Microsoft has released a Windows “Update” that is designed to remove software from your computer:
After the download, this tool runs once to check your computer for infection by specific, prevalent malicious software (including Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom) and helps to remove any infection found. If an infection is found, the tool will display a status report the next time you start your computer. A new version of the tool will be offered every month. If you want to manually run the tool on your computer, you can download a copy from the Microsoft Download Center or run an online version from microsoft.com. This tool is not a replacement for an anti-virus product. To help protect your computer, you should use an anti-virus product.
I see their intent behind this, but I still find it disturbing. Although some users don’t know how to determine what software is on their computer, I have no need for this tool. And yet it was still downloaded automatically and is considered a Critical “Update.”
Sept 16, 2005 Update Looks like Microsoft has created a new version of this tool.
Size: 400 KB
After the download, this tool runs once to check your computer for infection by specific, prevalent malicious software (including Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom) and helps to remove any infection found. If an infection is found, the tool will display a status report the next time you start your computer. A new version of the tool will be offered every month. If you want to manually run the tool on your computer, you can download a copy from the Microsoft Download Center or run an online version from microsoft.com. This tool is not a replacement for an anti-virus product. To help protect your computer, you should use an anti-virus product.
More information for this update can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/malwareremove
the full path is %windir%\system32\Mrt.exe
Delete (or rename) mrt.exe which can be found at \system32
This is a great tool. It you leave the computer on for more than an hour, it now slows right down & eventually crashes. Particularly if you leave the computer searching for a document etc or your antivirus software is scanning.
WORSE THAN THAT it has disabled my Kaspersky antivirus software from deleting known/dected viruses. KAV now reports the presence of a virus but viruses are left intact on the drive. You can’t rename, disinfect, delete them even when you tell KAV to do this manually. Everything was fine untill I downloaded the SODDING MICROSOFT tool as an update. The microsoft tool also disables real time scanning & keeps interfering with memory scanning. The FARCE is that with the Microsoft tool installed my computer has been laid open to all & every virus.
Download the Microsoft tool only if you wish to catch a virus!
The tool behaves very much like a virus. Maybe it should be added to the antivirus signature lists to prevent MICROSOFT from infecting computers. Really bloody marvellous! Even re-installing your antivirus software makes no difference. The MICROSOFT VIRUS still attacks Kaspersky & wrecks the operation of the computer.
THanks for the registry tip above. Will try that to see if it gets rid of the MICROSOFT MALICIOUS VIRUS that they have infected my machine with!
To “uninstall” kb890830, delete it from:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
After I ran this update my MCE2005 computer had a BSOD on every boot. I had to restore in safe-mode to a previous restore point. It appears that this software is not compatible with the fusion hdtv drivers?
MS please test your software before causing all of these problems. MCE should be simple just turn it on and it works. Like Replay TV or Tivo.