Question Computer infected with Trojan, how to save my personal data files?

[Bountyfresh]

I’m reformatting my infected drive, but I’m concerned that the infection may have spread to my personal media and documents on my external drive. After I reformat my main drive, how can I safely scan all of the files on my external drive to ensure they’re not infected? The mentioned files are word documents, pictures and videos, various project files for audio and video editing, and PDFs. Thanks.

 

[USAFRet]

I’m reformatting my infected drive, but I’m concerned that the infection may have spread to my personal media and documents on my external drive. After I reformat my main drive, how can I safely scan all of the files on my external drive to ensure they’re not infected? The mentioned files are word documents, pictures and videos, various project files for audio and video editing, and PDFs. Thanks.

Save your personal files off to some other location.
Large flash drive or whatever.

Then, format ALL drives in the system.

With your personal files on this other device, you can scan that all by itself.

 

[Bountyfresh]

Save your personal files off to some other location.
Large flash drive or whatever.

Then, format ALL drives in the system.

With your personal files on this other device, you can scan that all by itself.

I’m a bit confused. Are you saying I should copy all my files from my external drive to a flash drive, and then format my internal drives and the external drive? If the data on my external is infected, how does transfering that infected data to a flash drive help me? Let me know if I’ve misunderstood please

 

[USAFRet]

I’m a bit confused. Are you saying I should copy all my files from my external drive to a flash drive, and then format my internal drives and the external drive? If the data on my external is infected, how does transfering that infected data to a flash drive help me? Let me know if I’ve misunderstood please

It isolates your personal files from whatever else may be on the other drives, including the external.

Some of your personal files may well be infected, but they will be isolated and easier to check.

 

[Bountyfresh]

It isolates your personal files from whatever else may be on the other drives, including the external.

Some of your personal files may well be infected, but they will be isolated and easier to check.

It isolates your personal files from whatever else may be on the other drives, including the external.

Some of your personal files may well be infected, but they will be isolated and easier to check.

Ok, and using another external drive is ok for my personal files? Or does it have to be a flash drive?

Also, once I’ve completed that do I just reconnect said device to my reformatted computer and scan with defender and malware bytes?

 

[USAFRet]

Ok, and using another external drive is ok for my personal files? Or does it have to be a flash drive?

Also, once I’ve completed that do I just reconnect said device to my reformatted computer and scan with defender and malware bytes?

Any external thing.

I'd consider scanning that external thing before connecting it to the new install.