Never think that it is OK to use your computer despite having viruses in it, even if it is working just fine. Because you never know what malicious harm the viruses are doing on your computer while you are using it. Later on, when you discover the extent of damage done by them to your computer; you will repent for not removing it in time. This will unnecessarily bring about a lot of frustration for you when the computer starts malfunctioning after the virus attack. That's why it is highly recommended to get rid of the viruses as soon as they are detected, even though your computer works fine. Another important reason to sanitize your computer is to stop your computer from becoming a bot-net - a computer that spreads spams or viruses without your knowledge.

In this article you will learn about some of the damages a virus can inflict on your computer that will force you to sterilize your computer - at once.

Just like a biological Virus, a computer virus is also highly hazardous and malicious. A computer virus is just a computer program developed by people to harm other computers, and there are new ones coming up every now and then. So despite having a good anti-virus program installed on your computer, your computer may get affected by one if it gets undetected, especially if your anti-virus software is not updated periodically. Since each virus is designed to perform a unique malicious task on your computer, the nature and intensity of damage caused by every virus will be different and unexpected.

Even though your computer is infected by just one virus initially, it will get multiplied into hundreds and thousands in number in no time, bringing it to a grinding halt over time. I am sure you cannot imagine to discover your important files corrupted one fine morning or your computer getting restarted in between an important task or getting dead slow or getting hung frequently, causing a great deal of mental agony and annoyance, all because of a nasty virus. But these are just minor malfunctions that a virus can cause. Some of the serious damages that it can do are corrupting the operating system, formatting the hard disk or even damaging your hard drive itself.

So the only way to keep you updated about the newly introduced viruses is by installing efficient anti-virus software and updating it with the latest virus definitions. This will easily help you detect those malicious viruses as soon as they enter your computer and help you remove it quickly with a mouse click, keeping your computer healthy and protected forever. Two of the major sources of virus infections are visiting a virus infected websites and connecting USB drives containing viruses. So you need to be extremely careful with these two factors, apart from taking other necessary precautions while using your computer, which will protect you from unexpected money loss and frustrations.

I am sure by now you are now convinced about the extent of damage a virus can do to your computer if you don't take necessary steps in protecting it. So, if you are ignorant about the hazards of a virus or intentionally compromising the safety of your computer, you are inviting agony and financial loss all by yourself. So protecting your computer from viruses must be the first and foremost step that you take before you start using it.