Are you thinking if it’s possible to remove viruses without Antivirus from your PC? Well, it’s very possible. Since most Antivirus software are quite expensive and some hide under the camouflage that they are free while in the long run, they are not. You will still need to make an all-front payment before you can have full access to the software.
However, what’s the probability that the Antivirus you finally select will work for your PC brand? Will you have to pay for every Antivirus software you come across before you get the best one that works for you? Well, this article will solve that issue and help you remove viruses without Antivirus from your PC.
Asides from knowing the various free virus removal methods, it may also interest you to know that you can check and prevent viruses on your computers or PCs. Here in this article, you will be provided with practical solutions to help you resolve this problem by cleaning all old and existing viruses from your PC, external storage devices without losing any data.
This article will guide you on the signs you will see once your PC is infected by a virus, how to remove viruses from your PC without using any antivirus software. Not every slow performance or response on your PC is caused by viruses. You need to ascertain and be sure what the main issue is.
Follow the guidelines below to know if your PC is infected by a virus or not.
How to Know if your PC has been infected by Virus
Before you solve a problem, you need to know the cause first. It is therefore good to be sure of what you are dealing with before fighting it. Below are signs you will see once your PC is infected with malware or virus:
Once you don’t have access to Admin Privileges or other System Settings
Many viruses are very aggressive in such a way that they like to “tie the users’ hands” by depriving them of access to administrative tools like Task Manager. If the virus is not detected and tamed, it roams freely, causing more damage to your system.
When Apps crash or your PC freezes suddenly
This is one of the common signs of a serious viral infection, although this sign is quite tricky, as the major cause might be related to other software or hardware issues. In case you see this sign suddenly, and you are sure you didn’t install new hardware or software recently, this may be a red flag pointing to a particular virus.
When your PC uses more resources when it shouldn’t
This is common with most types of viruses and other malware that run in the background. In case you noticed an unusually high CPU, memory, or disk usage when your computer should be idle, this is a red flag. If the fans are whizzing at higher speeds, this is also a clue to look into.
Once you can’t update your Antivirus software
This is a very grave sign that something is wrong with your PC. Except you just installed antivirus software from a new vendor, and it’s fighting for dominance with the old one, this is probably a virus blocking its adversary issue.
Once you see multiple windows popping up
If your PC begins spouting new windows or weird-looking pop-ups without control (especially with offers of freebies and prizes), this shows you need to remove a virus as soon as possible.
You will see the software you were not able to Download or Install
One of the common outstanding techniques of hackers is introducing legitimate installation packages with poisonous code and spreading them via free software websites. Always download from reputable sources only, so you won’t have to spend a fortune on something you could have easily avoided.
In case you can’t find any virus on your machine, a prophylactic scan or cleanup will be a perfect try. However, since you are likely in a serious situation already, check out how to remove viruses without Antivirus on your PC. Once a virus infects your computer, it will slow down the process and might even stop it from working properly.
How to Remove Viruses Without Antivirus from your PC or Laptop
Here’s the complete process on how you can remove the virus from Windows computers and laptops without using antivirus software or tools. Follow the steps below to remove viruses without Antivirus from your PC and fully protect your computer:
Stop all Running Virus-Related Processes in Task Manager
This process will stop every running virus-related program on your PC, stopping the virus from spreading all over your device.
- Select Ctrl + Alt + Delete to open Task Manager.
- On the Processes button, check each running process listed in the window and choose any strange processing programs, search online to verify.
- After it has been confirmed it’s a virus-related program, click on “End Task” to stop it from infecting your PC and device.
Disable Unknown or Strange Process from Windows Startup
This is a very effective action to block strange malware or virus before it takes over your computer from the startup. Follow the steps below:
- Open System Configuration or Task Manager, and go to the Startup tab.
- Navigate down to choose all programs with unknown manufacturers and select “Disable”.
Oftentimes, programs with strange manufacturers are related to malware and even virus.
Switch on the Windows Defender Firewall
Once you turn on the Windows Defender Firewall, it will block subsequent viruses from infecting your PC and storage devices
- Open Control Panel >> click “Windows Defender Firewall” >> Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.
- Verify the boxes of “Turn on Windows Defender Firewall” and tap “OK” to confirm.
Remove Virus with Virus and Threat Protection in Windows Defender
Are you also thinking loud like me? How possible is it to remove a Virus with a virus? Well, it’s possible, read on the basic steps below. Virus and threat Protection is a Windows built-in feature that can be used to secure Windows computers from virus infection and even used to clear viruses. Follow the steps below to enable this feature on your PC and remove viruses without Antivirus from your PC immediately:
- Ensure you switch on Virus and threat protection in Windows Defender.
