is usually the best option. One option is to perform a factory reset (see how to factory reset a PC), however this doesn’t always go as far as to remove all offending code.
To do this completely, follow the standard for overwriting the disk sectors corresponding to the US DoD 5220.22-M data erase. This is to guarantee that the virus cannot be restored. You can additionally wipe free space on a hard disk drive to ensure that malicious information which have been deleted is gone completely.
8. Remove It Permanently Using Professional Software
Specialized tools can come in handy, when manual methods are not sufficient. One of the solution for permanent deletion of the viruses is SysTools Data Destruction Software which can help you to wipe out malware traces wiped out in computer with number of wiping algorithms.
9. Don’t Forget External Devices
A flash drive or an external hard disk is able to transfer viruses, malware, or whatever it is. When a USB drive is used, scan it, and fully wipe it, before plugging it back. An actual wipe of the hard drive, when rated before selling or reusing a laptop.
10. Prevention Tips After Virus Removal
When you understand how to remove virus from hard disk, prevention comes next:
- Update your OS and other software regularly.
- Avoid downloading from suspicious websites.
- Use strong, unique passwords.
- Enable firewall protection.
- Backup frequently and keep it offline.
Note: Safeguard your data from leaks by wiping a laptop, so the data cannot be used before you sell or dispose of your laptop.
Final Thoughts
In this blog, we have come across protecting the data, system performance, and ensuring privacy, so knowing how to remove virus from hard drive is a must. Using the appropriate manual removal, antivirus scanning, or professional wiping tools can prevent further damage if acted upon fast enough. However, in the long run, the best advice is as always, to set up regular backups, browse with caution, and take care to securely delete your data.