PROBLEMS with virus riddled laptop FOLLOW-UP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Richard
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Richard

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Well..... :-)

108 viruses and trojans removed from C: drive
3 more removed from external USB drive
4 more removed from USB memory stick
4 more (again) removed from another USB memory stick

Tools->Folder Options... menu and task manager restored to working order.
The laptop even connects to the internet now!

Several incomplete pieces of software dis-installed, including the remnants
of no less than 3 other antivirus/firewall programs!

The only outstanding issue was the failure of double-clicking on Local Disk
drives in My Computer to work. Tried two solutions to this problem (regsvr
/i shell32, and http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm), but neither
had any effect at all - let alone fixing the problem.

Double-clicking on Removable Disk drives works, just not the Local ones, so
circumvented using shortcuts to drives on desktop.

Friend left with a recommendation to backup all his data to the removable
disk, and then completely reformat the C: drive, reinstall Windows plus all
the other software, and then restore his data. Whether hel'll bother doing
this, Idon't know - doubt it.
 
Re: PROBLEMS with virus riddled laptop FOLLOW-UP

> Friend left with a recommendation to backup all his data to the removable
> disk, and then completely reformat the C: drive, reinstall Windows plus
> all the other software, and then restore his data. Whether hel'll bother
> doing this, Idon't know - doubt it.


It's the only sensible option.
 
Re: PROBLEMS with virus riddled laptop FOLLOW-UP



"Richard" <(none)> wrote in message news:48e4e2d0$1@newsgate.x-privat.org...
> Well..... :-)
>
> 108 viruses and trojans removed from C: drive
> 3 more removed from external USB drive
> 4 more removed from USB memory stick
> 4 more (again) removed from another USB memory stick
>
> Tools->Folder Options... menu and task manager restored to working order.
> The laptop even connects to the internet now!
>
> Several incomplete pieces of software dis-installed, including the
> remnants of no less than 3 other antivirus/firewall programs!
>
> The only outstanding issue was the failure of double-clicking on Local
> Disk drives in My Computer to work. Tried two solutions to this problem
> (regsvr /i shell32, and http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm),
> but neither had any effect at all - let alone fixing the problem.
>
> Double-clicking on Removable Disk drives works, just not the Local ones,
> so circumvented using shortcuts to drives on desktop.
>
> Friend left with a recommendation to backup all his data to the removable
> disk, and then completely reformat the C: drive, reinstall Windows plus
> all the other software, and then restore his data. Whether hel'll bother
> doing this, Idon't know - doubt it.
>
>

I have done three of these in the past year. In all cases, college student
daughters of Attorneys in the firm I work at he IS guy for.
In my experience, it's a ton of work with less than stellar results. Far
better to wipe the hard drive using the Debug routine and starting over.
Less headaches and a far better working system.
 
RE: PROBLEMS with virus riddled laptop FOLLOW-UP

as said by others, "nuke it from orbit" and reinstall.

one critical step missing though...
Step1 reinstall
Step2 install COMPREHENSIVE security (including anti spyware not just AV).
my suggestion is Avast home (free to home users).
Step3 patch patch patch.
Step4 copy the user data.

if you only follow the other directions, you are likely to end up in the
same boat after copying the potentially malware laden files.


"Richard" wrote:

> Well..... :-)
>
> 108 viruses and trojans removed from C: drive
> 3 more removed from external USB drive
> 4 more removed from USB memory stick
> 4 more (again) removed from another USB memory stick
>
> Tools->Folder Options... menu and task manager restored to working order.
> The laptop even connects to the internet now!
>
> Several incomplete pieces of software dis-installed, including the remnants
> of no less than 3 other antivirus/firewall programs!
>
> The only outstanding issue was the failure of double-clicking on Local Disk
> drives in My Computer to work. Tried two solutions to this problem (regsvr
> /i shell32, and http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm), but neither
> had any effect at all - let alone fixing the problem.
>
> Double-clicking on Removable Disk drives works, just not the Local ones, so
> circumvented using shortcuts to drives on desktop.
>
> Friend left with a recommendation to backup all his data to the removable
> disk, and then completely reformat the C: drive, reinstall Windows plus all
> the other software, and then restore his data. Whether hel'll bother doing
> this, Idon't know - doubt it.
>
>
>
>
 
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