Authored by Dave Mallisk in Computer Software
Published on 10-07-2009

Personal Antivirus is non-functioning antivirus software that infects your computer with spyware and annoying pop-ups that include fake virus and malware warnings. After you download Personal Antivirus, it “finds” and lists multiple phony “threats,” and then implores you to pay to register Personal Antivirus so that you can “remove” its fake “threats.”

Personal Antivirus is only one of multiple rogue programs in the Trojan:Win32/FakeXPA family. For more information, see the Microsoft Threat Encyclopedia

As explained below, you can remove Personal Antivirus through the following free software tools:

• Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
• Spyware Doctor
• Windows Safety Scanner

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware lets you remove Personal Antivirus and other malware.

Installing Malwarebytes Anti-Malware – To install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, do the following:

1. Go to Malwarebytes.org, click on “Download free version,” and then click on the green “Download Now” button to download the mbam-setup.exe file and display the File Download – Security Warning.

   

2. Click on “Run” to display the Internet Explorer – Security Warning, and then click on “Run” to start the Malwarebytes setup wizard.
3. Follow the setup-wizard instructions to install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.
4. After the installation completes, close your browser.

Running Malwarebytes Anti-Malware – To run Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, do the following:

1. Click on the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware desktop icon, to display its window.
2. Select “Perform full scan,” and then click on “Scan” to display the Perform Full Scan window.
3. Select the drives to scan, and then click on “Start Scan.”
4. After the scan completes, you can follow the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware prompts to remove any malware

Spyware Doctor

Spyware Doctor lets you remove malware (including Personal Antivirus) ONLY IF you download your Spyware Doctor as part of Google’s free-software Pack. If you download Spyware Doctor from any other source, you cannot remove malware until after you purchase an upgrade. For more information, see Google Pack Help.

Installing Spyware Doctor – To download and install Spyware Doctor, do the following:

1. Go to Google.com.
2. On the Web toolbar, click on “more” to display its drop-down menu, and then click on “even more” to display the More Google Products page.
3. Scroll down to the “Make your computer work better” section, and then click on “Pack” to display its page.

   

4. Select (checkmark) only “Spyware Doctor,” click on “Download now,” and then follow the prompts to download and install Spyware Doctor.
5. After the installation completes, close your browser.

Running Spyware Doctor – To run Spyware Doctor, do the following:

1. Use “Start -> Programs -> Spyware Doctor” to display its drop-down menu.
2. Click on “Spyware Doctor” to display its window, and then click on “Smart Update” to display its window and update Spyware Doctor.
3. After the Smart Update window displays Update Complete, click on “Finish” to close the window.
4. Click on “Start Scan,” and then select “Custom Scan.”
   1. Click on “Select drives and folders to scan,” make your selections, and then click “OK.”
   2. Click on “Select which scanners to use in this scan,” select all, and then click “OK.”
5. Click on “Scan Now” to start the scan.
6. After the scan completes, you can follow the Spyware Doctor prompts to remove any malware.

Windows Safety Scanner

Windows Safety Scanner lets you remove Personal Antivirus and other malware. Windows Safety Scanner is part of the free security help that Microsoft provides. For more information, see Microsoft Online Safety. You should bookmark this page because you need it to both install and run Windows Safety Scanner.

Installing Windows Safety Scanner – To download and install the Windows Safety Scanner, do the following:

1. Go to Microsoft Online Safety, and then click on “Get a free PC safety scan” to display the Windows Live page.

   

2. Scroll down to “Full Service Scan,” click on it to display the Service Agreement page, and then click on “Accept.”
3. Use “Install Now -> Launch Scanner” to display the Full Service window.
4. Select “Quick Scan,” and then click on “Next” to start your first scan.
5. After the scan completes and displays a OneCare query, click “Not now” to display the scan results.
6. You can follow the Windows Safety Scanner prompts to remove any malware.

Running Windows Safety Scanner – To run the Windows Safety Scanner, do the following:

1. Go to Microsoft Online Safety page, and then click on “Get a free PC safety scan” to display the Windows Live page.
2. Scroll down to “Full Service Scan,” click on it to display the Full Service window.
3. Select either Complete or Quick scan, and then click on “Next” to start the scan.
4. After the scan completes, you can follow the Windows Safety Scanner prompts to remove any malware.