Will reformating HD get rid of a virius

[Loanshark]

I have a nasty virius and cannot access the c drive, task manager, registry,
or run. Will reformatting the drive and reinstalling windows remove the
virius?

 

[Malke]

I have a nasty virius and cannot access the c drive, task manager,
registry,
or run. Will reformatting the drive and reinstalling windows remove the
virius?

Yes.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows - What
you will need on-hand

Malke

 

[Loanshark]

Thanks for the reply, I was concerned the virius could remain in the
memory. Is that possible?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Thanks for the reply, I was concerned the virius could remain in the
memory. Is that possible?

In RAM? No.

 

[Daave]

I have a nasty virius and cannot access the c drive, task manager,
registry,
or run. Will reformatting the drive and reinstalling windows remove
the
virius?

Only temporarily. ;-)

 

[Loanshark]

Thanks for all of the replies. One last question: Will reinstalling XP
reformat the HD, or is it 2 seperate steps?

 

[AlmostBob]

You should always format the drive yourself


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links provided as a courtesy, read all instructions on the pages before use

Grateful thanks to the authors and webmasters
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[Malke]

Thanks for all of the replies. One last question: Will reinstalling XP
reformat the HD, or is it 2 seperate steps?

Read the information at the links I already gave you. It covers all these
sorts of questions. In short, you can delete the current partition(s),
format (Quick format is usually enough unless you suspect the hard drive),
and clean install Windows all from the XP installation routine.

Malke

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

You should always format the drive yourself

If you do a clean reinstallation properly, it performs a format as a
first step. It is entirely unnecessary and a waste of time to format
before you begin the reinstallation.

Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if
necessary to accomplish this) and follow the prompts for a clean
installation (delete the existing partition by pressing "D" when
prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org/how_do_i_install_windows_xp.htm

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

or here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

 

[db.·.. >]

sometimes simple hardware
failure can be mis interpreted
as an infection.

there are also a number of
reasons other than an infection
which could deny you access
to the c drive.

however, if you know it is
an infection, then you would
likely know which one by
the data provided by your
anti viral.

 

[nass]

Loanshark
When you will put the XP CD Installation media you will be prompeted with
more than one option like Repair/Upgrade and clean install and also if you
want to delete the old partition and create new ones and the format them with
complete/full format not the quick one!
Here is a Step-By-Step Windows XP: Installation
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx
HTH,
nass

 

[Gerard Espinas]

I have a nasty virius and cannot access the c drive,  task manager, registry,
or run.   Will reformatting the drive and reinstalling windows remove the
virius?

Hi Loanshark,

Formatting An HD will definitely remove traces of all virus but I will
take a lot time and effort to install again a new OS.

My suggestion is to run an online scanner and i recommend
Trend Micro's "HouseCall" and its totally FREE.
http://housecall65.trendmicro.com/

Regards,

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Loanshark" <[email protected]>

| I have a nasty virius and cannot access the c drive, task manager, registry,
| or run. Will reformatting the drive and reinstalling windows remove the
| virius?

Except in the situation of a real virus that infects a boot record, wiping the disk and
re-installing the OS from scratch will remove more than 99% of all malware.

However, not all malware are viruses. Additionally, not all problems dealing with the OS
are malware related.

Most malware CAN be removed successfully given time and proper actions. These actions are
based upon knowledge of what REALLY is going on.

You say "cannot access the c drive" but then go on to you can't use the task manager,
registry or run.

Well, if you can boot from the OS to the point that you can try to run the task manager or
try to run registry tools or use the run function, then I put to you CAN access the hard
disk. The problem is you have some form of non-viral malware that is using operating
system policies that are disabling certain capabilities that the user enjoys and should
have by default. What can be disabled can also be re-enabled.

I will also put it to you that your post is short and makes assumptions. You state you
have a virus but in no way have you provided any information how you came to the
conclusion that you have a virus.

In the future I suggest that instead of coming to your own conclusions, leave yourself
open to suggestions at corrections and providing as many facts as possible. Fully state
what your problem is. Expand upon what you did to try to correct them. Provide all facts
and information pertinent to the situation you are seeing. Then ask for solutions.

In conclusion, you can wipe your PC and re-install the OS from scratch. However, if you
don't recognize and understand what the problem was in the first place, chances are high
that you will just experience once again.

 

[Olórin]

Thanks for the reply, I was concerned the virius could remain in the
memory. Is that possible?

One further comment: when you restore your backed-up data and apps (you will
have backed these up, won't you, because all files on the drive will be
lost...), be sure you don't reintroduce the virus in so doing, from an
infected file.