Laptop has a virus, pop up galore.please PLEASE help

googler

I favour the brute force approach.

Armed with another PC, take the HDD out of this one, place it in a USB caddy and connect to the other. Copy your data (documents, photos, music, etc.) to the other.

Place the faulty HDD back in the laptop, and reinstall your operating system and software, formatting it first.

This relies on you having an OS install disc, and discs or downloadable places for other software.

When you reinstall, create two partitions, one for the OS, the other for your data. That way, if the same thing happens again, you'll know where your data is.

maas

I agree with the brute force approach as well, rather than try to mess around installing random programs and crossing your fingers hoping you got rid of it all.

I'd never feel confident putting my bank details into the machine again knowing that there might be residual bits of crapware on the machine.

It sounds brutal and long winded, but you can usually have the whole thing refreshed and re-installed in a hour.

googler

maas wrote: »

I agree with the brute force approach as well, rather than try to mess around installing random programs and crossing your fingers hoping you got rid of it all.

I'd never feel confident putting my bank details into the machine again knowing that there might be residual bits of crapware on the machine.

It sounds brutal and long winded, but you can usually have the whole thing refreshed and re-installed in a hour.

The thing to bear in mind is that HDDs are replaceable.

OP could buy a brand-new one, a USB caddy to house the old one, install OS to the new one and get data back off the old.

A virus-laden disc WILL work as a donor drive for the existing data without infecting the new drive. I've done this before without any problem at all.

OP, there's guides all over the web on how to remove HDDs, how to install them, etc.

Do you have a load disc for your Operating System? XP, Vista, etc.?

blaque*angel

Thank you all, just trying to slowly process all information. This GoSave is stubborn!

googler

blaque*angel wrote: »

Thank you all, just trying to slowly process all information. This GoSave is stubborn!

I don't know what that is, but when you have your mum's laptop, google or look on youtube for

'removing hard drive (+make+model of your laptop)'
'installing replacement hard drive (+make+model)'

and similar, and you'll see how easy it is.

Do you have an install disc for your operating system?
Do you know how much data you have that you want to save? Photos, music, docs, spreadsheets etc.?

maas

If there's no PC nearby I'd just backup all my user files on DVD and then restore the laptop to the way it was when you bought it (there's usually a restore partition - check manual).

Then simply, install applications, put the files back on, job done.

blaque*angel wrote: »

Hi All,
My ESET security has expired.
I downloaded panda anti virus, Seems it has made my laptop worst. pop up galore.
I now cannot even get on to the Internet.
Before I downloaded panda I tried system restore to no avail.

Eset is the best virus checker out there IMO, put that back on and then keep it up to date. That should then intercept any dodgy files your son opens. I wouldnt bother with any of the free rubbish on the internet.