Yep. OK, onto my point regarding the format option.
Yes, in most cases, spyware problems, etc. can be cured with good registry editing, the proper tools, etc. However, I've found cases were combinations of virus, spyware, and idiocy of installed programs create a situation in which while formatting is not "the only option" it's the option I find offers me the best case scenario for a solution. Example: Person brings me a box where ad-aware detects slightly over 6,000 objects. They are running all sorts of fake anti-spyware software, and of course, they have netsky, VX2, Ananova, and other crap re-installing programs. Yes, I can go through the prefetch, wipe out items, go through their registry, boot PE, etc. and take care of it. Is it really worth my time? Not really. If they have no valuable data, then the loss of a PC for about 45 minutes to do a fresh install, or even an overwrite install is not so bad. Yes, I know, we've seen all the great 'how I can heal it in minutes'. Hey, you can do a great number of things with the right registry tools, etc. But give me a PC messed up with self-restarting, self-renaming BS + Virus / Bogus Services + spyware, and I'll give you a good way to waste your time. I think in most cases, formatting is the "lazy" option, but I wouldn't dismiss it as "never an option" or "never the right option" because there are cases were, for multiple reasons, you might as well. Saw a box yesterday where half the windows executables (notepad, wordpad, etc.) were overwritten with "fake" versions, which meant even if I wiped those out, I'd be going to the windows CD to uncab replacements, etc. etc. What's the point of that? -----Original message----- From: Thane Sherrington [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 11:11:04 -0500 To: The Hardware List hardware@hardwaregroup.com Subject: RE: [H] Spyware Woes > At 09:50 PM 11/05/2005, Chris Reeves wrote: > >One other program recommend: > > > >A2HijackFree. It's basically HiJackThis! On steroids. > >http://www.hijackfree.com/en/ > > This is a very cool program - it's like information overload at first, > though. :) > > T > > --- > [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Anti-Virus] >
