How do I rid all the viruses on my HP Laptop?

If you don’t know much about computers I would recommend paying for anti-virus either that or you are going to have to teach yourself alot about programming and what to notice in the registry etc. You can always download HijackThis but you really need to be careful before going in and deleting anything from the registry!
Try downloading AVG free. If that won’t install because of the viruses then run Stinger (you can download it onto a stick and run it remotely without having to install it as some viruses will stop you from being able to install antivirus software in the first place.) Also download CCleaner while you are at it and you can get rid of all your cookies, temp. files and bits of stuff left over from installing/uninstalling etc. Microsoft essentials isn’t very good in my experience.
Realistically though get a Kaspersky license: you can get them cheap on amazon and have that on your computer.
Removing your programs then putting them all back on will not do anything. If you were thingking about something like that you would have to completely reinstall windows (or whatever operating system you are running) and reinstall everything from scratch (Big Job not recommended if you can help it!)

I kill mine with Avira, as it has a pretty decent record (better than many paid programs) but @bongo is entirely correct about everything aside from AVG. I only ever had one virus, and it was AVG that let it through.

It’s best to have more than one antivirus protection. Not all work the same. The software is as only as good as the user. You should have an antivirus, trojan remover and malware/spyware software on your laptop for maximum protection.

System restore may work, it all depends on the type of virus. But you should not depend on this feature entirely to remove the virus.

I have AVG, and it has worked well for me so far. I also have Malware Bytes and Spybot Search and Destroy.

You can get a 30 day free trial of Kaspersky and give it a try. I am currently using it and it’s pretty much the whole enchilada, well worth buying a license.

you can also get a 90 day license for free from certain places on the web, or so I’ve heard . . .

Have you considered loading Linux? It’s free, attractive and will probably have fewer problems than Windows. It might be worth just trying out, you can always re-install windows later.

Linux is very cool but make sure you take a look at what popular programs will and won’t run on it.

For example, if you have an extensive iTunes library you should know that iTunes won’t run on the OS.

@AshlynM Multiple real-time AV programs can interfere with each other and cause more problems than they solve. You can have multiple programs against other types of malware running at the same time with little/no trouble, but AV programs are a bit jealous and do not play well together.

Looking at the reviews at AV-comparatives, I have found that my disdain for AVG is warranted. For virus removal, AVG had the second lowest score in a field of 18. Source For other tests, the results were similar and AVG often would up somewhere between Average and “Also ran”.

@gorillapaws As much as I love Linux myself, I have to agree with @Blondesjon that it isn’t for everyone. Considering how many people rely on iTunes because they own Apple products that only work with other Apple products, basically anyone who owns an iP*** will never be able to enjoy basking in the glory of the penguin. And I personally won’t use it full-time since I have some things that do not play nice with WINE.

@jerv . . . i’ve been running it in virtual box alongside windows trying to make up my mind. i don’t run any apple products but i’d like to get a new laptop to install it on and start all sparkly fresh.

@jerv, @Blondesjon You are both 100% correct. There’s no one-sized-fits-all operating system out there that works for everyone. I think Linux is a strong candidate for frustrated Windows users who want to try something new on their PC hardware that is very secure.

@jerv are there not open source iTunes alternatives for Linux that have reverse-engineered the ability to sync with Apple portables?

@gorillapaws Not last I checked, but it’s been a while. I stopped checking when I got rid of my iPod Touch anyways.

@jerv IF I am not mistaken the new iPhone 4s operating OS5 never needs to sync to a computer. You don’t even have to own a computer to have the phone work. Please double check me but I’m pretty sure I’m right.

@missingbite If all of your content is from the official Apple Store, you are correct. If you have anything that isn’t though, syncing is required. I have plenty of music, videos, and PDF files that you won’t find there, so either I would *have*to sync, or the device would be utterly useless to me; too light to even be a paperweight.

Now, is 100% of your media collection from Apple? No ripped CDs, no hard-to-find/weird?

@jerv I have lots of ripped CD’s with iTunes Match and all my music is available through the cloud without having to sync. A few of my songs aren’t available but I’d say 90+% are. My music library is about 8500 songs.

I do use a Mac though. The Music match costs me $25 per year. I find it worth it to have all my songs available on my phone without having to sync if I want to change them.

Apple isn’t for everyone. But it is for me.

@missingbite Do you have the Ozzy Osbourne/Dweezil Zappa cover of Stayin Alive or the German Techno remix of Rubber Duckie? How about the 26:35 long Sandstorm vs Blow Your Mind? If you can get those on your phone without syncing and without trusting an unsecure medium like “the cloud” then I will back down.
However, my distrust of “the cloud” runs deep, so anything that relies on it rather than a direct point-to-point, no third-party involved connection is suspect at best. If you trust the cloud then I want to post your credit card info and some hardcore pics of you and your SO going at it here. If you won’t post those here on Fluther then you know why I call BS, especially if you have to pay for the privilege of even that.
Call me paranoid, call me old-fashioned, but I sync via USB for many reasons.

what do you mean by you cleaned out your computer?

backup your important files, format your hard drive and then do a clean install of Windows, this will rid you of any viruses.