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Removing protected System Restore files if they have been infected
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Thomas Zucker-Scharff
Veteran in computer systems, malware removal and ransomware topics. I have been working in the field since 1985.
NOTE: Removing System Restore is the LAST step in your cleaning procedure. Continuing with this procedure will DELETE ALL your system restore points, infected or not. It is best to read this article explaining System Restore before following the instructions below.
Before doing this make sure your computer reboots. Try to make sure your system is clean of viruses except in system restore. Do NOT follow these directions if you have NOT tried to restore to an earlier time before you were infected. An infected restore point is better than none at all. But once you have a clean machine, the following procedure is the ONLY way I know of to clean your restore points because they are protected files.
No matter what your software says it is doing it cannot clean your restore points.
WARNING: This will DELETE ALL your system restore points
Disable System Restore:
Reboot your system
Follow the above steps to reenable system restore
Create a manual restore point:
Before doing this make sure your computer reboots. Try to make sure your system is clean of viruses except in system restore. Do NOT follow these directions if you have NOT tried to restore to an earlier time before you were infected. An infected restore point is better than none at all. But once you have a clean machine, the following procedure is the ONLY way I know of to clean your restore points because they are protected files.
No matter what your software says it is doing it cannot clean your restore points.
WARNING: This will DELETE ALL your system restore points
Disable System Restore:
Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
In the System Properties dialog box, click the System Restore tab.
Click to select the Turn off System Restore check box. Or, click to select the Turn off System Restore on all drives check box.
Click OK.
When you receive the following message, click Yes to confirm that you want to turn off System Restore:
After a few moments, the System Properties dialog box closes.
Reboot your system
Follow the above steps to reenable system restore
Create a manual restore point:
click the start button
all programs
accessories
system tools
system restore
choose to create a restore point
follow the prompts - name it appropriately (like "clean system")
Click "Create"
3 Comments
Active today
Good article and content! Thanks for the time to write it and your contribution. Keeping my fingers crossed that I won't have to use it (or any virus removal articles) for a while. I am just too busy with other things coming up that it would just be "cruel of fate" to have my computer get a virus. :) Still good to know System Restore is there and, when things do go wrong, have the details above to get Restore working and useable again.
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