How to backup files without infecting the new drive before formatting C and OS

I moved my question to a better section. Thanks world

 

Edited by vivid2233, 23 June 2024 - 04:22 PM.

If...you suspect that ANY drive/partition contains infectious malware...it occurs to me that the first order of business would be a current check for malware...on each partition.  Any other effort would be a waste of time, IMO.  In the event that such checks do not discover/reflect malware...it seems that such partition/drive should be deemed to be safe to use...assuming that malware exists without any evidence of such...seems to be folly to me.

Making routine backups of an O/S that has no evidence of malware...seems prudent.  Such backups...or portions of such...can be restored easily, following the guidance for using backup software.

Louis

 

eliminate any potential malware or viruses

Why don't you just log in at the infection removal section of this website, follow the instructions to the letter, and let one of the experts review your OS and then you will know for sure if there are any infections. In reality, if you use the factory image to reinstall Windows that will nuke any viruses (as well as all programs and data!) and you will start with a clean system.

And if you would like to do so, please follow the instructions in the Malware Removal and Log Section Preparation Guide.

Good luck!

Hello world,

I have a question that doesn’t involve how to format or install an operating system, nor does it concern system images (which I can create and restore), or running scans with various anti-malware software (which I also do). I’m asking a specific technical question, and I hope to receive advice on different methods.

Let’s say you want to format and reinstall an operating system after a long period of use, in order to eliminate any potential malicious software or viruses and return to a clean factory image. You also want to format the other internal disks in addition to the C drive, with the idea that an unpleasant and nasty virus might be lurking patiently on drive D or E, for example, or on a USB drive, waiting to reinfect the new C system. I understand that most software installers are on the C drive and rely on the system, but let’s consider the worst-case scenario.

I’m wondering how to back up my important files on the other mechanical drives, which are several terabytes in size, as well as USB drives (D, E, etc.), without infecting the new drive with a simple copy-paste backup. Should I transfer them to the cloud instead? I’m not sure if my question is clear enough, but I hope it is.

I know there are live Linux distributions that work toward this goal. How about this?

And you, how would you go about saving or transferring a file without infecting the new storage?

Edited by vivid2233, 23 June 2024 - 04:16 PM.

Pull the drive(s).

Install it in an external drive housing(s) or case(s) or enclosure(s).

Connect to a clean desktop after startup or if already running.

Use as any other external drive after booting up; and do not boot from it.

Scan it with the resident antivirus scanner and other online scanners.

If it appears then to be clean, then media and docs can be copied, BUT understand these still could be infected so there is always a risk factor involved in this method.

I have merged the two topics into this one so that all the info is in one place. Also, I deleted three posts that now would just confuse the issue.

Chris Cosgrove

Edited by MoxieMomma, 23 June 2024 - 05:00 PM.

Suggest bookmark this and when in doubt use a new one : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-endpoint/safety-scanner-download#how-to-run-a-scan

2 computers, 1 for important files and work, the other for play.   The 2 never meet except when scan files going to the external drives.

Not going to get into risking important files... .

Edited by vivid2233, 26 June 2024 - 06:23 AM.

So have you decided to close my question for users   ? I saw great items here, first question / ban?