AnotherWorld

So im cleaning my girlfriends laptop. Its fully infected with STD's. Im running Trend Microsystems command line scanner and cleaner. Its cleaned about 100000 files so far and still running.

Do you think it will be salvageable at the end? Reinstalling XP isnt an option at the moment. Its an Aspire One Acer, like a calculator and without a CD drive. Mainly full of Malware, some of which stops it being restarted in safe mode.

typical

Good grief!

It really depends how far gone it is. If the malware hasn't inserted itself into the system files, it should be ok. Otherwise, it'll be reinstall time.

I'd also recommend Malwarebytes Anti-Malware highly.

shiva

i'm not 100% certain but do the aspire series not have an inbuilt image of xp on a partition, if so reinstall/recover to original condition should only involve a couple of mouse clicks.

if not an option install and run these in this order (all are free to download and use)

ccleaner
adaware
spybot search and destroy
avg anti virus (prefer this to trend of symantec which slow systems horribly) could also use avast
ccleaner again and also use its registry cleaner(scan for system issues)

then defraggler as the system will probably be slow as **** by this point

that should solve 99% of issues if not all

lastly teach her how to use the internet as 99% of all malware is user installed by people clicking on big shiny ****ing buttons, free offers and opening email .exe's

AnotherWorld

Will try these tomorrow. Can't remember seeing a second partition but as Trend cleaner is still running it's a bit slow to go looking.

I am currently beating her into submission. I assume this is what you meant?

shiva

that'd work as well

MacScot

I know you get banned on PC forums..but have you thought of transferring to Macs in the future?

anuny

Some people dont learn - They have to rub it in

AnotherWorld

Honestly, I wouldnt mind an iPad as at the moment I only use laptops and I dont play PC games anymore. As for a mac, cbf learning how to use it...

anuny

If you think you can use an iPad why not a Mac ?

AnotherWorld

Im scared of becoming one of you...

Cry haddock

Boot a linux distro from a live USB (F2 to enter bios and change boot order to use the USB first), copy her personal data from the XP partition from within linux to an external USB, Either install the full version of linux( on a new partition or overwrite windoze fully) or just work within the live version to clean the malware and let her go back to XP.
I'm using Ubuntu 10.04 on an Aspire One and it flies, but if you're just going to use it to fix the Win install then something like puppy linux is quicker and smaller to download.
I'm new to linux and it took about a week to get up to speed. Love it :-)
CH

MacScot

..come over to the darkside

AnotherWorld

How do I make Shift F10 work? How do I see if they installed the recovery partition? Shift F10 hasnt been doing anything during start up.