Note: For more information about different types of viruses, spyware and malware that can infect your computer see article What are the different types of Viruses, Spyware and Malware that can infect my computer?
The use of multiple anti-virus programs may cause your system to lockup. Anti-virus programs come pre-installed on most Dell Computers, so customers sometimes install other anti-virus programs without realizing that there is already a system installed. If you decide to install an alternate anti-virus software, first uninstall any other anti-virus programs that may be running on your computer.
Choose only one anti-virus program and reinstall it. It is not recommended to have more than one anti-virus software package installed on your computer.
There are many software utilities that help to prevent unauthorized access to your computer system. These utilities may be third-party or integrated into your operating system.
If you think you have been infected by malicious software there are many software options available to scan your system and help removing or quarantine any suspicious files. For more information see article How to Identify and Repair Malware or Virus Infected Systems
For help on removing Malware infections see article A general guide to removing Malware infections from a Dell PC .