Got a PC with virus on, want to do everything except format

[Issac]

What difference will it make if I run those scanners in normal boot or not? I've run scanners , several scanner, just not in safe mode.

Safe mode runs windows with almost no processes running in the background. No interference, you don't give the virus a chance to start, and to ward off the virus scans. The best way to get rid of viruses that has infected your system is to do a scan in safe mode.

 

[Rydian]

Yeah, this is why the guide I wrote specifically says to do most of the steps in safe mode.

 

[Magsor]

Not an option sorry, she's a real noob user, only uses Skype/Spotify/Gmail, nothing else. This PC runs like 3 hours in a week, I can't hassle her with virtual shit....

I am sorry you must be the noob here understanding the the only thing that is virtual here is the hard drive.

She will not see the difference. It will work and it will take you less than 30 minute to set it up an you will be a hero.

 

[shakirmoledina]

my best suggestion would be to go on spywareinfoforum.com. Those guys are greater than any people i know due to their experience.

 

[Rydian]

Hey guys, you know we do have a sticky on this, written by somebody who does this stuff for a living.

 

[Satangel]

Safe mode runs windows with almost no processes running in the background. No interference, you don't give the virus a chance to start, and to ward off the virus scans. The best way to get rid of viruses that has infected your system is to do a scan in safe mode.

Well this worked. I rebooted in safe mode, with networking, and went online and downloaded something, and it worked. I proposed this to her, and she was fine with being in Safe mode forever
Not an ideal solution, but she consented and is just happy we don't need to format and all the hassle that comes with that. She's keeping this laptop in this state, and she's probably going to buy a new one, to be sure she can safely mail again + teach her husband how to use a PC.
She doesn't mind the fucked up resolution because her eyes are really bad.

I am sorry you must be the noob here understanding the the only thing that is virtual here is the hard drive.

She will not see the difference. It will work and it will take you less than 30 minute to set it up an you will be a hero.

I'm a hero, ty for your interesting solution though. I don't have experience with virtual HD's in that context, so yeah, I must be a noob.

Hey guys, you know we do have a sticky on this, written by somebody who does this stuff for a living.

You do this for a living? Cool man, cool. Check your PM

So yeah, FIXED (sort of)

 

[Rydian]

No no, safe mode is not a permanent fix, safe mode just stops some things from running so that you can actually download and run the tools to fix shit so she can use it normally.

 

[Pong20302000]

No no, safe mode is not a permanent fix, safe mode just stops some things from running so that you can actually download and run the tools to fix shit so she can use it normally.

just wait until she realises half the programs she has wont boot in safe mode LOL

 

[Satangel]

No no, safe mode is not a permanent fix, safe mode just stops some things from running so that you can actually download and run the tools to fix shit so she can use it normally.

I know it's not a permanent solution, I've made that clear to her. There wasn't enough time to fix it properly, and she proposed to buy a new PC and use her current one for teaching purposes, real simple.

just wait until she realises half the programs she has wont boot in safe mode LOL

Well Skype worked, Spotify, Chrome and I imagine Office works too? She doesn't need more

 

[Pong20302000]

I know it's not a permanent solution, I've made that clear to her. There wasn't enough time to fix it properly, and she proposed to buy a new PC and use her current one for teaching purposes, real simple.

Well Skype worked, Spotify, Chrome and I imagine Office works too? She doesn't need more

add-ins, templates, & documents dont work while office is in safe mode

 

[XDel]

I've not read this whole thread, so I've no idea what progress you've made, but sometimes, if worse comes to worse, nothing beats removing the Master Boot Record from your hard drive, re-formatting, and installing again from scratch. Gotta keep an eye on that MBR!

 

[Satangel]

add-ins, templates, & documents dont work while office is in safe mode

She can't open documents?

 

[mechadylan]

Well this worked. I rebooted in safe mode, with networking, and went online and downloaded something, and it worked. I proposed this to her, and she was fine with being in Safe mode forever
Not an ideal solution, but she consented and is just happy we don't need to format and all the hassle that comes with that. She's keeping this laptop in this state, and she's probably going to buy a new one, to be sure she can safely mail again + teach her husband how to use a PC.
She doesn't mind the fucked up resolution because her eyes are really bad.
I'm a hero, ty for your interesting solution though. I don't have experience with virtual HD's in that context, so yeah, I must be a noob.

So yeah, FIXED (sort of)

I'm generally one for quick work-arounds, jury-rigging and even the occasional Mickey Mousing, but I wouldn't have proposed this at all.

If you drive 13,000 miles per year and suddenly get a flat, you replace the flat tire with the provided "donut" but only long enough to fix the original problem. I'm sure you understand this and I'm not providing this example to come across as condescending.

It sounds like you are doing this for her as a favor rather than a paying service call so I completely understand where you're coming from. Personally, I would have installed Avast from Safe Mode, scanned the hdd, "Schedule Boot-Time scan" and watched the computer reboot and perform another scan before Windows starts up.

 

[Clydefrosch]

just saying...reinstalling windows and the three programms shes using, in addition to some malware protection would have been way faster than this.

i mean, come on, if she didnt even have important shit on that computer, its maybe a matter of 2 hours on a slow machine. and half of that would be waiting while it does its work.

 

[Rydian]

Opposed to a restart in safe mode and running some tools, which won't rerquire re-running windows update and finding/entering license keys for Windows and for office and whatever else, and all that jazz.

 

[Ericthegreat]

What difference will it make if I run those scanners in normal boot or not? I've run scanners , several scanner, just not in safe mode.

Well she says formatting is allowed, but I mainly don't want to hassle with drivers and finding a Windows version that still works. I told her I'll need the boot DVD, she's bringing it here as we speak. But I'm scared of drivers and product keys, which all come down to me finding them....

Not an option sorry, she's a real noob user, only uses Skype/Spotify/Gmail, nothing else. This PC runs like 3 hours in a week, I can't hassle her with virtual shit....

Will try, but I doubt there will be restore points.

You sure the virus will just sit there as a process? I think it's more of a root/registry problem (just my 2 cents), it seems to embed itself in all browsers. In all browsers, that's what makes it so hard, even the brand new Firefox which never was installed on it, fails to work properly.

If windows 7 just google windows 7 loader.... mydigitallife = official.

 

[jefffisher]

i finally remembered http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/combofix/