I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Best thing you can do is reinstall Windows from a USB stick.
First thing to do… get an external drive and back up your system. Then reinstall Windows from scratch. Be careful when restoring files; don’t just blindly copy everything back.
You need to wipe your drive and install a fresh copy of Windows from a USB stick.
Yep, just format and reinstall. That’s the way to go.
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
If you’re trying to remove malware from your system, check out our malware removal guide.
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Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Do you use OneDrive for backup?
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Do you use OneDrive for backup?
Nope, I don’t use OneDrive. I’ve already moved all my important files to external drives. My main focus is making sure everything on the PC is secure now.
Blue said:
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Do you use OneDrive for backup?
Nope, I don’t use OneDrive. I’ve already moved all my important files to external drives. My main focus is making sure everything on the PC is secure now.
Then you should just go ahead and reinstall everything. Also, update your logins with 2-factor authentication and change passwords where needed.
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Just format your drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. It’s the safest option.
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Just format your drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. It’s the safest option.
Would using the ‘clean’ or ‘clean all’ command in addition to formatting the drive make any difference, or is that overkill? I’ve already formatted all partitions on the two drives I’m planning to keep.
Sam said:
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Just format your drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. It’s the safest option.
Would using the ‘clean’ or ‘clean all’ command in addition to formatting the drive make any difference, or is that overkill? I’ve already formatted all partitions on the two drives I’m planning to keep.
Not the person who posted, but just deleting all the partitions with the Windows installer will be enough. Windows will create the necessary system partitions automatically.
Briar said:
Sam said:
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Just format your drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. It’s the safest option.
Would using the ‘clean’ or ‘clean all’ command in addition to formatting the drive make any difference, or is that overkill? I’ve already formatted all partitions on the two drives I’m planning to keep.
Not the person who posted, but just deleting all the partitions with the Windows installer will be enough. Windows will create the necessary system partitions automatically.
So I just need to hit ‘format’ on each partition and that’s it? Should I bother with the ‘clean’ command or is it unnecessary? I’m really anxious about this and I just want to be 100% sure it’s fixed. I have a lot of passwords I can’t afford to lose.
Blair said:
Briar said:
Sam said:
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Just format your drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. It’s the safest option.
Would using the ‘clean’ or ‘clean all’ command in addition to formatting the drive make any difference, or is that overkill? I’ve already formatted all partitions on the two drives I’m planning to keep.
Not the person who posted, but just deleting all the partitions with the Windows installer will be enough. Windows will create the necessary system partitions automatically.
So I just need to hit ‘format’ on each partition and that’s it? Should I bother with the ‘clean’ command or is it unnecessary? I’m really anxious about this and I just want to be 100% sure it’s fixed. I have a lot of passwords I can’t afford to lose.
Just delete the partitions until you’re left with one unpartitioned space. Deep cleaning isn’t needed unless you’re trying to make data unrecoverable, but malware will be gone either way. As for your passwords, definitely change them and use 2-factor authentication wherever possible.
Briar said:
Blair said:
Briar said:
Sam said:
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Just format your drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. It’s the safest option.
Would using the ‘clean’ or ‘clean all’ command in addition to formatting the drive make any difference, or is that overkill? I’ve already formatted all partitions on the two drives I’m planning to keep.
Not the person who posted, but just deleting all the partitions with the Windows installer will be enough. Windows will create the necessary system partitions automatically.
So I just need to hit ‘format’ on each partition and that’s it? Should I bother with the ‘clean’ command or is it unnecessary? I’m really anxious about this and I just want to be 100% sure it’s fixed. I have a lot of passwords I can’t afford to lose.
Just delete the partitions until you’re left with one unpartitioned space. Deep cleaning isn’t needed unless you’re trying to make data unrecoverable, but malware will be gone either way. As for your passwords, definitely change them and use 2-factor authentication wherever possible.
I’m working on changing the passwords while doing the reinstall. Is there any issue with me having the USB plugged in while sitting on the install screen for a while? I’ve made sure the USB was only inserted when Windows wasn’t running.
Sam said:
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Just format your drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. It’s the safest option.
Would using the ‘clean’ or ‘clean all’ command in addition to formatting the drive make any difference, or is that overkill? I’ve already formatted all partitions on the two drives I’m planning to keep.
You don’t need the ‘clean’ command. Formatting will remove everything.
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
First step, disconnect from the internet to stop any communication from the malware. Then boot in Safe Mode; this prevents some malware from running. Use Windows Defender and Malwarebytes to scan for threats. If the malware is still there, your safest bet is to reinstall Windows.
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
Safest way is to delete everything before reinstalling Windows. The less safe way is to use antivirus software and hope it catches everything.
Briar said:
I just found out my computer was hit by a Trojan (JS Swabfex.P) and Microsoft says it might have also downloaded ransomware called Tescrypt. I’ve given up on saving my files, I just need to know how to make sure my system is completely clean. I can’t handle any more stress from this. I want peace of mind knowing it’s all gone.
If I were in your shoes, I’d go even further… download the latest firmware for your motherboard from another computer (maybe a friend’s) and reinstall everything from there. Here’s what I’d do:
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Get a new USB stick that’s never been in your infected system. If possible, get two… one for a Linux live install.
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Go to a friend’s computer and download your motherboard firmware. Then create a Linux live USB on the second stick and test it on your friend’s computer to make sure it works.
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At home, go into your BIOS and update your motherboard firmware.
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After that, don’t boot into Windows yet.
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Go back to the BIOS and, if your SSD allows, use BIOS tools to erase your drives.
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If you can’t erase the drives from BIOS, boot from your Linux live USB and format your drives that way.
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Once that’s done, you can install Windows again, knowing your system is clean.