1)  unless you have more information [e.g., you somehow  have already determined which file(s) or registry key(s) is(/are) "infected"], I would say it's "impossible" to manually locate a virus file on your computer (without using a virus scan)... it would be simpler to find a needle in a haystack!

 

2)  even if you did have such detailed/specific information, running an automated virus scanner/cleaner, or a dedicated virus-removal tool, is far preferable/simpler/safer than having to manually remove the file [and/or edit/fix your registry].

yes i understand that using a virus scan is much safer and preferred more, but i am just curious as how you would go about cleaning a file manually once you did find the virus.

This statement does not compute 

 

   "unless you have more information [e.g., you somehow  have already determined which file(s)   or registry key(s) is(/are) "infected"], I would say it's "impossible" to manually locate a virus file on your computer (without using a virus scan)... it would be simpler to find a needle in a haystack! "

 

Someone must have been able to figure it out, or else how would a removal procedure been developed?

Doing what you want to do is extremely difficult.  A current technology virus is not just a single program, many pieces scattered all over you system.  A virus may also make modifications to many system files, i.e. the registry.  Lastly it, the virus, will try to hid itself by all means possible.  Amongst the way virus fighter develop removal techniques is to reverse engineer the virus itself, or,  let a system get infected and compare it to a clean system and analyze the differences.