Some viruses just won’t go away. You try everything from running your anti-virus software to digging through the registry just to have it come back. Well, if you have Windows ME or XP the infected file might be stored as a backup file that your virus scan can’t touch.

So, what to do? Try disabling System Restore and running a virus scan.

With Windows XP:

Right-click “My Computer” and select “Properties”. Click the “System Restore” tab and check the box “Turn off System Restore” then click OK.

You’ll need to restart your computer.

Run a virus scan then follow the same procedure and uncheck “Turn off System Restore”.

For Windows ME:

Right-click “My Computer” and choose “Properties”. Select the “Performance” tab then click the “File System” button and go to the “Troubleshooting” tab. Put a check mark next to “Disable System Restore” then click OK.

You’ll need to restart your computer.

Run a virus scan then follow the procedure above and uncheck “Disable System Restore”.

This may or may not solve the problem, but it’s worth a try. It might also be a good idea to do this any time you run a virus scan.

~ David

David Samuel Thomas