Need to remove virus from second HD

  • Thread starter Thread starter Christopher
  • Start date Start date
C

Christopher

Hi, folks, I don't quite know what group to post this to, so if this
isn't the right place, please let me know.

Anyway, I have my fathers PC here, which was infected by an unknown to
him virus which stopped the OS (WinXP) from loading at all. He has a
few hundred vacation and what-not photos on the HD that he would like
to somehow salvage. He would then like the OS re-installed.

My thinking is that I do the following:
1. Remove his HD and install it in my PC as a secondary HD.
(Pc-Cillin 2004 will be running in Real Time Mode as I do this.)
2. Scan his HD with Pc-Cillin
3. Remove the photos - put them on my HD.
4. Format the HD and re-install XP.

Or, I may be able to do the following as well:
1. Re-install WinXp and hope for the best, while hoping that his pics
aren't deleted. lol

Can anyone advise as to what the better of the two may be or have any
other ideas?
Many thanks,
Chris
 
Hi, folks, I don't quite know what group to post this
to, so if this isn't the right place, please let me know.
Click to expand...
Anyway, I have my fathers PC here, which
was infected by an unknown to him virus which
stopped the OS (WinXP) from loading at all.
Click to expand...

How do you know its a virus if the purported virus hasnt been identified ?
He has a few hundred vacation and what-not photos
on the HD that he would like to somehow salvage.
He would then like the OS re-installed.
Click to expand...
My thinking is that I do the following:
1. Remove his HD and install it in my PC as a secondary HD.
(Pc-Cillin 2004 will be running in Real Time Mode as I do this.)
2. Scan his HD with Pc-Cillin
Click to expand...

And likely find that it isnt actually infected with a virus at all.
3. Remove the photos - put them on my HD.
4. Format the HD and re-install XP.
Click to expand...
Or, I may be able to do the following as well:
1. Re-install WinXp and hope for the best,
while hoping that his pics aren't deleted. lol
Click to expand...

Thats certainly more risky if it really is virus infected.
Can anyone advise as to what the better
of the two may be or have any other ideas?
Click to expand...

Wouldnt be a bad idea to ghost the drive before
you do anything, and do that by booting from the
rescue floppy or a ghost CD. Basically minimising
the risk of buggering up the photos in the process
of retrieving them. If you do bugger things up, you
can just restore the image and have another go etc.

I'd check then if it really is virus infected.

And then use the proper virus removal tool
from say the symantec site if it really is.
 
The fix may be easier than what you plan to do.
See the article on using WinXP's recovery console at
www.digitalwebcast.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/cw_boot_toot4.htm
titled "XP Crash: When Havoc Strikes"
That one's worth printing and saving some place where you can read it
if you ever need it in a pinch.

Bascially what you do to get WinXP back is to replace a minimum of
critical files to get it up and running. Then when it's up and
running, you teach it to recognize the old restore points, and go back
to a restore point pre-virus. Everything is the way it was pre-crash.
The instructions in the article are pretty detailed and not difficult
to follow.

Your first method sounds like it should work, but your Dad's likely to
lose his settings and you'll wind up having to reinstall any other
software he was using.

RWL




Hi, folks, I don't quite know what group to post this to, so if this
isn't the right place, please let me know.

Anyway, I have my fathers PC here, which was infected by an unknown to
him virus which stopped the OS (WinXP) from loading at all. He has a
few hundred vacation and what-not photos on the HD that he would like
to somehow salvage. He would then like the OS re-installed.

My thinking is that I do the following:
1. Remove his HD and install it in my PC as a secondary HD.
(Pc-Cillin 2004 will be running in Real Time Mode as I do this.)
2. Scan his HD with Pc-Cillin
3. Remove the photos - put them on my HD.
4. Format the HD and re-install XP.

Or, I may be able to do the following as well:
1. Re-install WinXp and hope for the best, while hoping that his pics
aren't deleted. lol

Can anyone advise as to what the better of the two may be or have any
other ideas?
Many thanks,
Chris
Click to expand...

******* Remove NOSPAM to reply *******
 
The fix may be easier than what you plan to do.
See the article on using WinXP's recovery console at
www.digitalwebcast.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/cw_boot_toot4.htm
titled "XP Crash: When Havoc Strikes"
That one's worth printing and saving some place where you can read it
if you ever need it in a pinch.

Bascially what you do to get WinXP back is to replace a minimum of
critical files to get it up and running. Then when it's up and
running, you teach it to recognize the old restore points, and go back
to a restore point pre-virus. Everything is the way it was pre-crash.
The instructions in the article are pretty detailed and not difficult
to follow.

Your first method sounds like it should work, but your Dad's likely to
lose his settings and you'll wind up having to reinstall any other
software he was using.

RWL
Click to expand...

Thanks for your suggestions. I have used the recovery console once
before when the MBR on my computer got screwed up. It worked like a
charm and I think I will give it another shot like you suggest.
This sounds like the best way to do it because then I don't run the
risk of getting that virus on my comp at all..

Actually, my pop doesn't care if his programs get lost or whatever,
since he just bought a new Dell. He just wants his pictures back. lol
He would like a fresh install so he can give the comp to his buddy who
has no comp at all.

Many thanks,
Chris
 
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