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We talk a lot about preventing viruses. But what if you already have one?

After all, if a virus has damaged the boot process on your computer to the point where you can no longer start up, then you can't get to the OS interface which will let you disinfect the computer with a good anti-virus program.

Like they say, an anti-virus program you can't run is worth about as much as ... okay, no one actually says anything like that. But you get the point.

What can you do if a virus or spyware attack has rendered your computer unbootable? You have several options, according to Ft. Lauderdale computer repair experts.

One of the most expensive alternatives, taking the damaged machine into a Fort Lauderdale computer repair shop, may not always be the most effective solution.

Like any other business you would consider using for whatever reason, you need to be very careful when choosing a computer service to remove a virus.

Most computer services are honest, but some of course aren't.

Moreover, the technicians responsible for removing a new virus or spyware threat may not know any more than you about whether their tools can get the job done.

If you do decide to use a computer repair service, be sure to ask for a preliminary report and work estimate. If you can, find out whether they've identified the specific problem on the machine and if they've dealt with similar ones before.

Ultimately, though, learning a bit more about how your computer works and trying to DIY may prove more effective - or at the very least, won't hurt at all.

Once you've located reliable antivirus and antispyware tools, it's not too too difficult to use them, even if you have an infected computer that won't boot.

Consider these two basic steps and if your unbootable computer still won't respond, then consider a Ft. Lauderdale computer repair service instead:

• If you have more than one PC, take the infected hard disk out of the first and install it into a second (protected) PC.
• If you have only one PC, download an anti-virus rescue kit while the computer is still bootable. Use another person's computer if you have to download it that way. If you have a CD-R/DVD-R drive, you can launch the rescue kit program and burn a bootable anti-virus rescue CD. This may be able to establish an Internet connection right from the CD and download virus detection patterns.