[fuzzybear]

If I set my laptop back to its factory settings via system recovery (holding down F8 as soon as I switch on the laptop, etc), am I guarenteed to have wiped out any lingering viruses/trojans that were on it?

Background info: Something weird was happening to my laptop as I was surfing the web, the browser randomly closed by itself and I was constantly getting this message of adobe flash player (can't remember exactly but it was adobe something) requesting my permission to allow it to make changes to the system, I declined but it kept coming back. So I restarted my laptop and done a full virus scan with malwarebytes, it picked up 9 trojans and adwares, I duly clicked to remove them all. However after restarting again, I've found some things have changed, like the icons on my desktop seems to be fixed in alphabetical order, if I switch their positions, it reverts back when I click 'refresh' and also when I restart the computer. My 'most popular sites' page for my web browser (IE9) also seems messed up, the logos for all the websites have disappeared. There are other things as well that have changed, and likewise I can't find a way to change them back to what it was before. Anyway I just want some peace of mind, so I'd quite happily restart my laptop all over again back to factory settings if thats what it takes to fix it.

[Mad Vlad]

(Original post by fuzzybear)
If I set my laptop back to its factory settings via system recovery (holding down F8 as soon as I switch on the laptop, etc), am I guarenteed to have wiped out any lingering viruses/trojans that were on it?

Background info: Something weird was happening to my laptop as I was surfing the web, the browser randomly closed by itself and I was constantly getting this message of adobe flash player (can't remember exactly but it was adobe something) requesting my permission to allow it to make changes to the system, I declined but it kept coming back. So I restarted my laptop and done a full virus scan with malwarebytes, it picked up 9 trojans and adwares, I duly clicked to remove them all. However after restarting again, I've found some things have changed, like the icons on my desktop seems to be fixed in alphabetical order, if I switch their positions, it reverts back when I click 'refresh' and also when I restart the computer. My 'most popular sites' page for my web browser (IE9) also seems messed up, the logos for all the websites have disappeared. There are other things as well that have changed, and likewise I can't find a way to change them back to what it was before. Anyway I just want some peace of mind, so I'd quite happily restart my laptop all over again back to factory settings if thats what it takes to fix it.

I'd say it probably has, unless the factory image has been compromised, of course - then you're buggered. I'd immediately run Windows Update and ensure your system is fully patched. You've probably fallen victim of a malicious site or flash/java exploit. If the site was pretty obscure, then I'd just not visit it again.

[burgergetsbored]

It's probably not a big thing to try and fix, but in answer to your initial question, yes reinstalling windows will erase everything and should get rid of any virus' you may have. You could try booting into safe mode and running the virus tests rather than normal windows? It's much more effective and might find more than before.

[fuzzybear]

(Original post by Mad Vlad)
I'd say it probably has, unless the factory image has been compromised, of course - then you're buggered. I'd immediately run Windows Update and ensure your system is fully patched. You've probably fallen victim of a malicious site or flash/java exploit. If the site was pretty obscure, then I'd just not visit it again.

what probably has?

[fuzzybear]

(Original post by burgergetsbored)
It's probably not a big thing to try and fix, but in answer to your initial question, yes reinstalling windows will erase everything and should get rid of any virus' you may have. You could try booting into safe mode and running the virus tests rather than normal windows? It's much more effective and might find more than before.

I'll try that, but the the virus/trojan/or whatever seems to have messed up a few things. Like, how do you solve the problem I have with my desktop icons? They're currently being arranged in alphabetical order, it used to be the case that I could move the icons where ever I want and it'll stay there, I've spend about 15 mins trying to solve what should be a simple fix

[Naiad]

Windows restore might be a good thing to try too, if you have a backup.
Perhaps you should also give Kaspersky online scan a shot, if it's still running. Do you have an antivirus with real-time protection, or do you only scan with Malwarebytes once in a while? Now might be a good time to install a trial of something...

[fuzzybear]

(Original post by Naiad)
Windows restore might be a good thing to try too, if you have a backup.
Perhaps you should also give Kaspersky online scan a shot, if it's still running. Do you have an antivirus with real-time protection, or do you only scan with Malwarebytes once in a while? Now might be a good time to install a trial of something...

