Remove viruses from Windows PC with Ubuntu Live USB

Your Windows computer is infected with a virus or worse, you can't even start it. If you own a CD or Ubuntu Live USB, you can use it to clean your PC and try to recover Windows.

Every Microsoft Windows user knows how easily the operating system is vulnerable to malware and viruses. If your Windows PC is infected with a virus, there are several ways to 'clean up' the PC.

If Windows can boot, at least you have the opportunity to launch your favorite antivirus program and start cleaning. But, what if the virus infection is so serious that Windows cannot boot? Your entire private data is at risk.

In this guide, Quantrimang.com will show you how to clean your Windows computer from infected viruses by using a CD or Ubuntu Live USB and ClamAV antivirus software. ClamAV is a free and open source antivirus program that can be used on Ubuntu.

If you have a CD or Ubuntu Live USB, you can use it to clean your Windows PC. In case you don't have one, you can create such a tool by following the instructions in the article: How to create a Live USB or ReactOS CD.

Remove viruses from Windows PC with Ubuntu Live USB

Before you begin, make sure that you have changed the BIOS settings on your computer to boot from USB or CD first. Now, start by inserting the Ubuntu Live drive (USB or CD) into the computer and then turning on the power.

Step 1 : When the Ubuntu Install window appears, select the 'Try Ubuntu' option.

Picture 1 of Remove viruses from Windows PC with Ubuntu Live USB

Step 2 : When the live Ubuntu session starts successfully, open a terminal and use the following command to update the Ubuntu repository.

 sudo apt update 

Picture 2 of Remove viruses from Windows PC with Ubuntu Live USB

Step 3 : To install ClamAV antivirus software on Ubuntu, you can use the following command:

 sudo apt install clamav 

Picture 3 of Remove viruses from Windows PC with Ubuntu Live USB

Step 4 : After the ClamAV antivirus software is installed successfully, you need to know the location of the Windows drive to perform the scan. You can find your Windows drive location by opening Ubuntu File Explorer and searching for Windows drive.

Picture 4 of Remove viruses from Windows PC with Ubuntu Live USB

Step 5 : After locating the Windows drive, right-click on the tab named Windows drive from the top panel in File Explorer and select the Properties option .

Picture 5 of Remove viruses from Windows PC with Ubuntu Live USB

Step 6 : When the Properties window opens successfully, get the path and the drive letter from here, as you can see in the screenshot below.

Picture 6 of Remove viruses from Windows PC with Ubuntu Live USB

Step 7 : Now go back to the terminal, look for the Windows drive path, as shown in the screenshot below.

Picture 7 of Remove viruses from Windows PC with Ubuntu Live USB

Step 8 : Next, you can start scanning your Windows drive with the following command:

 clamscan -r --bell -i WIN_DRIVE_PATH 

The previous ClamAV scan command means searching for all infected files and giving notice when found.

Picture 8 of Remove viruses from Windows PC with Ubuntu Live USB

After the ClamAV scan command finishes successfully, you will get a summary of the scanning process, as you can see in the screenshot above.

Here are some ClamAV scan options:

1. -r - Optionally perform recursive scans.
2. –Exclude = .avi - The option to exclude a set pattern to skip things like videos or music files.
3. –Scan-mail = yes / no - Option to include mail files found during system scan.
4. –Remove = yes / no - Option to delete all scanned files or not. Be careful when using this option!

Step 9: To know more about the ClamAV scanning options, use the next command.

 clamscan --help 

Picture 9 of Remove viruses from Windows PC with Ubuntu Live USB

Hope you enjoy cleaning up your Windows system with Ubuntu Live USB.

Hope you are succesful.