Keep an eye out for these warning signs

When something very serious happens to your laptop, it usually lets you know about it by sending warnings. For example, when a virus tries to change security settings, or your hard drive sounds completely different than usual because it’s running on its last legs.

If you recognize these signs as early as possible, you’ll be able to quickly diagnose the problem and repair your computer without losing any data or time.

Many of the recommended solutions include a thorough malware scan. If you don’t already have an antivirus, we strongly recommend installing one now.
If you want truly high-quality protection for your computer and data, analyze the antivirus market, find out who offers what, what features, read user reviews on forums, and make the right decision. And don’t forget that reliability and quality cost money.

If you already have your primary antivirus installed, consider adding it as a reliable backup. You can install a less complex scanner. Instead of regular scans, a second program will run on demand: you run it when needed.

We prefer Microsoft Safety Scanner for Windows and Malwarebytes for macOS.

There are currently many problems that can manifest differently on different operating systems. But they generally share common symptoms. By the time you finish reading our guide, you’ll have a much better understanding of what the problem looks like and how to fix it.

Small, Poor Performance

If your laptop starts to slow down or freeze, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s infected with a virus. However, such sluggish performance could be a telltale sign that a hacker has hijacked your computer for covert activities, such as sending spam or mining cryptocurrency.

Start with a thorough scan for potential malware. Then, check the programs running in the background.

In Windows, open Task Manager; on macOS, open Activity Monitor. You’ll see a list of active programs, including familiar names and some unusual ones. However, active processes you haven’t seen before aren’t necessarily bad. Just try searching for these names online to learn more about them.

If a malware scan doesn’t yield any results and you can’t find anything suspicious in the list of currently running applications, the culprit may not be malware. If you haven’t turned off your computer in a while, but rather left it in Sleep mode, try closing all open windows and then restarting those programs. Or, if you notice that one of the active programs in the list is using too much RAM, consider uninstalling it.

Constant Error Messages

All computers receive error messages at some point. Usually, these are nothing to worry about. But when you start seeing these warnings regularly, you should start to worry.

The culprit could be anything from hardware failure to a virus or corrupted software installation. You’ll need to do a little detective work to discover the root cause of the messages.

Start with the text of the error message and any codes it includes.

Then, use the internet to search for this information. There should be clues as to what’s going wrong and how to fix it.

If your results indicate that the errors are related to one specific program, you have a relatively easy solution: uninstall and reinstall that application. Then your computer will work as normal.

But not every problem is so easy to diagnose. Some error messages may not show up in the search results.

For more information, look at the time period when the message appears.

For example, when viruses and malware cause problems, they often cause errors that occur during startup or shutdown, or when trying to configure security software.

Another possible cause of errors is connecting a device with outdated software, such as a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, speaker, or other device. Check its software online to see if you can find new updates.

If your deductive reasoning doesn’t work If they can identify the culprit, try running the most comprehensive virus scan you can. As a last resort, back up all your apps and files, then reinstall Windows or macOS.

This should resolve most error messages unless they’re related to hardware failure. If hardware failure occurs, there’s no other option but to replace the laptop.
Hidden Settings Changes

If your apps are acting strangely or adjusting their settings without your permission, your computer is likely infected with a virus. Once malware has access to your system, it often modifies settings for its own purposes, such as preventing them from being removed.

These changes are most noticeable in your browser. A virus may disable certain features, change your homepage, or reset your default search engine. Sometimes, new extensions you’ve installed can do this. You can check this by removing all recently installed extensions.

Also, keep an eye out for other suspicious changes. New icons or programs you didn’t install may appear on your desktop. Viruses can initiate a variety of changes, so monitor your applications and don’t ignore major changes to your software settings.

To combat a potential virus, first undo any changes it’s made, such as resetting your browser’s homepage. Then, run a full virus and malware scan on your system.

4. Random Pop-Ups on the Internet

We’ve probably all encountered annoying pop-ups while surfing the web. But if you see more of them than usual, and they display suspicious content, you might have a problem.

What kind of pop-up content is alarming? For example, messages like:
— You’ve won a contest; you’ve won;

— Your computer is infected with a virus;
— Requests to play questionable games, especially if it’s difficult to return to the original page. This could indicate a browser extension is misbehaving or that some malicious code is running on your computer.

To combat such intrusions, first find a list of browser extensions you have installed. For example, in Chrome, they are located under «More Tools» in the browser’s main menu. In Safari, you can access them through «Settings» in the menu.

Then, remove as many extensions as possible, cleaning up your browser to a minimum, to see if this resolves the issue. If this doesn’t resolve the pop-up epidemic, try uninstalling and reinstalling your browser.

Also, as always, run a thorough virus and malware scan to see if something outside the browser is causing the problem.

Strange Noises

Since a computer’s internal components eventually wear out, it may simply be too old to function properly.

A failure to turn on is a sure sign of hardware problems.

Keep an eye out for strange and repetitive noises coming from inside your laptop, as they could indicate an imminent hardware failure.

When you hear these sounds, immediately back up your data to an external drive or cloud service. This task will be much easier if you already regularly back up your files. These are basic habits everyone should cultivate.

Even if the noises turn out to be insignificant, it never hurts to back up your files.

Once you’re confident your files are safe, you can begin to investigate the problem.

First, consider the age of your laptop: the older it is, the more likely it is due to hardware failure.

Have you ever dropped your laptop or spilled coffee or tea on it? Such accidents can accelerate the aging process of your computer. If your laptop is relatively new, try vacuuming its ports to make sure nothing is stuck. Or at least visually inspect for crumbs or other small objects. These could all be causing the noise.

If the strange noises persist, run a system diagnostic program to find any underlying issues. Whether your laptop is on its last legs is a sign of trouble. For example, software like CrystalDiskInfo for Windows (free) and DriveDx for macOS ($20 with a free trial) can tell you about the health of your hard drive. If it’s in a half-dead state, it could be causing other symptoms, such as overheating, random crashes, and sluggish performance.

This type of problem can be difficult to fix at home. So, take it to the experts: visit your nearest computer repair shop to see if they can do anything to save your laptop.

Source PopSci