Poll: How do YOU remove malware?

What is your technique for removing malware on either your own or others PC?

  • I just format and reinstall

    Votes: 44 21.8%

  • I run various anti-virus/malware products and if they fail to remove it I end up reinstalling

    Votes: 88 43.6%

  • I try to find and use a specific removal utility designed for the exact type of malware

    Votes: 29 14.4%

  • I use tools like HijackThis/Sysinternals but not always successfully and I end up formatting

    Votes: 10 5.0%

  • I use tools (as above) and have ways of preventing the malware from "coming back"

    Votes: 31 15.3%
  • Total voters
    202
Not had issues with my own machine, but have looked at two different households main PC that were infected.

The owners never want to reformat for fear of losing personal files spanning years of usage. Even though the PC would run better than before the infection. So first part of option 2 only, as never been allowed to reformat.

Currently trying to clean-up one on a revisit, that has an adware problem that pops up a new browser window every so often. Tried SuperAntiSpyware that found this. Problem returned after a reboot.
dns.jpg


Now trying Malwarebytes, but the NTFS option looks good if I could work out the source behind problem.
 
Tried running SAS or any other program when running in Safe Mode?

Make sure System Restore is also disabled.
 
div0 said:
Tried running SAS or any other program when running in Safe Mode?

Make sure System Restore is also disabled.
Click to expand...

System restore off, and ran SuperAntiSpyware in safe mode. Not running Malwarebytes in safe mode at present as bored and wanted to browse forums :rolleyes:

Anyway I'll start a new thread at the end of day/tomorrow if still got problems, instead send this one off topic.
 
Came across one that had bound itself to explorer.exe as a pre-requisite in the registry.
Of course, once AV was installed, it picked up the infected binary but not the registry entry = PC unable to login.
That was a bitch to fix ;/
 
Work in PC repairs and generally use following procedure-

I install and run in this order-

CCleaner
Avast free edition
Malwarebytes
Spybot

That does the job 95% of the time.
If all that fails, I recommend a reinstall. and if customer insists i repair then i have to get specific programs to remove the problem.
 
bledd. said:
5.

to stop things coming back..

get them to buy nod32, install spyware blaster & spybot, and use the immunize features.

install Firefox, with adblock plus and maybe Noscript.

tell them never to use IE again
Click to expand...

I tend to install an AV and then use Windows Steadystate with system file virtualisation. I've never seen a PC with this correctly configured fall to malware.

NathanE's suggestion is very useful, I got told about it six months ago and it's been a very useful tool in my antimalware armoury.

Although saying that, I tend to avoid doing much malware recoveries as I just don't have time (and of course I've not had malware for a long time) ;):p
 
If you stay on your guard and have a good knowledge of your PC you very rarely need to run any 'tools'. However, being 100% vigilant just to browse the internet gets very tiring. If you really want safe browsing, free from malware, use Linux.

By all means keep a Windows partition for some apps and certain games.
But for daily browsing and keeping in touch with folk Linux is way less hassle and maintenance free.
 
"I try to find and use a specific removal utility designed for the exact type of malware"

This.

I get a lot of people brining PCs with viruses and malware. AVAST removal tool gets rid of most viruses I've found and Spybot gets rid of the Spayware with a few attempts. Sometimes some registry hacking is required but it's very rarely I've reformatted anyones machine.

Most viruses that come to me have been because users have not renewed their product subscription, such as Norton. Then bang.. I normally remove Norton and replace with Avast, Spybot, Ccleaner and provide my customers with an internet safety guide and weekly/monthly schedule I wrote. None of them have come back and have all said that the procedure works.

I haven't (touch wood) had any viruses/malware on my personal machine for years.
 
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I don't normally get malware on my machine but if I do I try to remove it manually, there's normally instructions kicking around if you look hard enough.

For other machines that are completely infested I normally back up whatever data they want to keep and reformat & reinstall the OS.
 
As with Cuchulain, I search for details of the infection and remove manually whenever possible. If there is a mass of different infections I use spybot or HJT and get what they miss manually.
 
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