AVG Antivirus disabled, Trojan.Multi.GenAutorunReg.a Detected by KVRT

[AdvancedSetup]

Trying to do a clean install of Windows without a full license would be very difficult. There is no longer a valid free method to upgrade to Windows 10. There are websites out there with ways or methods to try and accomplish it but nothing that I could recommend. Even for some of my old computers I broke down and bought a couple full licenses so that I could rebuild at any time without an issue.

 

[digitalcapibara]

Truth hurts. 

Ron, I truely appreciate your heroic efforts in helping me to try to figure it out 

For the future, what can you recommend I do to protect my computers from these things?  This is a family computer with teens all over it.

[AdvancedSetup]

If you can afford it I would recommend buying a full license of Windows 10 and create an installer USB to do the install. I can help you with that part if wanted.

Then going forward I'd use an external USB drive to make what I would call a master image. Then that image could always be used in the future to put the computer back to the way it was regardless of what happens to it from software, infection point of view.

Then set that USB external drive aside (label it as master image of Windows 10 full install and the date) as an insurance policy.

Then take a second USB external drive and use one of the many different means of automating backups. Then you can do restores of data and or the OS if needed, but over time as Windows gets more apps installed and more bad entries will become part of those backups (a normal process) so that at some point an OS restore is not restoring it back to a pristine condition - in such a case that it's gotten too bad you can always go back to the Master and restore and it will be fully clean again.

Backup Software

 

Windows 10 Home - 64-bit - OEM  $99.99
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832416892

Windows 10 Pro 64-bit - OEM   $142.99
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16832588491

Windows 10 Pro - direct from Microsoft Store  $199.99
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/d/windows-10-pro/df77x4d43rkt/48DN

Windows 10 Home - direct from Microsoft Store  $119.99
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/d/windows-10-home/D76QX4BZNWK4

 

[digitalcapibara]

Ron,

I appreciate your offer to assist with the Windows install, partitioning, imaging, backup, etc. I will definitely take you up on that. 

I read your 2013 post on backups, but didn’t explore the links.  I would prefer to pick your brain on best current methods (the one that you yourself use).  

BACK UP OF FILES

Of course, I’m fearful that my data is already corrupted, or that there is some hidden threat residing within the files.  I copied my Documents folder to a 1TB USB drive, but only after the infection.  It includes all my photos, videos, documents,  my Outlook pst. No program files.

I attempted to repair my pst using the MS inbox repair tool (SCANPST.EXE), which found errors, but hung up after attempting REPAIR.  Along the way, I moved the associated pst to another folder, used the Compatibility Troubleshooter in the Outlook program Properties and that allowed me to open Outlook. From there, I opened a different pst file (archive), which opened just fine and the emails appear sound.  Unfortunately, when I try to open the primary pst, it still tells me that it’s not a pst. 

I was hoping to attempt to open the primary pst from another computer, but am not sure if I should for fear of infection.  But at this stage, I think this file needs to be repaired first.  Can I reliably scan it and all of the files I have copied to the USB drive?

NEW WINDOWS INSTALL

I assume that the first step is to purchase a Win10 license from one of the links above. I will opt for the Pro version to take advantage of RDP.  Shall I just go out and buy that now?  Any specific instructions on how and where to save it?

Thanks. 

UPDATE: scanpst allowed the Repair on the 2nd try. I am able to open my primary pst!

Edited March 6, 2018 by digitalcapibara

[AdvancedSetup]

This link will give you a physical DVD shipped to you. Do you have a DVD reader on that computer?

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16832588491

They do offer a digital download too though if you like. Either medium is good. The digital download would take a while to download depending on the speed of your Internet connection.

I've used a few programs over the years. When the 4K drives came out most vendors could not write to them properly. Acronis was one of the few. I bought Acronis last year for my main system and so far it's worked quite well.

Let me know what you decide and what additional help you'd like

Thanks

Ron