Thinkpads Forum

Want some basic advice on my son's T60. He has just returned from Afghanistan and is currently stationed at Fort Polk. He called last night and told me he has the Windows Security Virus. He thought it was the 'real' MS Windows Security telling him to install/purchase security software.

I emailed him instructions for removing the Windows Security Virus and also offered to send him his Windows 7 Ultimate install disks if he wants to do fresh install. He looked at the virus removal instructions and opted for the W7 reinstall.

I had previously purchased and upgraded his T60 with W7 Ultimate last year for his birthday, so I still have his W7 Ultimate upgrade disk. Microsoft told me he would have to reinstall his Windows XP (I do have WXP Recovery DVD's from Lenovo) before he can reinstall his W7 Ultimate.

My quesiton is this: Can he just use his W7 Ultimate Disks to do a fresh install (using similar instructions to upgrading to W7 from XP) or does he really have to first restore to the original factory condition with his Lenovo XP recovery disks?

I will have to talk him through the install either way -- he uses his Thinkpad like a toaster -- i.e. turn it on and use -- he has no clue (and doesn't want to have a clue) about how/why anything operates on his machine, and he is not happy to have to be reinstalling his OS -- that said, he is a soldier on a Specialist's salary, and does not have the $$ to pay someone to do it for him. I know W7 will find nearly all (if not all) of his drivers for him, but I also know XP will require him to first install system update and then go to update for drivers, etc.

I am hoping he can either:

1) install W7 Ultimate directly over his current/virus install using directions as if he is upgrading over Windows XP (but I am afraid the OS will 'realize' W7 Ultimate is already installed and not allow the upgrade disk to do full install even if 'custom install' is asked for.

or

2)reinstall XP using his Lenovo restore DVD's, and then reinstall W7 Ultimate over it (without having to worry about XP drivers, etc.)

Unfortunately, this is going to be like the 'blind leading the blind', and I could really use some solid advice on his reinstall.

He can just install the w7 as long as he also installs the drivers from lenovo website,the advantage of the R & R disks is it does
both and build the IBM partition.

Thanks KAQSP -- It will be easiest if he can install from his W7 upgrade disk, so that's a good thing. After the install, he can get Lenovo drivers from System Update -- I was just worried the upgrade wouldn't upgrade over the same version of W7. I appreciate the info

First of all, what you refer to as a "virus" probably isn't. I think what he installed is a Trojan, which is a software program that pretends to be something good, tricking you to install it, then it hijacks your system saying it found all kinds of malware and wants your money to activate the software.

This is nothing new, one original name for this was WinFixer (google it), then WinAntiVirus, and dozens of other names. You don't need to reinstall windows to get rid of it, but if he doesn't mind losing all his data, then reformatting is an option that requires little skill and is a clear-cut task giving a positive result, meaning a working computer.

I'd prefer to fix the computer myself, but I won't even attempt that long distance.

As for the windows update discs, they can be a pain. It may require that you have the winXP discs if it's not installed on your system, but sometimes you can get microsoft to give you a new product key if you can prove you paid for it and you're being put through hell trying to get what you paid for to work. They can be annoying and the activation operators get paid commission for selling licenses, so sometimgs you have to get angry to get results, but if you're firm, they will usually get it done for you.

Good Luck, and tell your son I said thank you for serving. I'd gladly fix the computer for one of our military if I was able, but removing a nasty trojan like that isn't a simple procedure.

Thank you TuuS -- I really don't understand the finer points of virus/trojan -- but you are right about what the 'thing' is doing -- it is impersonating Windows. Wherever my son picked up the virus, he did click the popup which called itself Windows Security. You are also right that he is too far away to try to guide him through the removal from here -- he is in Louisiana, and I am in New Jersey.

It's a shame that Microsoft (or actually the Microsoft software) may give him grief in trying to reinstall his operating system. When I added up the $$ to insure the contents and mailed his install disks yesterday, I realized I had paid slightly over $400 for the Windws 7 Ultimate, Windows Office Home & Student 2007, and the original Lenovo Rescue & Recovery. Lenovo's portion of that cost was only around $50, so my investment for Microsoft software for his machine is a little more than $350. I have all the receipts and disks, but I am not at all confident Microsoft will be of help -- especially since my son is down at Fort Polk, and I am up here in Jersey

My main hope is that The T60 will accept the Microsoft UPGRADE disk to do a fresh install -- especially when the install is over the identical operating system -- my fear is it won't, and I will have to guide my son to first use the Lenovo rescue & recovery disks. Once the T60 is brought back with a fresh OS install, I'm reasonably confident Microsoft will activate with the proper activation keys. Sure wish my kid was up here for me to fool around with his machine.

