Virus's spread by USB sticks

[rjenkinsgb]

Does re-installing windows definetely get rid of a virus?

No.
Some types of malware that hook in to the boot sector (eg. such as some hypervisor style nasties) can persist through conventional disc formatting, as that does not erase the boot sector. Reinstalling the partition table and boot code should, though.

Reinstalling windows - fully, booting from external media and formatting or recreating all partitions in the process - will eliminate slowdowns cause by file or registry corruption, though.

As you have been told, you have not got a "virus" from a USB stick unless you have disabled all security in the computer. Malware from an online source, or simple windows system corruption, is near infinitely more likely.

 

[MacIntoshCZ]

If you get a virus from a USB stick, then is the only way to get rid of it to re-install windows?
Does re-installing windows definetely get rid of a virus?

If you delete all partitions and format it all, after that you can do clean install of windows. You can delete and format partition in windows 10 installation. Also dont forget do format usb stick... In 99.99% you will be safe now ...

 

[Flyback]

Thanks, also supposing i used a USB mouse on the work PC, then come home and connect this same USB mouse to the home laptop, then could that USB mouse spread a virus to the home laptop, just as if it were a USB stick?

 

[MacIntoshCZ]

Thanks, also supposing i used a USB mouse on the work PC, then come home and connect this same USB mouse to the home laptop, then could that USB mouse spread a virus to the home laptop, just as if it were a USB stick?

No. USB mouse will not transfer virus.

 

[Pommie]

You really don't understand USB at all, do you?

Mike.
Edit, posted same time.

 

[MacIntoshCZ]

I just searched for tomatoes variety to buy, clicked on tomato picture and catched virus. This is the most likely way, you can get infected...
Thanks to eset, enemy was blocked =)

 

[camerart]

Hi F,
I use the Window anti virus.

I remember a school giving laptops to pupils, then watching them to make sure they were doing their homework. They were soon told to stop, but it just shows doesn't it.

Or you could simply wipe the USB stick with alcohol
C

 

[granddad]

 

[MacIntoshCZ]

all software i want is under windows =)

 

[granddad]

all software i want is under windows =)

I was like that for 35 years..

 

[Buk]

I was like that for 35 years..

I still am. There is a lot to dislike about Windows; and more and more with each new release. Especially the latest version after we were told that 10 was the "last version".

But it is still better than the alternatives. I have had half a dozen forays into Linux over the years -- most recently Robolinux * Zorin last year -- and abandoned them all. I am quite sure that the Linux kernel is brilliant: solid, secure, maintained; but its all the stuff on top that is crap.

The problem with open source is it is just to easy to fork. They cannot make their minds up and agree on anything. So there are half a dozen different windowing environments; 2 dozen shells; a dozen or more package managers; a dozen make tools; and hundreds -- close to 1000 -- different distributions.

Installing any new application is can take anything from several hours, to weeks to track down all of the dependacies and resolve all the conflicts. You spend more time maintaining the damn OS that you do using it. Most Windows apps take minutes and just work.

 

[granddad]

Installing any new application is can take anything from several hours

With some obscure sw perhaps , , In my experience things just work.. printers , scanners, wifi , USB, MPLABX programmers even ! You dont even have to install them , Stick (download iso )linux.mint 20.2 on a USB and try why dont you.

There is a lot to dislike about Windows;

There is everything to dislike about windoze... and I started with win3.1

but its all the stuff on top that is crap.

Build your own crap on top !

"Most Windows apps take minutes and just work." Really ?

 

[Ian Rogers]

Once upon a time we had floppies... Guess what... They distributed viruses.. The only way to shift them was an MBR scan.. Formatting did didley as the file system is still intact after a format... Formatting only deletes the first letter in the file name... Low level format deletes loads BUT the MBR is still unscathed..

How do I get rid of MBR virus?

Boot sector viruses are typically very difficult to remove, as most antivirus programs cannot clean the MBR while Windows is running.

