You thought these things only happen to someone else. You’re careful to never open suspicious email attachments, you don’t go to dangerous Web sites, you don’t download from Usenet, and you don’t install non-commercial software on your computer. But somehow, some way, your computer is infected with a particularly hostile piece of malware that refuses to relent to your AV and anti-spyware applications.

This is when you’re likely going to need to do an offline scan in order to rid yourself of the dreaded malware. The good news is that you may not need to spend a lot of money in order to get a working offline scanning solution to your malware problem. Your offline scanning kit can be based on a Windows PE (preinstallation environment) and you can combine that kit with a collection of your favorite, free antimalware tools.

The basic steps include the following:

• Install the Windows Automated Installation Kit
• Download the malware-scanning tools and utilities
• Create the Malware Removal Starter Kit CD-ROM
• Use the Malware Removal starter Kit to scan your computer

Microsoft has tested this solution using Avast! Virus Cleaner, McAfee AVERT Stinger, the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) and Spybot - Search & Destroy.

For more details on how to create your Offline Scan Kit for removing malware, check out http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/guidance...1.mspx

HTH,

Tom

Thomas W Shinder, M.D.
Site: http://www.isaserver.org/
Blog: http://blogs.isaserver.org/shinder/
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Email: tshinder@isaserver.org
MVP — Microsoft Firewalls (ISA)