A while ago, my dad's laptop got hit by a serious trojan that made it unusable. Even after reinstalling the operating system, it seemed like the trojan was still there. Now we're wondering if the hard drive itself poses a risk since it was connected to the infected laptop. If it does, what's the safest way to recover the files from that hard drive?
4 Answers
If you're feeling anxious, grab the drive and use a second computer with strong antivirus software. Connect the drive externally just for file recovery, then immediately erase it. Just be cautious, as infected files can potentially bring malware back.
Yes, it’s possible for an infected hard drive to be a threat, but it's not super likely if you've done a full reinstall. Still, if you're really concerned, the safest bet is to avoid using it directly with your new setup.
Reinstalling the OS might not be enough to get rid of certain malware. If you're worried about reinfection, consider reflashing the BIOS, since some viruses can hide there. Also, when you reinstall Windows, make sure to completely format the drive instead of just using the refresh option to ensure you're starting fresh.
An infected hard drive can be risky. Just plugging it in might not automatically spread malware, but in the past, certain setups could trigger issues. Always be careful with old devices that may contain malware.
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