trojan rootkit and virus prevention

[edwar]

Sure that is OK. I use the same external for all my computers. I do put the different images in folders for each system so I won't get confused when and if I need to restore each computer. I use the Computer Names as the folder names and name the backup images with a date.

Like the PC I am on right now is named i5 (As it has an i5 CPU in it) so the folder on the external is named i5 Images. When I create an image from the i5 PC I name it i5 MM-DD-YY (I use the - as the divider as you can't us the / in a file name) and it goes in the i5 Images folder. I always create Full images of my systems never incremental images. With incremental images you need ALL of them, from the first full image and all of the incremental images, to do a proper restore.

 

[Layback Bear]

This information might also help.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html
----------
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/615-backup-user-system-files.html

 

[chas53]

thank you both for taking the time to reply.

excellent replies.

 

[chas53]

"If you're absolutely sure that your computer was not infected AFTER you did the clean install it should be OK. If there's any chance you picked up any kind of malware and if you're absolutely sure your tech didn't accidentally get malware on your machine ... well, if there's any doubt in your mind another clean install might be warranted."


I made a repair disk. thank you again for the advice.

now I am going to create a system image onto my external hard drive.

but first, is there a way to tell for absolutely sure that my computer has not been (and is not) infected before I create the system image?

 

[marsmimar]

I made a repair disk. thank you again for the advice.

now I am going to create a system image onto my external hard drive.

but first, is there a way to tell for absolutely sure that my computer has not been (and is not) infected before I create the system image?

Absolutely? As in 100% sure? No. Only erasing the hard drive and doing a clean install of everything would give you a nearly 100% guarantee of a clean system. Some malware can infect the BIOS. And since the the BIOS makes sure all the other chips, hard drives, ports and CPU function together, even with a clean install malware can be transferred over to the newly installed operating system. Fortunately, that's a rare situation.

Researcher Creates Proof-of-concept Malware That Infects BIOS, Network Cards | PCWorld

HowStuffWorks "How BIOS Works"

The more scans that you run that come back "no threats found" the more likely it is that your computer is clean. But it's not going to be an absolute certainty. If you run the scans in Post # 7, I think you'll be reasonably sure your computer is clean. A quick google of "best online virus scanners" should provide several more free and paid scanners.

 

[chas53]

I made a repair disk. thank you again for the advice.

now I am going to create a system image onto my external hard drive.

but first, is there a way to tell for absolutely sure that my computer has not been (and is not) infected before I create the system image?

Absolutely? As in 100% sure? No. Only erasing the hard drive and doing a clean install of everything would give you a nearly 100% guarantee of a clean system. Some malware can infect the BIOS. And since the the BIOS makes sure all the other chips, hard drives, ports and CPU function together, even with a clean install malware can be transferred over to the newly installed operating system. Fortunately, that's a rare situation.

Researcher Creates Proof-of-concept Malware That Infects BIOS, Network Cards | PCWorld

HowStuffWorks "How BIOS Works"

The more scans that you run that come back "no threats found" the more likely it is that your computer is clean. But it's not going to be an absolute certainty. If you run the scans in Post # 7, I think you'll be reasonably sure your computer is clean. A quick google of "best online virus scanners" should provide several more free and paid scanners.

you so rock.

thank you again for another so very generous informative excellent reply.

am going to post #7 now.

 

[chas53]

hey guys,

I am trying to create a system image onto my external hard drive.

I have almost nothing on my laptop, since my clean install.

I have microsoft office and itunes. and just the regular stuff that I would guess comes with windows 7.

all told I think I have 3.5 Gb of sony vaio drivers.

and 45 GB of whatever the usual that comes with windows 7.

I tried creating a system image. when it got to the part of saving the image, it just stayed there for quite a while, maybe 20 minutes.

so I then canceled it. I thought maybe something was not working right.

I looked on my external hard drive and there were 2 folders. one was sony vaio drivers and the other was windows whatever (they were 3.5 GB and 45 GB respectively). I deleted them off my external hard drive.

would anyone please tell me if they think I should try again and just wait longer?

or if it sounds like something is not right?

thanks alot,
Charlie

 

[marsmimar]

Are you using the native (built in) Windows 7 imaging tool?
Has the external hard drive ever been formatted?
How many gigabytes is the external?

Since there's nothing on the external right now I'd do a quick format. With the external plugged in to the laptop, click Start > Computer. Is the external recognized and does it have a drive letter assigned? If yes, right-click the external drive > select Format...

In the "Format" dialog box that opens, under File System select NTFS. Put a check mark in the Quick Format option. Click the Start button in the dialog box. Depending on how large the external drive is, the format shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. Once it's finished OK your way out.

