Emsisoft Emergency Kit is a virus scanner that’s a useful starting point, while Dr.Web CureIt! will scan your computer for common malware that may have taken root. Then there’s Avira Rescue System, which can scan for and repair various problems with the settings and configuration of Windows. Microsoft has its own virus scanner that can run from a USB drive too: Microsoft Safety Scanner.

Run a portable operating system
We’ve mentioned portable apps, but you can also carry an entire computer with you on a USB drive—operating system, applications, files, and all. The open-source Linux OS is perfect for this, and several distributions of Linux can be run in a portable mode, including Linux Lite, Puppy Linux, and MX Linux. Have a look around to see which distro might suit you best. //

As a safety net should something go seriously wrong with your PC, you can create a Windows recovery drive on a spare USB stick. In Windows, open the Start menu, and search for “create a recovery drive” to bring up the right utility. Follow the instructions on screen to copy over the necessary files to your chosen USB drive, but note that these files won’t include your personal files and data