Use System Restore in Vista
System restore is a windows utility that saves copies of important registry modifications and newly installed files whenever a new program is installed. Unfortunately the malicious files are also saved in the system restore backup. Even if you remove the malware files from your computer, a copy of these files may still be there as system restore backup, and they may appear on your computer if you do a system restore at a date during which your computer was infected. In order to eliminate this possibility of getting yourself infected again through the files in the system restore backup, you need to turn system restore off to remove them. One drawback of this step is that you will loose all the previous restore points. But you can turn the functionality ON after cleaning the computer.
But you have a chance to get rid of the virus if you know since when you are having this problem, and you can try to restore the computer to a prior date. For example, if your computer is infected since one month, then open system restore, select "restore my computer" and select a date in the last month, when you guess that your computer was fine, and then restore the computer at that date. This might work like a miracle. You can do system restore for any number of times. However, if the computer is free from the trouble maker, you need to turn off/ on system restore once to get rid of its files from system restore's backup.
How to use system restore in windows vista: You can access system restore by typing restore in the Start menu search box, and System Restore appears at the top of the start menu. Or you can type rstrui into the search box and press enter. You should see a screen where you can choose to roll back the system to the last restore point. You should not select “Recommended restore”, but choose a different restore point, that will see a bring up list of restore points that you can choose from. Choose the restore point approximately prior to the date of infection, and complete the restore process. After the restore if your computer is free from the malware then you won, or you can again try another restore point going further backward. You can system restore as many time as you want .
How to turn off system restore in windows Vista: Type "system" in the start menu search box and press Enter. You will see several results. Pick the 4th item down, just labeled “System”. (Do not select System Restore!) . You could also right-click the computer icon and choose properties to come to this screen. Now click on the System protection link. You’ll see the checkboxes next to your different disk partitions. Uncheck them, and then click the “Turn System Restore Off” button.
Now you can continue with removing the malware on your computer, and do not forget to turn it back to On after your computer is clean.
If you are looking for instructions for Windows XP please see this link.
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