do viruses creep in due to bugs in the operating system?if there is an ideal bugfree operating system?
100523
Viruses are created by people who think it's fun to ruin everyone's computers.  They catch a flaw in the system and create a virus to capitalize on that flaw.  I don't think viruses can be completely eliminated, as there will always be virus creaters -- and they are quite smart.
1103462
Try doing a "System Restore" in safe mode (f8 on restart). That turns off most of the programs that automatically run on startup. This where a lot of virus' hide. Make sure that you go back to a date far enough  to restore system prior to the suspected infection.
204144
Neither program has a very high virus detection rate. Expect them to not detect about 10% of all viruses. Some paid solutions such as Kaspersky miss less than one half of one percent.\n\nThat being said I use Avast (you can't beat the price). And it uses about 15 to 18 mb on my comp.
935999
Having been around the block a few times on similarly complex problems, maintaining Windows and Linux boxes, there are two main things to consider.\n\n1. Virus checkers modify the (undocumented) Windows kernel in ways that can interfere with many other programs which will operate normally if the virus checker is turned off. ALWAYS suspect the virus program, the firewall rules set, and other third-party "malware" systems when things get strange.\n\nSo the answers mentioning your favorite virus checker as the culprit may be right. All virus checkers change their basic behaviors regularly, in order to keep up with new threats. Just because you ran the checker for a while in parallel with Firefox and had no problems, doesn't mean it isn't causing the problem now.\n\n2. The extensions available for Firefox are its "weak link" and everyone should add and use them with caution. Though most are first class and quite well behaved, some try - with varying degrees of success - to implement some undocumented features of Windows in order to provide functionality jealously guarded by Microsoft and which they reserve for their own applications - such as Internet Explorer. And, other extensions have old fashioned bugs that can cause varying degrees of havoc.\n\nHaving spouted off this way, don't take me as an authority. Your information is a little thin. You could have malware on your system, and that could be the culprit. Malware often is designed to "piggy-back" on top of system calls made by other programs, and Firefox (being open source) documents all its calls in its source code.\n\nBut by any stretch of the imagination, Firefox is order of magnitudes more secure than Internet Explorer. IE is a program useful ONLY because it is required by Windows Update and certain other locked-in-to-Microsoft sites.\n\nSo what should you do? Consider trying out another combination of malware products, or disabling the malware protection briefly to see if the crash message goes away. Remove Firefox and all extensions using Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs. Then re-install Firefox with a FRESH download (version 1.5.0.7 is proven and solid). Add your favorite extensions back no more than one every other day. \n\nGood luck!
52528
maybe your coumpter have viruses.
1062528
Absolutely not. New viruses are being written every day to compromise the security of you system. The only thing you can do is make sure that your anti-virus definitions are up-to-date (it's best to auto-download them nightly) and run SpyBot often to remove any spyware you may have encountered. Additionally, try not to download programs from sources that you do not know and trust and you'll be relatively safe.
840732
Infected.  Only Microsoft suffers the "114,000 Microsoft Virus Definitions".  There are 811 Other OSes, that are virus free, and most are free and cost you nothing.\n\nYep, you would probably spend some time getting used to the new one you choose, but, it will be lots less time than you are spending right now, on Microsoft updates, upgrades, anti-malware, anti-Spybot, anti-virus, frustration!\n\nPlus, the other 811 OSes are all based upon Unix, which runs upto 50X faster than Microsoft XP.  \n\nMicrosoft runs Linux on 45,000 servers and computers at Redmond Campus, Hotmail.com, Microsoft.com, MSN.com, and all corporate routers, and firewalls. \n\nLinux saves Microsoft from the Internet!   \n\nI recommend that you try out http://pclinuxos.com (with 1900 FREE games, programs, applications!) .\n\nDownload, burn to CDrom, reboot so it runs in RAM disc, and you can install by clicking the Icon on the desktop.  Provides 20 desktops (right click on screen, "configure Desktop"). \n\nThousands of helpful friends are on the forums, 24/7/365!
129015
The reason that Mac has less viruses than Windows is exactly that - because Windows is more popular.  If Mac OS were more popular, you can be certain that there would be more viruses for it.  \n\nPeople tend to make viruses for the most popular software, as viruses will propogate much faster and easier that way.
697749
No, you are not infected. This usually happens if you use Pirate Windows! Forget Windows Firewall, get other free firewalls, their even better than Windows Firewall or security center, windows firewall is full crap. But Vista Firewall is good. I am using Vista now, thats why i know.
961532
That happens once in a while.  It's nothing to be afraid of.  If it's happening repeatedly, or moves in more than one direction, then you may have a virus, but if it only moved once in one direction, ignore it.
944761
no computer is safe from viruses.  You still need a firewall and anti-virus programs.  It is just that most virus-writers (crackers) do not write for a mac.
57521
Viruses are the programs that run unwantedly on the background with harmful effects. The Virus may delete your files, or fill all your Hard Disk without leaving any space or shut down your PC unwantedly, or send unwanted mails without your knowledge or something else. The virus programmers will be taking advatage of the weaknesses of the OS.\nMostly the computers will be infected by the viruses from Internet or Floppy/CD.\nNever Connect to the internet without a good Antivirus installed.
674369
hey linux is more secure and not virus prone . security was unix is far better to unix. and stable to less bugs . but less user friendly too. you can send me mail at kshounish@yahoo.com.i am into linux world for past 7 years.
615525
I don't know how viruses work. I guess it is possible but wait for the other answers. People do horrible things these days with computers.
970623
Please visit http://www.housecall.trendmicro.com and select 'Full System Scan'. SInce Antivirus software requires continous updating, I always use this FREE online system scan. It has been effective in removing 78 viruses from my computer so far. Hope you like it, don't hesitate in mailing me any other questions at asad_khawer@yahoo.com
601551
almost do have virus in it, but this is what you do, just download it first without running it, then use your antivirus to scan it before running it.
876520
Mac viruses are possible under one condition: you (as the user) have to grant the virus PERMISSION to modify your files. Windows does not have that permission-system, and (more or less) fakes it in XP.\nRemember the term script kiddies? A lot of viruses (virii?) are based on a few basic scripts. Those scripts get executed as a virus, and because of minor changes, they count as an additional (not new) virus. Such a vulnerability just doesn't exist on a Mac.\nIt's no question of popularity of the system, it is a question of exploitability (yaya, made up word, wanna fight about it?) and Windows has low (if any) security out-of-the-box. I generally have an install disc with Zonealarm (free,) AGS Antivirus (also free,) Firefox and Thunderbird, to protect my system. They say that it takes only 20 minutes to be infested with all sorts of viruses on a windows machine.\nTrust me, most hackers would love to create the first large-scale virus, or even proof-of-feasability, for the mac. They tried it before, and it never works as advertised.\n\nI use both systems, and you just can't shake a stick at a Mac for productivity, like video, audio, entertainment and personal life. However, I would like the unbeatable features of an integrated office suite (just isn't as well integrated on a mac), and I would like to play kick-ass games on my Mac -- so far, ain't gonna happen. Valve, you hear, convert HalfLife to the mac!!!\n\nOk, I get distracted, but there you have my opinion. In addition, you have Microsoft being completely stupid on fixing things, and there seems to be 2 new exploit possibilities for each one that they fix. No OS, not even *nix based systems are free of faults, but they get fixed so fast it makes your head spin.\n\nBut it all boils down to this: What are you most comfortable using? You can always get additional security... for a (hefty) price.