Unfortunately, despite having a PC protected with a powerful antivirus and browsing with the necessary common sense, we can always catch a hidden virus or a 0-day threat, which can penetrate the defenses and install itself on the computer to do damage or block the correct functioning of the system or of the programs. If the antivirus does not detect it and you do not notice the infection in time, it may be impossible to remove it, even with a paid antivirus or security suite.If we have come across the worst scenario, let’s not resign ourselves: in this guide we will show you how to eliminate a stubborn virus from your computer with ad hoc advanced scanning tools, freeing the operating system of any residue and clearing away all dangerous components, so you can get back to work on your computer without problems.READ ALSO -> Differences between antivirus and antimalware and which one to use
How to eliminate the difficult virus from PC
Among the viruses that are difficult to eliminate, ransomware is certainly included, but they are not the only ones: even today we can download an infected file containing a trojan or worm inside, capable of doing a lot of damage if not stopped in time and left free to act (they can download other malware in turn, to make the infection even heavier).
Before we think about the worst (PC formatting), let’s see what we can do to eliminate a difficult virus from the infected computer.
Advanced scanning tools
If your computer is still usable and we can download files from the Internet, we suggest you try Removal Tool, portable programs produced to quickly remove all types of threats and get your computer back as fast as it was before the infection.
The first free tool we can try is Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool, available for download from the official website.
By downloading this tool and starting it we will be able to scan the entire PC for threats that block or slow it down, using the powerful scanning engine and cleaning systems patented by Kaspersky (for many the company that produces the best antivirus in the world). To proceed then we start the tool and press the Start button, so as to start the scan; cleaning is automatic and, in the end, all we have to do is restart the computer for the changes to take effect (often at the system level, since some malware lurks deep).
If the Kaspersky tool is not sufficient or does not start (many viruses block the execution of security programs), we can try the scan tool HitmanPro, available for download as a free trial from the official website.
With HitmanPro we will have an infallible scanning system, based on cloud technology: the tool recognizes and removes practically any type of virus present, also thanks to the adoption of adaptive cleaning tools (based on the virus present, it downloads the necessary files from the Internet, for deep cleaning). It probably is the most powerful cleaning tool in the world, but it should be used only in case of real need: since it is provided free for 30 days once launched we will not be able to use it again on the same PC in case of infection (after the 30-day trial).
If together with the virus we also notice the presence of advertising windows or programs that install themselves, it is advisable to do a scan also with AdwCleaner, available for download from the official website.
This tool specializes in identifying all residues and secondary files downloaded by a virus, so as to be able to block the infection at 100% and prevent residues present from downloading the virus again after a few days. To obtain a complete cleaning of the PC from all types of malware, it is advisable to launch AdwCleaner immediately after launching one of the tools seen above, so as to return the operating system clean and fast, without any active residue of the malware.
To discover other useful scanning tools, we recommend that you read our guide Best online antivirus scan for PC, free and without installation.
Recovery discs and Emergency kit
If the situation is really desperate, that is, the PC does not start anymore, it restarts continuously or a block window (ransomware) appears, we can try to recover our computer using recovery discs or cleaning discs, provided by the houses antivirus manufacturers for free.
Let’s get to another working PC first and foremost let’s download a program to make a USB stick bootable with images provided as recovery discs; the best program is without a doubt Rufus, downloadable from the official website.
Once Rufus and the USB stick have been prepared, we can immediately download one of the recovery discs listed below (all in ISO format):
- Avira Rescue System
- Kaspersky Rescue Disk
- G DATA Boot Medium
- ESET SysRescue Live
- TrendMicro Rescue Disk
Once you have chosen which recovery disk to use, let’s go to Rufus and create the self-starting USB key, as also seen in the guide Programs to burn ISO to USB.
As soon as the USB key is ready, insert it on the blocked PC or full of viruses, start it and change the boot order, so that we can start the emergency system included in the recovery discs and clean up the computer from persistent threats.
If we have never changed the boot order on the computer, we can read our guide How to change the boot order of the computer.
Conclusions
PCs full of viruses are still today one of the bogeys for those approaching the world of computing. Fortunately, the tools to remove even the most persistent viruses exist: it takes very little to eliminate even the most powerful viruses and thus avoid formatting the computer (in some cases the only way to go).
To discover other useful scan discs we can read the guide Boot CD and PC boot repair rescue disk.
If, on the other hand, the Windows system no longer starts despite all the attempts made, it is better to restore Windows 10 as seen in our guides How to open the Windows 10 recovery console e Ways to Repair Windows 10 and Create Recovery Disk.