If you're using the Windows 7 imaging tool you should see this after clicking Start > Control Panel > Backup and Restore:



I would strongly suggest you create the system repair disk (either now or when you see the prompt when the system image is finished.) The repair disk gives you several repair options, including a way to start your computer if the operating system ever gets totally damaged or corrupted. You have to be able to start your computer in order to access and use the system image.

If you click on Create a System Image a new dialog box should open showing that Windows 7 is searching for a location to save the image. After a couple of minutes it should detect your external drive by default. If it does, you can click the Next button and the system image should begin. The total process may take more than 30 minutes but probably less than an hour based on how many gigabytes you'll be imaging.



Is this what you saw with your first attempt? If the System Image completes successfully the only thing your external hard drive should show is a file called WindowsImageBackup.

 

[chas53]

thanks alot for your excellent reply marsmimar.

I am using the native built in windows 7 imaging tool.

I am guessing that I formatted the external hard drive when I got it. I used it on my desktop computer. this is probably the first time I plugged it into my sony vaio laptop.
the external hard drive is a 1000 GB. 742 Gb are free.

I have created a system repair disk for the sony vaio laptop. thank you for suggesting that I do that.

when I tried to create a system image for the sony vaio, everything went just as you described. (so there were no problems to that point).

I wondered after a while though if the machine was stuck or somehow goofed up.

if I have to I will reformat the external hard drive.
I'll just back up the stuff from my desktop computer again, after I'm done creating a system image for my sony vaio laptop.

I should create a system image and repair disk for my desktop computer too.

 

[Layback Bear]

Just to add a little to marsmimar great instruction. The time will vary according to your system specs. Which are not filled in. Before you get done with this thread could you fill in your ((My System Specs)) using User CP at the top of the page. This little program will help you.
Speccy - System Information - Free Download
Those specs once posted in My System Specs will follow your every post. It help us help you.

 

[chas53]

Just to add a little to marsmimar great instruction. The time will vary according to your system specs. Which are not filled in. Before you get done with this thread could you fill in your ((My System Specs)) using User CP at the top of the page. This little program will help you.
Speccy - System Information - Free Download
Those specs once posted in My System Specs will follow your every post. It help us help you.

roger that.

thank you Layback Bear.

 

[chas53]

system image created successfully. I just had to give it more time.

thanks for all the help you guys and gals.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Usb 2.0 hdd?

If you are using a USB 2.0 external HDD it will take longer to save a backup image.

On my PC, for example:

• Macrium Reflect normally images at ~50 MB/s
• My USB 2.0 external HDDs only accept data at ~25 MB/s

I have multiple internal HDDs and I save my backup images to one of those.
I copy the images to the external HDD later (e.g. when I'm not going to use the PC for a while).

 

[chas53]

If you are using a USB 2.0 external HDD it will take longer to save a backup image.

On my PC, for example:

• Macrium Reflect normally images at ~50 MB/s
• My USB 2.0 external HDDs only accept data at ~25 MB/s

I have multiple internal HDDs and I save my backup images to one of those.
I copy the images to the external HDD later (e.g. when I'm not going to use the PC for a while).

roger that. thank you very much.

yes I used an external HDD connected with a USB 2.0 cable.

 

[marsmimar]

system image created successfully. I just had to give it more time.

thanks for all the help you guys and gals.

That's certainly great news! Thanks for posting back.

 

[chas53]

system image created successfully. I just had to give it more time.

thanks for all the help you guys and gals.

That's certainly great news! Thanks for posting back.

thank you very much again marsmimar.

it is a good thing that I have made a repair disk and created a system image on my external HDD.

now I should do the same for my desktop computer.

 

[chas53]

hey guys and gals,

I want to create a system image for my desktop computer.

does anyone please know if I can do it for just the C drive?

 

[marsmimar]

The Windows 7 imaging tool should allow you to select which drives (partitions) you want to image. You should see a dialog box similar to this screenshot (taken from a Seven Forums tutorial):



http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

In an ideal world that is what is supposed to happen. But if by chance you're not given the opportunity to choose, you may have to use a 3rd party imaging software. I can highly recommend Macrium Free. The steps and user interaface are a little different from Windows 7 but it's a more versatile program. And one of the Forum experts made a tutorial.

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

 

[chas53]

wow marsmimar.

you are really awesome.

thank you so much again.

 

[Golden]

This is a ready-made Macrium WinPE rescue boot ISO - it will allow you to both create & restore images, without the need to install Macrium, or download the 1.7GB WAIK to create your own WinPE.

Index of /~badeco