I've been dealing with some suspicious activity on my Windows PC, including unexpected processes and unusual network traffic. I also discovered that someone accessed my Google account despite 2FA. Now, I want to install Arch Linux on this machine but I'm concerned about the malware lingering around. If I overwrite the Windows partition with Arch, will that be enough to get rid of the malware? Do I need to take further steps like reflashing the firmware?
4 Answers
Using the entire disk for the Linux installation will wipe it clean, effectively removing any Windows malware. You might also want to prepare a USB stick with the Arch ISO using Ventoy, which makes it easy to select and boot from different ISOs. Just be aware that wiping the disk will delete all your data, so back up anything important first!
Overwriting the partition should be sufficient to remove Windows malware. Most malware is designed to run on Windows specifically, so it's pretty rare for it to affect Linux systems. Still, make sure to do a clean install and back up any important data first!
One way to go about it is using Ventoy to create a USB stick with the Arch ISO. This lets you drag and drop ISOs easily. Once booted, you can start installing Arch. Just remember, if you are opting for a wipe, all your existing files will be erased, so back everything up before you proceed!
If you're serious about installing Arch, check out the Arch Installation Guide for detailed steps. It's a good idea to back up any personal files beforehand since the installation will format the drive. Plus, if you want an easier start with Linux, consider other distros like Mint or Ubuntu, as Arch can be a bit challenging for newcomers.
Related Questions
How To Get Your Domain Unblocked From Facebook
How To Find A String In a Directory of Files Using Linux