Rethinking My Cleaning Strategy For Customers

[DasFox]

I run my own computer repair business and the majority of my work is dealing with infected boxes. Since this is the majority of my business I have been rethinking my cleaning strategy.

Ok so here's the summary of how I do my thing:

1. Install ccleaner and clean
2. Install Avira, MAB & SAS
3. Scan with MAB & SAS quick scans, then scan with Avira
4. If the system seems pretty hosed and the client doesn't have Windows on the CD or restore cds and I need to do further cleaning, then I use Dr Web Cureit and Norman Malware Cleaner and on occassion KAS free Antivirus removal tool. I also run ccleaner to clean the registry, along with JV16 Power Tools.

Looking at this list of tools, do you think there are some others I should really consider for cleaning clients computers? So far this has been a good system for me and with my small salary I always try to use free applications. So at this point in time the only thing I can think of to add to the scanning arsenal are Spybot S&D and Spyware Terminator. I used these programs before but have since dumped them, but wondering if I should continue to use them, or what other great cleaning apps there are to help with my business?


THANKS

[LockBox]

There's a couple of small independent shops in my city who swear by PC Pitstop, which is online freeware that does a comprehensive scan of your system and returns a suprisingly detailed report.

Go to http://www.pcpitstop.com and click on "Full Test" to your left.

Their security scan and tips are all very up-to-date and helpful and it's a part of the free "Full Test". I first learned of PC Pitstop years ago from a small shop who said they use all different tools but never let a box out the door without the PCP scan. Quite nice.

And yes, it's safe and reputable. It's been discussed here at Wilders several times before.

[DasFox]

-{ Quote: "There's a couple of small independent shops in my city who swear by PC Pitstop, which is online freeware that does a comprehensive scan of your system and returns a suprisingly detailed report.

Go to http://www.pcpitstop.com and click on "Full Test" to your left.

Their security scan and tips are all very up-to-date and helpful and it's a part of the free "Full Test". I first learned of PC Pitstop years ago from a small shop who said they use all different tools but never let a box out the door without the PCP scan. Quite nice.

And yes, it's safe and reputable. It's been discussed here at Wilders several times before." }-

Are you talking about using PC Pitstop Exterminate?

THANKS

[HAN]

When I recently cleaned an XP box, I needed something to see what was truly running in the background. The trouble was, the trojan that was running on this PC would not allow any of the Sysinternals programs to run (along with not allowing SAS, MBAM, Clam AV, Dr Web CureIt and on and on.) So I ended up using System Explorer http://systemexplorer.mistergroup.org/ I used the Modules tab and found the 2 DLLs that were running in the background and causing all the issues.

But once I knew what was causing the troubles, I still couldn't keep them (the DLLs) from running. I then went to my old standby, Ultimate Boot CD for Windows. http://www.ubcd4win.com/index.htm It allowed me to delete the files and also delete the registry entries where they were referenced. Once that was done, I could reboot and all my scanning tools would then run. (If the UBCD4Win is not allowed for things like this in a commercial environment, then a Linux Boot CD might work ok too.)

Anyway, without these 2 tools, I would not have been able to clean the PC...

[Jo Ann]

Ditto what HAN said (SE & UBCD4Win). SE is available (free) in a portable version, so it can easily be put on UBCD4Win ...btw, don't overlook mistergroup's free online scanner (http://onlinescanner.mistergroup.org/)!

[Coolio10]

I made my own little kit that is made of various fixing utilites and antimalware programs. Includes installers too.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EQBHUQ84

[Jazz]

-{ Quote: "I run my own computer repair business and the majority of my work is dealing with infected boxes. Since this is the majority of my business I have been rethinking my cleaning strategy.

Ok so here's the summary of how I do my thing:

1. Install ccleaner and clean
2. Install Avira, MAB & SAS
3. Scan with MAB & SAS quick scans, then scan with Avira
4. If the system seems pretty hosed and the client doesn't have Windows on the CD or restore cds and I need to do further cleaning, then I use Dr Web Cureit and Norman Malware Cleaner and on occassion KAS free Antivirus removal tool. I also run ccleaner to clean the registry, along with JV16 Power Tools.

Looking at this list of tools, do you think there are some others I should really consider for cleaning clients computers? So far this has been a good system for me and with my small salary I always try to use free applications. So at this point in time the only thing I can think of to add to the scanning arsenal are Spybot S&D and Spyware Terminator. I used these programs before but have since dumped them, but wondering if I should continue to use them, or what other great cleaning apps there are to help with my business?


THANKS" }-

With all due respect, DasFox, there is a lot more to purging an infected computer than that.

Have a look at the following website and browse the forums on the left hand side of the page: -

http://asap.maddoktor2.com/

[LockBox]

DasFox, I just saw your question about Terminator on the PC Pitstop site. No, I am talking about the free online scan which has a very good security scan inside the "Full Scan" from the site.

Also, Jazz is right about comprehensive testing and removal of malware. PC Pitstop is a member of ASAP, btw.

[LeMarque]

-{ Quote: " I then went to my old standby, Ultimate Boot CD for Windows. http://www.ubcd4win.com/index.htm It allowed me to delete the files and also delete the registry entries where they were referenced. Once that was done, I could reboot and all my scanning tools would then run. (If the UBCD4Win is not allowed for things like this in a commercial environment, then a Linux Boot CD might work ok too.)
" }-

I saw another post here that recommended UBCD4Win and decided to give it a try and DL'd it. Running the .exe

Comodo reported "Trojware.Win32.TrojanDownloader.calac.lh@17259637" :o

[HAN]

UBCD4Win is safe. It's been around for several years. But there are things you can do to make sure your download was/is safe.

First, read this FAQ http://www.ubcd4win.com/faq.htm#false

Second, here is the download page with the MD5 listings http://www.ubcd4win.com/downloads.htm

Beyond the security concerns, checking the MD5 also guarantees you have an uncorrupted and complete download

[Aaron Here]

-{ Quote: "I made my own little kit that is made of various fixing utilites and antimalware programs. Includes installers too.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EQBHUQ84" }-
How about a list of its specific contents? ;)

[Coolio10]

-{ Quote: "How about a list of its specific contents? ;)" }-
I'm too lazy to list everything but the pic shows an overview. It has portable programs like cureit, AVZ, and installers like malwarebytes and SAS.

[MrBrian]

Also see the programs listed at Portable Malware Cleaning Tools (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=225107)