Computer Clean-Out?

Question

I bought a computer last year. Since then I got a virus and took it to a shop to clean it up. It was there 5-weeks. When I picked it up they told me there was "NO CHARGE". Right then and there the red flags went up. I've been reading this Forum paying attention to the questions about Viruses. "DELL TECH" helped me solve one of my problems with 'PestCapture'.Yesterday I started my computer in plain 'Safe Mode' without the internet and was asked for my Password, The only times I used a password were at Thanksgiving and Easter of '06. The one that i used at Thanksgiving worked.That tells me that the clean-up people didn't do a good job. I was told that they could actually put Spyware in the system. Is that true? Now I want to clean it out myself to the point that it's like I bought it new. I have Windows XP, no important files stored and lots of time. How do I do it. I'm a computer novice but follow directions well.=============THANX

Answer 1

If you have windows xp, restart your computer and hold ctrl key + F11 (at least thats how it is on my laptop. You should be taken to a system recovery screen. Probably will be Norton Ghost.
If you don't have Norton Ghost it is a great program, you can create your own system restore points with it. And, anytime you want a fresh system like you started with you just open a recovery point.

Another way is go click on "Start" then "Programs" then "Accessories" then "System Tools" then "System Restore" Windows XP also creates its own restore points where you can click on an earlier date and restore to that point. I will warn you though, it doesn't always work.

Also, unless they totally replaced your hard drive when they "cleaned" it. They may have told the system to keep your log on info in the boot log or the bios. So I wouldn't worry too much about that really.

Answer 2

Good that u dont have any important files.
This should be easy.

If you have Windows NT, Windows 2000, or Windows XP: You can format your hard drive as part of the Windows installation process. If your computer is only a few years old and can boot from the CD-Rom drive, simply turn off your computer, insert your Windows CD into the CD-Rom drive, and restart your computer (if the Windows setup does not begin, check your BIOS settings to make sure your computer is configured to try and boot from a CD). If your computer is an older system or you cannot figure out how to make it boot from the CD, you will need to create setup disks (note: there are no setup disks for Windows XP--you have to run the installation from the XP CD). To create the setup disks, insert your CD into a working Windows computer and do the following:

Windows NT (3 disks): Click on the Start button, choose Run, and type D:\i386\winnt32 /ox, where D is the letter for the CD-Rom drive.

Windows 2000 (4 disks): Go into the bootdisk directory on the Windows 2000 CD and double-click on the makebt32.exe file (you can also consult our earlier web page on making Windows 2000 boot disks).

Windows XP: If you have a broadband connection that is always on, you must take countermeasures to prevent your Windows XP machine from being reinfected. Please view and print these cautions prior to proceeding.
Turn off your computer, then restart it with either your Windows CD or the setup disks. During the setup process, you will have the option of formatting your hard drive; choose that option to erase your damaged/hacked Windows installation, and proceed with the reinstall.

Once Windows is reinstalled, you will have to reinstall your other programs individually from your original install disks.

After this is done, install an anti virus software like Norton, and also go to www.lavasoft.com and install Adaware 6 Personal. Keep doing virus checks and spyware checks using this program on a periodic basis and ur life is smooth..

Answer 3

You must format you're hdd, to get free of a virus. On clean drive you can install a clean Windows, without hacks. If the virus is not erased, and you are sure that all you software is with no viruses you have to try a scan from a clean boot CD with an Anti-virus that works in console mode - ex. Mcafee. I recommend the boot CD named Hiren`s Bott CD, now v. 8.7

Answer 4

Well, to deal with spyware, you need these free programs:

AVG Anti-virus
Ad-aware
Spybot Search & Destroy
Windows Defender (Microsoft)

Run these and see if it clears up your spyware etc.

Also. a good free registry repair program to delete/fix broken links, files etc.

Eusing Free Registry repair.

If the performance is still poor after that, re-install Windows. Just stick the CD in and when it auto-runs install it again over the current installation.

Answer 5

If all of those files are on your computer are unimportant u can format your hard drive.
Go to My Computer right click drive c: and in the middle it will say format click format and then it should erase everything on Your computer.

Answer 6

C cleaner disk framenter that already on your computer just search for it (go to start, go to the right and u see a word that says search and you can take it from there)