Will a virus get backed up with my backup files?

[Vishal Hardeo]

So i want to do a clean install of Windows 7 and i want to backup my system before it do it. I think it might have a virus, so will that virus be backed up as well? or be in the backup folder when i ready to restore it?

 

[Total]

Yes - If you have a virus , it will be backed up also . Have you tried "herd protect" ? I have been having great success removing the bad from computers with this FREE program .

 

[Layback Bear]

A backup does not know the difference from non infected files or infected files.
Therefore it just backs up everything.
All back up should be checked for infection and cleaned if need be before making a backup.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

The possibility of backing up a virus is why I always run my anti-malware scans immediately prior to running a backup. Also the backup program I use for my data, FreeFileSync, has a versioning feature that allows me to save folders and files deleted from my backups to a version folder or drive so, if my latest backups have infected files, I can go back and retrieve the latest clean folders and files. So far, I haven't had to.

 

[Borg 386]

Yes, anything on your PC at the time of backup (including viruses) will be backed up.

Making a system image in a regular basis is a good way to keep your entire system backed up. Make it on a external HDD that isn't regularly connected to the PC & keep several prior images handy, in case you do inadvertently make one with a virus. This way, if you get badly infected or compromised, you can restore to the time you made the system image.

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