Rootkits are files installed hidden on your computer. This make it very hard for normal users to detect them. Some even infect the MBR (boot sector) of your system. This infest your computer even under Safe Mode.

Below are instruction on how to scan and clean your computer of rootkits.

Scanning and Cleaning of Rootkits

1. Download a rootkits scanner.

e.g. GMER

2. Run the scanner and do full scan on your computer. If the program find any rootkits, it will list them out. The GMER program will give you an option to delete them, if it is available, by right clicking on an item.

* Some rootkits scanner only can do sudden rootkits cleaning. For specific rootkit infection, you will need to copy the name and do a search on Google for other cleaning options.

e.g. For the whistler@mbr rootkit, a good program to clean this is to use the aswMBR application.

aswMBR

This will clean the “Whistler@MBR code has been found” in your disk drive MBR sector.

Another way to clean your MBR is to do this under the “Windows Recovery Console”. You will need your OS installation CD/DVD for this.

For XP machine:

– Type in the command “fixmbr”

For Vista/Windows 7 machine:

– Type in the command “bootrec.exe /fixmbr“