Coronado Computer Service

Online scanners download a virus/malware definition database and an ActiveX file that allow them to run in the Internet Explorer browser; the download and scan can take a long time, even with a fast Internet connection.

Scanners are practical when you are looking for verification that a problem has been fixed or that a computer is infected. Unfortunately, very few scanners will remove malware. Most importantly, since two antivirus programs should not be installed on a computer at the same time, online scanners are safe to use with your current antivirus program.

Most antivirus programs now offer anti malware / spyware solutions as well. No antivirus program is 100% accurate and needs to be complimented with a good anti-malware program. Coronado Computer Service highly recommends Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free for Macs and PCs. It has consistently been a top performer in identifying and removing infections, and for that reason we install the Premium version on every computer we work on no matter what antivirus is currently installed. Microsoft now offers a Safety Scanner which expires 10 days after being downloaded. It is intended for occasional use and can be downloaded again.

Unfortunately, some computers require a reformat of the hard drive to guarantee malware or rootkit removal. You are welcome to call Coronado Computer Service for a backup and system reinstall. This is costly and time consuming, but ultimately cheaper than a new computer on which you will have to reinstall all your old programs and data anyway. Our turn around time is typically three days.

Mac users are not immune to malware, it's just that since there are so few of them compared the number of Windows computer, there is much less malware written to attack the iOS. It is still a good idea to have antivirus and malware protection for your iMac or MacBook Pro. You might consider one of the following free programs for OS X(10.6 or later)