Clean install of Windows 10 best and easiest option?

ih8stress

Hi, following on from my recent Trojan thread 'HELP Please, have I got a trojan ' I think my best course of action is to do a clean reinstall of Windows 10.
I have not been able to quarantine the HackTool:Win64/ProductKey.G!MSR
It still shows with Defender scans as Remediation incomplete when I try to remove it.

If I do a clean reinstall will this remove any trojans, viruses and nasties completely?
I don't have some of my latest notepad notes and screenprints backed up yet (nothing major). If I transfer these to an external harddrive, could it also transfer any 'nasties' to the harddrive too?

Also the original hdd had Windows 7 on it and is used as an F drive to store photos, documents etc. 

I added an SSD Drive and put Windows 10 on it.

Would a clean install work on both of them together, or have to be done separately?
The Trojan was on the F Drive and the HackTool is on the C Drive.

Thanks 🤔

jshm2

First, download Malwarebytes and let it scan your system (free trial is fine). Once you're clear, then get your system backed up either using Windows Backup or something like Fbackup

If you still want to do a clean install, then you can in Settings. But if you want to try a partial install then that can work too. It will only affect the drive your Windows is installed in.      

ih8stress

Hi, Thanks for the reply.
I have already got malwarebytes and done quick and full scans, as well as quick, custom and offline Windows Defender scans and also adwcleaner scans - please see my other thread for details. (I don't know how to copy and paste on my fire tablet).

booneruk

A clean install will get rid of everything, including any programs you've installed and your data (so back up anything important).

Generally the easiest way to installing a fresh windows is to create a installer USB: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 - "Create Windows 10 installation media"

...and then boot from the USB drive and follow the instructions

As a guide you can read from Step 4 and beyond here: https://www.lifewire.com/install-windows-10-on-new-hard-drive-8682164

When it comes to license key, you may not have this and may have a digital/OEM license instead. You can skip entering the license key during installation and go through the activation process once windows is installed

Notes and screenprints (.txt and image files like .jpg/.png) are not code files and therefore extremely unlikely to contain viruses etc. Copy them to another USB drive before you reinstall, or perhaps upload them to Google Drive or other cloud service. Scan then with windows defender when you're back up.

Olinda99

if you do a clean install ('reset my pc' in settings) you will end up with a completely clean system but obviously all apps and data will also be wiped.

Vitor

Even a 'clean' Windows reinstall won't remove a boot sector virus. 

ih8stress

booneruk said:

A clean install will get rid of everything, including any programs you've installed and your data (so back up anything important).

Generally the easiest way to installing a fresh windows is to create a installer USB: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 - "Create Windows 10 installation media"

...and then boot from the USB drive and follow the instructions

As a guide you can read from Step 4 and beyond here: https://www.lifewire.com/install-windows-10-on-new-hard-drive-8682164

When it comes to license key, you may not have this and may have a digital/OEM license instead. You can skip entering the license key during installation and go through the activation process once windows is installed

Notes and screenprints (.txt and image files like .jpg/.png) are not code files and therefore extremely unlikely to contain viruses etc. Copy them to another USB drive before you reinstall, or perhaps upload them to Google Drive or other cloud service. Scan then with windows defender when you're back up.

Thank you for the advice about notes and screenprints.
are photos different then, as they are usually jpegs - or can they be safely copied too?

ih8stress

Vitor said:

Even a 'clean' Windows reinstall won't remove a boot sector virus. 

How do I know of find out if I have a boot sector virus, please?  Or is it not possible to.

booneruk

ih8stress said:

Vitor said:

Even a 'clean' Windows reinstall won't remove a boot sector virus. 

How do I know of find out if I have a boot sector virus, please?  Or is it not possible to.

I'd just reinstall windows for now, and if you use the approach I laid out you will get the option to format your drive before you install (if you have multiple drives you can format them all). There are varying levels of 'clean install', and choosing to format gets you cleaner. 

Boot sector viruses are quite rare these days due to Microsoft insisting on secure boot technologies. 

Do the reinstall, worry about boot sector viruses later.

EDIT: Once you're back up with a fresh install, do this for peace of mind: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/help-protect-my-pc-with-microsoft-defender-offline-9306d528-64bf-4668-5b80-ff533f183d6c

Olinda99

Yes I would echo the above - cross the boot sector virus bridge when you come to it

ih8stress

booneruk said:

ih8stress said:

Vitor said:

Even a 'clean' Windows reinstall won't remove a boot sector virus. 

How do I know of find out if I have a boot sector virus, please?  Or is it not possible to.

I'd just reinstall windows for now, and if you use the approach I laid out you will get the option to format your drive before you install (if you have multiple drives you can format them all). There are varying levels of 'clean install', and choosing to format gets you cleaner. 

Boot sector viruses are quite rare these days due to Microsoft insisting on secure boot technologies. 

Do the reinstall, worry about boot sector viruses later.

EDIT: Once you're back up with a fresh install, do this for peace of mind: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/help-protect-my-pc-with-microsoft-defender-offline-9306d528-64bf-4668-5b80-ff533f183d6c

Thanks, I need to find a usb flash drive first. 
Not sure if I need to empty and reformat everything on my pc, just to make sure?
I added an SSD Drive (C) and put Windows 10 on it a few years ago.
(D) Drive is Recovery
(F) Drive is the OS. 

The Trojan was in the F Drive.
The HackTool thingy is in the C Drive
I use the F Drive as a spare HDD to move stuff to. I don't know if it still has Windows 7 on it and not sure where to look.
I use the C Drive to go online.

Thanks