How to Manually Run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool

What is the Malicious Software Removal Tool?

In early 2005, Microsoft started releasing a software product called the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool. Its a monthly update released on the second Tuesday of each month (Patch Tuesday) to help scan user's computers and remove viruses and malware. MRT uses a signature database they update on a monthly basis. Because this database does not have virus signatures and patterns for EVERY virus in the wild, its meant to just help prevent the infection and spread of the most prevalent issues. For this reason, you should still run antivirus software on your computer even though the Malicious Software Removal Tool is being run on your computer.

Normally, this removal tool is downloaded via Windows Update and runs silently in the background to check for infections on the computer. It runs a quickscan for the worst infections, but what if you would like to use the removal tool to run a more thorough scan of your computer. We'll show you how to manually start the MSRT and how to run a thorough scan for problems.

How to Run the Malicious Software Removal Tool Manually

Follow the steps below to open MSRT and change the default settings.

1) Click on Start, Run
2) Type MRT and Press Enter
3) You'll be presented with the grey background screen, click on the Next button
4) Normally, the removal tool runs the Quick Scan, but for more thorough results, choose FULL SCAN and click Next
5) Now the Malicious Software Removal Tool will scan your entire hard drive for infections and problems.

6) Once the scan is completed, you should see the following screen if your computer is free of infection.
7) If you click on the View Detailed Results of the Scan option on the Results page you should see which viruses, worms, and trojans the removal tool scanned for and if an infection was found.

8) Click Finish on the Scan Results page to exit the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool

Log File Results

Whether you manually run the removal tool or it runs automatically when downloaded from Windows Updates, you may want to view the scan results log to see what it scanned for and what it found. The log file (mrt.log) will be found in the Windows\Debug folder. If you are running Windows XP or Windows Vista, this file is probably located at

c:\windows\debug\mrt.log

Follow the instructions below to open it.

1) Click on Start, Run
2) Type the following and Press Enter

notepad c:\windows\debug\mrt.log

3) The log file will open in Windows Notepad. Each scan will log its results in the file. If you had an infected file, you will see something like the following in the log file.


Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool v1.33, September 2007
Started On Sat Sep 15 21:41:52 2007

Extended Scan Results
----------------
->Scan ERROR: resource file://C:\pagefile.sys (code 0x00000020 (32))
Found virus: Backdoor:Win32/Nuwar.B!ini in file://C:\Documents and Settings\Mark\spooldr.ini
Found virus: Backdoor:Win32/Nuwar.B!ini in file://C:\Documents and Settings\Mark\Desktop\Virus Info\spooldr.ini
Found virus: Trojan:Win32/Tibs.DC in file://C:\System Volume Information\_restore{3C8729AD-DC07-4E82-8FC5-363FFE9EB86D}\RP14\A0020913.exe

4) Click on the X in the upper right corner to close Notepad

More InformationFor more information on the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool visit

A. HERE

How to Fix Common Windows Problems

As PC sales continue to climb year by year, it is in your best interest to be equipped with basic knowledge in how to fix your computer. Here are some of the most common problems found when using a PC:

Virus, Spyware, Malware

Virus attacks are one of the most common problems to plague a PC. According to sources, there are in fact millions of computer viruses created with newer versions coming out every minute. To disinfect a PC from a virus attack, all you need to do is to install and run a virus scanner. It is highly recommended that you have a virus scanner installed at all time. Always set it on auto update to get the latest virus definitions. Examples of virus scanners that you can get off the market are AVG and McAfee.

Spyware and malware on the other hand requires another type solution - a spyware and malware scanner and cleaner. Always scan your PC for spyware and set your browser to a higher security level. Try using other types of browser such as Firefox and Opera. Internet Explorer on the other hand is more susceptible to a spyware attack. If possible, try installing a firewall on your PC as well. These software can be easily downloaded from Download.com.

Windows Crashed and hard disk failure

Windows crashing is also another most common problem found on a PC. Windows is not the most reliable operating system available in the market. Because of widespread usage, many people rely on Windows to perform daily tasks. If your Windows crashed, try rebooting the PC. And if it hangs during reboot, try using Windows Safe Mode by pressing F8 during restart. When you are in the Safe Mode, disable or uninstall any software that you might think is the cause of the problem. If the problem still persists, restart the PC and insert the Windows installer CD. Get to the command prompt and run a scandisk. Running scandisk will help you recover any bad sectors on your hard disk. This might be another cause for your Windows crashing. Scandisk can also be used to recover corrupted data. If this doesn't work, try reformatting your hard disk and reinstall Windows.

Components not functioning

The computer is made up of multiple components. Examples of external components are the mouse, keyboard, speakers, microphone and the monitor. If one of these components is not functioning try checking the connections such as the cables connecting to it. If you are using wireless, simply check whether there's any wireless connection between the components. Sometimes a good bang does help in solving your problem. If you notice that your components are not receiving power, it is possible that the parts are faulty. Head to your computer store and get a replacement unit.

