Yes, some rootkits can be eliminated by reformatting the drive and installing the operating system from a USB drive.
Yes, some rootkits can be eliminated by reformatting the drive and installing the operating system from a USB drive.
Rootkits or malware might resist a full disk format or wipe, but they can still hide in system files. If removal isn’t possible, you’ll need specialized tools or forensic methods to uncover and eliminate them.
Here are some top Rootkit removal solutions focused on detecting boot sectors, kernel-level rootkits, and related threats.
I haven't encountered a deeply embedded rootkit this complex in 22 years of Windows use. Consider using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware? TDDS Killer? HitmanPro? Current antivirus solutions? If you're not confident, perform a Secure Erase on the drive. Parted Magic works well as a Linux tool for this purpose.
This could be incorrect, but I'm fairly certain a standard setup doesn't eliminate "hidden" partitions. Those have to be cleared during the Windows installation, and yes, this should actually wipe everything from the drive—there might be alternative methods, but the main idea is that hidden partitions are something you need to address.