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

[tibbar]

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.

 

[Tookeri]

Hi and welcome to SevenForums!

Here's a few options to do it without running the normal Windows:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93347-copy-paste-windows-recovery-console.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/287439-emergency-kit-save-your-files-dead-os.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/256518-peppermint-live-cd-dvd-usb-create-emergency-backup.html

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:
http://www.sevenforums.com/system-s...cted-sdhc-card-into-computer.html#post2922057

You might also want to disable autoplay: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/216706-autoplay-enable-disable.html

 

[tibbar]

Thank you Tookeri. This was exactly what I was looking for.

 

[Tookeri]

Great! Good luck.

 

[Tookeri]

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.

 

[DonnaB]

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.

 

[tibbar]

Donna,

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