84 TECH ADVISOR • MARCH 2020SECURITY SPECIAL
or other nefarious entity – even if you have an antivirus
program installed.
Follow this step-by-step guide for instructions on
how to get rid of malware.Step 1: Enter Safe Mode
Before you do anything, you need to disconnect your
PC from the Internet, and don’t use it until you’re ready
to clean your PC. This can help prevent the malware
from spreading and/or leaking your private data.
If you think your PC may have a malware infection,
boot your PC into Microsoft’s Safe Mode. In this mode,
only the minimum required programs and services are
loaded. If any malware is set to load automatically when
Windows starts, entering in this mode may prevent it
from doing so. This is important because it can make
removing the nefarious files easier since they’re not
actually running or active.
Sadly, Microsoft has turned the process of booting
into safe mode from a relatively easy process in
Windows 7 and Windows 8 to one that is decidedly
more complicated in Windows 10. To boot into
Windows Safe Mode, first click the Start button in
Windows 10 and select the Power button as if you
were going to reboot, but don’t click anything. Next,
hold down the Shift key and click Reboot. When the
full-screenmenuappears,selectTroubleshooting,
thenAdvanced Options, then Startup Settings. On
the next window click the Restart button and wait
forthenextscreentoappear(juststickwithushere,
weknowthis is long). Next you will see a menu with
numbered startup options; select number 4, which is