Joy Unbound

In this post I give a step by step instruction of what to do if your computer needs any sort of “refreshing” or cleaning. This relates to virii, malware, spyware, etcetera. Following the instructions given below will ensure that your computer is clean. If there is something that cannot be removed by any of the steps in my instructions, whatever it is is probably something that is specially targeted for something (probably you at a personal level), a new virus that’s all over in the news, or a virus that functions in such a way that it’s virtually impossible to remove (ie. rootkit or the conficker, although I do not know if anyone has found an absolute method to remove the conficker).

1. Download and run ComboFix (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix/how-to-use-combofix). Look under “Using ComboFix” for download links.
   • Click Yes and accept everything.
2. Download and install CCleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com/).
   • Check to see if you have the latest version.
   • Scan for problems.
   • Fix all problems (do for both Cleaner and Registry several times until it finds nothing left to fix).
3. Download and install SpywareBlaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html).
   • Check to see if you have the latest version.
   • Enable protection against everything.
4. Download and install Spybot Search & Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/). I would recommend that you do not install anything more than the core of this program; forget about TeaTimer, SDHelper, skins, languages, etcetera. You will only want to follow through these instructions once a month or when necessary.
   • Update Spybot Search & Destroy.
   • Immunize your machine.
   • Scan for problems.
   • Fix all problems.
   • Immunize your machine.
5. Download and install the free version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (http://www.malwarebytes.org/).
   • Check to see if you have the latest version (you can manually download definitions from here).
   • Run a Full Scan on all your drives.
   • Uninstall the program.
6. Download the free and portable version of ClamWin (http://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/clamwin_portable).
   • Install and launch.
   • Update to latest virus definitions (or you can manually grab both definitions from here and place them in your \ClamWin\Data\db\ directory).
   • Run a Full Scan on all your drives.
   • Uninstall the program by deleting the ClamWin folder (optionally you can put it on an SD card and switch it to lock for a read-only function).
7. Go to housecall.trendmicro.com.
   • Scan your computer with this free online virus scanner by Trend Micro (makers of PC-Cillin).
   • Let it clean and remove threats.
   • If asked to uninstall the online virus scanner at the end of the process, choose to uninstall.
8. Go to eset.com/onlinescan.
   • Scan your computer with this free online virus scanner by ESET (makers of NOD32).
   • Let it clean and remove threats.
   • If asked to uninstall the online virus scanner at the end of the process, choose to uninstall.
9. Repeat the instructions for CCleaner.
10. Repeat the instructions for ComboFix.