I have MSE but it does sometimes miss out on things, I don't want to have to pay for an anti-virus seeing as I don't even download much, I'm more of a casual internet user.

[Mad Vlad]

(Original post by fuzzybear)
what probably has?

...am I guarenteed to have wiped out any lingering viruses/trojans that were on it?

This.

[Mad Vlad]

(Original post by fuzzybear)
I have MSE but it does sometimes miss out on things, I don't want to have to pay for an anti-virus seeing as I don't even download much, I'm more of a casual internet user.

If you're getting viruses in the first place, you're doing it wrong. You should never have to rely on anti-virus to protect you as a home user. Good patching and common sense should be enough, and if it isn't, you need to learn how to keep yourself safe online.

[burgergetsbored]

(Original post by fuzzybear)
I'll try that, but the the virus/trojan/or whatever seems to have messed up a few things. Like, how do you solve the problem I have with my desktop icons? They're currently being arranged in alphabetical order, it used to be the case that I could move the icons where ever I want and it'll stay there, I've spend about 15 mins trying to solve what should be a simple fix

right click your desktop, go to "sort desktop by" and change that to none. Then go to view and change make sure auto arrange icons is unchecked?

[fuzzybear]

(Original post by Mad Vlad)
If you're getting viruses in the first place, you're doing it wrong. You should never have to rely on anti-virus to protect you as a home user. Good patching and common sense should be enough, and if it isn't, you need to learn how to keep yourself safe online.

If I'm not relying on my anti-virus to protect me, then whats the point of having it?

Unless you mean that I'm over-reliant on it and being too carefree as a result. But I very rarely go on unfamiliar sites unless I have to, 90% of the time while I'm on the internet its youtube, bbc, tsr, fb, reddit, hotmail.

As for patching, I think I've updated my laptop regularly enough, my windows last windows updates that were installed was on the 11th this month, My MSE anti-virus automatically updates itself almost every day, and I update malwarebyes once every week myself.

[fuzzybear]

(Original post by burgergetsbored)
right click your desktop, go to "sort desktop by" and change that to none. Then go to view and change make sure auto arrange icons is unchecked?

I've right-clicked, went to 'sort by' but theres no 'none' in the list of choices to select . Auto-arrange icons is already unchecked.

[Mad Vlad]

(Original post by fuzzybear)
If I'm not relying on my anti-virus to protect me, then whats the point of having it?

Unless you mean that I'm over-reliant on it and being too carefree as a result. But I very rarely go on unfamiliar sites unless I have to, 90% of the time while I'm on the internet its youtube, bbc, tsr, fb, reddit, hotmail.

As for patching, I think I've updated my laptop regularly enough, my windows last windows updates that were installed was on the 11th this month, My MSE anti-virus automatically updates itself almost every day, and I update malwarebyes once every week myself.

It's a safety net, but it's one with holes in. Anti-virus will not protect you against cutting edge malware/vulnerabilities and tbh, neither will patching to an extent as a consumer.

You need to not be so reliant on these solutions. A better way to browse unfamiliar/dodgy sites is to use a virtual machine. You can stand one up for free using Virtual Box and a Linux distro like Mint or Ubuntu, which will be hardened against malware and if you do break it, you just restore to snapshot and it's good as new.

Being a savvy internet consumer makes a big difference.

[fuzzybear]

(Original post by Mad Vlad)
It's a safety net, but it's one with holes in. Anti-virus will not protect you against cutting edge malware/vulnerabilities and tbh, neither will patching to an extent as a consumer.

You need to not be so reliant on these solutions. A better way to browse unfamiliar/dodgy sites is to use a virtual machine. You can stand one up for free using Virtual Box and a Linux distro like Mint or Ubuntu, which will be hardened against malware and if you do break it, you just restore to snapshot and it's good as new.

Being a savvy internet consumer makes a big difference.

