rescue

[ivan danicic]

Hello all, a novice friend has accumulated viruses on his XP so almost
nothing will run, the internet keeps closing down and Norton anti virus
won't run. Would re-installing the windows XP cure it? Any comments
gratefully received.
Ivan.

 

[Frederic Bonroy]

Hello all, a novice friend has accumulated viruses on his XP so almost
nothing will run, the internet keeps closing down and Norton anti virus
won't run. Would re-installing the windows XP cure it?

Reinstalling XP is not a solution (you might have to do it depending on
how badly the computer has been affected, but that's not the standard
way of getting rid of viruses).

Try this first: http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger

 

[David W. Hodgins]

Hello all, a novice friend has accumulated viruses on his XP so almost
nothing will run, the internet keeps closing down and Norton anti virus
won't run. Would re-installing the windows XP cure it? Any comments
gratefully received.

For viruses, a reinstall is not needed. Just download (using another computer)
and run a virus scanner either from a boot disk, or if the partitions are using
ntfs, from safe mode. There are some options for scanning an ntfs partition
from a boot disk, but that can lead to other problems.

See http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...2001052409420406?OpenDocument&src=sec_doc_nam
for info on how to boot into safe mode.

If the novice has also installed any backdoor trojans, then the only safe option
is format/reinstall, since the remote operator may have installed other remote
access trojans, that no scanner will find.

Read http://www.cablemodemhelp.com/xpsurvivalguide.pdf
for info on what to do on a new XP install, BEFORE connecting it to the internet.

As well as viruses, the system is probably loaded with spyware and adware. If
you choose the virus scanner method, you should also run tools specific to these
types of malware.
Spybot Search & destroy - http://security.kolla.de/index.php?lang=en&page=download
Lavasoft's Adaware - http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
Download & save a copy of lspfix.exe from http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm just
in case any of the virus/trojan removals mess up the winsock lsp chain.

Also, show the novice http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html for some general
info on preventing future malware infections.

Regards, Dave Hodgins

 

[Will Dormann]

Hello all, a novice friend has accumulated viruses on his XP so almost
nothing will run, the internet keeps closing down and Norton anti virus
won't run. Would re-installing the windows XP cure it? Any comments
gratefully received.

How do you know the problems are caused by viruses? The AV software on
the machine detected them? What ones are they? If the existing AV
software is totally non-functional, you could scan with one of the
following applications, either from a boot disk or online scan:
http://www.claymania.com/anti-virus.html

"The Internet" is still open. I'm on it right now.

Have you considered scanning for spyware/malware/etc. with Ad-Aware and
Spyboy Search & Destroy? (And HijackThis for anything those two miss)

An in-place reinstallation of XP will do very little.


-WD

 

[Pop Rivet]

Hello all, a novice friend has accumulated viruses on his XP so almost
nothing will run, the internet keeps closing down and Norton anti virus
won't run. Would re-installing the windows XP cure it? Any comments
gratefully received.
Ivan.

Fred and Dave gave you good advice; Will's a little off
base and didn't quite understand your post, I suspect.

I'd just like to add that IF you do a reinstall of XP,there
are two ways to do it:

There's a Repair Reinstall: you won't lose any data and it
will recopy all of your critical operating filesto the drive
for you.
You WILL have to re-apply windows updates though, so
don't forget that important step and do it immediately you
get an av prog and a firewall installed and running, an d
get back on the net. XP's firewall will do you fine until
you get another one, if that's the route you want to take.
It doesn't matter who's firewall it is, but be certain to
get one! I can recommend Zone Alarm and Sygate firewalls;
both are good. California Associates also has a good
firewall/virus suite that's free for a year or something
like that - then you have to pay though.

If you do a complete reinstall (called a clean install),
then the entire drive will be formatted and ALL data will be
lost. IF he made backups, they might not be any good either
as the backups may be infected with the viruses/malware.
So, you'll have to assume that ALL software needs to be
reloaded/installed from the original, known virus free CDs.
I've seen m ore than one person get his machine nice and
clean, and then reinfect it by putting back his backups.
The only safe way to use backups is to scan them first,
BEFORE the are put onto the hardd rive. But that's iffy
too if one isn't careful - one infection missed might, not
will, be able to reinfect the whole thing all over again.

Best of luck! Patience and perseverence WILL win out!

Pop

 

[Roy Coorne]

Hello all, a novice friend has accumulated viruses on his XP so almost
nothing will run, the internet keeps closing down and Norton anti virus
won't run. Would re-installing the windows XP cure it?...

Yes - re-install WinXP on a clean (formatted) disk after backing up
data (only) as fas as this is still possible.

 

[Pop Rivet]

it?...

Yes - re-install WinXP on a clean (formatted) disk after backing up
data (only) as fas as this is still possible.

The XP install automatically formats the drive: NO NEED to
format it ahead of time.
Reinstalling from backups can and often does PUT BACK the
virueses and spyware!! So, if you can't clean it of viruses
and spyware BEFORE putting it back, don't, and if you do, be
certain to run your entire arsenal of protection on it
first - assuming it will catch it all.
When restoring from backup, restore ONLY data files! NO
executables, libraries, programs, etc..
My two cents, fer wat its worth.
Pop

 

[kurt wismer]

Hello all, a novice friend has accumulated viruses on his XP so almost
nothing will run, the internet keeps closing down and Norton anti virus
won't run. Would re-installing the windows XP cure it? Any comments
gratefully received.

rebuilding the system would probably get rid of the problem temporarily
but it certainly won't keep it from coming back...

if you/he feel/feels that's the most efficient way to restore the
system, then so be it... i would suggest applying the techniques found
it http://www.cablemodemhelp.com/xpsurvivalguide.pdf after rebuilding
the system and *before* connecting it to the internet...

 

[Roy Coorne]

his XP so almost


Norton anti virus


backing up



The XP install automatically formats the drive: NO NEED to
format it ahead of time.
Reinstalling from backups can and often does PUT BACK the
virueses and spyware!! So, if you can't clean it of viruses
and spyware BEFORE putting it back, don't, and if you do, be
certain to run your entire arsenal of protection on it
first - assuming it will catch it all.
When restoring from backup, restore ONLY data files! NO
executables, libraries, programs, etc..
My two cents, fer wat its worth.

Your two cents are real gold - you are absolutely right.

roy