Got a virus

[Akaru]

I got a trojan last night, but none of my Virus Scanners detect. WooPee! Now I need your help. I am going to reinstall Windows, but there is so much important files on my computer. How do I backup a hard drive that has viruses without transferring the viruses over to the fresh install?

[Stevee]

Well, you can put in a backup harddrive.

Or you can put all your important files on a pendrive/disc

[TheTruth]

Well can't you just do system restore? Find the last thing you downloaded (which probably had the trojan) and reset your computer to the day before that?

[Cromyth]

you might need to get a new anti virus program also.

[anomo]

Well can't you just do system restore? Find the last thing you downloaded (which probably had the trojan) and reset your computer to the day before that?

 

Yeh, this seems like the best idea.

 

For Windows XP: Start > control panel > performance and maintenance > System restore (up in the left corner), then just choose a date before the trojan and there u go. But if that doesnt work just backup the most important stuff and format ur harddrive (reinstall windows)

[Akaru]

Yeh, this seems like the best idea.

 

For Windows XP: Start > control panel > performance and maintenance > System restore (up in the left corner), then just choose a date before the trojan and there u go. But if that doesnt work just backup the most important stuff and format ur harddrive (reinstall windows)

 

I read that some trojans will block system restores. So even if you do the system restore, it will still contain the virus. And my computer is being slow and stupid anyways. It time for a fresh install. I just don't want to transfer over the virus to my backup hard drive. Will backing up some files (like songs, videos, documents, pictures, etc) transfer over the virus?

[Wrathek]

no. it would most likely only affect system files. There may be some random ones that DO mess with basic files, but very unlikely. most of them only influence system files and installed programs.

[Shadowex3]

The days of viruses that just infect everything they can touch in the filesystem (and usually destroy it) are long gone, viruses nowadays are almost always designed to go hide somewhere and try to hijack your system either stealthily for use as a botnet drone or less so to try and trick you into buying something.

 

What suprises me is that you've caught something spybot can't find.

[anomo]

 

What suprises me is that you've caught something spybot can't find.

 

exactly. BUUUT if rebooting the system doesnt work just make a list of all ur music then redownload (im expecting its illegal since ur so worried) and make backups of the important files that you HAVE TO HAVE! then reinstall and check ur backupfiles for the trojan...if they r clean WOOT if not, well ur fault for getting trojan XP

[Akaru]

Okay. Thanks for the help. I am currently Installing windos 7 rc.