File downloaded from virus cant be deleted at all

This may be puzzling at first, but the security program lists only threats there that require user decisions. Since the downloaded file was quarantined automatically, no user action is required which in turn means that there are not any current threats. The list of quarantined threats is below. If you are lucky, you may see the virus that Windows Defender detected when it scanned the file download.

The file name is not listed there however but the date may be sufficient to make an educated guess. A click on the row displays options to restore the file or remove it, and to display details. Details displays the file name, but it may not be enough to identify the file, as Windows Defender may display a temporary name. Remove deletes the file from the quarantine, restore on the other hand may restore it on the system so that you may access it.

The current version of Windows Defender Security Center has quite a few issues in this regard. I mentioned the lack of details already, but it is just one of the issues that you may run into. Windows Defender Security Center limits the threats to five on that page. While you can click on "see full history" to display all items that the security program quarantined, you will notice right away that the buttons to remove or restore files are missing there. What you can try is clear the history, and retry the download.

It happens that you get a failed download due to the detection of a virus, but no immediate listing under quarantined threats. The whole process of unblocking files that you want to download that Windows Defender blocked is complicated and to a degree broken. Why are not there options to remove or restore files in the full history, why do I need to click multiple times to find out more about a threat, and why are not threats listed sometimes in the main interface where you can restore them?

Very very annoying.! Two concerns here — recovery and false positive. A pain either way. Temporary moral? To try to prove a false positive result suspected OK, run against another antivirus application. Windows Defender since day 1, and still is, the worse ever security application. So, for a brief shining moment, Windows Defender worked properly? I suppose hiring some trained professional testers is not on the table because their contempt for their customers makes it an unjustifiable expense.

I wonder how much farther they can fall. Smart people do not use Windows They use Windows 8. Back in April , I completely blocked Defender and would never re-enable it. Instead, I prefer to run on-demand scans, and scan everything through, like, Virustotal.

Common sense is largely what you need, not nannying on the part of Microsoft. If you have McAfee or any virus protection, call them. The problem might be related to that anti-virus software. The lack of configuration or levels of blocking malwares or potential ones will not go in favour of the Windows security adoption….

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Examples of malware include the following:. A computer virus is a small software program that spreads from one computer to another and interferes with computer operation.

A computer virus might corrupt or delete data on a computer, use an email program to spread the virus to other computers, or even delete everything on the hard disk. Computer viruses are frequently spread by attachments in email messages or by instant messaging messages. Therefore, you must never open an email attachment unless you know who sent the message or you are expecting the email attachment.

Viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files. Computer viruses also spread through downloads on the Internet.

They can be hidden in pirated software or in other files or programs that you might download. Tip: For information about the symptoms of a computer virus, go to the Microsoft PC Security website.

A worm is computer code that spreads without user interaction. Most worms begin as email attachments that infect a computer when they're opened. The worm scans the infected computer for files, such as address books or temporary webpages, that contain email addresses. The worm uses the addresses to send infected email messages, and frequently mimics or spoofs the "From" addresses in later email messages so that those infected messages seem to be from someone you know.

Worms then spread automatically through email messages, networks, or operating system vulnerabilities, frequently overwhelming those systems before the cause is known.

Worms aren't always destructive to computers, but they usually cause computer and network performance and stability problems. A trojan horse is a malicious software program that hides inside other programs. It enters a computer hidden inside a legitimate program, such as a screen saver. Then it puts code into the operating system that enables a hacker to access the infected computer.

Trojan horses do not usually spread by themselves. They are spread by viruses, worms, or downloaded software. Spyware can install on your computer without your knowledge.

Spyware can track Internet search habits and can also redirect your web browser to a different website than you intend to go to. A rogue security software program tries to make you think that your computer is infected by a virus and usually prompts you to download or buy a product that removes the virus. The names of these products frequently contain words like Antivirus, Shield, Security, Protection, or Fixer.

This makes them sound legitimate. They frequently run right after you download them, or the next time that your computer starts. Rogue security software can prevent applications, such as Internet Explorer, from opening. Rogue security software might also display legitimate and important Windows files as infections.

Typical error messages or pop-up messages might contain the following phrases:. Do not click anything inside the dialog box. Are you sure you want to navigate from this page? Your computer is infected! They can cause data lost and file corruption and need to be treated as soon as possible. Return to System Security and download it to secure your PC.

Press OK to Continue or Cancel to stay on the current page. For more information see Protect yourself from tech support scams. Removing a computer virus or spyware can be difficult without the help of malicious software removal tools. Some computer viruses and other unwanted software reinstall themselves after the viruses and spyware are detected and removed.

Fortunately, by updating the computer and by using malicious software removal tools, you can help permanently remove unwanted software. For more information about how to remove a computer virus and spyware, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: - Microsoft resources and guidance for removal of malware and viruses. Note A computer virus may prevent you from accessing the Microsoft Update website to install the latest updates. We recommend that you set the Automatic Updates service to run automatically so that a computer is not missing any important updates.

Microsoft offers a free online tool that scans and helps remove potential threats from your computer. To perform the scan, go to the Microsoft Safety Scanner website. Note the name of the rogue security software.

For this example, we'll call it XP Security Agent When you are prompted, use the arrow keys to highlight Safe Mode with Networking , and then press Enter.

Click the Start button and check whether the rogue security software appears on the Start menu. If it's not listed there, click All Programs and scroll to find the rogue security software's name.

Right-click the name of the rogue security software program, and then click Properties. In the Properties dialog box, check the path of the rogue security software program that is listed in Target. Note The folder name frequently is a random number. In the Program Files window, click Program Files in the address bar. Scroll until you find the rogue security software program folder. For example, XP Security Agent Go to the Microsoft Safety Scanner website. If you suspect that your computer is infected with rogue security software that was not detected by using Microsoft security solutions, you can submit samples by using the Microsoft Malware Protection Center submission form.

Microsoft Defender Offline is an anti-malware tool that helps remove difficult to eliminate viruses that start before Windows starts.