Another stupid computer question

Okay here goes... I was wondering if anyone here knows exactly what steps to take to clear a virus off of a system. Basically, I have an older HP that I was considering networking at home and using it for some 'tests' of a sort. I'm not that savvy with these things and wasn't sure how to go about 'cleaning up' my system. Hell, I'm not even sure that the old system even has a true virus, but it does some funky things and won't save or acknowledge a few simple things, like how many items to keep on the start menu. If I set it at three, and then open up twenty programs... all will be listed, or at least more than three. So like I said, some small quirks that I'm not sure why they're there or what caused them but I want to clear everything out. Anyone got any tips or pointers?

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I was wondering if anyone here knows exactly what steps to take to clear a virus off of a system.

1) Insert OS disc in CD/DVD drive.
2) Boot from said disc.
3) Reformat/repartition drive and install new OS.
4) Enjoy

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Mumblefratz

Join Date 07/2006

+139

Also don't forget to re-initialize the disk's MBR (master boot record) before installing said OS, that’s where a lot of the most insidious viruses hang out.

Actually there are less extreme ways but none that have the certainty of what Kryo said. If you had reasonably up to date anti-virus software on the PC you could try that. But it's just as likely there's no "real" virus on the system and it's just that it's an old PC with lots of crap installed on it that simply needs an enema.

And before you ask, no I’m *still* not quite done with configuring my new PC but I *am* a lot closer. I just finished getting my security suite loaded, configured and tweaked. I still have another couple of major apps to load and then a handful of games and then I get to start all over, essentially doing what Kryo suggested on my old PC before giving it to the missus. It certainly is a whole lot of fun. I can’t wait for my new PC to become obsolete in 2~3 years and I get to do it all over again. Adversity builds character.

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Get anti-virus software.
If you don't want to pay money, try AVG Free or something
Update
Scan
Delete Viruses

If you try that and have screwed around with other programs to find your little virus, I guess you can try what Kryo said once you have made a backup of anything you are afraid of losing.

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Thanks Kryo! Even though the computer didn't have OS discs per se (it has the recovery set up on a separate partition) they did send me a set when there were some 'issues' with the OS. I imagine what you were getting at was pretty much the same thing then, correct? And obviously I would want to use the discs, not the partition, right? Like I said, sometimes the answer/procedure isn't so obvious to me so if I seem like a moron... it may be because I am.

Thanks again Kryo.

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Mumblefratz

Join Date 07/2006

+139

Actually, if your HP is anything like mine was, what you really want to do is to re-initialize the MBR and at least delete the current partitions because AFAIK the Recovery disks will use the Recovery partition if present. All you should need to do this is a copy of FDISK which would be on a Win98 Boot Floppy. If you don't have a Win98 boot floppy you can download one for free from bootdisk.com, if you do you may as well grab the Windows ME version.

Boot from the floppy and type FDISK /? and you'll get a list of FDISK commands. There should be something like a /MBR option to
re-initialize the MBR and then simply deleteing all the partitions should be sufficient to force everything to come from the Recovery Discs instead of anything that was on the drive.

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And many thanks to you as well Mumblefratz. I will try your suggestion over the weekend and see if I can't get the old 'home network' up and running. Figure I might as well utilize the old PC instead of relegating her to the dust bin... and no I wouldn't part it out for the measly couple of bucks I would get for my antiquated components.
Forgot to add... my old PC was using XP. Will this make a difference in what you've told me?
And a thank you to you as well psilontech.

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Mumblefratz

Join Date 07/2006

+139

my old PC was using XP. Will this make a difference in what you've told me?

No. It's just a way to partition outside of the OS. It really just trashes the disk to insure that nothing that was on it could possibily remain. The thing about the HP recovery stuff is that it actually has some hooks into the BIOS and installs it's own boot load manager. It's really insidious but if you've lived with it so far it probably doesn't bother you.

A lot of the work and effort that I put in to cleaning up my PC involved stripping that crap out of the system. That's what made it so painful.

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