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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How do I boot Windows into Safe Mode?
2. How to use the Reach Recovery disk?
3. How to remove the System Tools virus?

 

Answers
1. To boot Windows into Safe Mode:
If not already shut down, shut down your computer. If this is not possible from within Windows, hold the Power-On/Off button for more than 3 seconds until the computer switches off.
Now identify the F8-key. It is located along the top row of keys on your keyboard. Switch on your computer again, and immediately and repeatedly start pressing the F8 key. It is not enough to just press the F8 key one, press it repeatedly. When successful, you will see a black screen with white letters. Along the top of the screen it will say "Advanced Boot Options".
Using the up and down cursor keys, move the white highlight bar to the top of the menu, so that you have highlighted the entry which says "Safe Mode". Now press the Enter key.
Windows will now boot into Safe Mode. Enter your password at the log-in screen.
The desktop will appear, but it will be showing a black background with rather large looking icons on your desktop. At the same time a window called "Windows Help and Support" will appear. You can close this window by clicking on the red cross in the top right hand corner of that window.
You can now work with your computer as normal, open and edit your Word documents, save work, even use memory sticks. What you cannot do is go on-line, use the Internet.

Safe Mode is a diagnostic mode which results in Windows only loading those bits that it absolutely needs to run. That is why it won't run networking, and hence you cannot access the Internet. Some hardware devices like cameras may not work either in Safe Mode. You can, however, carry on working on any Word documents.
2. To use the Reach Recovery disk:
The Reach Recovery disk allows you to reset your computer to the state it was in when we first delivered it to you. The following steps will destroy all data (including all files) on the machine so a backup of anything you wish to keep is necessary before proceeding.
The process will return all software and settings that were present when the machine was first supplied.

    Before attempting this please ensure:
    1. The machine is plugged into the mains and not running off battery
    2. Anything you wish saved (pictures, music, documents) are saved to either memory stick or disc
    3. You have the time to complete this. Typically this process can take up to an hour and must be left to finish. Failure to do so could leave you with an unbootable machine!
  1. Take your Reach Recovery CD, if you have not yet created one you can create one using the windows burn feature by clicking on "Create Reach Recovery Media" button on the Recovery menu.
  2. Insert your recovery media and restart your computer.
  3. The disc should start spinning shortly after restarting and after a short time you should be presented with a screen identical to the one below.
  4. Click next. It is quite normal for the disc to eject at this point, it may be removed and the disc tray shut again.
  5. Select the partition on the left hand side labelled "Reach Recovery" you may need to expand the "My Computer" icon by clicking on it if it is not viewable immediately. As in the figure below you should notice on the right hand side a backup along with the date it was created. If you cannot find a drive called Reach Recovery you can try opening the drives by clicking on them and looking for a folder called "Reach Recovery" - this is usually the case with laptops such as Toshiba, Asus or HP.
  6. Click next
  7. Select the largest drive for recovery (figure below), this is often labelled or Acer, although will vary dependant on your computer make.
  8. Click next
  9. The software should automatically select the correct drive for repair. You can if you wish confirm this (as in figure below) by checking the drive has been selected. Click next.
  10. Ensure that "Primary" is selected and click next.
  11. Select "No Thank You" and click next.
  12. Select "Do Not Replace" and click next.
  13. Select "Do Not Check At Reboot" and click next.
  14. The next screen shows a summary of the operations to be performed; you can review this if needed. When you are ready click finish. This will now begin the process of recovering your computer to the state in which it was originally supplied by Reach Data. This can take some considerable time so prepare for a wait.
  15. Once the operation has been successfully completed you will receive an alert (as in figure below). If there are any CDs/DVDs in the drive please remove them now and click OK now. You can now click finish to automatically reboot your machine.
    Note:
  • This action is irreversible and completely destructive and should be only attempted once all other methods of repair have been unsuccessful or if instructed by a member of Reach Data Technical Support. This will only work if the “Reach Recovery” is in place and unaltered. This is stored on a recovery partition on the hard drive and normally hidden from access. If the recovery partition or any files in the directory have been touched in any way this will render this process useless and you may be left with an unbootable machine.
3. To remove the System Tools virus:
  1. When infected by this virus, you will see screens like the one shown below.
    Close down any popup menus and icons resembling shields on screen and on the taskbar or on the right hand side near the clock (you may need to expand this by pressing the little triangle pointing upwards) by either pressing the red cross in the top right or by right clicking and choosing exit or close.
  2. Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware software. This free software will remove the “System Tool” virus from your computer.
    This can be downloaded from HERE (click on the blue Download button) .
  3. Run the software to install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. This can be done by clicking on the “Run” option when you first selected to download the software or by browsing to the relevant directory in which it was saved and running directly.
  4. The software can be installed very easily and quickly by following the on screen prompts (typically; Ok, Next, “I Accept”, Next, Next, Next, Next, Next, Install). At the end of your installation you will want to leave the ticks in both boxes to allow the program to auto update and run. It will then download and run any updates and prompt when this has completed.
  5. You will be presented by the screen shown in the figure below, please leave the tick in “Perform Quick Scan” and press the scan button.
  6. The scan will now perform as shown in the figure below.
  7. Once the scan has completed you should hopefully be shown a prompt alerting you that infected files have been detected (should you not you may need to restart the process enabling all “System Tools” windows are closed as per step one, or by running the “Perform Full Scan”) Clicking on the “Ok” button and then followed by the “Show Results” button will take you to the results screen as shown in the figure below.
  8. On the results screen you should ensure there is a tick in all the items shown and press the “Remove Selected” button. It is possible that as part of the removal process that the software needs to restart your computer.
  9. If presented with the prompt please press “Yes” to restart.
Once this has been completed and the system restarted Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can be removed. We advise a full virus scan using a fully updated anti-virus scanner as soon as possible. It is important that only one anti-virus scanner be installed and running. If you do not have on the only free one we recommend presently is Microsoft Security Essentials. This can come as an optional update or downloaded directly from Microsoft HERE (click on the blue Download Now button).