Will my pc be cured if i format

If i format my c: drive and reinstall windows will my pc be cured of the
damage done by past viruses and malware?

 

Connorav wrote:
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> If i format my c: drive and reinstall windows will my pc be cured of the
> damage done by past viruses and malware?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

Yes.

Here are links to help you, or just restore to factory condition if you have
that sort of machine (HP, Sony, etc.).

How to install Windows Vista - covers upgrade and clean install -


- Clean Install How-To
- What
you will need on-hand

And for the future:





- The Parasite Fight
- MVP
Harry Waldron - The Family PC - How to stay safe on the Internet
(article I wrote for my
clients; you are welcome to download it)

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

 

I agree - *IF* one has a single hard drive with no partitions.

However, if one has a single hard disk - partitioned into, say, a C: and
D: drive then (I believe) the whole disk must be formatted - effectively
deleting data from both the C: drive *and* the D: drive.

Then reinstall from scratch, creating a new partition in the process if
felt necessary.

--
Dave

"Malke" <malke@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:Orpj%23xN9JHA.4560@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> Connorav wrote:
><!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
>> If i format my c: drive and reinstall windows will my pc be cured of
>> the
>> damage done by past viruses and malware?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>
> Yes.<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

Ok i tried formatting the c drive and it wont let me because programs on it
are in use (maybe windows itself?:S) so I tried booting from disk.I tried
wiht the windows disk present and it simply loads me into windows.Im starting
to think this is going to be awkward, would it be worth getting a
professional to do this?

"~BD~" wrote:
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> I agree - *IF* one has a single hard drive with no partitions.
>
> However, if one has a single hard disk - partitioned into, say, a C: and
> D: drive then (I believe) the whole disk must be formatted - effectively
> deleting data from both the C: drive *and* the D: drive.
>
> Then reinstall from scratch, creating a new partition in the process if
> felt necessary.
>
> --
> Dave
>
> "Malke" <malke@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
> news:Orpj%23xN9JHA.4560@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
> > Connorav wrote:
> ><!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
> >> If i format my c: drive and reinstall windows will my pc be cured of
> >> the
> >> damage done by past viruses and malware?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
> >
> > Yes.<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>
>
> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

From: "Connorav" <Connorav@discussions.microsoft.com>

| Ok i tried formatting the c drive and it wont let me because programs on it
| are in use (maybe windows itself?:S) so I tried booting from disk.I tried
| wiht the windows disk present and it simply loads me into windows.Im starting
| to think this is going to be awkward, would it be worth getting a
| professional to do this?

1. If you have a MBR RootKit a simple format will not healp.

2. If you have plain old pita malware yes, a format will remove them (andy everything
else, even the good stuff).

3. The above is true if you have just a "C:" drive, a drive that is partitioned or
multiple hard disks.

4. You do NOT format from within the OS. You boot off the Windows OS distribution CD,
delete the partition table, recreate the partition, reformat and then re-install the OS.

If the above sounds complicated... Take it to a professional.



--
Dave

Multi-AV -

 

Connorav wrote:
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> Ok i tried formatting the c drive and it wont let me because programs on
> it are in use (maybe windows itself?:S) so I tried booting from disk.I
> tried wiht the windows disk present and it simply loads me into windows.Im
> starting to think this is going to be awkward, would it be worth getting a
> professional to do this?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

If you had bothered to go to the links about doing a clean install that I
already gave you, you would know how to install Windows. Hint: It isn't
done the way you did it.

Take the machine to a competent local computer tech instead. S/he can take a
look and determine if the machine is truly too infected to save and do the
clean install for you. If you go this route, don't use a
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

 

"Connorav" <Connorav@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:CFADF725-3746-4EE2-BF0E-0ABC1D188F97@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> If i format my c: drive and reinstall windows will my pc be cured of
> the
> damage done by past viruses and malware?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

Quite possibly. There are some particularly 'sticky' kinds of malware
that could persist though.

Is this related to your other post, and does this mean that LSPfix
didn't do the trick?

