Backing up data on an infected Windows computer

You should make regular backups of your data as part of your standard procedures. However, if you have not got full backups, and a virus has infected your computer, you can still back this data up. Take great care when recovering this data from your backups.

These instructions use a CD as an example. However you could also use a DVD, Zip drive, USB drive or card, or even a tape backup.

What to do

Windows XP includes CD writing software. For other operating systems you must follow the CD writer manufacturer's instructions on burning a CD.

Note: If you have a VMWare 'My Virtual Machines' folder within the My Documents/Documents folder, exclude this from your backup. It is likely to be huge.

Windows NT/2000/XP/2003

Folders to copy:

• C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\
• Other folders that you know contain useful data.

You might also want to backup:

• User Profiles (see Windows Help for details).

Windows Vista

Folders to copy:

• C:\Users\<username>\Documents\
• Other folders that you know contain useful data.

You might also want to backup:

• User Profiles (see Windows Help for details).

Windows 95/98/Me

• C:\My Documents
• Other folders that you know contain useful data.

Recovering data from your backups

Before recovering data from the CD, scan the whole CD including archive files.

Right-click scan folders or files before copying them over. If a folder contains infected files, right-click scan the files before transferring them individually.