topic Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware: to Quads again in Norton Internet Security / Norton AntiVirus

Reformatting drives for remvoing malware

GoldWinger — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:50:49 GMT

Situations like this are why I've always (ever since the days of Win 3.1) had a separate drive for the system and one for data. Drive C is system and D is data. Sometimes D is just partition, most of the time it is a second physical drive. That way when everything goes south and the recommended fixes don't fix things, I can just reformat C and re-install windows without losing my data. Why reformat C? just to make sure that everything bad is gone. If I was really super cautious, I'd always have a second drive for data and rebuild the partition table on C, just to make sure that nothing was lurking there.

<<Edit: Subject edited for clarity>>

Message Edited by TomV on 09-07-2009 12:50 AM

Re: Ugh - I've got Windows Police pro

Quads — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:14:33 GMT

GoldWinger wrote:
Situations like this are why I've always (ever since the days of Win 3.1) had a separate drive for the system and one for data. Drive C is system and D is data. Sometimes D is just partition, most of the time it is a second physical drive. That way when everything goes south and the recommended fixes don't fix things, I can just reformat C and re-install windows without losing my data. Why reformat C? just to make sure that everything bad is gone. If I was really super cautious, I'd always have a second drive for data and rebuild the partition table on C, just to make sure that nothing was lurking there.

This has Nothing to do with what is needed for this thread!! I will see if I can get it shifted

Reformat, hmmmm as previosly seen by uses with malware on the odd occasion, Reformatted the HD the Rootkit is still there. So "Why reformat C? just to make sure that everything bad is gone." Not always.

"Drive C is system and D is data." Oh I have some Malware that infects both drives and flash drives.

Quads

Re: Ugh - I've got Windows Police pro

GoldWinger — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:07:41 GMT

Well, if that's the case then next time it happens, I'll just replace the hard drive and then run Norton to check the second drive. $50 for a new hard drive and an afternoon re-installing Windows is much more palatable than spending days futzing with attempts to clean the machine.

Thanks for the info.

Reformatting drives for remvoing malware

Quads — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:14:41 GMT

Well at least the Malware creators know they have one over you, they will keep laughing.

In person I have removed a system with 6 rootkits and a whole bunch load of Malware after, it took me less than 6 hours including scans.

Oh and wiping / reformating the HD because of Malware (or buying a new HD) is like

You have a headache,

The fix Remove your whole brain, (sorry no one will be able to rebuild it though).

Quads

Message Edited by Quads on 09-08-2009 02:14 PM

Re: Ugh - I've got Windows Police pro

delphinium — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:17:36 GMT

The futzing you are watching is because of the difficulty dealing with the time zones, and normal daily activities, as well as removing the malware. This particular fake AV is a nasty one to deal with. What you decide to do depends on the infection. Some rootkits pop out quite nicely, which would make buying a new drive and reloading Windows and updates unnecessary and time consuming.

Most users do not separate their storage and their operating system, so it is more important to them to remove the malware than to reformat properly, or buy a new drive.

Whatever occurs here is always the choice of the user, and most of them prefer to do battle to save their system.

One user reformatted three times without managing to remove the rootkit. We also have no way to know what they are calling a reformat.

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware

GoldWinger — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:13:25 GMT

Mebbe, mebbe not. Hard drives are cheap, aggravation isn't.

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware

Quads — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:20:03 GMT

Yeah hard drives are cheap for some, Their DATA is more important, then most can't install Hardware so pay Labaur for a Tech to do so over and above

Hmmmm I suppose you don't have Norton as you won't need it, when you you get malware just wipe or buy a new HD.

hahahahaha

Quads

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware

GoldWinger — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:16:58 GMT

The booger pickers strike again. I'm sure that this will be zapped too, which is typical for their ilk and to be expected.

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware

GoldWinger — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:29:57 GMT

Very interesting. My pithy responses to Quads' snide comments were zapped three times but my outright insult stands. Curious place this.

Message Edited by GoldWinger on 09-17-2009 03:29 PM

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware

Rohit1gupta — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:02:48 GMT

Thorough formatting removes all kind of malwares.

How?

Just boot with windows cd then delete all partitions.

All data by its bits is removed.

Then while making partitions, do a thorough format instead of a quick one.

BTW its easier to remove most of the infections via scanners than to do this process. Also the data present is important, and is the only reason ppl buy antiviruses and all.

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware

Quads — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:10:23 GMT

"Just boot with windows cd then delete all partitions.

All data by its bits is removed."

Nope the data can still be retrived, even if the Partition(s) are missing or corrupt

Quads

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware: to Quads

Hawkeyelom — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:23:03 GMT

Do you have to do a low level format to completely clean a drive of malware?

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware

Rohit1gupta — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:23:22 GMT

data can be retrieved but rootkits will not be able to perform until they are extracted intentionally.

So it will surely remove the malware.

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware: to Quads

Quads — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:31:47 GMT

Hawkeyelom wrote:
Do you have to do a low level format to completely clean a drive of malware?

Nope, a little secret, remove the Malware without, harming the OS, programs and personal data.

Quads

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware: to Quads again

Hawkeyelom — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:57:06 GMT

Well then can any type of drive format clean as drive of malware? I know that's not your preference--but surely there is a way to format that will remove it--like writing 1 & 0 s to all the drive/

If a dive has only one partition-just the drive-- will removing it and reformating not remove the rookit? I don't understand if this is not true--please explain why not?

Message Edited by Hawkeyelom on 09-17-2009 09:57 PM

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware: to Quads again

Quads — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:57:29 GMT

Do the drive to DoD (7 pass) standard,

Quads

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware: to Quads again

Rohit1gupta — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:01:55 GMT

still fbi have softwares to recover data after 7 pases

Re: Reformatting drives for remvoing malware: to Quads again

Quads — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:13:46 GMT

Rohit1gupta wrote:
still fbi have softwares to recover data after 7 pases

I have Never seen malware just come back from DoD. including mebroot

are always software to bring back data from wiped, corrupt HD's I have some software that will bring data back from more than just a reformat. It's not a quick scan either.

Quads