All of us must have struggled with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and the unloved orphan child Windows 8 problems at one time or another. In fact, we are still struggling with the problems of Windows 10 and Windows 11, which is a newborn baby, from time to time.
However, our topic today is Windows versions before Windows 8.1. Remember that bug sound that almost everyone hates? What about the sudden blue screens and pixelated text? Here we are with a program that will cure the problems of Windows users who are still experiencing these problems and who do not give up on the past or cannot give up on necessity.
Some of us are familiar with this program. So what is Combofix for those who don’t know?
ComboFix is a program created by sUBs that scans your computer for known malware and automatically tries to remove it when found. In addition to being able to remove most of the most common and current malware, ComboFix also displays a report that can be used by trained helpers to remove malware that is not automatically removed by the program.
Currently, ComboFix can only run on the following Windows versions:
- Windows XP (32-bit only)
- Windows Vista (32-bit/64-bit)
- Windows 7 (32-bit/64-bit)
- Windows 8 (32-bit/64-bit)
In which situations is Combofix used?
As we mentioned above, ComboFix is a program prepared by sUBs that tries to automatically clean your computer after scanning your computer for malware, which is dangerous software.
You should not operate ComboFix unless specifically requested by a helper, expert or service person. Also, due to the power of this program, it is highly recommended that you do not attempt to act on any information displayed by ComboFix without the supervision of a properly trained person. If you try to use Comfix on your own, it may cause problems with the normal functioning of your computer. It should also be noted that when you run ComboFix, it will automatically delete files from the following locations:
- Recycle bin
- Temporary internet files
- Temporary folders.
If you store files that you want to keep in one of these locations, it is recommended that you move them to a more secure location rather than relying on the temporary storage locations above.
Remember, using Combofix is entirely at your own risk.
Now that we have made the necessary warnings… How to use Combofix?
Step #1: Download Combofix from here: https://www. bleepingcomputer. com/download/combofix/
Step #2: When you download the file, a warning like the one below will appear. Click the Save button.
Step #3: When it asks where to save as below, make sure you save it directly to your Windows desktop.
Step #4: ComboFix. When you set the save as screen to save the exe to your desktop, click the save button. ComboFix will now start downloading to your computer.
Step #5: We are almost ready to launch ComboFix, but before we do that, we need to take some preventative measures to avoid conflicts with other programs when running ComboFix. At this point you should close all open windows and double-click the ComboFix icon on your desktop. Please note that after starting ComboFix you should not click anywhere in the ComboFix window as this may cause the program to stop. In fact, never touch your computer while ComboFix is running. The scan may take some time, so please be patient.
Step #6: Combofix. Double click the exe file. You will then be greeted with a warning similar to this one.
Step #7: Windows is showing this prompt because ComboFix has no digital signature. This is completely normal and safe and you can click the Run button to continue. If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7 and you get a UAC prompt asking if you want to continue running the program, you should click the Yes button.
After clicking the Run button you will see the ComboFix disclaimer screen as shown below.
Step #8: Click the I agree button to read and approve the user agreement.
After confirming the user agreement, ComboFix will be installed on your computer. Once complete, you will see a blue screen as shown below.
Step #9: ComboFix is almost running. Once complete, ComboFix will automatically attempt to create a System Restore Point, so if any problems occur while using the program, you can revert to your previous settings. Once ComboFix has finished creating the restore point, it will back up your Windows Registry as shown in the image below.
Step #10: When the Windows Registry has finished backing up, ComboFix tries to detect whether the Windows Recovery Console is installed. If you already have it installed, you can skip to this section and continue reading. Otherwise, you will see the following message as shown below:
Step #11: Click Yes to continue ComboFix in the message box above. Please follow the steps and instructions provided by ComboFix to complete the Recovery Console installation. After the installation is complete, you will see the screen shown below.
Step #12: Now press Yes to continue. If at any time during the Recovery Console installation you get a message that it failed to load, allow ComboFix to continue scanning your computer. When the process is complete and a log is created, you can perform a manual installation of the Recovery Console using the steps in the Manually install Windows Recovery Console section. ComboFix will now disconnect your computer from the internet, so don’t be surprised or worried if you get any warning that you’re no longer online. When ComboFix is finished, it will automatically restore your internet connection. ComboFix will now start scanning your computer for known threats. This may take some time, so you have to be patient.
Step #13: The program will change your time format as it scans your computer, so don’t worry when you see this happen. When ComboFix is finished, it will restore your watch settings to their previous settings. You will also notice that the text in the ComboFix window is updated as you go through the various stages of its scan. An example of this can be seen below.
Note: This step may take until you see Stage_50. You must be patient.
Step #14: When ComboFix finishes working, you will see a screen stating that it has prepared the log report as shown below.
Step #15: If you see your Windows desktop disappearing, don’t worry. This is normal and ComboFix will restore your desktop before it finishes. Finally, the log file or report of the programs, indicating that the program is about to finish, is located in C:ComboFix. You will see a warning like the one below stating that it will be located in txt
Step #16: When ComboFix is finished, it will automatically close the program and restore your watch to its original format. It will then automatically show the log file for you as shown below.
You should now post this log in response to the thread where you were asked to run Combofix. The helper will now analyze this log and let you know what they want you to do next. If you are having trouble connecting to the internet after running Combofix, please restore the internet connection manually. ComboFix may have resolved the issues you were experiencing, even on your first run. We recommend that you post your session on the topic you’re getting help from, as there are likely to be infections left that your helper will need to analyze further.
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