Clean up the disk. Uninstall unneeded programs (especially those that run at startup and/or put something in the system tray), run Disk Cleanup, and defragment the drive. This is a good first step that will almost always take a few seconds off boot time and application loads for any computer.
# Run a full anti-virus and anti-spyware scan. You never know what's lurking on your machine, and these anti-malware tools can help you get rid of other PC-clogging detritus on your PC, even if it's not harmful.
# Clean up the registry. This is controversial, as some experts claim registry cleaners don't really help. I've seen evidence to the contrary, so I recommend doing it if you've got a major slowdown. CCleaner is free and worth running.
# Delete old network connections. Your computer may be trying to connect to shared hard drives that no longer exist. In Windows Explorer right-click on any network shares you don't actively use and click Delete. Under Tools, also click "Disconnect Network Drive" to see if there are any others lurking about.
# Stomp auto-starting programs. Click Start > Run and type "msconfig" at the prompt. Click the Startup tab and look at all that junk that loads when you launch your PC. Do you really need "Adobe Reader Speed Launch"? Probably not. Turn off anything else that looks useless, but be careful not to disable Windows system components.
If you need help with these contact Weinsteiger Consulting

Most personal computers rely on the Windows operating system. Therefore, a virus written to attack that operating system is more likely to create havoc then one written to attack Linux or Apple operating systems.

If you think a computer you are using is infected, contact Weinsteiger Consulting for support. The quicker infections are discovered, the less they can spread and do damage. Don't be embarrassed or afraid to let someone know; the most important thing is to fix the problem.

Symptoms of an infection vary depending on the type of virus you have, but there are some general guidelines. A common symptom of a boot sector infector is problems with booting: the system doesn't boot or displays odd messages when booting. Your software may note a change in the boot sector or memory map.

Symptoms of file infectors can be executables that used to work but are now failing to load correctly. Your antiviral package may indicate that something "goes resident" in memory and stays there after running an application.

A macro virus infection is usually not as subtle as file infectors or boot sector infectors. With a macro virus all your documents may only offer you the option to save them as templates. You may notice "extra" macros that did not come with your word processing package and that you did not create.

As soon as you note a symptom, investigate! You may not have a virus, or even a serious problem, but don't take chances.

Your system may have a virus if you notice odd or unreliable behavior with your computer. This doesn't "prove" that your computer is infected, but it does indicate something that needs attention and perhaps intervention. Often the search for an infection leads to finding corrupted or damaged files or applications, or even incipient system problems, which have nothing to do with a virus infection. You know your computer better than anyone else, and if it begins to operate in a way that seems "wrong" to you, you should start investigating.

The best way to keep on top of virus threats is to be vigilant about updating your software with bug fixes and security patches and regularly updating your virus definition files. However, if you want more information on the most current threats, you might try resources such as CNET's Security Center, McAfee's Recent Threats page, and TrendMicro's Top 10 Security Threats page.

http://www.cnet.com/2001-11351_1-0.html
http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp
http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/internet/page5261.cfm

The same way you avoid data loss in general. Backup, backup, backup. Protect yourself by regularly backing up all your systems. That way, if you do lose data, you won't lose it all. For in-depth advice about how to back up data contact Weinsteiger Consulting

Nope. Open your virus software book and follow the instructions for a clean boot. This will get you on the road to recovery. If you are unable to follow or complete the instructions, call Weinsteiger Consulting to help you

Many antivirus programs — including Symantec Norton Antivirus and McAfee VirusScan — have an autoprotect feature that will protect your computer in real time. In such cases, the antivirus program will automatically quarantine anything it suspects to be a virus.

That said, if your antivirus software doesn't offer an autoprotect feature and you suspect you have a virus, the first thing you should do is run a virus scan using your antivirus software. If you have no viruses, follow the directions to update your virus definition files and run a second scan. Still no viruses? You're probably in the clear. Go ahead and back up important files and reboot. If there were no problems, chances are you're safe.

It's tempting — if you think you have a virus — to immediately back up all of your files onto a server, disc, or other media for safekeeping. The problem? If you don't know what virus you have, you may be backing up and transferring it as well. Viruses are one of the many reasons you should have a comprehensive data backup plan to minimize data loss in the event something very, very bad happens to your computer.

Email virus hoaxes can be almost as virulent as actual viruses. A particularly persuasive hoax will have people propagating the email rapidly, increasing traffic on mail servers, and, in some cases, requiring companies to shut down their mail servers to avoid a crash.

Before you hit that "Forward" button, check out Symantec's Hoaxes web page to get the full scoop.

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html

Again, most creators write viruses to exploit these programs because the programs are popular, not because they are better or worse than other available software. Rather then changing applications, your best bet for protection is to be sure that you are alert to updates for your software. Almost all software manufacturers have lists of updates, fixes, and security patches available for download from their Web sites. Furthermore, the vast majority of antivirus programs will automatically update their definition files, making it unnecessary for you to manually locate them.

You can compare versions of Windows 7 here.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/compare/default.aspx

We have tested Windows 7 extensively and if run on proper hardware is the best Windows operating system to come out of Microsoft.

To see if your PC is ready for Windows 7, download the free Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. It scans your PC for potential issues with your hardware, devices, and installed programs, and recommends what to do before you upgrade.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx