I think I have contracted a virus. I am having browser issues. When I try to click on a link from Gmail, Google Reader, Google search, Yahoo search, or a variety of other websites, the browser opens a different, spammy-looking shopping website. It won’t open the right link. I have to copy and paste the address into the address bar to get the page to open. And sometimes that doesn’t work. I suspected that I got a virus, so I Googled "virus removal software." Not a single website that contains virus removal software will open. I get the same error message "Page cannot be displayed" for every anti-virus site I try to visit. This makes me think it is a virus.

Here is something that further complicates the issue. I was thinking that if I can’t download virus removal software, I could purchase some and install it on the computer. But then I remembered that our CD drive isn’t working for some reason. Aaargh! What should I do?

I called the Geek Squad and was told that they recommend an agent come to my house and run a diagnostic on the computer to target the problem. I don’t really want to spend 0 for a guy to come out and tell me I have a virus. I am pretty sure that’s the problem. I don’t have a problem paying to have the virus removed, but how can I do that without paying someone to diagnose it? Any suggestions?

Details: It’s an HP Pavilion laptop that uses Vista.