Member Avatar for VRViperII

Hi

Recently my computer got infected with some spyware that I couldn't quite remove. It installed the program PSGuard everytime I turned on my com. I managed to disable it but it still lurked in my registry and I couldn't delete it for some reason. So I decided to format my com.

After formatting my com, I got infected within a minute again. I didn't even open Internet Explorer. I set the computer to format and let my computer run while I went to do other stuff. I came back and I saw my C: with some of those "free virus scans" or "free spyware removal tools" installed in my folders.

My friends say that it may be because the spyware before I formatted infected my motherboard...is that even possible? Help would be appreciated, this is the first time for me where formatting doesn't solve the problem :confused:

note: I formatted correctly. I boot on xp cd, deleted my old partition, created a new one, formatted the partition and installed xp there.

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Dani AI

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When a freshly reinstalled Windows shows the same unwanted programs almost immediately, think about things a simple reinstall does not touch: hidden OEM restore partitions, infected backup or removable media, a boot-sector/MBR bootkit, or a compromised router/other machine on the LAN. Firmware (BIOS/UEFI) infection is rare but possible. reported the quick reappearance and ’s hardware-reset idea touches one angle, but a CMOS battery pull only clears settings — it does not remove code stored in flash.

Try this focused checklist (do these in order):

  1. Start from a trusted, up-to-date bootable rescue environment and scan all attached disks and USB drives before mounting the Windows volume.
  2. Securely wipe the whole drive (not just the Windows partition) using a proven tool (DBAN, ATA Secure Erase, or diskpart clean all), then recreate partitions and reinstall from verified original media.
  3. Before reconnecting to the network, install current security updates and an offline-updated antivirus, disable autorun for removable media, and scan any backups before restoring files.
  4. Use Sysinternals Autoruns to inspect startup entries and dedicated rootkit scanners (GMER, TDSSKiller, or vendor rescue tools) to hunt for driver/boot-level infections.
  5. If a bootkit is suspected, rewrite the MBR/boot code from recovery tools (fixmbr on XP or bootrec /fixmbr on newer recovery consoles) rather than relying on a normal format.
  6. If firmware infection is truly suspected, obtain an official firmware image from the motherboard vendor and reflash only following vendor instructions (or get professional help — reflashing incorrectly can brick the board).

Do not restore executable files, installers, or browser profiles from an infected backup without scanning. If uncertainty remains after these steps, contact the PC or motherboard vendor or a reputable security technician — replacing hardware is a last resort.

Member Avatar for D-Rider

That's a new one. I've never heard of that before. You may need to do a low-level format on the drive. I think Seagate and Fujitsu offer some freeware utilities that you can download. I'm not sure if they will work with all drives however. Try to get a bootable DOS diskette if possible and run fdisk and format from it. If you try to format with the XP CD again, make sure that you delete the partition and re-create it before formatting.

If all else fails, power down your PC, unplug it, and remove the DIMMS and battery from the motherboard for 30 minutes. Good Luck.

Member Avatar for VRViperII

thanks for the response

anyone got other tips? I'm not too good on fixing up hardware components so I'd like to avoid that for now, unless it's really hopeless.

btw: are the DIMMs the horizontal rectangular chip things that look like ram?

Member Avatar for VRViperII

thanks for the help

well... the problem SEEMS fixed now. I formatted again, but this time, I disconnected my internet for the whole time. Sure enough, no spyware appeared (probably because there was no internet connection to attack me?). Then I turned on the windows firewall (it was off by default) and installed my mcafee personal firewall. So far I can surf the net fine, I'll post any problems if they occur.

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