I recently had my PC hacked, so I decided to do a factory reset. However, after going through the setup and reaching the home screen, I found that all my previous games and apps had redownloaded. I'm worried this means the malware might still be on there. How can I prevent my PC from redownloading these apps?
4 Answers
To ensure a clean slate, you should use the Windows installation tool on a USB drive. Boot from that USB and reinstall Windows cleanly. This way, you won't carry over any previous apps or potentially harmful software.
Consider doing a clean install of Windows if you want to be totally sure all remnants of the malware are gone. Just be wary of your system requirements and whether your laptop has the necessary specs and activation key.
It might be as simple as just resetting your PC again, but make sure you select the option to remove everything completely.
When you say you did a "factory reset," what method did you use? It's important to clarify whether it was a full wipe or something less intensive. Also, are you using a desktop or laptop?
I used the reset option in Windows to wipe everything, and it’s a laptop.