Clean backup restore

[Anders F]

How do I make a clean backup restore? I have got
something unpleasent on my pc and now I want to
do a clean backup, I want to remove everything and
put back a baackup I have on an external disk. As I
understand the Backup utility, it puts things back,
optionally replacing updated files. If there is something
unpleasent since after the backup, you can not be
sure that it disapears.

It should be the same problem with a disk crash. How
do I restore a system from a backup to a new disk?

Thanks for any answer
Anders

 

[db]

sounds like the chicken
and egg question

well, a clean backup restore
would require your to pre-clean
your system.

seems reasonable that if you
know what is the problem
then fix it.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx



How do I make a clean backup restore? I have got
something unpleasent on my pc and now I want to
do a clean backup, I want to remove everything and
put back a baackup I have on an external disk. As I
understand the Backup utility, it puts things back,
optionally replacing updated files. If there is something
unpleasent since after the backup, you can not be
sure that it disapears.

It should be the same problem with a disk crash. How
do I restore a system from a backup to a new disk?

Thanks for any answer
Anders

 

[Rock]

How do I make a clean backup restore? I have got
something unpleasent on my pc and now I want to
do a clean backup, I want to remove everything and
put back a baackup I have on an external disk. As I
understand the Backup utility, it puts things back,
optionally replacing updated files. If there is something
unpleasent since after the backup, you can not be
sure that it disapears.

It should be the same problem with a disk crash. How
do I restore a system from a backup to a new disk?

Thanks for any answer
Anders

Yes that can be a problem. If the system is infected then it's possible
when you restore data from the backup the malware will be restored too.

By backup utility I assume you mean the one that comes with XP, called
ntbackup. It restores whatever you tell it to restore.

I don't use ntbackup. I use a drive imaging program, Acronis True Image
Home, version 10, to image the drives to an external USB connected hard
drive. If the drive dies, the image can be restored to a new drive. This
answers your last question.

The best way to handle the first issue you have is not get infected in the
first place. For now clean the system before backing up, and only backup
known data files.

Malware Removal
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

THE PARASITE FIGHT
Finding, Removing & Protecting Yourself From Scumware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

Richard Harper's Guide to Cleaning Pests
http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm

Help: I Got Hacked. Now What Do I Do?
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/secmgmt/sm0504.mspx

 

[Anders F]

Well, my problem started with a svchost process crashing while
fetching some updates to my XP Pro SP2 system. After that it
was not many things I could do, I could not go out on the net, I
could not make a restore. I could however copy my important
data to an external USB disk.

I installed the system from scratch, the install CD and the selected
drivers CD. Before connecting to the net, I made a total backup.

While fetching updates (my systen CD is SP1 so already before
getting to SP2 there were quite a few) I got a message that I had to
go to www dot registryclearxp dot com because I had some serious
errors in the registry. When googling for registryclearxp I got
exactly one hit, to the site itself.

I assumed it was some sort of scam, that I had got some sort of
malware. So I restored the backup. However, I found that it was
not a complete complete restore, as far as I can see I can not
know if there is something I don't want left. (I can not be sure
even if I run an anti-virus check program, those do not find
everything.)

I will check out Acronis True Image.
(And I am seriously considering migrating to Linux)

Thank you for your answer
Anders

 

[Rock]

Well, my problem started with a svchost process crashing while
fetching some updates to my XP Pro SP2 system. After that it
was not many things I could do, I could not go out on the net, I
could not make a restore. I could however copy my important
data to an external USB disk.

I installed the system from scratch, the install CD and the selected
drivers CD. Before connecting to the net, I made a total backup.

While fetching updates (my systen CD is SP1 so already before
getting to SP2 there were quite a few) I got a message that I had to
go to www dot registryclearxp dot com because I had some serious
errors in the registry. When googling for registryclearxp I got
exactly one hit, to the site itself.

I assumed it was some sort of scam, that I had got some sort of
malware. So I restored the backup. However, I found that it was
not a complete complete restore, as far as I can see I can not
know if there is something I don't want left. (I can not be sure
even if I run an anti-virus check program, those do not find
everything.)

I will check out Acronis True Image.
(And I am seriously considering migrating to Linux)

Thank you for your answer
Anders

Yep it was a scam. You got infected somehow. And what you need to look
into, is how that happened. Infections don't just happen. Did you download
some codec? Was the SP1 firewall on?

http://www.cert.org/tech_tips/before_you_plug_in.html#III

http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html

That type of infection you should have been able to clean using the tools on
the links I provided. That might have been a variation of the SmitFraud
Trojan, though I'm not sure of that.

The svchost.exe problem is a common one lately and there are some ways to
resolve it. I have not experienced it but there have been numerous posts in
here about it. Look to the posts by PA Bear for a resolution.

Sorry to be blunt, but if you can't master the simple steps to keep your
system clean, you're not going to have much success with Linux.