A reader asks: “How do I safely transfer files from an old, possibly infected laptop to an external HDD?”

First, scan the “possibly infected” system using an external, self-contained, bootable, DVD- or flashdrive-based anti-malware tool. (Examples; many are free.)

Boot and run the suspect PC from the anti-malware DVD or flash drive — not from the possibly-infected hard drive. The anti-malware tool then runs, scans, and cleans all the files on the hard drive.

Once the anti-malware tool pronounces the old PC 100% clean, plug in the external drive and copy the files you desire to the external HDD.

Next, make sure the anti-malware tools on your main PC (or whatever PC will be accessing the newly-copied files), are fully current, up to date, and active.

Next, plug the external HDD to the main PC. Open that PC’s anti-malware app and tell it to scan the external HDD; or at least to scan the newly-copied files.

If this second scan also comes up clean, you then can access and use the files on the HDD with some assurance that they contain no raging malware infections — after all, you’ve scanned them twice, with two different apps, and they’ve come up clean both times.

You should be good to go!

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