[icivaste]

Hi people, I desperately need help on this was surfing yesterday then my avast suddenly detected lots of viruses, and that my PC was attempting to send out huge amount of mails to some unknown people (the mail content is like those advertising in spams) Avast failed to remove this virus and my PC got restarted. Now I can't boot it (it keeps restarting before reaching the desktop) These viruses are so evil!

I tried everything (boot from safe mode, etc), nothing works, hence I figure the only solution is formatting & reinstall my win xp.

I don't want to take it to the PC shop, first I have some sensitive company files inside and secondly it takes week and I need to do my works asap, if I can get it done my own in hours it would be nice. Am now using the other PC.

Is it possible I can format while also keep my files? Those files in the PC are very important to me! Nothing too much, just all my document folders, some files I put in the desktop, and Firefox bookmarks & saved passwords, the rest of the programs I can reinstall again. I can't backup to CDs or HDD now since it keeps restarting!

I have C: & D:, C: is where I keep most my files & probably also where the viruses infected. Really need someone to guide me through the formatting process where I can save all my files. Will appreciate all help, have the original win xp disc

[Byteman]

Hi,

Formatting means removing the present material, and all of it. It can be done a one partition basis, but you said you used both drive C and D.....

What you are interested in is a partial recovery or a Repair install and some branded computers do allow that type --- but you have to be very careful and actually hit the right keys to make it do only a partial recovery/ repair install of XP.

If the computer is not a branded type like a Compaq, HP etc you definitely have the ability to try a Repair Install. This is not by any means guaranteed to remove the virus....not at all.

By default, the My Documents folder and contents is supposed to stay as is in a Repair install, but things do happen, and if your documents are located in a non-system folder or on another partition I cannot say what might happen. Of course, you do not want to format any partition or drive.....

It might be best to get any important files off the drive by hooking it up to an "unimportant" computer running XP, installed as a Slave or second drive you should be able to copy off files you need. Yes, an infection can transfer this way. You are not booting up the computer from the infected drive, only temporarily using it in another machine to pull data from.... It depends on the virus whether anything infected might be moved. A scan can be done afterward....

I don't see much else of a way to fix the problem.

We don't know what type of hard drive you have, SATA or the older type IDE.....they don't mix well, best to use the same type of drive



Here's a site with directions: for a Repair install of XP

http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

But, if you have a specific brand or something you need to follow the directions for your model...


Or, if you are going to install the infected drive in another computer here is some help> http://ask.reference.com/related/Ins...&l=dir&o=10601

That's a list of posts with info about slave drive and how to do it.

You will most likely have to redo the jumpers on both the host computer's main hard drive (not the CD) while you are using the infected or slave drive in it. And of course, redo the jumper on the infected drive to make it NOT a Primary drive....temporarily.

[icivaste]

Thanks for the reply. Yes I see the repair feature but hasn't touch it yet just in case. Can I backup data to D:, format & delete C: partition then check the files I need from D: later. If possible how can I do that? As I saw someone formatted for me that way last time, but he isn't around now.

[Byteman]

It's very tricky but yes you should be able to not touch drive D

I was assuming you could not even start up the computer enough to operate to move files....

How are you going to move files off drive C while you format and reinstall?


The least risky method is to put the drive in a good computer and copy off what you need to.

Burn that to a CD etc to have to put back on the original computer

[icivaste]

How to transfer my files to other pc? now that it can be booted?

[icivaste]

sorry i mean *cant

[Byteman]

Hi, I am not sure what you are asking.... Did you install your old hard drive as a Slave in another computer? Or, did something happen and now the original machine is not booting?

I need specific details to help you.

Need to know if you tried anything at all, and had problems doing what was posted...