 

"Connorav" <Connorav@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1A96254B-B187-4165-BFE9-1299AF700FF6@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> Ok i tried formatting the c drive and it wont let me because programs
> on it
> are in use (maybe windows itself?:S)<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

Yes. You can't format that drive unless you *don't* boot from it.
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> so I tried booting from disk.I tried
> wiht the windows disk present and it simply loads me into windows.Im
> starting
> to think this is going to be awkward, would it be worth getting a
> professional to do this?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

Yes. He or she would probably need to go into CMOS and add the CD drive
to the top of the list of boot devices so you can boot from the CD and
then repartition and format the C drive and install the OS afresh. Then
prepare to securely go online and update update update...

Doing it wrong can really ruin your day.

 

Connorav, It probably Isn't booting from the disk because your computer is
set to automatically boot from the hard drive.

- To fix this you must restart your computer and press either esc, f2 etc.
It's different for each computer.

[*] Usually during your manufacturers logo, it will tell you which key to
press.

Please consider doing it Dave's way if this is to hard to understand, i.e.
"take it to a professional."
--
Hackers are the elite corps of computer designers and programmers....It's a
high-stress life, but it can be amazing fun. Imagine being paid---well
paid---to play forever with the toys you love. Imagine!
"FromTheRafters" <erratic @nomail.afraid.org> wrote in message
news:O6GVKqT9JHA.2120@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> "Connorav" <Connorav@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:CFADF725-3746-4EE2-BF0E-0ABC1D188F97@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
>> If i format my c: drive and reinstall windows will my pc be cured of the
>> damage done by past viruses and malware?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>
> Quite possibly. There are some particularly 'sticky' kinds of malware that
> could persist though.
>
> Is this related to your other post, and does this mean that LSPfix didn't
> do the trick?
> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

It said that there was no problems with it.

"FromTheRafters" wrote:
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> "Connorav" <Connorav@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:CFADF725-3746-4EE2-BF0E-0ABC1D188F97@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
> > If i format my c: drive and reinstall windows will my pc be cured of
> > the
> > damage done by past viruses and malware?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>
> Quite possibly. There are some particularly 'sticky' kinds of malware
> that could persist though.
>
> Is this related to your other post, and does this mean that LSPfix
> didn't do the trick?
>
>
> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

I press f11 on startup and it goes blank then says press any key to continue
then loads windows after i press the keys

"lifetweaker" wrote:
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> Connorav, It probably Isn't booting from the disk because your computer is
> set to automatically boot from the hard drive.
>
> - To fix this you must restart your computer and press either esc, f2 etc.
> It's different for each computer.
>
> [*] Usually during your manufacturers logo, it will tell you which key to
> press.
>
> Please consider doing it Dave's way if this is to hard to understand, i.e.
> "take it to a professional."
> --
> Hackers are the elite corps of computer designers and programmers....It's a
> high-stress life, but it can be amazing fun. Imagine being paid---well
> paid---to play forever with the toys you love. Imagine!
> "FromTheRafters" <erratic @nomail.afraid.org> wrote in message
> news:O6GVKqT9JHA.2120@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
> > "Connorav" <Connorav@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:CFADF725-3746-4EE2-BF0E-0ABC1D188F97@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
> >> If i format my c: drive and reinstall windows will my pc be cured of the
> >> damage done by past viruses and malware?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
> >
> > Quite possibly. There are some particularly 'sticky' kinds of malware that
> > could persist though.
> >
> > Is this related to your other post, and does this mean that LSPfix didn't
> > do the trick?
> > <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>
>
> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

Thanks for the feedback. Sorry that didn't work for you. The "flatten
and rebuild" scenario probably will work, but might not be necessary. If
you are comfortable with that procedure, go for it. Just to satisfy my
curiosity (and maybe even help others to help you), could you find the
malware name used by the antivirus program to identify the malware?
There should have been a log entry in the program's log.

"Connorav" <Connorav@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FD57F5C2-101B-4EEC-B3CC-296B62B3E730@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> It said that there was no problems with it.
>
> "FromTheRafters" wrote:
><!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
>> "Connorav" <Connorav@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:CFADF725-3746-4EE2-BF0E-0ABC1D188F97@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
>> > If i format my c: drive and reinstall windows will my pc be cured
>> > of
>> > the
>> > damage done by past viruses and malware?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>>
>> Quite possibly. There are some particularly 'sticky' kinds of malware
>> that could persist though.
>>
>> Is this related to your other post, and does this mean that LSPfix
>> didn't do the trick?
>>
>>
>> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc--><!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->