Error during startup on Windows 11 after virus removal!

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I know its a linux forum but want to call on your expertise in windows, so apologies before I ask.

I have a client with windows 11, sadly he had viruses throughout his system, a browser attack on chrome… its a new one and not sure if it will pass through linux or not.

Its basically a browser redirection causing the search engine to be replaced and converted to another motor which captures data for onward transmission.

Epistart or epibrowser…

I ran my usual cleanup tools
Adwcleaner
Malwarebytes
Superantispyware
Ccleaner

Got rid of over 50 viruse issues, including the epixxxx identified above

Into ccleaner, looked at applications installed and removed the epixxx from the system

Checked startup items and its not listed

Into control panel of windows 11 and applications, its still listed, but when I click to remove it is not found

Did a search hidden files and nothing epixxxx is found, no file, no folder, nothing.

After a restart I get an error message not found which is good, but I cannot get rid of the message from appearing even though it does nothing

Its ages since I did windows support and it used to be change win.ini or similar but that was back in 3.11 dont think it still exists

The startup folder is empty

Browser extensions is empty on chrome and edge, reset the paramets and happy its gone but want rid of the message.

Any sugestions please.

Btw… i did say get rid of windows and replace it with linux mint!, I told him that with his last computer a few months back when his old machine was infected, but his answer was buy a new computer, which he did buy second hand, that was also infected at purchase, so he took it back to the shop and bought new… some never learn !

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Hello Paul

Before to take drastic solution

  • Formatting

Could you install MacAffe? Or Norton? Avast?

Be sure to install each one, do a scan and uninstall and install the next one

Once done check the Google Chrome … if it seems correct install the adblock extensions

Btw… i did say get rid of windows and replace it with linux mint!, I told him that with his last computer a few months back when his old machine was infected, but his answer was buy a new computer, which he did buy second hand, that was also infected at purchase, so he took it back to the shop and bought new… some never learn !

If he does not use the following:

  • MS Office 365
  • Adobe PDF

I think is possible go to Linux in peace but

In other post in this network was discussed about MS Office for Linux. One of the best suggestions was use MS Office 365 through Web.

Finally if is mandatory use Windows: if the Windows 11 license is original reinstall it, get by command the license. Is possible get the iso file from Microsoft itself. For more details be sure to read the following solution:

It should work for W11 too

My 2 cents

To Admin if a special section/category in Its Foss network can be created for Windows would be nice, because even if we are Linux users, we use Windows by either a direct use (member of our family, friend, co-worker) or indirectly (Virtual Machine)

HTH

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There are tags for windows 10 and windows 11

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Oh memories! My first touch with windows. Sorry, can’t help you! Your advice is valid and your client just can’t get it. Cheers!

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You more than likely will have to boot into safe mode and see what you can remove!!! If not, then reformat and reinstall W11, should not be any problem, as long as the PC has a licensed W11 install!!!
To get into safe mode, open settings, in the search box type r and open the run prompt and type msconfig in the box and hit enter, under the boot tab select safe boot!!!

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Hi Paul

Perhaps look for system restore points.

If none, then as @Daniel_Phillips suggests, reformat and reinstall.

I wouldn’t be confident using the system otherwise.

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He started with norton, then rather than pay he tried macaffe but that allowed the virus to enter, it had avast when I took it over and that just gave warnings, to remove was to pay.

Malwarebytes got rid of the virus but left the signature somewhere in a start up file which I cannot find

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Been years since I tried that, cannot remember what it offers so will investigate.

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-ph/000136771/what-does-the-msconfig-utility-do-in-windows-8-8-1-and-10-on-your-dell-pc#:~:text=MSCONFIG%20is%20straightforward%20to%20use,MSCONFIG%20a%20useful%20troubleshooting%20utility.

Thanks for all the suggestions on format and reinstall, prefer install linux rather than waste hours doing a windows install and then all the updates, could spend days doing that and still get a virus back.

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It offers safe boot, and a chance to rid that PC of unwanted programs, once in safe boot, one can delete almost anything!!! If the PC is running W11, then no other virus protection is needed, you are getting false negatives, from all the virus programs that have been installed.
If you can boot into W11, there is a reset option, otherwise reformat and start over!!!
It does not take days to install W11, it will install just as fast as any Linux!!!
What are the specs on that PC?

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Experience tells me different… been there done that a few times now. Install takes the same time just slightly longer as its bigger.

The issues come with updates they take a long time and restarts, then installing software.

