Format or Clean the Virus

Have you computer ever been infected with virus or worm? What are your option when considering to remove the virus? Is it to format the system or remove the virus only? Which one do you prefer?

I have experienced with some of the virus and I have asked for opinion with other computer technician as well. Many of them answered "Format the computer and all the problem is solved”. What they said might be true but i believe some people disagree with them.

	Format System	Clean Virus
Difficulty	Easy. But sometimes difficult to find the driver.	Hard. Sometimes easy because already know how to remove the virus.
Knowledge	Yes. Need a little knowledge.	Yes. Need more knowledge about the system.
Data	All gone in one partition only.	Data is still intact.
Time Consumption	Maybe need more time if the computer have 128 Mb of RAM.	Maybe need more time if the virus is still new or stubborn to remove.
Price for fixed	Usually RM for student(in campus only) and RM 60-80 outside form campus	Don’t have price because people usually format the computer if have virus(es)
Tools needed	CD, computer driver	Software or application and maybe some cd.

Above are some reviews from experienced I have for working freelance at the campus as computer technician.

For me, I usually clean the virus from computer first then format the computer if it is worst than I expected it. Because most of the customers are student and they really need the computer as soon as possible plus all their data (assignment, thesis and etc) is in the same folder as the system (usually C:\).Some of them urge me to backup the data first before format the computer and still the price for backup he data is not charge because it is student rate (no charge at all).

With so many virus are running around in USB and internet so I urge people (customer), please update your anti virus regularly .