It's also a teaching aid. Teaches the ****s to back up their data. When people ask me to fix their computers I say no problem. Backed up your data? No? Tough ****, you've lost it. Re-install OS. Learn your ****in lesson. It's YOUR data. Look after it. If you're too ****in dumb to back up what's important to you then you're too ****in dumb to be allowed a computer.
Install VMware on your PC. Or if you have linux on yours use that. Put the hdd thats effected into a docking station, boot into your VMware/Linux, connect the docking station, get important files off the HDD (VMware will stop the virus spreading to your pc). Put HDD back into his PC, download ultimatebootcd, run DBAN (daricks boot and nuke), wipe it clean with as many passes as you can, reinstall OS, put back into docking station, put files back on. OR Download ubunto 11.04 live cd, boot into that, go to the hdd, get files that he wants to keep, put them on the flash drive, then DBAN the hdd. Sorted.
Got rid of it and managed to clean up most of the damage done manually and in safe mode. Turns out the reason I couldn't see any files or folders is because it had made every single one a "protected operating system file". Found a utility to undo that and another that repairs dodgy registry changes. He's happy now he can see his accounts and emails.
£60 (he insisted and thrust it into my hands) and a steak dinner tomorrow, all hail the Russian Mafia.
