Computer Virus

I believe my computer has become infected with a virus, even though McAfee SecurityCenter keeps telling me that I'm perfectly secure. 3 shortcuts to websites that probably can't be discussed here appear on my desktop the first time I load IE when I turn on the computer (although I keep deleting them and emptying the Recycle Bin). Every two minutes (Exactly 120 seconds, I timed it), an antivirus program tells me it has found some sort of malicious program on my computer, and I click the "enable protection" button to try to stop it. This antivirus software also tries to install itself on the computer (despite my repeated X-ing out of the download screen, as there is no "cancel download" button) but never finishes. Interestingly enough, out of the four user profiles on the computer, mine is the only one that has this virus.

As this started a couple of nights ago, I was hoping it's not too late to remove this virus. The only problem is that I have no idea how to do this. Can anyone help?

 

Try the old fashioned "boot n nuke" technique: Download Avast! or Malwarebytes onto a flash drive, turn off System Restore on the computer, and restart in Safe Mode. Plug the flash drive in, run the antivirus program in safe mode. Should kill it off. Once it's finished, reboot in regular mode and scan again to make sure it's all clear. If it is, turn system restore back on.

Whole thing took me a half hour on my laptop, and I have tons of stuff.

ETA: Eww....McAfee...heard nothing but bad stuff about that program. I usually tell people who have this to switch to Spybot: Search and Destroy, or Malwarebytes (both free)

 

Can't help you with your problem, but I do suggest you switch to something else besides McAfee.
McAfee made my computer so damn slow and messed with it to the point where I couldn't do anything

 

Boot n Nuke? Sounds dangerous. Will this destroy my files and stuff, or just the virus.

Also, at the risk of sounding like a technological noob, how do I turn System restore off/on?

 

Will kill just the virus. Might mess with any files that got infected, but shouldn't. The whole point of oot n' nuke is to save the files while killing the virus.

And to turn off system restore in XP at least you go to Control Panel>System>System Restore tab>uncheck the box that says "Turn on system restore".

 

I'll try that. Thank you!

 

No trouble. Post back if you can and let me know what it does.