[RuB3N]

Does a factory reset or factory restore remove all viruses and Trojans? I know it deletes all the programs you have installed separately but I was not sure it it removes viruses that were on there before you factory reset it.

[NICK G]

If you do a format and restore you will be virus free.
If you do a format and clean install you will be virus free.
I say this with 99.99% certainty.
Good luck.

[RuB3N]

how you format and restore? is that not the same thing as a factory reset? What I did was i backed up all the files i needed and than restarted the computer, pressed f10 (factory reset) went through the setup type thing... would you say that is good enough?

[NICK G]

No I would not say that is good enough. I don't know what F10 reset is. BIOS reset?
You need an OEM install or Restore CD of your operating system.
And even when you do this the backup files you have may be infected.
But do you know of what I say or can you explain your situation a little more?

[RuB3N]

Ok, ill fill you in. Its my girl friends computer and im fixing it for her. She had loads of different viruses, and different problems, things popping up and you could not even defrag. So i was going to back up all her pictures for her so when her dad took it to bestbuy or somewhere that the files she wanted to keep didnt get deleted. When i was going to go into safemode i forgot which button it was when you start up but i hit f10 and it brought me to this factory reset of recovery screen, saying that any files or programs installed or put on will be erased after you click next. I had already backed everything up so i clicked next, than it i guess restored or went back to the facory settings and maybe deeted all the other things except how you would first get it, it restarted and than it took me through like basic set up where you create a new user, and configure network and stuff.

Also before all this her dad bought Kaspersky for her computer, i installed it for her and ran a full scan and it caught over 30 different threats, Trojans and different viruses. Im hoping now that this f10 reset/recovery will have deleted them. any thoughts?


System backup for Sony Vaio PCs. Adds a recovery mechanism for users over and above any System Restore features - allowing users to revert a drive back to the state it was when bought form the factory by hitting F10. The user obviously loses any data stored if not backed-up elsewhere

[Hughv]

Now you need to scan the data you backed up.

[NICK G]

Sorry, Rube. If F10 restores computer from data on a recovery partition, then that's good.
Most people, I think, burn recovery CD from there but I guess Sony allows it to be run instantly.
Scan all you data to reload either before or after installing.
I hope this works out for you and sorry I was a little behind. We both learned.

[dhanubaba]

use Microsoft Software removal tool+Microsoft security essentials+ Avast home edition. Those Combinations more secure than any thing.

[dhanubaba]

Factory setting is the another recovery method. When use Recovery partition in the Laptop automatically it's format and install pre define image. Image contain pre- installed OS. i think factory default and format all are format computer ,,,,