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Computers infected with a virus exhibit many symptoms including which one of the following?

A. OS does not launch properly.
B. Files get deleted or encrypted.
C. Strange error messages or pop-up ads

User Tillaert
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Final answer:

Computers infected with a computer virus can experience symptoms such as a malfunctioning operating system, loss or encryption of files, and C. strange error messages or pop-ups, mirroring the cytopathic effects biological viruses have on their hosts.

Step-by-step explanation:

Computers infected with a virus can exhibit a variety of symptoms, which are reflective of the damage they can do to their host systems, similar to biological viruses. Some of the common symptoms of a computer virus include an operating system that does not launch properly, files that get deleted or encrypted without the user's consent, and the appearance of strange error messages or pop-up ads. These issues occur because a virus must replicate within the host system, taking over system resources and often leading to cytopathic effects, which includes damage to system functionality and file integrity.

Biologically, when viruses infect cells, they can cause multiple types of cell damage, such as lysis, apoptosis, or other structural changes. This damage results in the various symptoms of viral diseases, much like the digital symptoms caused by a computer virus. To control a virus infection, both biological and digital systems rely on mechanisms to detect, quarantine, and eliminate the virus, which in computers involves the use of antivirus software and system restoration practices.

User AgDude
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