Back ups and malware

[Payntrain]

You can not just back up a drive and reinstall windows if there are malware on the drive you are trying to back up correct? The malware will still be there? If this is true and the amount of viruses on a pc are not worth the time, how can you back up files with malware on the drive? Do you scan files before backing up? What is the best method in this case?
Thanks so much!

 

[USAFRet]

You can not just back up a drive and reinstall windows if there are malware on the drive you are trying to back up correct? The malware will still be there? If this is true and the amount of viruses on a pc are not worth the time, how can you back up files with malware on the drive? Do you scan files before backing up? What is the best method in this case?
Thanks so much!

If the malware exists when you make the backup, it will be there when you use that backup.
This is why you make backups/images before the system gets infected.

 

[Payntrain]

so if this is the case my options are too fight through all the malware, lose everything and restart or see if system restore image is available correct?

 

[USAFRet]

so if this is the case my options are too fight through all the malware, lose everything and restart or see if system restore image is available correct?

Correct. An image would have to have been made before the malware happened. Otherwise, it is just as screwed as your system is now.