Fixing Damage from Virus Infection: Formatting an XP Hard Drive

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on resolving issues caused by virus infections on a Windows XP system. Users reported persistent errors when attempting to open executable files due to multiple virus infections. The recommended solution is to format the hard drive using the Windows XP installation CD. Users should access the BIOS configuration to change the boot sequence, allowing the system to boot from the CD and follow the installation prompts to complete the formatting process.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of BIOS configuration and boot sequence
  • Familiarity with Windows XP installation procedures
  • Basic knowledge of virus removal techniques
  • Experience with formatting hard drives
NEXT STEPS
  • Research how to access and modify BIOS settings on various systems
  • Learn the complete Windows XP installation process
  • Explore effective virus removal tools for Windows XP
  • Study best practices for data backup before formatting
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for IT professionals, computer technicians, and anyone dealing with virus-related issues on legacy Windows XP systems.

sjaguar13
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My dad gets that error on every exe he tries to open. He was infected with a virus, actually several. Is there any way to fix the damage? As far as we can tell, we got rid of all the infected files. If we can't, how would we format the hard drive? It's an XP system.
 
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Put in the Windows XP cd and boot from it. If you go into your bios configuration you should be able to change the boot sequence. From there the installation will guide you through formatting and such.
 

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