Worst viral infection issue you've ever fixed

[Zanfeth]

So recently I fixed a computer for a coworker that was running and booting slow because it was infected with malware.  I was shocked to find that this Gateway laptop was still running at all as it was infected with 611 viruses and had 674 registry errors.  This got me wondering, what's the worst infections you guys have ever had to clear up?

[GlassBomb]

My brother's old PC. Had easily over 1,000 bad files and other crap of it.

[cheeze_tartz]

I was Skyping my friend, teaching him how to remove malware because his computer was slow as crap. He scanned it with malwarebytes and had roughly 2,070 objects detected.

[thisguyneil]

Friends mother, I should have known something was wrong when i booted into it and IE opened by itself to tell me that my computer was infected and there were so many tool bars that IE crashed, then reopened to tell me my computer was infected, crashed, ETC ETC. Nothing nuking from space couldn't fix but there was the eventual "wheres all muh pictures and moosic"

[gojira]

Cleaning out a core 2 duo laptop with viruses/general dirtware from Club Penguin account hacks... yeah...

[thisguyneil]

Cleaning out a core 2 duo laptop with viruses/general dirtware from Club Penguin account hacks... yeah...

 

club penguin

That should have been your first sign

[MattTheMayor]

on my old laptop, i had this virus thingy that locked my computer and i had to pay with a greendot card to be able to use my computer.

 

i just reformatted the hard drive, got malwarebytes and found like 200 infected files

[Zanfeth]

I was Skyping my friend, teaching him how to remove malware because his computer was slow as crap. He scanned it with malwarebytes and had roughly 2,070 objects detected.

I like Malwarebytes as well.  It's what I use.  That said, holy crap, that thing should have been unable to boot.

[ShiftHitTheFan]

A few years ago, some kid at the high school I was going to decided to install the crypolocker malware onto a library computer. Most of the school files were encrypted,  including student work, report cards, and marks. Our school board paid the $2700 to decrypt, then updated the schools security system.

[Zanfeth]

A few years ago, some kid at the high school I was going to decided to install the crypolocker malware onto a library computer. Most of the school files were encrypted,  including student work, report cards, and marks. Our school board paid the $2700 to decrypt, then updated the schools security system.

Wow that's way worse than what a guy I new did. He just put in a virus that made the macs in the library put Waffles!! over and over on the screen and print it constantly on all the printer paper.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

on my old laptop, i had this virus thingy that locked my computer and i had to pay with a greendot card to be able to use my computer.

i just reformatted the hard drive, got malwarebytes and found like 200 infected files

How can formating a HDD still have stuff or malware after? Lol makes no sense.

[cheeze_tartz]

How can formating a HDD still have stuff or malware after? Lol makes no sense.

That actually can be possible.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

That actually can be possible.

How?

[Blake]

How?

There are different types of malware. There are some that will load itself onto the controller of your HDD. There are others that can infect the MBR/GPT. There are far to many too many.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

There are different types of malware. There are some that will load itself onto the controller of your HDD. There are others that can infect the MBR/GPT. There are far to many too many.

 

Still, when you format the whole drive, you rewrite the MBR or GPT, thus your scenario you stated can not happen.

[DimasRMDO]

My friends had 700 viruses and I did clean install of Windows..... The laptop was f*cked up, seriously..... I couldn't open his anti-virus (too slow) but I could access Malwarebytes (but scan was too slow and sometimes it blue screened) so I just like "F*ck it, do clean install and it's done".

[Zanfeth]

My friends had 700 viruses and I did clean install of Windows..... The laptop was f*cked up, seriously..... I couldn't open his anti-virus (too slow) but I could access Malwarebytes (but scan was too slow and sometimes it blue screened) so I just like "F*ck it, do clean install and it's done".

It took me 3 hours to clean the one I cleaned. 

[Blake]

Still, when you format the whole drive, you rewrite the MBR or GPT, thus your scenario you stated can not happen.

HDDs have firmware, like a bios, when you format your HDD you don't do a thing to the BIOS, same with HDDs.

see: http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/16/8048243/nsa-hard-drive-firmware-virus-stuxnet

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

HDDs have firmware, like a bios, when you format your HDD you don't do a thing to the BIOS, same with HDDs.

see: http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/16/8048243/nsa-hard-drive-firmware-virus-stuxnet

 

Now this is starting to be a bit extreme and getting out of the virus term.

[GoodBytes]

I don't know, I just re-install Windows.

Honestly, it is not only faster in most cases, but even if you remove the crap, any modified system files, or changement of configuration which open security holes, still remains. All security software you use don't fix system files, they just remove the thread.

[Zanfeth]

I don't know, I just re-install Windows.

Honestly, it is not only faster in most cases, but even if you remove the crap, any modified system files, or changement of configuration which open security holes, still remains. All security software you use don't fix system files, they just remove the thread.

I fixed the registry damage with other software than the antivirus.

[DimasRMDO]

It took me 3 hours to clean the one I cleaned. 

Damn at least you managed to fix it, my friend's laptop was screwed as f*ck that I had to format it.

[GoodBytes]

I fixed the registry damage with other software than the antivirus.

Ok, but what about modified Windows system files that have been replaced by the infection, if it did this? And which one?