This guy should NOT be a tech….

[Naaman]

He definitely isn't as good as Dr. PC.

Hmmm, I kinda like him

I don't install AOL Internet access!

I don't install Norton Antivirus!

[clowninasack]

He has a snazzy spider-man shirt too.

[volatile]

Any tech, working as such, should have a second machine available for testing, specificially in case a second OS is needed. You can then slave the old drive out and scan it for virii or malware. (Actually, I've never attempted to remove a root kit myself, so I don't know if even *that* would work)

The fact that he did not install the drivers on the machine really shows his incompetence. It means he didn't even *attempt* to use the machine after blowing away all the customer data. I would bet money he doesn't even know what a root kit is, let alone what it does to a machine.

Like Pederson said, however, if the unit is infected with a root kit remote scanning will do no good. It may remove the known and obvious infections but the rootkit won't be removed. It is a good first step to scan remotely. After that, you'll have to hope that the OS is functional enough to attempt a removal of the rootkit.

[sld72382]

I do admit that sometimes you need to format for a virus, so long as you tell the client to back up their stuff first and to make sure all drivers/patches are installed. This may sound simple but like I said in my OP the so-called "tech" this woman dealt with didn't even do that.

BTW, about 2 weeks ago an email was sent out to all techs at my dept about a new virus that is yet another variation of those fake alert pests. They said "If someone calls in with this virus advise them we don't know a fix for it and they need to run a format and reload of windows." Translation: There IS a fix (2 of them, in fact) but because of the allowed software list not listing them we can't use them, and thus we have to play dumb and tell the client right away that they need to format after spending their hard-earned cash to get it removed.