"MSRT" Malicious Software Removal Tool -- how to use it

With all of the current issues over the "Win32 / Conficker.B" worm, Microsoft has updated their "MSRT" Malicious Software Removal Tool:

[see info here: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=230515

and also posted an excruciatingly long page of how to remove the worm:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/962007

Here's an appalling public admission of ignorance: how the heck is the MSRT supposed to be used? I've updated mine, told everybody I know to update it, but .... then what?? None of the 10 or so MS web pages I've seen say a single word about what the end user is supposed to do with MSRT. Even the MSRT home page doesn't explicitly say what to do with it:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Anybody care to enlighten the hoi polloi?

 

Hello,

I'm pretty sure that when you downoad it through windows update it does a silent quick scan,

But to use a full scan and scan with it whenever you want,

Open your start menu
Click Run
And type MRT in the box

Then the tool will open click next then select which scan you want to do, then click next and it will begin scanning,

Last time I scanned with it on my computer I think it took about 40 minutes but I don't have that many files on this computer

 

Not to be funny, but you run it.
From the link you provided, click Skip the details and download the tool, then Download, then If your download does not start after 30 seconds, click this link: Start download. Save to desk top (or other location), then click on the Setup Self-Extracting Cabinet MSRT icon, then click Run, then Next, then choose either Quick, Full or Customized Scan. If malicious objects are found you will be instructed what the tool did.

 

Thank you. I apparently had MSRT already installed; in the C:\Windows\debug directory the log file mrt.log exists and shows that it last ran on Jan 15, as being version 2.6.

On the download page there are some minimal instructions:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=AD724AE0-E72D-4F54-9AB3-75B8EB148356&displaylang=en

This seems a bit useless: "If an infection is found, the tool will display a status report the next time you start your computer."

While I know MSRT isn't supposed to be a full-fledged AV product, for some of us the next time the system is started might be days after getting an infection, then.

oh, goodie, MS just asked me to fill in an online survey about the MS Security website, I'll give them an earful.

 

MSRT will update, scan, and remove automatically and show you the report upon the subsequent restart. If you initiate the scan (MRT.EXE) it will show you the results immediately.

 

As a follow-up to the excellent replies given here (thank you all), I just came across a good article explaining MSRT usage, here:

http://blogs.computerworld.com/what_you_dont_know_about_the_windows_malicious_software_removal_tool