[Discuss] Linux bootable tool to clean Windows NTFS infections?

[tmetro+blu at gmail.com (Tom Metro)]

Scott Ehrlich wrote:
> What Linux bootable tool do people recommend to help clean a [Vista]
> NTFS bootable system?

I would first try a non-Linux solution:

Windows Defender Offline
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/what-is-windows-defender-offline

I've had good feedback from people I've recommended this to. (But I
don't go out of my way to keep up on the latest in Windows anti-malware
techniques.)

As long as you have the architecture matched to your target system
(32-bit or 64-bit), its pretty much a turn-key, idiot proof tool that
runs fully automated. Probably good to run it periodically as a
preventative measure.


Edward Ned Harvey (blu) wrote:
> ...a few hours later or a few days later, it's always re-infected. 
> ... I haven't seen a single exception to this in the last 10 years.

That hasn't been my experience.

However, there is no disputing the advice that the only guaranteed
solution is a clean reinstall or restore from a sufficiently old backup.


Rich Pieri wrote:
> ...I suggest the Kaspersky Rescue Disk. It's a Linux live CD with KDE 
> and a bunch of Kaspersky's scanning and cleaning tools.

Nice to see other commercial A/V vendors offering offline scanners. I
never got the absurdity of trying to remove an infection using tools
running on an infected machine.

 -Tom

-- 
Tom Metro
Venture Logic, Newton, MA, USA
"Enterprise solutions through open source."
Professional Profile: http://tmetro.venturelogic.com/