- Right-click Windows icon and choose “Settings” >> Click “Update and Security”.
- On the Windows Security section, tap “Open Windows Defender Security Center”.
- Tap “Virus and threat protection” on the new window >> Go to Virus & threat protection settings.
- Turn on the following three options: Real-time protection, Cloud-delivered protection, and Automatic sample submission.
Once you enable the feature above, Windows Defender will automatically scan all drives and files to discover and verify viruses on your computer. In case it discovers a virus, ensure you remove the virus.
Delete Existing Virus from PC by Using Virus and threat Protection
You may need to also manually run this feature at times to scan and remove viruses from Windows computers. Follow the steps below to achieve that:
- Navigate to “Settings” >> “Update & Security” >> “Windows Security”.
- Tap “Virus & threat protection”.
- In the “Threat history” section, tap “Scan now” to scan for viruses on your computer.
Once you have done this, you can restart your PC and the device will be clean of viruses and malware.
Disconnect the Internet from Your PC
Are you aware that some computer viruses make use of the internet connection to spread? However, it’s a good fix to disconnect the internet to avoid further damage. Follow the steps below:
- Right-click on the Internet connection icon on your Taskbar and click on the “Open Network & Internet settings”.
- Now choose “Network & Sharing Center” and select “Change adapter settings”.
- On the Network Connections screen, right-click or long-press the connection you want to disable and click on Disable. The icon for the connection will turn grey to show that it has been disabled.
Restart Your Computer Into Safe Mode in Windows 10
The steps below should work irrespective of the kind of malware you have on your PC or laptop. This process is very effective as it is for Trojans so it is for a run-of-the-mill virus. The best solution is to restart your PC in Safe Mode. Follow the steps below:
- Restart the Windows 10 PC. Once you see the Sign-in screen, long-press on the “Shift” key, click the Power icon at the bottom-right, and select “Restart”.
- Windows 10 restarts and directs you to choose an option. Select “Troubleshoot” >> Advanced options” >> “Startup Settings” >> “Restart”.
In case your computer is infected by a particular virus, like write-protection or shortcut virus. You may need other possible solutions for removing viruses from your PC.
How to Recover Files after Removing Virus from your PC
Some files may have been corrupted in the process of removing a virus from your PC, but do not worry because you can still recover them after removing the virus from your Windows computer. All you need do is verify and continue using your device and files again once the virus has been removed.
In case some files are missing on your PC due to virus infection, don’t worry. Go back and follow the Part 1 of this article on how to remove viruses without Antivirus from your PC first.
The reliable data recovery software such as EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can scan your whole storage device for any lost files due to false operation or virus removal. This software provides you with a simple workout on restoring virus-deleted data. Then you can follow the provided data recovery methods here in this guide to fully recover lost or missing files immediately:
- Choose the disk drive where you have lost files after using an antivirus program and tap on “Scan”.
- Once the scan process is completed, all the lost and deleted files on the selected drive will be displayed.
- Locate the antivirus deleted items from the tree-view panel on the left, or use the “Filter” function for specific file formats, like pictures, videos, emails, documents, and so on.
- Double-click on a file to preview. After that, choose the file(s) at once and tap “Recover”.
How to Use CMD to Unhide Files (Files Hidden by Virus)
You need to be very careful while using CMD. Ensure you only enter commands from trusted sources and enter them correctly. Inappropriate use of CMD can result in serious damage to your system.
At times, viruses do not only take over your PC, but some of them may also hide your files, making you believe that all files were removed. Whereas, these files were not removed but only hidden on your PC. Therefore, you can run the following CMD command to unhide files that were hidden by the virus:
- Run Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Type attrib -h -r -s /s /d F:\*.* and click the “Enter” button. (Replace “F” with the drive letter of your virus-infected hard disk or USB).
- Enter del autorun.xxx (the extension of the shortcut virus) and click “Enter”.
- That’s it!
Other Ways to Remove Viruses without Antivirus from your PC
In addition to providing several reliable solutions on how to remove viruses without Antivirus from your PC and restoring lost files, you may also have some other concerns on how to prevent virus infection and data protection for subsequent usage. Follow the steps below to remove viruses without Antivirus from your PC:
- Download and install a virus scanner of your choice.
- Disengage from the internet.
- Restart your PC into safe mode.
- Delete any temporary files.
- Run a virus scan check.
- Remove or quarantine the virus.
- Restart your PC.
- Change all your passwords
- Finally, update your software and operating system to the most recent version.
I want to believe that this article has opened your eyes to the various ways you can remove viruses without Antivirus from your PC. It doesn’t cost you anything, it also saves you time.
Let us know in the comment section below if any of the steps helped you remove viruses without Antivirus from your PC. Thank you for reading this far.