reformat to delete virus?

I think I have an unknown virus that can't be detected I have mcafee installed, but about over a month ago I've noticed my system acting slow and unresponsive and the thing that really concerns me is that when I play a multiplayer game like Call of Duty 4 or 5 my pings are at 200 and above, when before these issues it would be 100 or below.

I've tried the free versions of Avira, Malwarebytes, and Superantispyware. Malwarebytes caught a hijack to my registery data and removed it, and Superantispyware keeps on picking up adware cookies and I always remove it, and I think this has to do with my internet surfing sessions.

I've cleaned my system using ccleaner and the mcafee cleaning tool, run scans in safemode with all the forementioned antivirus and even called my isp tech support to resolve the problem but my connection seems to be very good. So my only conclusion is I've picked up a spyware or virus that can't be detected.

Now I think my only option is to do a reformat of my HDD to get rid of any malicious ware if there is one. I have a recovery partition on my HDD and I also made recovery discs. I'm not to familiar with running the recovery discs so I was thinking if I used the recovery partition on my HDD and restored to factory settings would this delete the virus or would the recovery partition also be infected? Would this even work to get rid of a virus or spyware and give me lower pings when gaming again?

 

A good thing when all else fails, is simply put your vista/windows install disk in and do a clean install... Your computer will be clean and fast, then reinstall your game and or backup any files you want to keep

 

Have you tried defrag your hdd?

 

yes I've been always doing a weekly defragmentation, so it's not that.

Mr butterbiscuits the only windows/vista discs I have are the ones I copied from my laptop when I bought it. It gave me an option of making recovery discs, because all it came with was the recovery partition on the HDD.

So I'm not sure where to start with the discs I've burned, its 4 total, recovery disc 1, recovery disc 2, Toshiba apps & drivers, and Windows recovery environment (32bit). I'm not how to use those discs and recover to factory settings with Vista 64 and no bloatware. I've never done it before and don't want to lose functionality like wifi, flashcards, sound etc.

So again if I do just go the recovery partition on my HDD will that get rid of any virus?

 

That's ok, lets try something else then... Do you know if it's a running app... try a ctrl+alt+delete, go to processes and search for any strange named apps that are running, they are most likely running under your name and not the system.
What I mean by this is that it will say on the right side what its being run by, such as System, Administrator, etc.

 

hmm.. I tried doing this, it seems a little complicated and I wouldn't know what important or which ones are strange.

 

here I'll try to post a pic to show, as for the ones to look for Ignore the system ones , and you'll know its strange if name might be wierd or you didn't start the program.



see how there's the user, and then system files, then misc

 

Ok m8 when it comes to re-formating i am the master here
i used to reformat and install windows every 2 weeks or so cause i use to test a lot of programs
from my experience and according to what u said , the virus is 95% not in your data , its just messed with the windows files
so if if u have more than a partition in your hard drive you can use your recovery disk and reformat the c:/ drive and only and reinstall windows on it while your data remains on the other drive ex: the d:/,
if u are an experienced user and have only 1 partition you can use "paragon partition manager" (free) and make a partition, enlarge it, move your data to the new partition and then reformat and install windows on the C using that method can have a small risk of loosing data while making partitions
OR
firstly i want to say i didn't use windows backup tool b4 i always backup manually
just wanted to say that if windows backup tool backup windows,registery and program files
don't back them up cause when u recover them again old problems will accure again , TO SUM UP just backup your data only (ie. music,videos,documents games and programs (.exe) may contain undetected viruses if u want to be sure 100% no problems again just don't back them up and just download them)
and then reinstall windows
if u need any help during this processes pm men good luck

 

ah i forget to answer your question
if u used recovery partition or recovery CDs of the windows and u have all your data on the C:/
yes u will get rid of the virus but u will also get rid of all your data XD

 

BTW.. if you're still testing OSes and software, I highly recommend you using an virtual machine. You're wasting your time. Linked cloning (same result as setting up a fresh copy of windows), takes about 20 seconds as appose of 0.5-1 hour. Pros do it through VM.

Anyways.. If you're so worried about viruses, ditch the antivirus. There are better ways of preventing viruses and those antiviruses.

1. partition your drive, 1 for OS, 1 for Data
2. install your OS and all of your programs on the OS partition
3. Configure everything (don't install antivirus because antivirus is useless)
4. Lock your HDD with deepfreeze or windows steadystate (free alternative from microsoft)
5. Save your data to your DATA drive.

You'll never get a virus this way.


Anyways.. since you're a newbie.. i suggest burning everything to a dvd-r disk.

 

you are using the game and the game does not support your computers hardware requirement,
meet the hardware requirement of the game and the computer.
meet the compatibility of the software.

removed all the anti virus from the computer.

go to run type msconfig and disable all the start up items from the msconfig and services.
do not disable the Microsoft services.
delete the temp and prefetch files from the computer.

remove all the unwanted softwares from the add and the remove programs .
check the hard disk space .
if needed than increase the ram of the computer.

 

Try this one www.what-process.com , though you still have to check online what the process actually is. Virus' can camouflage themselves to make you think that the system is using it.

 

I just did a reformat last night and it was in vain. I reinstalled Call of Duty 4 and my pings are still 200 and above. So I tried going to Starbucks and using the wifi hotspot at that location and sure enough, when I ran the game I was getting 100 ping and below.

So I don't think I had a virus, but just a crap connection here at home. Now I have to reinstall all the updates, drivers, and patches to bring my dam! comp up to date.

 

man how didn't u try this at first
i think i am also a noob cause i didn't tell u try this i figured that ofc u tried it any way a fresh install is good every time

 

you are installing the windows windows to remove the virus from the computer.

after installing the windows windows will again attack your computer and will again infected.
so protect them after reinstalling the windows installed the anti virus software which help you to protect the computer from the virus.

you can also scan the computer from the trojan remover and the smitfraudfix .
run these software's only in the safe mode.

first run the smitfraudfix software's .and than Trojan remover.
definitely they will remove the virus/trojans from the computer.