Remove Viruses and Spyware 

OIT is committed to helping faculty, staff, and students to protect their computers and information from viruses and spyware. Follow the instructions below to clean up your computer.

First you'll need to disable Windows System Restore. Windows XP uses a restore utility that automatically backs up selected system files. This means an infected file could be stored there as a backup file, and removal programs will not be able to delete it. Disabling the System Restore Utility will allow you to remove the infected files from the restore location.

We also recommend that you boot your computer into Safe Mode while you perform these cleaning operations. Do this by clicking repeatedly on the F8 key when you first start your computer. If Windows begins to load, you did not hit F8 in time. When done correctly, you'll see a boot menu. We suggest using Safe Mode with Networking so you still have Internet access to update programs while scanning.

Disable System Restore

  1. Right-click My Computer.
  2. Click Properties.
  3. Click on the System Restore tab.
  4. Check Turn off System Restore on All Drives.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Click Yes at the confirmation window.
  7. You will be prompted to restart the computer. Click Yes.

NOTE: You should re-enable the Restore Utility after cleaning up your computer. Follow the steps above and remove the check mark next to Turn off System Restore on All Drives.

Scan with CCleaner

CCleaner is an application that is helpful in freeing up space on your hard drive by finding and removing the large amount of temporary files that accumulate through normal use of Windows.  The amount of space taken up by these files can be significant, from several hundred MB to several GB depending on the size of your hard drive.  While this can be done manually, CCleaner is a much faster and easier solution for most people. For further instructions on installing CCleaner please click here.

Scan with Stinger

Stinger is a utility that detects and removes specific viruses. It is not a substitute for full anti-virus protection, but rather a tool to assist users when dealing with an infected system.

Download Stinger here and read the FAQs at the bottom of the download page.

At the download screen choose to save the tool to the desktop.

To run the scan 

Double-click on this icon.

Stinger icon

Click Scan Now to start the scan.

By default, Stinger will repair all infected files found.

Scan with McAfee VirusScan

This software is free for Duke students, faculty and staff. 

IMPORTANT! Anti-virus programs usually conflict with each other! Only one anti-virus program can run on your computer at any given time! If you already have an anti-virus program installed on your computer, you MUST uninstall it before you install McAfee VirusScan. Removal tools such as Stinger used above are not considered anti-virus software, and will not cause a problem.

Download McAfee VirusScan using Duke University's site license.

Install McAfee and restart your computer

You'll also need to update your virus definitions. This is important because new viruses come out all the time, and they will only be detected by anti-virus software if you keep its files up to date.

To update your virus definitions: 

In the lower right-hand corner of your screen, right-click on the McAfee icon, then click Update Now.

Next, scan for viruses

  1. Right-click on McAfee icon again.
  2. Click On-Demand Scan.
  3. Select All fixed drives.
  4. Click Start to run a full scan.

For the latest information visit the McAfee Virus Information page.

Clean up spyware

No one program will find all spyware problems and fix them for you. For best results, run a scan with all programs suggested here for best results.

Scan with Spybot

Download Spybot here

At the download screen, choose to save the tool to the desktop.

Install Spybot
  1. Locate the file you just downloaded and double-click on it to install the program.
  2. During installation check the box to Download updates immediately.
  3. Accept the rest of the default settings and click Finish when installation completes.
Run Update Wizard

Follow the instructions to complete the Wizard window that pops up after installation.

Run a full scan
  1. Click on Search & Destroy.
  2. Then Check for problems.

Scan with AdAware

Download AdAware here

Follow the instructions on the Lavasoft USA website to download the free version of AdAware.

Install AdAware
  1. Locate the file you just downloaded and double-click on it to install the program.
  2. Accept the default settings and click the checkboxes to have AdAware automatically update and run a full system scan when installation completes.
Updating AdAware

Before starting any scan, a button called Check for Updates will appear. Perform this check frequently and install the newest definitions.

Scanning with AdAware

After updating as described above, we recommend performing full system scans. While a “smart” scan may run faster, it is not as thorough.

Remember

Now that you've cleaned up your computer, don't forget to re-enable the Restore Utility. 

 
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