Any way to completely clean out my computer? / How to protect it.

Chop Logic

I just got my computer back after being away for around two years. It's sort of slow. I was wondering, is there any way I could just restore it to factory settings? like just clean everything off and start over? I don't need any of the stuff on here, and honestly I feel like there must be some spywarey type stuff on here.

Also, how can I make sure I don't get a virus. There is a norton program on here, I could just renew the subscription to it, honestly I've never really known what anti-virus programs are good.

Thanks.

see317

If it's an off the shelf computer, they normally have a drive partition setup that will enable you to restore it to factory settings. There should be an indicator on the bios load screen (for HP, I'm pretty sure you hit F9 while it loads) and it'll ask you if you really want to restore the system. After that, it's pretty straightforward, though once it's done expect to spend a lot of time spent pulling down 2+ years of window updates. Of course, that's going to reload all the slag wear that the manufacturers like to put on, so it may not be the best way to go.

Let us know what the make/model of your machine is and someone should be able to track down more accurate information for you. It may be easier to just get a windows (whatever version it is) install disk, reformat the hard drive and start with a clean install.

As for protection, the best way is to be smart about your browsing habits. Don't follow links from people you don't know. Don't download random crap from strange websites. If someone promises you nude pictures of [starlet of the week], delete the email unread. Pretty basic stuff.
I'd suggest hitting up BleepingComputer.com and downloading some of the free antivirus/malware software they have. I like Malwarebytes myself. ClamWin is a pretty good free antivirus you should be able to download from Cnet as well.

Foomy

find your windows cd, you can boot off it to perform a format and re-install that will clear everything off.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials mse is one of the best antivirus programs around, and it's free.

in addition to this you want to be running 2 add-ons on your web browser, no script and an adblocker. Most virus come from what are called drive-by attacks, where a malicious ad i placed on a "good" website and using usually flash exploits installs itself to your computer, so blocking ads is one step, and an even better step is noscript which will block all javascript and flash from running except for what you allow.

I only know the extensions for firefox, but I'm sure someone using Chrome will be along to point to the good ones there:
noscript: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/noscript/?src=ss
adblock: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/adblock-plus/?src=ss

dlinfiniti

windows security essentials is free and effective

Essee

Yeah, I say Malwarebytes (the free version doesn't have any active protection, just scan with it once a month or more often if you feel like it), Microsoft Security Essentials, and DEFINITELY NoScript. Once you get used to using it, it's fantastic for not getting malware on your computer. I don't even use Adblock, because ads don't bother me that much IF they're not running scripts. As it turns out, most of them run scripts, sooo NoScript blocks a lot of ads. But Adblock is a good addon, I just don't use it personally because (to my knowledge) it doesn't make me much safer, and I'm fine with safe ads. You can go ahead and grab it.

It should be noted that the NoScript-like addons for Chrome are still NOT as secure as NoScript on Firefox due to limitations on what addons can do in Chrome... but Chrome should be more secure without NoScript than Firefox is. Adblock works the same way on both browsers.

Rankenphile

If you do reformat your system, and I highly recommend you do, you're going to want to visit ninite.com, it's an amazing little site that allows you do select all of the browsers, media programs, adware protection programs and all the other stuff you always need to download on a new install, run the batch file and it downloads and installs all of them in one pass, getting the most updated versions and not prompting you every fifteen seconds "are you sure you want to install this? Would you like Lycos toolbar? How about ten other bloatware crap programs?".

It is amazing.

Jebus314

The only real solution is to format and reinstall. This takes care of the virus/malware, but also takes care of all the registry/environmental variable errors that accumulate over time (which will also slow down your system). The only problem is that you have to have your windows license key and a bootable windows disc. The factory reset will probably do the same thing, but I am not 100% sure about that. Additionally, there are some rare viruses/malware that can survive a format, in which case you would need to 0 the drive. Which just means getting a bootable program on a cd/dvd that will write a bunch of 0's to you hdd. Something like dban or killdisk.

Savant

Jebus314 wrote: »

The only real solution is to format and reinstall. This takes care of the virus/malware, but also takes care of all the registry/environmental variable errors that accumulate over time (which will also slow down your system). The only problem is that you have to have your windows license key and a bootable windows disc. The factory reset will probably do the same thing, but I am not 100% sure about that. Additionally, there are some rare viruses/malware that can survive a format, in which case you would need to 0 the drive. Which just means getting a bootable program on a cd/dvd that will write a bunch of 0's to you hdd. Something like dban or killdisk.

You shouldn't need to zero out a drive completely to get rid of lingering viruses and such, that's more of a matter of security when you have something on a drive you want thoroughly deleted when you are done with it.

The most I could think you would need to do above and beyond the normal formatting and reinstalling is to wipe out and rebuild the boot sector and maybe the partition table to make sure something on the hard drive itself wouldn't have an opportunity to take over again. This would kill any original factory setting backups and stuff like that so you would need to start over completely from an operating system installer disk. Though it might be easier to do one of the full on nuker programs and start from scratch if you don't know how to do that.

