Library > Computing

Antivirus Protection

Using Stinger for virus reduction:
  1. Even if you don't notice a problem, please create a folder named "Stinger" within your "My Documents" folder.
  2. Then go to the website: http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger & click option 1. Download Stinger.exe
  3. "Save" it in the "Stinger" folder you created.
  4. Open that folder and double-click "stinger.exe".
  5. Finally click "Scan Now" & allow the scan to run completely in order to handle lurking virii/worms.
Do you have virus protection software?

Please be aware that Stinger (above) is not a complete antivirus. BU account holders may get McAfee VirusScan for free:  http://www.bu.edu/pcsc/virus
However, please NOTE: Your computer should have only ONE antivirus installed. If you wish to use BU's free McAfee Antivirus, you *must* FIRST completely remove/uninstall any other antivirus software (e.g. Norton/Symantec AntiVirus). To uninstall your antivirus program(s), click: Start → Control Panel → Add or Remove Programs and Remove it. Then restart the computer and go back into "Add or Remove Programs" and separately remove Symantec's "LiveReg" and "LiveUpdate" programs if they exist. Please restart your computer again.

You may proceed with the new antivirus setup. After installing the new antivirus (i.e. McAfee Antivirus), you should use it to do a complete scan of your computer.

Make sure Windows is updated:
  1. Launch Internet Explorer
  2. Go to Tools → Windows Update → click: "Express Install" or "Scan for updates" or "Scan now" & "Review and Install Updates".
  3. Go ahead and click again to install them. Only the critical and security updates will be installed. The machine will most likely prompt you for a restart. If not, simply close Internet Explorer.
  4. Repeat the Windows Update until no more updates are auto-selected.
The windows-update and virus-scanning procedures above may be repeated immediately and at any time to ensure success. In any case, they should be done every one or two months, or at least a few times a year.
Updates in the other categories can (and should) be safely ignored. On a high-speed internet connection, the Windows Update can also be automated: http://www.bu.edu/pcsc/desktop/windows/autoupdate

The following two related links are very useful:  Reducing Spyware in Your Computer  &  http://www.bu.edu/pcsc/virus