Please Help! I desperately want to rid my computer of a virus but is this upcoming idea too risky?

Question

I'm pretty certiain that I have a virus. Whenever I go into "Documents and Settings" in the C drive, there is a folder with my name (user name?) in it (located next to another folder 'all users'). Whenever I go into the folder of my name, all hell breaks loose and the computer errors out, freezes, and must be manually restarted. The folder of my user name seems to 'house' the virus. I tried using antivirus progams (Norton) and antispyware programs, but it did not help. I tried doing a system restore (several times) but that too did not work. As a desperate man, what I'm wondering is this: if I were to delete my entire user name folder (which contains my documents, start menu, desktop, favorites etc), will all of those items be gone forever?? Or...are they kind of like a shortcut, and if I delete them, I will still have the original programs. The reason I'm asking is because start menu items are primarily located on the start menu as are documents...Please help!!!

Answer 1

I agree with "Soundpost10." Go download AVG, CCleaner, Spybot and Ad-Award SE (Personal). They're all free and clean up your system nicely. Good luck to you!

Answer 2

Those ARE your files, not pointers.
If you are going to delete your user, you may not really delte the files.

I suggest you boot into safe mode, or better yet, use your startup CD & use Recovery Console. That way nothing in the computer can be active [as in virus], and you can move the files to a CD, or scan them with Norton or similar.

Answer 3

try AVG Free and Spybot S&D.
Both of these programs are free and work great I have them on my machine.

Answer 4

First try some other way, There are many free on-line virus and spyware scanners:
http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/?ref=google_antispyware

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ (good one)

http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/home.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=CWYTOMGMCYNBRFNJSVS