That's probably heavily overkill though unless problems persisted after a standard wipe and reinstall.

MichaelLC

Savant wrote: »

You shouldn't need to zero out a drive completely to get rid of lingering viruses and such, that's more of a matter of security when you have something on a drive you want thoroughly deleted when you are done with it.

"Back in the day" I would agree, but there's some nasty shit out there that can dig in deep.

If you have a valid Win7 key, you can use this site [http://www.w7forums.com/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-image-downloads-t12325.html] to download a crapware-free copy, then use your key to authenticate after install.

Chop Logic

Thanks a lot, you guys are awesome. It's come to my attention that while I left this computer with viruses, my parents apparently took it to someone while I was gone to get it looked at. Supposedly it's clean now, and aside from taking a hella long time to start up, it seems to be running fine. I can't really tell if there's a point for me to wipe the system if there's no viruses, I may just delete/uninstall the programs I don't need, and take the advice on the anti-spyware / virus programs given here.

I guess there's no way for me to definitively determine if there is anything lurking on this computer is there? Just while it's fresh and I have the momentum, I want to make sure I don't get fucked down the line. I'm about to start doing a lot of graphics / commissioned work on this thing and I don't want to have to wipe it clean later.

You guys are awesome by the way. I used to be a computer person, but after a few years away from them I feel like my knowledge is grandfather / soccer mom level.

MichaelLC

If you're doing work on it, I'd recommend a wipe. No idea what this "someone" put on there. Not just malware, but random trial or illicit keyed software, etc.

It's a pain, but better some now then a lot later with some client's job. Forgot to throw my vote in for Ms Security Essentials before as well - install that if you wipe or not.

Chop Logic

Okay, cool. I definitely don't have the disks this thing came with, I guess I'll call HP and see if they can send me new ones? Is that a thing... companies do? ha.

Donovan Puppyfucker

If the case has the license sticker with the key code for Windows on it somewhere, you should be able to legally download the .iso of your operating system onto a thumbdrive, full-format your harddrive, and do a clean install.

Chop Logic

SWEET there is a microsoft/windows barcode on the bottom of my computer with the product key. Never would have noticed that.

in exchange for your help I give you these dollars. they are both imaginary and from my heart:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Chop Logic

Can I ask one last question? I've seen a few conflicting answers online. Do I want the x86 or the x64 version of windows? I'm going to be running photoshop on here with some pretty large files, I wasn't sure if it would make a difference for me.

TychoCelchuuu

If you have a 64 bit processor you want x64. Otherwise, x86. Your key is only going to work for whatever version you had originally though, if even that. Sometimes that key won't be accepted when you try to reinstall unless you can find the .iso for the exact copy of Windows that came with your computer, which is often hard/impossible if you bought it from HP or whatever.

Donovan Puppyfucker

Can you find out which processor is in it?

MichaelLC

TychoCelchuuu wrote: »

Sometimes that key won't be accepted when you try to re-install unless you can find the .iso for the exact copy of Windows that came with your computer, which is often hard/impossible if you bought it from HP or whatever.

Yeah, I used an .iso from that site above in place of my Toshiba OEM discs and had to call Ms for them to approve my installation. It didn't help my license sticker was unreadable. They approved it after remotely logging into my machine.

Great Scott

After you reformat/reinstall/decide what you want to do, I'd go ahead and use ad blocking software to help keep it clean. (I'm assuming that you already have virus protection software and Malwarebytes).

Since I don't know what browser you're using I recommend Ghostery (http://www.ghostery.com); it supports almost everything and is easy to control.

Tofystedeth

Chop Logic wrote: »

Okay, cool. I definitely don't have the disks this thing came with, I guess I'll call HP and see if they can send me new ones? Is that a thing... companies do? ha.

Yup. I know at least Dell does. They may charge you though. I know the time I had to do it from Dell it was about $15.

Chop Logic

hey, sorry, I'm bumping this because I finally got around to this and I'm not sure how to proceed.

So I have the ISO of windows, but I'm worried that if I clean my system out and then my old windows key doesn't work with this new copy, I'm sort of fucked. Is there any way I can like... check to see if my key will work in this copy of windows before I wipe this machine clean?

TychoCelchuuu

Try installing it on another computer, or on another hard drive in your computer.

Great Scott

The Windows code will be specific to the version that you had originally installed on the PC (x86 vs x64 and Retail vs OEM). Additionally, if you are using a Restore CD, and not a Microsoft Windows CD, it will format your hard drive before installation; Also, a HP CD will not work in a non-HP test PC.

If you have a (new) copy of Windows it should come with a code. If you have an HP CD, it should work, but you might lose everything.

I hope this helps.

Tofystedeth

Actually, I'm fairly certain x86 and x64 are interchangeable, but Retail vs OEM, and Home vs Professional vs Ultimate vs Enterprise are specific to the key.