If someone had malware on their drive, if they re-installed windows xp, vista or 7: Would the malware be erased once the reformatting part started up and comleted?
If I had malware on an external drive or a usb stick or something: Would reformatting it fix the problem? What if I took out my drive and put it into an external enclosure and reformatted it?
Someone told me a person has to have the malware removed before a new operating system can be installed.
Thank you.
Brian
Hi SynchroScales,
Just know what you are getting into, as you will be completely starting over. So before you start you will need to backup your data to external storage, have the installation media for your applications handy, as well as the product activation keys, etc. There is a good introductory article that will give you an idea of what to do and what you can expect here. More detailed explanations are also abundant on the internet if you care to do some Googling.
Incidentally if he uses external backup for info wont any virus' also be backed up and reapplied?
I would suggest using malware bytes and any other free apps that dont run live. (you should update them after loading them) to clean pc as much as poss before backing up.
Also run norton thouroughly of course assuming its on the pc.
Perhaps the backup file and virus info is on link SendOfJive provided I didnt check :)
I don't have any malware to my knowledge. Some people I'v had discussions with have given me various responses.
eg: You have to erase the malware before you re-install.
another: Reformat it, and it takes care of it. But you have to re-install windows.
the interesting one: I didn't have service pack 2 with the windows firewall. I got the malware in the master boot file. Reformatting didn't change that. (There was a process to change this apparently and it takes some times).
Good reply Artfreak. i was thinking the same thing. How can you tell which programs have it or where the malware is?
Thank you.
SyncroScales wrote:
eg: You have to erase the malware before you re-install.
another: Reformat it, and it takes care of it. But you have to re-install windows.
the interesting one: I didn't have service pack 2 with the windows firewall. I got the malware in the master boot file. Reformatting didn't change that. (There was a process to change this apparently and it takes some times).
MBR, Malware like "Mebroot"
Standard reformatting and one pass wiping people have found doesn't remove the likes of that, But wiping with DoD selected, does or seems to, no one has stated that it's still there after DoD.
There is a tool for manual removal of "Mebroot" but it's all manual, using commands via CMD, you just can't click with the mouse. This prevents users clicking.
I won't do that one over a forum,
Quads
If someone had malware on their drive, if they re-installed windows xp, vista or 7: Would the malware be erased once the reformatting part started up and comleted?
If I had malware on an external drive or a usb stick or something: Would reformatting it fix the problem? What if I took out my drive and put it into an external enclosure and reformatted it?
Someone told me a person has to have the malware removed before a new operating system can be installed.
Thank you.
Brian