I no longer offer doing it as its not cost effective for me to waste hours of no interest, where linux an hour and everything is in place with updates and software installed.

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Do not know where or how you get your info about W11, but you download a W11 ISO, put the ISO on a USB drive. boot the PC and W11 will install, as long as the PC meets W11 requirements!!!

Linux has clouded your judgement!!!

You are in need of updating your experience!!!

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Dont want to fall out over this one…

Not going to go into experiance or qualifications but done more than my share of linux and microsoft installations. Most months i see clients with virus issues on windows more than I care to count. Enough to pay my salary so thanks microsoft.

I was a microsoft business partner up to a short time back, so idealy I sold microsoft products. But lost the faith.

Yes sometimes the tools available get rid, but not every time and not all. This question is an example.

If asked how can I work without virus problems then linux is my prefered solution and only 2 times clients have come back afterwards with problems, (they were not actual virus but browser redirections) the same cannot be said about windows. Over 300 linux installs over that time.

You have the issue, use the original version installed by the maker of the computer which is well out of date so many updates. Or you install from a new iso download, then face updates. But the big issue can then be the licence agreement. Not always easy to update tranfer use without paying again.

Not to mention older machines that just dont run windows 11. So when 10 stops and cannot be installed you are stuck.

Got to an age and position, you want linux yes I am your man, if not go to the main town and pay 3 or 4 times my prices and get windows… then come and see me when it has problems. My answer is still linux.

I run my own computer company so time is money.

The 3 or 4 windows I have done this year took over a day each one. Against the several linux which are over in a few hours.

One exception, last week had a client on windows 10, virus plus no disk space the 2 terabite was completely full, images, documents, videos… there was not enough space to download the cleaning tools to work ! took almost 10 hours to copy them all off. Then installed linux and 10 hours to copy them back ! The machine would not run 11 too old and slow.

Your experiance may be different to mine and i respect your position or ideas. We all make choices and I know where mine are.

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I think a lot if the issues with viruses come down to the way people use computers.
Linux users tend to be more knowledgable, so they mostly dont do risky things.
The idea that one can carry on using a computer without ever thinking about maintenance or safety is responsible for a lot of the problems that you report.
Dont always blame the computer or the OS.

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Yeah,
Even Fortran and Cobol have a better syntax than Rust.
Julia is nearly as bad as Rust.
I dont get what these modern language designers think they are doing?

Sorry, this reply is in the wrong topic…IGNORE

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There will be no fall-out. and your expertise and knowledge of a PC, far exceeds mine!!! My experience, comes by hands-on, by building and installing, both Windows and Linux, and I really have no favorite, Windows or Linux!!
I will not waste my time with W10, and if a PC can not run W11 natively, then Linux, if one wishes, to keep the PC running, is Linux
I will say, I have been building and fixing PC’s for several years, but the PC’s, I am used too, are a dying breed, I probably have more desktop PC’s in my house, than anyone in my community!!
But a good and civil discussion is never bad!!! One thing for sure, we as techies, can never change the habits of the USER!!!

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That is the real issue!!! I cannot remember the last time I have ever dealt with a virus issue!!!

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Dare I say that your extensive Linux experience has helped you with using Windows sensibly?

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The difficulty for a lot of my clients is multiple…

Age in many cases so not fully understanding the instructions or recommendations. It says on the internet, the guy next door, the expert, and language.

Many were born before computers were common so never had lessons or even used them during the working life.

I too have been caught out with badly worded sites, especially double negative. You do not want to do this yes or no. Such as uninstall

Receiving things from friends without checking first.

If you do a search for something such as a antivirus the first few may be ok but then you get bad sites which appear correct. But in fact are not good.

During a period the french press were all for a site to download from. But clients who had done were infected. The site now has gone.

I always say use the repository like they do on the phone that they understand.

We may never get away from some of these issues.

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I only see people with computer problems so most of my week is with this type of work. Plus my client base tends to be by recommendation.

Did a count a few years back and was over 300 linux installations. No idea how many windows but guess it is over double spanning back through windows 2, 3, 95, 98, NT, 2000, 7, 8, 10 and now 11 not to mention sub versions.

You get this from over 50 years in technology… Not an expert just too many tee shirts

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I even installed and used Windows 1.0 from floppy. It was just out of curiosity. It wasn’t useful.

I have never installed Windows 11, other than my work laptop that automatically upgraded from 10 to 11. I’d kind of like to start from scratch with a fresh install of 11. things just tend to go a bit sour over time and through upgrades. But it’s painful, so I just go with the flow.