Protecting your computer from viruses – Gateway PC User Manual
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Maintaining Your Computer
Protecting your computer from
viruses
A virus is a program that attaches itself to a program or data file on a computer
and then spreads from one computer to another. Viruses can damage data,
cause computers to malfunction, and can display annoying or offensive
messages. Some viruses can go unnoticed for long periods of time because they
are activated on a certain date or time.
Protect your computer from a virus by:
■
Obtaining an anti-virus program to check files and programs that are on
diskettes, attached to e-mail messages, or downloaded from the Internet
■
Getting all software from reputable sources and checking the software for
viruses before installing it
■
Disabling macros on suspicious Microsoft Word and Excel files. These
programs will warn you if a document that you are opening contains a
macro that might have a virus.
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