Need advice on how to salvage files on a hoplessly infected computer.


  1. tibbar
    Posts : 33
    Win 7 home 64
       New #1

    Need advice on how to salvage files on a hoplessly infected computer.


    Cutting to the chase, I have a machine that is infected to the point that a reformat and reload is about the only method left in getting rid of viruses. The user of this machine has irreplaceable documents of various types that will need to be salvaged. Is there any advice on how to move the important files without infecting another machine. Most of the infections seem to be isolated in files and directories that the malware has created or is where downloads go to.

    Thanks.
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  3. Tookeri
    Posts : 1,049
    Windows 7 Pro 32
       New #2

    Hi and welcome to SevenForums!

    Here's a few options to do it without running the normal Windows:
    Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console
    Emergency Kit - save your files from a dead OS
    Peppermint Live CD/DVD/USB - Create for Emergency Backup

    If you use a USB flash drive to save the files to there might be a risk that the flash drive gets infected, or that the copied files are infected, so make sure to scan it with preferably several tools. Here's a great tip:
    Worried about sticking a possibly effected SDHC card into computer

    You might also want to disable autoplay: AutoPlay - Enable or Disable
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  4. tibbar
    Posts : 33
    Win 7 home 64
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    Thank you Tookeri. This was exactly what I was looking for.
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  6. Tookeri
    Posts : 1,049
    Windows 7 Pro 32
       New #4

    Great! Good luck.
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  7. Tookeri
    Posts : 1,049
    Windows 7 Pro 32
       New #5

    Oh, one more thing: If you use a USB 3 flash drive it might not have drivers for it when booting to a limited OS. Just connect it to a USB 2 port and you should be fine.
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  8. DonnaB
    Posts : 163
    Win7 64-bit, Vista 32-bit, XP 32-bit, W2K 32-bit (VM)
       New #6

    Hi tibbar,

    The following 2 programs may be of interest.

    McShield2 to protect a clean computer.

    Download to your desktop and install with default settings.
    In the control center, select scanner and check unhide items on flash drives
    Anytime you plug in a USB drive, McShield will scan the device.

    Or;

    Panda USB Vaccine allows users to disable the AutoRun feature on computers as well as on USB drives and other devices.
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  10. tibbar
    Posts : 33
    Win 7 home 64
    Thread Starter
       New #7

    Donna,

    Thanks I will check those out if this issue comes up again.
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