Can Free Virus Removal Really Work?

In today's society, the phrase ""you get what you pay for"" generally holds water. If it's too good to be true, it usually is, and you can get yourself into some pretty heavy trouble by purchasing cut-rate services or products for, well, anything. Thankfully, there are a very few exceptions to these rules, and virus removal is one of them.

There are several virus removal software products out there that do a good job at keeping your computer free from gunk and running at its best. However, to get ""full coverage"", so to speak, you're really going to need more than just plain old virus removal; here again, you get really lucky, because you can get everything you need for zilch.

Obviously, you DO need that virus removal software. Check out AVG's free anti-virus removal at ; while there are versions that are available for sale from AVG, for the average user, their free tool will do the job nicely. You can also check out the free tools offered by PC Tools at .

If you want full protection for your PC, however, you need to install a few other things besides the virus removal/anti-virus software. You need a firewall; take a look at the free product offered by ZoneAlarm at . There are, of course, plusher versions that you can purchase, but again, you can get good, basic firewall protection from their free version.

You also need to add a spyware detector/remover to your security measures. Consider using Spyware Detector from . Be aware, however, that with any spyware detector program that you get for free, you might have to pay to REMOVE a spyware threat from your PC; however, at the very least you'll know before you spend any of your hard-earned money whether or not you actually need the pricier versions.

No matter what type of anti-virus/virus removal software you use, however, you need to keep it updated regularly, and scan your computer on a regular basis. Daily isn't too frequently, especially if you do a lot of downloading.

Virus removal software doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg; the fact is, some good, basic programs can be had absolutely free. Do your homework and you'll probably be able to find out how to protect your valuable computer for nothing more than your time and effort. That's a pretty good deal.