I got a Virus
I got my first virus since about 2002 the other day even though I have AVG installed and up to date.
It has brought my netbook to its knees and Windows will now not start and I can’t repair Windows XP as the virus seems to have changed the admin password!
It is looking like I will have to reformat the hard drive which will mean losing all my affiliate marketing stuff which is stored in My Documents.
If anyone has any tips on how to recover a system that Windows won’t start on I’d like to hear them!
Make sure you a have a decent virus and malware/spyware app installed (not AVG free) and get backing up today!
Happy New Year!
Depends on the Virus Joe. Usually there are documented instructions on specific virus removal.
Do you have a second system you can use? If so get one of those USB to SATA (or whatever interface the HD has) and connect it that way. You should then at least be able to get your data off.
I use AVAST as my AV solution and a Windows Home Server takes care of automatic backups.
Boot off a live Linux usb and doubt the drive from there and copy the files
Download Ubuntu Desktop edition, write it to a CD (or usb stick) and then choose to boot it from the CD rather than install.
You will then be able to see your Hard Disk and copy the docs you want onto a USB Stick
That should do the trick
Matt
Will that allow me to get to files that are in My Documents of an account that is password protected (admin)?
Thanks.
Jon’s idea is good.
The files should all be accessibe – windows will just see it as an external disk
For antivirus I like bitdefender, and for fixing infected machines hitman 3.5 (free) has proved effective.
Good luck.
So if the files are accessable what is the point in password protecting your Windows account if someone can just take the hard drive out and get the files via another PC?
Great security MS!
Well hate to defend MS.. but you know if every file was encrypted loading and and working with it on fly will be terribly slow..Saying that you can get steaganos…security suites that does exactly that.. encrypt everything with a blow fish algorithm.
Anyway… easy solution is to load the hard drive in an external hard drive case.. and download the files only..be carefull to scan before you download as you might be reintroducing the anti virus.
Hope every one had a great new year!
Mansoor
Thanks Mansoor.
I am actually on the computer now. I loaded Ubuntu on to a flash drive on another computer and then booted the virus computer with the USB drive in and am running Ubuntu from the flash drive.
I can access all my files.
Just a bit worried about copying them off the computer as I don’t want the virus to spread.
Seeing as AVG did not detect this virus I am worried AVG won’t detect it when I move the files over.
Hmm…
I use several….I have zone alarm, malware bytes pro, spybot search and destroy and bull dog, they all dont run at the same time of course, but are on scheduler. This makes my life lot easier…
Will have to be more careful next time and get all those installed.
Dude that really sucks. I agree to download the BidDeffender live cd (search iso repositories for it), it will scan the hard drive while windows is not running which makes for a more thorough scan. You might try to empty or delete all the temp folders in the windows directory, as that is usually where all the viruses are originally. It’s also good practice to have the temp folders auto-empty when you close your browser. Good Luck