First, scan the old, infected system using an external, self-contained, bootable, DVD- or flashdrive-based anti-malware tool. (Examples<\/a>; many are free.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boot and run the old PC from the anti-malware DVD or flash drive \u2014 not from its infected hard drive. Let the anti-malware tool run, scan, and clean all the files on the hard drive. (This may take a while.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n While that’s going on, make sure the new system is recently backed up, or otherwise able to be easily restored (e.g. from a fresh factory-restore disc). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Install or activate a reputable, up-to-date anti-malware app active on the new PC. (There are many to choose from,<\/a> and your PC may already have one preinstalled; example<\/a>.) Use that antimalware app to scan all files on the new PC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When both PCs are pronounced clean, do your thing: Move\/copy\/etc. the files from the old PC to the new, by whatever means you wish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When that\u2019s done, shut down both PCs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boot the new PC with the same antimalware tool you used earlier. Let it fully scan the new PC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the new PC comes up clean, you can be pretty confident that nothing bad made it over to your new system. You should be good to go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Related info<\/a>.<\/small><\/em><\/strong> Permalink: https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=2225<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n COMMENT \/ QUESTION<\/strong> on THIS ITEM?<\/strong> See the<\/em> Comment box<\/strong> at bottom of this page!<\/em> No, of course it\u2019s not safe! But if you’re patient, you can make it safe. Here\u2019s how: First, scan the old, infected system using an external, self-contained, bootable, DVD- or flashdrive-based anti-malware tool. (Examples; many are free.) Boot and run the old PC from the anti-malware DVD or flash drive \u2014 not from its infected…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a-reader-asks","category-windows"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paaiox-zT","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1917,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/02\/05\/a-reader-asks-how-do-i-transfer-files-from-an-old-possibly-infected-laptop-to-an-external-hdd\/","url_meta":{"origin":2225,"position":0},"title":"A reader asks: “How do I safely transfer files from an old, possibly infected laptop to an external HDD?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-02-05","format":false,"excerpt":"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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3757,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/11\/20\/how-do-you-detect-if-your-computer-has-a-boot-sector-virus\/","url_meta":{"origin":2225,"position":1},"title":"“How do you detect if your computer has a boot sector virus?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-11-20","format":false,"excerpt":"(Answer requested by Luis Fuentes) The most-certain way is to boot your PC with an external, self-contained (a.k.a. \"portable\") anti-malware tool, such as one contained on a flash drive or DVD. (Examples.) These self-contained apps don't rely on the installed operating system, and can instead examine your entire hard drive\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1661,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/01\/14\/a-reader-asks-what-happens-if-windows-is-infected-with-ransomware-but-the-files-are-already-encrypted-with-truecrypt\/","url_meta":{"origin":2225,"position":2},"title":"A reader asks: “What happens if Windows is infected with ransomware but the files are already encrypted with TrueCrypt?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-01-14","format":false,"excerpt":"The files will then be doubly-encrypted; once by TrueCrypt, and once by the ransomware. The good news is that the malware can't read the contents of your TrueCrypt-encrypted files. That's not what ransomware is really about anyway: It's not designed to snoop; it's just designed to take your files hostage.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1680,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/01\/17\/a-reader-asks-what-do-i-do-with-the-usb-drive-that-i-found-in-a-department-store-changing-room\/","url_meta":{"origin":2225,"position":3},"title":"A reader asks: “What do I do with the USB drive that I found in a department-store changing room?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-01-17","format":false,"excerpt":"You have four choices: a safe and ethically positive one; a probably-safe but ethically murky one; a maybe-kinda-sorta-safe one, also with murky ethics; and a totally unsafe one, with murky ethics. The 100% safe choice is not to keep the drive. For one thing, the person who lost the drive\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2150,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/02\/28\/a-reader-asks-if-you-uninstall-a-virus-could-it-still-work-if-youve-already-opened-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":2225,"position":4},"title":"A reader asks: “If you uninstall a virus, could it still work if you’ve already opened it?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-02-28","format":false,"excerpt":"Removing active malware will stop it from doing further or future local damage, but that's all. You may still have trouble left over from the original, now-removed infection source. For example, removing ransomware from your PC or phone won't automatically decrypt your files --- they'll still be inaccessible. You'll have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2921,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/06\/19\/is-there-a-way-to-check-a-single-file-for-viruses-in-windows\/","url_meta":{"origin":2225,"position":5},"title":"“Is there a way to check a single file for viruses in Windows?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-06-19","format":false,"excerpt":"(Answer requested by Chris Whitten) There are several very easy ways to scan single files for malware. Easiest of all: You usually can simply right-click on any file, and when the menu opens, select Scan with... whatever your installed anti-malware tool is. For example, in a normal, default Windows 10\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/scan-one-file.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/scan-one-file.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/scan-one-file.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/scan-one-file.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2225"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2235,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225\/revisions\/2235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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