Windows 7 Can i re install windows with backup disc's?

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4N2

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May 25, 2014
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So i'm pretty sure that i had a virus so i did a factory reset but i have heard from numerous people that factory reset is a 50/50 chance it got rid of the virus even though my computer is 100x faster than before i just wan't to make sure i get rid of it.

So my question is, If i reformat my HDD can i re install windows 7 with backup disc's i got with my computer or do i have to go buy a windows 7 disc at the store?
Thanks,
Ray.
 
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F
This thread has gotten insane. There are a bunch of answers to different questions but the timing of the posts leaves everyone talking at cross purposes. Answers to older questions seem to confuse the current question.

Specifically to the question in the quote: if the description that displayed when you put in the recovery disk was that...
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Chances are, if you performed a complete factory reset of your computer from the factory partition on your hard drive, then it's likely that you're good to go.

What some may have been suggesting is likely involving some particularly resourceful pieces of malware that would require a comprehensive low level format using something like http://www.killdisk.com/
Which would entail an end to end writing of random ones and zeros and would involve all partitions including any factory restore partitions.

The short answer to your question is..... I have no idea what you are calling a "backup discs i got with my computer", so my answer would be a very tentative yes, with fingers crossed, because generally Windows 7 Installation Media, is not commonly called "backup discs", but may be, I guess.

The critical thing you need is the Windows 7 Product key for your installation.
Installation media for virtually any flavor can be acquired from here
Link Removed
So the media is not an issue.

Personally, I'd hold off pulling the trigger on a low level format until I was pretty sure that it was absolutely warranted.
 
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When i mean backup disc i'm talking about when i first booted up my computer for the first time i was prompted to make backup disc's which is pretty much everything in the factory reset partition but in disc form.
 
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I do however have a sticker on the side of my computer that has my Windows 7 Home premium key on it.
 
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The restore will have eliminated any infected Windows files. The issue is the potential that the source of the infection still exists in a non-system area of your hard disk and could start a new infection. Install a good AV program and do what is typically referred to as a "thorough" or "in-depth" scan (it will take a while to run). Once you have set up your computer again and are back in operation, run a background AV program and supplement it with frequent thorough scans using other virus checkers (have only one AV program loaded at bootup and running in the background, the other scans are one-time scans). If there is infection still lurking on your machine, this should catch it.
 
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I currently have Malwarebytes and Avira.
Are those two good enough. I also just ran a full scan with Malwarebyes, Avira and Microsoft Malicious Software removal tool and all three came back with nothing.

The only reason i'm being so cautious is because i use this computer to bank and i would prefer to not have my bank account drained.
 
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Anything like a key logger that would pose a risk to security would have been removed by your system restore. If there was a source file that could reload that type of malware, it would likely be found by your scans. If you had malware of that nature before, you probably would not have known it unless your AV software found it. The odds of having two different kinds of malware infections at the same time are pretty low unless you frequent web sites that are malware factories or have a lot of people who send you email from infected computers and you routinely open their attachments. If the infection you previously found was of a different type (e.g., crapped up your computer as opposed to stole your personal information or keystrokes), and you had been running AV software at the time, it isn't likely that you also had one that is a security risk.

If you won't be able to sleep at night because you are worried about this, now is the time to redo your computer, before you reload all of your software. Backup all of your personal files, which should be clean since you ran the scans. If you did not create your own root directories, it should all pretty much be in \Users\<your username> (along with tons of flotsam). Copy that entire directory including its subdirectories and then copy it back after you have gotten your hard disk set up again. Copy it at the <username> level rather than subdirectory by subdirectory because some of your data may be in hidden directories.
 
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Thanks both of you for the help, I only have one more question.
Aren't there things such a FUD Viruses cant people buy crypters and make the viruses unfindable?
 
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System restore will not get rid of virus easily. In most cases, viruses attack system registry and stay there even after system restore. It will just hibernate and attack again in time. There may be some premium anti-viruses that can fix your PC if you are willing to pay for it. But if you worry about your banking activities, the best way to fix virus infection is to wipe out your hard drive. And that is by using the DVDs you created when you first fired up your PC. That is simply called a destructive system recovery. Destructive meaning it will wipe out and format your hard drive so you will need to back-up all your files.

By the way, the discs you are referring to are called recovery discs.
 
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That was my original question in my first place.
So i can reformat my HDD and use those Disks to reinstall windows.

When i did a factory restore the first time i used the Disk's and not the Factory restore option on my computer
 
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4N2 said:
That was my original question in my first place.
So i can reformat my HDD and use those Disks to reinstall windows.

When i did a factory restore the first time i used the Disk's and not the Factory restore option on my computer
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Yup. I think both destructive and non-destructive recovery is available using those discs. But with your virus problem, a destructive system recovery is recommended (and again as a reminder, don't forget to backup your files).

When you are done with reinstalling windows and your favorite programs, create a system image backup. It's like a system recovery but a lot faster and easier as long as the image is created from a clean system (no virus infection). A full system recovery can take from 2 hours up to a day. System image recovery can be done from 15 to 30mins.
 
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Thank you so much for the help.

How do i preform a format, Should i just google it or YouTube it?
 
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Just boot up on the first CD of your recovery discs. Follow the prompts there. Find the option for system recovery . It's been a long time since I did a system recovery. I don't remember really. I only do image recovery now. But yeah, google is not a bad idea.

Sent from my HTC One X using WindowsForum mobile app
 
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There was only two option a complete factory reset and a factory reset with save personal data.

When i was referring to google i was talking about a complete Hard drive format.
 
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The factory reset will wipe out and format your hard automatically along the process It will give you a series of warning about it.

Sent from my HTC One X using WindowsForum mobile app
 
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4N2 said:
Thanks both of you for the help, I only have one more question.
Aren't there things such a FUD Viruses cant people buy crypters and make the viruses unfindable?
Click to expand...
From what I've read, these are unfindable for no more than one week from when they first appear, so if you get infected with one, it will be found on your computer in less than a week and you will know it. A virus checker that employs a white list (only your own programs can run without raising a permission flag), will protect your computer from it. Of course if you wipe your computer, you don't have an issue.
 
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badrobot said:
Your virus problem still persists?
Click to expand...
Thats the whole reason i started this thread. I dont know if its gone. My computer is much faster but i want to be 100% sure that the virus is gone before i do my banking.
I have ran four different scans with different types of scanners and all of them came back with nothing but like someone said earlier they stay in your registry and wait.

So i wanted to know was a Factory Reset with Disks enough
 
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4N2 said:
There was only two option a complete factory reset and a factory reset with save personal data.

When i was referring to google i was talking about a complete Hard drive format.
Click to expand...

If you want to manually format you hard drive, you may not be able to use the recovery discs after.
 
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