Will look up on that

[mangoh]

(Original post by fuzzybear)
Will look up on that

If I were you I would do 4 things:

1) backup all your data
2) run a CLEAN install, install all your programs and adjust the system setting to how you like.

Also install chrome with the following plugins (click & clean, speed dial 2 and adblock plus)
3) Most important step - create a system image (requires windows 7) so next time you have a problem like this *bam* load system image and virus should be gone as long as the system image hasn't be compromised
4) Follow vlads advice

If you are planning to take my advice, reply back if you need help with anything such as explaining what a system image is or how to do the installation process etc...

Thanks

[fuzzybear]

(Original post by mangoh)
If I were you I would do 4 things:

1) backup all your data
2) run a CLEAN install, install all your programs and adjust the system setting to how you like.

Also install chrome with the following plugins (click & clean, speed dial 2 and adblock plus)
3) Most important step - create a system image (requires windows 7) so next time you have a problem like this *bam* load system image and virus should be gone as long as the system image hasn't be compromised
4) Follow vlads advice

If you are planning to take my advice, reply back if you need help with anything such as explaining what a system image is or how to do the installation process etc...

Thanks

Cheers, just couple of questions:

1) What exactly do you mean by a 'clean install' and is this any different from a normal install? also are you referring just to my operating system (windows 7) or to all my programs?

2) In your 3rd point you said, ''*bam* load system image and virus should be gone as long as the system image hasn't be compromised''. Mad Vlad also mentioned this, I'm just curious how certain can you be that the system image hasn't been compromised? because I have heard this advice a number of times before but on nearly each occasion its been followed by the same precaution that the system image may be compromised . Is there no fool-proof way to create a system image that can't be compromised or a way to mitigate this problem?

3) Please explain how to create a system image . Also, in my laptop's manual, it says that I could recover the pre-installed software via the recovery hard disk drive (I think this means setting my laptop back to when I first switched it on after I bought it), is this effectively a 'system image' which has been made by the laptop's makers?

[mangoh]

(Original post by fuzzybear)
Cheers, just couple of questions:

1) What exactly do you mean by a 'clean install' and is this any different from a normal install? also are you referring just to my operating system (windows 7) or to all my programs?

You don't really say a 'normal install'... it is more a 'clean install' but yes it is the same thing. A clean install basically means wiping out everything and starting from fresh. So all you will have is a windows OS (no programs such as chrome or Microsoft Office etc...) Just what comes with windows 7.

2) In your 3rd point you said, ''*bam* load system image and virus should be gone as long as the system image hasn't be compromised''. Mad Vlad also mentioned this, I'm just curious how certain can you be that the system image hasn't been compromised? because I have heard this advice a number of times before but on nearly each occasion its been followed by the same precaution that the system image may be compromised . Is there no fool-proof way to create a system image that can't be compromised or a way to mitigate this problem?

You can never be certain if a system image has been compromised but with common sense it is VERY UNLIKELY.

System image can be stored on DVDs, USB and internal HDD or external HDD. If you choose to use a internal HDD option then you can create a partition. So like now if you go to Start - My Computer - It most likely says Local Disc C: which basically represents ONE partition and on this partition this is where all your programs and windows files normally are. I recommend doing a clean install and creating two partitions, one for your main OS and the second for a backup for your OS.

partition 1 = Normal OS
partition 2 = backup (system image)

Partition 2 is a copy of partition one when it is how you like it with all the programs such as AVG, Chrome etc... So for this reason it is recommended to create a system image STRAIGHT after you are happy with your computer (before you face any major problems).

So as soon as you face a problem on partition 1, you can use the system image from partition 2 to overide partition 1 so then you are left with a healthy OS.


3) Please explain how to create a system image . Also, in my laptop's manual, it says that I could recover the pre-installed software via the recovery hard disk drive (I think this means setting my laptop back to when I first switched it on after I bought it), is this effectively a 'system image' which has been made by the laptop's makers?[/QUOTE]

See explanation of what a system image is above first.

Before I go any further, do you have a windows 7 disc?

If Windows 7 came as part of your complete computer system, do you still have the product key you were given as part of that purchase?

