If I restore my PC to "factory" condition....

[cmm912]

Hi, I have become infected with Virut, and from all I have read it is a lost cause. I have a Dell PC, with Windows XP, SP3, and was wondering if I restore my PC to "factory" condition (if I can even do that, considering Virut seems to be everywhere, even safe mode), will this effectively remove all traces of Virut?

[Allan]

Unless you have a boot sector virus, yes - a factory restore will work for you.

[cmm912]

Please forgive my ignorance, but how would I know if I had a boot sector virus?  Is it something obvious?

[Allan]

No, but in the scheme of things they are fairly rare (at least they used to be - recently there have been a rash of them). The likelihood is that it is NOT a boot sector virus - and if you're sure the offending malware is VIRUT then it is definitely not a boot sector virus.

[program not responding]

The system restore is worth it! I had a  bad virus and did it. I am glad I did. My computer runs like new.
It takes a few hours to back up your programs and data and reinstall everything, but it is good stuff to know about.
Here is some good links: http://tweakhound.com/xp/installxp/installXP1.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_5666133_transfer-favorites-one-computer-another.html
http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_move_my_outlook_express_folders_to_my_new_machine.html
Good luck!
Mike