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No matter what your intentions are online, even if it's just to update a blog or check your email, you must keep it healthy. Knowing what symptoms to look for can give you the needed information to fix any potential problems, before they become major issues.

Keeping a healthy computer will prolong the life of your investment and ensure you don't experience any devastating losses.

Is your computer possessed ? Does it do things without your knowledge or permission? One of the main indications you have been hit by a hijacker is the feeling of losing control on your computer. There are several symptoms to watch out for:

• Your homepage changes without your knowledge or human interference.
• You have sudden and unknown toolbars in your Internet Explorer or strange desktop icons.
• You have new “shortcuts” in your Favorites menu or on your desktop.
• Your computer slows dramatically.
• You are ambushed by an onslaught of pop-up ads, pop-under ads and you can't stop them.
• You have anti-malware software, but it just opens and quickly closes without even scanning.
• Every time you attempt to use your favorite search engine, you're redirected to a strange, new engine.
• You have new programs on your Add/Remove list that you didn't install.
• You start receiving returned email from strangers when you didn't mail them.

Ironically, some hijackers deliver messages of doom broadcasting “You're infected!” on your computer screen.

Help Has Arrived!

Do you have these problems? There are many options if you do. You can purchase anti-malware programs or just perform a free online scan.

Online scans are diverse, some will only scan for adware or Spyware while others will do a complete malware scan and catch everything from viruses to Trojans.

Some effective scans are:

TrendMicro- Housecall (established company, however, may be time-consuming for slow connections. It's best to use at night or when your phone line is free for long periods of time)

http://housecall.trendmicro.com

Panda Active Scan- This program is smaller and may be better for slow connections.

http://www.pandasecurity.com

These are most effective if you scan around once weekly, but if you can, having your own software is much more efficient and far less time-consuming.