"For a OEM Product Key on COA Sticker
NOTE: These will be store bought computers that came with Windows 7 preinstalled on them. The product key sticker will usually be on the back of a desktop, and on the bottom or under the battery of a laptop and notebook. The sticker key number may be different than the key number reported in one of the programs below. If so, the key number on the sticker is the one that's unique to your computer, and that's the one you'll need to input should you ever clean install Windows."

[fuzzybear]

(Original post by mangoh)
1) What exactly do you mean by a 'clean install' and is this any different from a normal install? also are you referring just to my operating system (windows 7) or to all my programs?

You don't really say a 'normal install'... it is more a 'clean install' but yes it is the same thing. A clean install basically means wiping out everything and starting from fresh. So all you will have is a windows OS (no programs such as chrome or Microsoft Office etc...) Just what comes with windows 7.

2) In your 3rd point you said, ''*bam* load system image and virus should be gone as long as the system image hasn't be compromised''. Mad Vlad also mentioned this, I'm just curious how certain can you be that the system image hasn't been compromised? because I have heard this advice a number of times before but on nearly each occasion its been followed by the same precaution that the system image may be compromised . Is there no fool-proof way to create a system image that can't be compromised or a way to mitigate this problem?

You can never be certain if a system image has been compromised but with common sense it is VERY UNLIKELY.

System image can be stored on DVDs, USB and internal HDD or external HDD. If you choose to use a internal HDD option then you can create a partition. So like now if you go to Start - My Computer - It most likely says Local Disc C: which basically represents ONE partition and on this partition this is where all your programs and windows files normally are. I recommend doing a clean install and creating two partitions, one for your main OS and the second for a backup for your OS.

partition 1 = Normal OS
partition 2 = backup (system image)

Partition 2 is a copy of partition one when it is how you like it with all the programs such as AVG, Chrome etc... So for this reason it is recommended to create a system image STRAIGHT after you are happy with your computer (before you face any major problems).

So as soon as you face a problem on partition 1, you can use the system image from partition 2 to overide partition 1 so then you are left with a healthy OS.


3) Please explain how to create a system image . Also, in my laptop's manual, it says that I could recover the pre-installed software via the recovery hard disk drive (I think this means setting my laptop back to when I first switched it on after I bought it), is this effectively a 'system image' which has been made by the laptop's makers?

See explanation of what a system image is above first.

Before I go any further, do you have a windows 7 disc?

If not, do you have a license key?

Thanks thats a great explanation.

My laptop already had windows 7 on it when I bought it. It wasn't like I went out to buy windows 7 on its own, so I don't had a disc. License key? I don't think I have one, I certainly don't remember having one or using it. I remember when I first got my laptop last year, at the start when I switched it on I had to click a few buttons and then waited about 40mins for it to prepare/install the softwares that came with the laptop (bloatware, that kind of stuff, as well as the important things like the OS itself and microsoft office starter pack)

[mangoh]

(Original post by fuzzybear)
Thanks thats a great explanation.

My laptop already had windows 7 on it when I bought it. It wasn't like I went out to buy windows 7 on its own, so I don't had a disc. License key? I don't think I have one, I certainly don't remember having one or using it. I remember when I first got my laptop last year, at the start when I switched it on I had to click a few buttons and then waited about 40mins for it to prepare/install the softwares that came with the laptop (bloatware, that kind of stuff, as well as the important things like the OS itself and microsoft office starter pack)

Mb I meant *product key*

see edit above

Can you find it?

[fuzzybear]

(Original post by mangoh)

"For a OEM Product Key on COA Sticker
NOTE: These will be store bought computers that came with Windows 7 preinstalled on them. The product key sticker will usually be on the back of a desktop, and on the bottom or under the battery of a laptop and notebook. The sticker key number may be different than the key number reported in one of the programs below. If so, the key number on the sticker is the one that's unique to your computer, and that's the one you'll need to input should you ever clean install Windows."

Ohhh right now that you mentioned product key, yeah I do have one and its on the label on the bottom of my laptop.