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Can I get rid of spyware using system restore?

by Leo A. Notenboom

System Restore can "undo" some of the viruses and spyware on your system, but it cannot remove infected files.

I have an HP Pavilion with Windows XP running. In the last week
I have had trouble with pop-ups or websites downloading automatically to my
desktop. I used to be able to do a System Restore to remove them but they just
do it again once I go online. Help.

System Restore is a very cool feature.

But this is not what it was meant for.

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System Restore will allow you to restore your system’s configuration to a
previous state. In some cases that means that viruses or spyware will be
“undone” as part of the process. But system restore does not remove
infected files from your system, and you can quickly get infected again. It also does nothing to prevent new threats from arriving.

The bottom line is that System Restore isn’t enough. You need to be scanning
for and preventing some of these things. This article would be the place to
start: How do I
keep my computer safe on the internet?

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3 comments on “Can I get rid of spyware using system restore?”

ben

September 3, 2008 at 9:05 am

Ok so my system restore is turned ON – this has no effect I can never restore my system anyway it just does not work
Reply
Steven L Wingfield

April 16, 2010 at 9:37 am

WHAT CAN I DO IF MY SPYWARE IS NOT ALLOWING ME TO DO A SYSTEM RESTORE

Not trying to be snotty here, but … get rid of the spyware. Get one or more spyware removal tools and try them. Or restore to an earlier full backup. (I strongly recommend against relying on sytem restore. It frequently fails to do what you expect.)

17-Apr-2010

Reply
Jennifer Koster

October 23, 2011 at 9:17 am

Hi Leo,

I have one of these system restore viruses and have run a removal tool using Malwarebytes Anti-Malaware, removed all files. I ran two scans in safe mode and the first removed the files and the second came up clean but I am still having issues. Then, I tried to use a different program and saved it as a different name and it would not run the .exe.

I was able to unhide all my files, but they are still partially hidden (they show up faded but are not opening when clicked) – it rells me Folder is unavailable or file is unavailable.

Help!
Jennifer
Reply

	How do I recover from a bad virus infection? - Recovering from a bad virus infection isn't always easy, but there are some things to try before drastic measures need to be taken.
	Backup and Restore the Registry Using System Restore - In my opinion, System Restore is good for exactly one thing: backing up and restoring the registry.
	Why Can’t I Rely on System Restore for Backups? - There's much confusion about what System Restore actually is and is not. In a nutshell, it's safest not to rely on it to restore your system.
	Why Does Microsoft Security Essentials seem to Interfere with System Restore? - System restore just doesn't seem to work reliably. There is actually a much better way to protect your system from corruption and mistakes.

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3 comments on “Can I get rid of spyware using system restore?”

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