No network

As more and more computers are getting connected into a network, there is also a problem where a computer can't get online. Check whether your network cable is securely inserted into the network port. Also, check the cable to see whether it is faulty or not. Try using another network cable to test this. If you find no fault with the cable, check whether the network card is blinking or not. If it is not blinking you might have a faulty network card problem. If it is blinking then it might be a software problem. Check whether the driver for the network card is properly installed. If it is, then go to the command prompt and type ipconfig /release and then ipconfig / renew. This should probably work. If it doesn't, try calling your helpdesk for extra help - it might be something wrong with the server.

Weird whirling noise

A whirling noise might be caused by the fan in your PC. Fans and heat sinks are necessary to keep your computer from overheating. If you do hear a whirling noise, try checking the fans in your PC. Replace any fan that is faulty. It is important that you replace it at once, because an overheating PC will most likely stop functioning.

PC failed to boot up or boots up without display with the fan running

Most likely the computer's internal components are no longer functioning. If the PC boots up with the fan running with no display, this means your processor is no longer working. At times this might be due to the hard disk, or any drives connecting to the PC. Try unplugging all the disk drives and reboot your PC. If your PC still behaves the same, I recommend that you get a replacement.

The famous blue screen and PC reboot unexpectedly

This is another common problem affecting Windows user. A blue screen might be caused by poorly installed drivers or software. Try uninstalling some of the latest software that you have installed. Updating your Windows with the latest Service Pack might help and run scandisk as well. If this doesn't help, try reinstalling Windows.

Last piece of advice, always use original software especially for Windows. An original software user will get proper support as well as the latest updates from your software vendor. It is less likely for an original copy of Windows to fail compared to a pirated version. Try it today!

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1. KNOW ALL THE PC SECRETS AND STOP BEING CONFUSED WITH YOUR PC, DOWNLOAD THE PACK HERE .
2. GET FOR YOURSELF THE SIMPLE FIX GUIDE FROM HERE FOR ALL PC PROBLEMS AND STOP BEING FRUSTRATED WITH PC PROBLEMS.
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How to stop or kill a process in Windows XP or Vista

Kill, Terminate or Stop a Windows Unresponsive, Hanged or Frozen Application or Process

There are a lot of buggy and error prone programs and applications for Windows operating system that may cause your system, desktop or application itself to behave strangely. Beside, the program may be not responding too. Sometimes in worse case, an application may have memory leak where used memory are not released to other purpose, and uses up all available CPU or system resource, causing system to unresponsive or freeze, and simply hang up on you. In this situation, it's possible to stop or end the not responding application or process by using Windows Task Manager.

Use Windows Task Manager To kill, terminate, stop or end an unresponsive or hanged application:

Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete keys simultaneously in Windows XP or Ctrl-Alt-Esc in Windows Vista, and then click on Task Manager.

Alternatively, right click on taskbar and select Task Manager. You can also start Task Manager by manually starting "taskmgr" from Run command in Start Menu.

In the Windows Task Manager window, locate and select (highlight) the application or program that's not responding.

If your system is crawling and extremely slow in responding, you may also check out for services or processes that using too much CPU resources or memory resources.

Click on End Task.

A Task Manager Warning dialog saying "Terminating a process can cause undesired results including loss of data and system instability. The process will not be given the chance to save its state or data before it is terminated. Are you sure you want to terminate the process?" will appear. Confirm the process by clicking on OK or End Now.

It's advised not to stop a system process. Stopping a system process can cause the computer to hang or freeze up.

How to use Task Manager Help

Everything that you might want to know about Task Manager is included in the Task Manager Help file. Some of the help topics are intended for a general audience. Other topics are intended for a more advanced audience. To view the Task Manager Help file, follow these steps:

Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, and then click Task Manager.
In Task Manager, click Help, and then click Task Manager Help Topics.
In the "Task Manager overview" topic, you can read about the features and uses of Task Manager by clicking the following topics and reading the topic and all related topics:
Programs that are running
Processes that are running
Performance measures

How to monitor your computer's performance

Click the Performance tab to view a dynamic overview of the performance of your computer. This includes the following measures:

Graphs for CPU and memory usage
The total number of handles, threads, and processes that are running
Handles are unique identifiers that allow a program to access system resources such as files, registry keys, fonts, and bitmaps. Threads are objects within processes that run program instructions.
The total number of kilobytes (KB) that are used for physical, kernel, and commit memory
Note Your system administrator may have implemented a local policy on your computer to disable Task Manager. In this scenario, you should contact the system administrator or your help desk if you need local process control or the ability to monitor the computer's performance.

"Say goodbye to frequent Windows freezes and restarts. Faster boot ups and more productivity with a faster accelerated system. Get PC Booster Now!

Learn more: ABOUT THE SECRETS OF COMPUTER HERETHE THREE BASIC STEPS AND GUIDES TO TOTAL AND COMPLETE PC OPTIMIZATION ARE:
1. KNOW ALL THE PC SECRETS AND STOP BEING CONFUSED WITH YOUR PC, DOWNLOAD THE PACK HERE .
2. GET FOR YOURSELF THE SIMPLE FIX GUIDE FROM HERE FOR ALL PC PROBLEMS AND STOP BEING FRUSTRATED WITH PC PROBLEMS.
3. THEN SPEED UP THE PC USING THIS GUIDE .