How to get rid of viruses on an old/slow computer

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Alex Draghiciu

Alex Draghiciu

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May 24, 2014
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Hello. I have recently bumped into some problems with the malware on my computer. Those things have been around for a long time in my system, but they were mostly passive so I left them alone. Recently though, they started corrupting my games and applications and that made me angry. I have tried pretty much everything my slow PC can handle, anti-malware like Comodo Cleaning Essentials, TDSS Killer, HitmanPro, MalwareBytes and the Emsisoft Emergency Kit. None of them fixed my problem so I tried reformating and I still had the same problems. I tried to download antivirus software but apparently, the viruses won't let me download them, or will simply crash the antivirus before I can scan. The virus seems to be some kind shortcut to a MS-DOS file, located in the C:\ partition, 101 KB in size, with no information to what is the program it shorcuts to. Other issues I have are 1-3 random letter processes that start in the Local Settings\Temp folder and eat up CPU and RAM. The only way to kill those is temporary through RKill but they will start again eventually. I've been having these for almost an year and I have reformated like 5 times but I still won't get rid of them. They really slow my PC down to like 50% of its potential speed. It runs on 100% for like 5 minutes then slows down.

Here are my specs:

CPU: 2.4 GHz
RAM: 1.5 GB
GPU: 512 MB
 
Solution
4745454b
There are very few virus that can survive a format. If you do this again, once you are done installing windows then install AVG or Aviria. Get a new clean copy of the NIC drivers if you need them. Once that's done you can then update windows. After that, THEN start installing programs. And make sure everything is real/official/store bought. If you've lied and have downloaded windows/programs, that's probably the source of the virus.
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machaiah bm

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Jul 20, 2014
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download avg free antivirus and then set up a boot time scan. it'll remove all possible virusus in your pc. and the most important thing never run more than 1 antivirus running at a time.
 
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Alex Draghiciu

Alex Draghiciu

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May 24, 2014
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More antiviruses at a time? I can barely run one antivirus. Also I have mentioned that I cannot download any antivirus software, because if I try to download one, it will get stuck at 99% (only on anti-virus, anti-malware, bittorent clients, Java Runtime and a few other, others will download normally).



Not sure what you're saying there about Linux but I'll google it. Reinstalling Windows does not work as I tried like 3 times in a week about a month ago. Windows install media is clean since I bought it from a PC Shop in town. My best guess it that my phone, which I also use as flash drive for keeping my LAN and Audio Driver for my motherboard (I don't have the originals) is more than probably infected. Although I have scanned it Malwarebytes and removed everything that was found infected.

More suggestions?
 
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kanewolf

kanewolf

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May 29, 2013
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Are the lan and audio drivers for your motherboard no longer available from the manufacturer? A CD with freshly downloaded LAN driver, and chip set driver, created on a known clean computer would probably help. Is it possible that something else on your LAN is infected and exploiting your newly formatted and built PC? Maybe build your PC at a friends house that has internet access to eliminate that possibility until you have a patched system with a software firewall.
 
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Alex Draghiciu

Alex Draghiciu

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May 24, 2014
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You know, I haven't though of that. I'll put the drivers on a CD for the next time I reinstall windows. But I can't reinstall now. I've been using the PC for almost a month since last reformat, and I have some stuff on it and got familiar with it and I have no flash drive to put all this stuff. I'm looking for some kind of effective, free(more or less), and old-PC-friendly antimalware that will get me rid of my viruses, at least to the point where they don't bother me.
The viruses doesn't seem to be using the internet or LAN, it's just messing around my programs and files, and will get to Windows sooner or later.

 
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4745454b

4745454b

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Apr 29, 2006
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If you have any real antivirus, make sure you are scanning in safe mode. Might want to try downloading AVG or Aviria while in Safe mode with networking. You can also try pulling the drive and scanning it in a friends machine. I'm doing that this weekend with a mate's co workers drive. Seems her's doesn't allow her to do much so I'm going to clean it.
 
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Alex Draghiciu

Alex Draghiciu

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May 24, 2014
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Safe mode doesn't work for some reason. It never did and I have this computer for 2 years. It just shows some text on a black screen and freezes.



I deleted and erased and formatted everything there was to format on that computer and still didn't got it going right. So you're saying that after I format I must put my drivers on a clean USB storage or CD and alongside with a scanner. I'll keep that in mind next time I reformat.


But guys, you still didn't get what I'm looking for: something to get rid of them, or at least make them quiet again, preferably without reformatting.
 
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hang-the-9

hang-the-9

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If you did a format of the disk before re-installing Windows, that would get rid of pretty much any virus out there. The issue would be if you just moved your files over that were infected back onto the system. The programs you ran should have cleaned things out even then.

Exactly how did you re-install Windows and did you scan your files before you copied them over?
 
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Alex Draghiciu

Alex Draghiciu

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May 24, 2014
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Well, for my reinstall of Windows I booted the CD, deleted both the partitions I had, installed Windows in C:\, and then formatted the D:\ partition via My Computer. I couldn't scan my files because I didn't include any anti-malware or anti-virus along with the drivers, so yes, that's probably the cause why they keep bugging me.
 
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4745454b

4745454b

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Apr 29, 2006
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There are very few virus that can survive a format. If you do this again, once you are done installing windows then install AVG or Aviria. Get a new clean copy of the NIC drivers if you need them. Once that's done you can then update windows. After that, THEN start installing programs. And make sure everything is real/official/store bought. If you've lied and have downloaded windows/programs, that's probably the source of the virus.
 
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Solution
Alex Draghiciu

Alex Draghiciu

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May 24, 2014
15
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4,510
I don't recall saying I bought everything I have on this computer =)). The Internet is a free place.

Anyway thank all of you guys for your answers and now I know how properly reformat and get rid of viruses.

Kudos and Peace to y'all
 
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