clean boot?

[lucky7]

i have a virus infected pc {xp}
i would like to wipe it clean an reinstall xp
how do i do a clean boot? as soon as i boot it the virus takes over...
thanks.

 

[Cofe]

Re: clean boot?

You can try to put the xp disk in first, and shut down the computer, and then restart to format the drive and install xp.

or


Do you have a windows 98 start disk anywhere? If you do you can shut the computer off with the win98 boot disk in the floppy.
Restart the computer and format the harddrive.
After reformat, place win xp disk in cd rom and reboot to install xp.

 

[dolluper]

Re: clean boot?

Get into your bios and disable your hard drive....some computers f2 ,f12,or delete button hit randomly at start up...disable the hd then use your install disc after install done go to bios and enable hd

 

[j_martin]

Re: clean boot?

Get into your bios and disable your hard drive....some computers f2 ,f12,or delete button hit randomly at start up...disable the hd then use your install disc after install done go to bios and enable hd

Or, in the bios usually you can change the boot order. Set it up to do CD first, then the hard drive.

With no CD in the drive, it'll go to the hard drive. (normal operation)

Then, if you have trouble at any time, you can use one of the rescue cd's to fix it. (Bart-PE, for instance) Also a memory test CD will boot directly.

hope it helps
John

 

[v1_0]

Re: clean boot?

If it's just a simple virus, have you tried fixing it first?

You are using a nuke to kill a fly....

 

[Adjuster]

Re: clean boot?

Start in safe mode with networking. Download and run Malwarebytes. That should fix your virus problem.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: clean boot?

Sometimes no matter what you do, you can't get rid of viruses.

Its also good to do a clean install every few years anyway. You will be amazed how much faster your computer will seem.

 

[lowkee]

Re: clean boot?

Sometimes no matter what you do, you can't get rid of viruses.

Can you show an example of a time a virus was unremovable?

Viruses are simply programs. You run the program, the virus runs. You delete the program, the virus is gone. They aren't magical creatures.

 

[dolluper]

Re: clean boot?

Man I read this again.....F8 to get into safe mode with no networking then run your viruse scanner =or with networking use an online scanner

 

[bruceb58]

Re: clean boot?

Can you show an example of a time a virus was unremovable?

Viruses are simply programs. You run the program, the virus runs. You delete the program, the virus is gone. They aren't magical creatures.

That's the problem, some are so insidious that virus programs can't remove or identify them. I take care of all of my family's computers. With one, the CPU was nailed at 100% no matter how many various anti virus program were run on it. I spent hours identifying all the tasks that were running on the computer to make sure all were as intended. The one task that was consuming all of the cpu was svchost.exe. Problem is that some viruses are disguised as normal operating system tasks so it make sit harder to identify the offenders.

Here is a good page to show the pros/cons of a clean install.

http://safecomputing.umn.edu/guides/rebuild_repair.html

And when you are ready to do an install, check out this site:
http://ninite.com/

What i do when I do a clean install is go through my programs and write down every program i need to reinstall. I also backup all my data if it isn't already done so. I have my computer automatically back up to a network drive and a backup drive in my computer every evening. Make sure if you have outlook to backup your pst files to save all your old emails.

 

[Les Robb]

Re: clean boot?

Depending on the size of your HD and the age of the computer you might want to upgrade the drive. I take it it isn't to old or you wouldn't have XP,

Some drives like seagate, western digital. and maxor come with cd (or you can download from site) excellent utilites that will allow you a complete wipe of all data from your drive. Called zero out, and then you can prepare your drive for installing XP again. No virus can survive this cleaning.

Don't bother looking if you have a toshiba. As mentioned, you have to get into the bios and change the boot sequence to flopply or cd first choice.

All the fixes will work depending on the particular virus that has invaded. Remember the old ounce of prevention rule.

Good Luck

 

[lowkee]

Re: clean boot?

Problem is that some viruses are disguised as normal operating system tasks so it make sit harder to identify the offenders.

OK... Hard is not unremovable. All viruses are removable. For the ones which attach themselves to low level processes you can simply boot the windows CD and drop to a command prompt to delete them. There are some really well entrenched viruses out there, but nothing can execute if you didn't boot from the hard drive. Without the executable, no execution call will bring it back.

For the average PC user, a virus or some spyware every few months isn't uncommon. Only through experience does anyone learn what to avoid clicking (or visiting) on the net. Wiping your drive each time just isn't good ROI.

The catch about the tough viruses is the guys like me who can remove them haven't been a PC tech in many many years, so the average PC user is pretty well screwed as to where to turn to get it removed.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: clean boot?

Wiping your drive each time just isn't good ROI.

I am not saying it is either. For someone like me or you who is on top of your own computer is one thing for the average user who lets their system get corrupted or doesn't keep up with all the updates is another.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: clean boot?

The one task that was consuming all of the cpu was svchost.exe.

Haven't heard of this one, what bug was it?

 

[v1_0]

Re: clean boot?

Haven't heard of this one, what bug was it?

svchost = Service Host. This program is (a normal) part of windows, but someone *could* disguise a virus by using this name. The path to the executable would be "wrong", though.

This process is a "master" type process - its job is to run other processes and to restart them if they die. So, malware sometimes doesn't "be" svchost - but it may use svchost to keep itself alive... (By telling windows it needs to run under svchost....)

BUT it could also just be a windows problem, and no virus at all: "The April 30, 2007 release of Windows Server Update Services 3.0 led to reports of svchost.exe issues, including 100% CPU usage, memory hogging, and excessive laptop fan/power usage."


More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svchost

Process explorer, as an example, will show what processes are running under svchost...

 

[j_martin]

Re: clean boot?

The world's largest virus.........Microsoft Windows operating system.

That's been an adage since 3.11 days.

I used to hate Windows with a purple passion, but in these hard times I've found out that it's job security.

John

 

[bruceb58]

Re: clean boot?

Haven't heard of this one, what bug was it?

Went through all the suggested fixes. I was spending many hours on the problem. In this case, it was my parent's computer with not many programs that needed to be reloaded so option A was to reload the operating system(3 hours) and walk away and option B which was to spend another 3 or 4 hours and maybe not have it fixed.

 

[JustJason]

Re: clean boot?

With a computer that works and is virus free, see if you can find a copy of winternals erd 2005. With that, AVG antivirus, malwarebytes and windows defender i have yet not been beat by a virus!!

 

[gonefishie]

Re: clean boot?

svchost = Service Host. This program is (a normal) part of windows, but someone *could* disguise a virus by using this name. The path to the executable would be "wrong", though.

This process is a "master" type process - its job is to run other processes and to restart them if they die. So, malware sometimes doesn't "be" svchost - but it may use svchost to keep itself alive... (By telling windows it needs to run under svchost....)

BUT it could also just be a windows problem, and no virus at all: "The April 30, 2007 release of Windows Server Update Services 3.0 led to reports of svchost.exe issues, including 100% CPU usage, memory hogging, and excessive laptop fan/power usage."


More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svchost

Process explorer, as an example, will show what processes are running under svchost...

I am well aware of what svchost is and most of window processes, was wondering what bug disguised itself as service host since I haven't seen it before.

 

[Les Robb]

Re: clean boot?

Interesting for sure (where is lucky seven?), original post on the 27th.

If not a geek he probably has bought a new computer by now.