And even if there is malware involved, it’s almost certainly not a virus.

The word virus refers to a very specific way that malware spreads from one PC to another. A computer virus infects an executable file, like a program, the way a biological virus infects a cell. When it gets the chance, it infects another file, and thus spreads.

Or perhaps I should say used to spread. Over the last few years, rogue programmers have found better ways to infect your computer, more suited for the Internet and email age. For instance, Trojans–programs that trick you into opening them, and infect your computer when you do–are quite popular among the tech-savvy criminal set.

Yet the word virus stays around. Why?

Because viruses were the most prominent form of malware when large numbers of people finally figured out that this was something to worry about. Everyone was talking about viruses in the 1990′s. One of them destroyed an evil corporation in seconds, and another saved the world from alien invasion. (And no, I’m not going to tell you what movies I’m talking about; that would be spoiling.)

Thus, to the uninformed, the word virus came to mean any malicious computer program. It’s like using the name Frankenstein to refer to the monster rather than the monster maker.

So check yourself before you tell someone your computer has a virus. You’re probably admitting your own ignorance.

Lincoln Spector, PCWorld

(Why did I just put the word viruses in quotation marks? Anything that infects your PC today is almost certainly not, technically, a virus. But the word has become a common term for any malicious software, whether it spreads like a virus or not. See Is It a Virus? for details.)

What are some of the signs that you may have an infection?

* Your home page keeps changing, or web searches keep taking you to the wrong page.

* Software that should protect you, like your anti-virus program, can’t update or no longer works properly.

* Common programs you can use to configure your system, such as msconfig or System Restore, stop working.

* Your computer accesses the Internet a lot when you’re not using the Internet.

* Your security software tells you that you have an infection, but can’t get rid of it.

If you think you have an infection, try the following four fixes, in this order. And use them all, even if the second one solves the problem.

1) Accept that your anti-virus program has failed. Don’t be too hard on it; you just had the misfortune to get the malware before the update that would have protected you from it. But until everything else is fixed, your current software probably isn’t working.

2) Restore the system. Select Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. Follow the prompts to restore from a time before you starting having the problem. If you don’t have a restore point that old, go on to step 2. If System Restore fails to work, reboot into Safe Mode (reboot, then press F8 before Windows starts loading (it may take a few tries to get the timing right) and try System Restore there.

3) Get a second opinion from another security program. I recommend the free version of either SUPERAntiSpyware or Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware. Download the program, install it, and have it scan your hard drive and eliminate what it finds.

4) Get a third opinion. Repeat with the other of those two programs.

If you’re not satisfied that you’re now clean, download and install another free program: Trend Micro’s HijackThis. This one doesn’t actually fix anything, but it gives you a very thorough, and for most people, thoroughly unreadable report. But someone who knows what they’re doing can study this report and figure out what your problem is and what you can do about it.

Lincoln Spector, PCWorld

Well, okay, I cheat a little: I use Outlook 2007′s spell-checker to give my outbound mail the once-over before sending. You can do likewise, without having to remember to click the Spelling button every time, by tweaking Outlook’s checker. Here’s how:

1. Click Tools, Options.

2. Click the Spelling tab.

3. Tick the box marked Always check spelling before sending.

4. Click OK.

That’s it! Now, when you click Send, Outlook’s spell-checker will immediately appear, giving you a chance to fix those “Hey, Rick, you are so stoopid” kinds of mistakes.

Of course, by default, Outlook uses squiggly red lines to indicate misspellings as you type, but I know many folks who prefer to just bang away at the keys and then fix the mistakes at the end. Me, I don’t make speling mistakes, so I don’t really need either feature.

Rick Broida, PCworld