Virus Removal Tune Up Clean Up

Virus Removal Tune Up/Clean Up

Virus Removal / Tune-Up / Clean-Up

This is the standard SOP for completing a virus removal/tune-up/clean up. This is also a standard process after completing an SSD upgrade (only if the data was cloned from the previous hard drive).

  • Grab one of the red & white thumb drives. Plug it into the USB port on the machine.
  • Open the drive in File Explorer; select PC > MalwareBytes > Run Malwarebytes
    1. You will usually get a popup for administrator access; click YES
  • Once Malwarebytes opens, select Scan > Scan for Malware
    1. It will take a while to run the Malware scan. Make sure you take notes on how many pieces of Malware were pulled off of the machine.
  • After the scan is completed, go up to Toolbox > Remediate > AdWare & scan for Adware.
    1. You will usually get another popup; click yes.
  • Once the Adware scan is finished, select “Start Removals.”
    1. Make sure you take notes on how many pieces of Adware were pulled off of the machine.
  • After scans have been completed, close MalwareBytes. Navigate back to the main USB drive folder. Find the SFC/DISM/MRT tool cmd file. Right click & select “Run as Administrator.”
  • This will take a while to run.
  • Once completed, exit out of everything. Connect the machine to the internet. Open Settings > Apps & look to see if there are any 3rd party apps installed on the machine like AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Ultraviewer, ConnectClient Services, etc. If so, remove them.
  • Navigate back to Settings > Updates & Security. Check for updates & complete ALL of the Windows & drivers updates.
    1. Windows 10: if there are drivers updates that need to be completed, you will see a blue link that says “View Optional Updates” click that, check all of the updates & download/install now
    2. Windows 11: if there are drivers updates that need to be completed, you will need to navigate to Advanced Options > Optional Updates, check all of the updates & download/install now
      1. On both Windows 10/Windows 11, if there are any BIOS/FIRMWARE/SYSTEM updates, laptops will need to be plugged into the charger. Failing to do so & pushing the update can result in corrupting BIOS due to a failed update (typically the update won’t even go through, but if it does the machine will shut off & corrupt BIOS, which is not good).

Random Info: We like to run SFC & DISM one last time after completing all of the Windows & Drivers updates to prevent any further corruption & make sure the updates were completed correctly.

Revision History

  • Status: approved
  • Imported from legacy approved SOP archive

Reference Videos

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References

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