There is software ( free ) to rid yourself of these blighters.

BTW viruses are in a file system... Microsoft file systems are notorious for holes.. It doesn't happen on Linux and Imac..

 

[augustinetez]

It doesn't happen on Linux and Imac..

Really?

 

[MacIntoshCZ]

Microsoft file systems are notorious for holes

Funny is, when you have program or whatever running on windows and this program use libraries which contain those "holes", bugs etc. If you want to run this program under linux, you have to emulate also those "holes / bugs etc...". =)

 

[Ian Rogers]

Really?

You know different?? Possibly because they are not targeted?? I was informed by a IMAC user that viruses do not get into file systems.. Malware / trackers are not proper viruses..

 

[DrDoggy2]

apple didn't have virus since it was not popular, now it is and does, i would assume the same for other os's. after all a virus is really only a command line that says take screen shot, send via tcp, or other such junk. so really any system is never 100% secure unless it cant do anything.

android for ie,
my kid has game lamer than pong, it could be doll dressup or put on makeup or connect the dots, np
but first you need to DL skin, so permission to network
but then, you can take pic of creation, so you enable camera permission
then you save pic, so now permission to storage
then you send pic to friend, so now permission to calls and contacts.

now lets look back at what kind of access we just gave to a simple pong game.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

Installing any new application is can take anything from several hours, to weeks to track down all of the dependacies and resolve all the conflicts. You spend more time maintaining the damn OS that you do using it.

I've been using Linux for servers for probably near on 30 years, first slackware then from 1996 on Redhat, then CentOS after RHEL became non-free.

Installing any normal program is a single command and any dependencies are automatically installed.
Building custom software from source can take a bit longer, but it's very rare there is not an .rpm package for anything needed.

The machines generally run for years at a time, only needing to be shut down for hardware updates.

I still mostly use Windows (or OSX) for desktop, just due to compatibility with some essential software - but I'd much rather use linux entirely, if the various business programs existed for it.

 

[granddad]

really any system is never 100% secure unless it cant do anything.

Totally agree, I was amazed how well linux performs. I installed mint18 from a CD to a dedicated drive ( offline) I think on an old home brew AMD Sempron. mmmm wondered about wifi .. plugged it in.... it found the hub and worked ,( it wanted some updates) then wondered about my printer, I plugged it in .. 'Bingo' wasn't even a minute the printer icon was there , what about all the windows data , bought up files icon, there were all my files on the second drive, pictures, data , LibreOffice ( comes with linux) opened MS docs and exel no problem . plugged in a canon camera worked straight away..had some Photoshop , files.. GIMP . was happy to take over . and all for free ...www worked better faster than Chrome , No virus checker , just the linux firewall enabled, I patted myself on the back and shut down.. <10 sec PC was off.. That's why i disrespectfully call it windoze . There are times you need to use the command line in terminal ( MPLABX for one), but lots of sw can be installed via the Software Manager. If you have disc space then a dual boot can be easily done at linux install , best of both worlds ..

Documentation - Linux Mint

Linux Mint is an elegant, easy to use, up to date and comfortable desktop operating system.

linuxmint.com

 

[Buk]

There is everything to dislike about windoze... and I started with win3.1

More to like than dislike for me. (An I have ya beat. I started with Windows/286. )
I was gonna list the good stuff, but seeing your use of that callow 'windoze' shibboleth, you're not seeking discussion.

Build your own crap on top !

I want to use my OS, not spend 5 years piecing together the tool chain, appropriate drivers, and the right combination of mythical incantations required to build it.
And then spend 3 weeks a month trying to keep it working.

And if the 100s of 1000s of developers that put together the 1000 variations of linix can't get it right, I'm not silly enough to think I could do any better in the 15 or 20 years I have left. And what would be the point? Yet another disto.

"Most Windows apps take minutes and just work." Really ?

Yes! Really.

From sodoku to Ansys Discovery; they just work.