Repair an infected computer using Avira AntiVir Rescue

If your computer is infected with trojans, viruses and malware, and is not able to boot, then you can repair it using the Avira AntiVir Rescue System. Avira AntiVir Rescue System is a free Linux-based application that allows accessing computers that cannot be booted anymore. Using Avira AntiVir Rescue System it is possible to rescue the infected system, recover the valuable data, and scan and clean the infected files.

You can download the Avira AntiVir Rescue System from http://www.free-av.com/en/products/12/avira_antivir_rescue_system.html. The download is available in form of a executable. The file name is in the form rescue_system-common-en.exe. The program can be used to create a bootable rescue CD.

Download this file and save it on the Desktop of the infected computer. Insert a blank CD-R in your CD/DVD writer drive and then run the downloaded file rescue_system-common-en.exe. Click on the Burn CD to start burning the CD and creating the Avira Rescue CD.

If you want to save the ISO image file for the Avira Rescue CD instead, then do not click on the button Burn CD but click on the button labeled Exit. You will see a prompt asking you if you want to save the ISO image. Choose Yes and then choose the location of the ISO file.

After you have created the Rescue CD, insert it in the CD/DVD drive of the infected computer and boot from it. For this you have to changes BIOS settings and make the CD/DVD drive as the first boot device. After you have booted from the Avira Rescue CD, you would see a screen where you have to choose boot options. Type 1 and press Enter to boot into the Avira Rescue System.

The Avira AntiVir Rescue CD starts into a graphical user interface. The default language is German. Click on the UK flag at the bottom-left to set the interface language to English.

You can click on the Update button on the left side, to update to the latest virus definitions. For updating it is necessary that your infected computer is connected to the internet. Avira AntiVir Rescue does not repair infected files by default, so before you start to scan your infected system, you need to make configuration changes. Click on the Configuration button on the left side to open the configuration page. Select Try to repair infected files and check Rename files, if they cannot be removed checkbox as shown.

After making configuration changes, click on the Virus Scanner button on the left side and click on the Start Scanner button at bottom to start scanning for viruses. When scanning is done, a summary of how many infected files were found, how many were repaired and how many were removed etc. is shown.

When you are done repairing your system, choose the Miscellaneous button on the left side and click on Shutdown as shown. This would shutdown your system. After this you can remove the Avira AntiVir Rescue CD and restart computer into Windows.

On my test computer, it took about approximately 25 minutes of deep scanning and found 30 infected files (deliberately placed). All the files were trojan viruses so all of them were renamed. The renaming process renders them unable to run anymore. The Avira AntiVir Rescue CD is a very good emergency malware and virus scanner and cleaner. It did a great job in scanning and removal of the malware and viruses. It is very useful in the virus removal of a system unable to boot due to infection.