The good new is when he went to Afghanistan, I sent him an X61 to take with him because he didn't want to risk his T60. So at least he does still have that X61 with him at Fort Polk to use until we figure out his current T60 issue.

Thank you again for your advice.

Try the install, I have always been able to activate windows 7 when doing a clean install with upgrade media. If you can't though, just call microsoft and they should give you a number/key - I have never had an issue when calling Microsoft.

Good luck.

EDIT - I would reccomend against using the rescue and recovery disks first since they do take up hard drive space, and there is no real benifit to them if you are just going to install windows 7 after. I would do a clean install and call microsoft if there are issues.

craigmontHunter = "I would reccomend against using the rescue and recovery disks first since they do take up hard drive space, and there is no real benifit to them if you are just going to install windows 7 after. I would do a clean install and call microsoft if there are issues."

Well, that is what I'm hoping for -- but Microsoft is telling me the upgrade media will NOT do fresh install "over same Windows version" -- My memory is like yours in that I have done 'custom' install to achieve a fresh install -- but I'm hoping someone with a T60/T61 has done this recently with a Windows "same version" custom install -- I will be guiding my son over the telephone, and I'm hoping for some assurance that the 'fresh/custom' install was done over same version on their T60/T61.

Thank you very much for your input -- it seems like I may be on the right track.

Over the summer I did a clean windows 7 install on my T61 using an academic key and media - I don't know if that affects anything, but it worked right away for me. Worst case it won't activate, at which point there is a method of doing a upgrade over the same version of windows, at which point the key will work. There are several diffrent methods listed here; http://www.winsupersite.com/article/win ... rade-media

Good luck

Ask your son to mail his laptop to you and you do the update. Then mail it back to him.
Makes no sense trying to have all this done over the phone, by a noob who hasn't got a clue.
Hope I don't sound too harsh..

@craigmontHunter -- Thanks very much for the info, but as I read the full article it only applies to activating an install over a "previous" version of Windows, while I need to install Windows over SAME version. I am sure Microsoft will activate my son's install because I have the proper Activation Key, as well as original Microsoft Store receipt. My concern is that my past experience (and what Microsoft is now telling me) is that the upgrade media won't install over the SAME version of Windows. I'm not sure about this, and will find out when my son receives the disks I mailed him --

I'm still very interested if anyone has used Windows upgrade media to do fresh install over SAME version of Windows on a T60/T61...

@RBS -- thanks, and no -- you don't sound too 'harsh' -- just very practical.

At this point it's kinda like a semi-noob leading a noob -- My son really prefers not to mail me his computer to me unless he has to, so we are at least going to try.
If we meet FAIL -- then he will have to mail it to me and I will muddle through...

I am extremely grateful for all the suggestions, as I am a senior citizen who doesn't learn new things easily -- I just keep trying and appreciate VERY MUCH this wonderful Forum and the expert advice I always receive.

If you look further down the article, it is how to do a clean install with upgrade media - aka you wipe out everything on the drive in the process (which i thought was the idea). if you want to keep everything on the disk, you may be SOL for most intents and purposes, unless there is a repair option when you boot up the install disk (I remember windows xp had that option, a clean install over an existing installation, keeping all non-windows files intact; however none of the installed programs would run - at that point I would reccomend a clean install).

I absolutely want a clean install -- I'm just hoping when he boots with his Windows disk it doesn't immediately tell him that he already has Windows 7 Ultimate and cannot use the disk because it is a Windows Ultimate upgrade disk -- I will follow the instructions you gave me, and when he receives the disks I mailed him, I will check back next week with the results -- keeping my fingers crossed.

@craigmontHunter -- this is the part of the article I was refering to:
"The methods described above will work for just about anyone and at least two of these methods are supported by Microsoft, if you're a valid, licensed owner of a previous Windows version. (Which is, of course, the assumption.)"

My concern is that I am not doing a fresh install over a "previous version", but rather over the same version. Guess I will find out when my son receives the disks and trys the format and install work around.

He might have to clean the existing installation from the malware first...before doing anything else...

http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/ ... 63355.html

Hello all,

Over the years I have had good luck using these procedures for removing spyware and such...

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407

Bruce

@ajkula66 -- Hi George. You may be right, but son saw the removal instructions I sent and asked if I could reinstall his OS, so I'm going to try that with him first. RBS suggested son mail machine to me, and if the malware has to be removed, son will have to do exactly that. I won't know until he gets the disks on Monday or Tuesday and has a chance to try to install the OS.

@brucehe -- thanks very much for the majorgeeks info -- I helped a neighbor remove 'Windows Security' from her PC earlier this year, and a combination of some of the programs mentionedby majorgeeks worked then. I will bookmark your info just in case.