Choosing between a full reimage and a targeted repair for a stubborn malware case

Had a client last week with a machine so bogged down by adware it was barely usable. The choice was spending maybe 4 hours on a deep, targeted cleanup or just doing a fresh Windows install from our USB drive. I went with the full reimage to be absolutely sure, and it took about 90 minutes start to finish. The client was happy with the speed, but I'm wondering if I should have tried the longer fix to save their files and settings. What's your usual cutoff point for deciding to just wipe and reload?

2 comments

2 Comments

anderson.mia24d ago

Honestly, that 90 minute reimage was the right call. Once a machine gets that far gone, you can never be sure you got every trace of malware with a cleanup. Saving a few hours of work isn't worth the risk of the problem coming back. A clean slate is just more reliable for the client in the long run.

king.aaron24d ago

Totally agree, saves so much trouble later.