David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool helps remove specific, prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, or Windows XP.
Microsoft released the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool to help remove specific prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, or Windows XP. After you download the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, the tool runs one time to check your computer for infection by specific prevalent malicious software (including Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom) and helps remove any infection it finds. Microsoft releases a new version of the tool every month.
In compliance with the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy, the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) will no longer be offered to or supported on Windows 2000-based systems after July 13, 2010. This date coincides with the end of the Extended Support phase for Windows 2000. For more information about the Support Lifecycle policy, please visit the following Microsoft website: Please Verify your Location
This article contains information about how the tool differs from an antivirus product, how you can download and run the tool, and what happens when the tool finds malicious software on your computer. The advanced user section includes information for the IT administrator and additional information about how to manage and run the Malicious Software Removal Tool.
How the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool differs from an antivirus product
The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool does not replace an antivirus product. It is strictly a post-infection removal tool. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you install and use an up-to-date antivirus product.
The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool differs from an antivirus product in three key ways:
Note The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool focuses on the detection and removal of malicious software such as viruses, worms, and Trojan horses only. It does not remove spyware. However, you can use Windows Defender or Windows Security Essentials to detect and remove spyware.
You do not have to disable or remove your antivirus program when you install the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool. However, if prevalent, malicious software has infected your computer, the antivirus program may detect this malicious software and may prevent the removal tool from removing it when the removal tool runs. In this case, you can use your antivirus program to remove the malicious software.
Because the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool does not contain a virus or a worm, the removal tool alone should not trigger your antivirus program. However, if malicious software infected the computer before you installed an up-to-date antivirus program, your antivirus program may not detect this malicious software until the tool tries to remove it.
How to download and run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool
You can download and run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool if your computer is running Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, or Windows XP.
Note You cannot download and run the tool if you are running Microsoft Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0.
The easiest way to download and run the tool is to turn on Automatic Updates. Turning on Automatic Updates guarantees that you receive the tool automatically every month. If you have Automatic Updates turned on, you have already been receiving new versions of this tool monthly. The tool runs in quiet mode unless it finds an infection. If you have not been notified of an infection, no malicious software has been found that needs your attention.
When the Malicious Software Removal Tool detects malicious software
The Malicious Software Removal Tool runs in quiet mode. If it detects malicious software on your computer, the next time that you log on to your computer as a computer administrator, a balloon will appear in the notification area to make you aware of the detection.
Performing a full scan
If the tool finds malicious software, you may be prompted to perform a full scan. We recommend that you perform this scan. A full scan performs a quick scan and then a full scan of the computer, regardless of whether malicious software is found during the quick scan. This scan can take several hours to complete because it will scan all fixed and removable drives. However, mapped network drives will not be scanned.
Removing malicious files
If malicious software has modified (infected) files on your computer, the tool prompts you to remove the malicious software from those files. If the malicious software modified your browser settings, your homepage may be changed automatically to a page that gives you directions on how to restore these settings.
You can clean specific files or all the infected files that the tool finds. Be aware that some data loss is possible during this process. Also, be aware that the tool may be unable to restore some files to the original, pre-infection state.
The removal tool may request that you restart your computer to complete the removal of some malicious software, or it may prompt you to perform manual steps to complete the removal of the malicious software. To complete the removal, you should use an up-to-date antivirus product.
Reporting infection information to Microsoft
The Malicious Software Removal Tool will send basic information to Microsoft if the tool detects malicious software or finds an error. This information will be used for tracking virus prevalence. No identifiable personal information that is related to you or to the computer is sent together with this report.
Microsoft Download Center
You can manually download the Malicious Software Removal Tool from the Microsoft Download Center. The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
For 32-bit x86-based systems:
Download the x86 MSRT package now.
For 64-bit x64-based systems:
Download the x64 MSRT package now.
The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool helps remove specific, prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, or Windows XP.
Microsoft released the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool to help remove specific prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, or Windows XP. After you download the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, the tool runs one time to check your computer for infection by specific prevalent malicious software (including Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom) and helps remove any infection it finds. Microsoft releases a new version of the tool every month.
In compliance with the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy, the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) will no longer be offered to or supported on Windows 2000-based systems after July 13, 2010. This date coincides with the end of the Extended Support phase for Windows 2000. For more information about the Support Lifecycle policy, please visit the following Microsoft website: Please Verify your Location
This article contains information about how the tool differs from an antivirus product, how you can download and run the tool, and what happens when the tool finds malicious software on your computer. The advanced user section includes information for the IT administrator and additional information about how to manage and run the Malicious Software Removal Tool.
How the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool differs from an antivirus product
The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool does not replace an antivirus product. It is strictly a post-infection removal tool. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you install and use an up-to-date antivirus product.
The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool differs from an antivirus product in three key ways:
- The tool removes malicious software from an already-infected computer. Antivirus products block malicious software from running on a computer. It is significantly more desirable to block malicious software from running on a computer than to remove it after infection.
- The tool removes only specific prevalent malicious software. Specific prevalent malicious software is a small subset of all the malicious software that exists today.
- The tool focuses on the detection and removal of active malicious software. Active malicious software is malicious software that is currently running on the computer. The tool cannot remove malicious software that is not running. However, an antivirus product can perform this task.
Note The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool focuses on the detection and removal of malicious software such as viruses, worms, and Trojan horses only. It does not remove spyware. However, you can use Windows Defender or Windows Security Essentials to detect and remove spyware.
You do not have to disable or remove your antivirus program when you install the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool. However, if prevalent, malicious software has infected your computer, the antivirus program may detect this malicious software and may prevent the removal tool from removing it when the removal tool runs. In this case, you can use your antivirus program to remove the malicious software.
Because the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool does not contain a virus or a worm, the removal tool alone should not trigger your antivirus program. However, if malicious software infected the computer before you installed an up-to-date antivirus program, your antivirus program may not detect this malicious software until the tool tries to remove it.
How to download and run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool
You can download and run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool if your computer is running Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, or Windows XP.
Note You cannot download and run the tool if you are running Microsoft Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0.
The easiest way to download and run the tool is to turn on Automatic Updates. Turning on Automatic Updates guarantees that you receive the tool automatically every month. If you have Automatic Updates turned on, you have already been receiving new versions of this tool monthly. The tool runs in quiet mode unless it finds an infection. If you have not been notified of an infection, no malicious software has been found that needs your attention.
When the Malicious Software Removal Tool detects malicious software
The Malicious Software Removal Tool runs in quiet mode. If it detects malicious software on your computer, the next time that you log on to your computer as a computer administrator, a balloon will appear in the notification area to make you aware of the detection.
Performing a full scan
If the tool finds malicious software, you may be prompted to perform a full scan. We recommend that you perform this scan. A full scan performs a quick scan and then a full scan of the computer, regardless of whether malicious software is found during the quick scan. This scan can take several hours to complete because it will scan all fixed and removable drives. However, mapped network drives will not be scanned.
Removing malicious files
If malicious software has modified (infected) files on your computer, the tool prompts you to remove the malicious software from those files. If the malicious software modified your browser settings, your homepage may be changed automatically to a page that gives you directions on how to restore these settings.
You can clean specific files or all the infected files that the tool finds. Be aware that some data loss is possible during this process. Also, be aware that the tool may be unable to restore some files to the original, pre-infection state.
The removal tool may request that you restart your computer to complete the removal of some malicious software, or it may prompt you to perform manual steps to complete the removal of the malicious software. To complete the removal, you should use an up-to-date antivirus product.
Reporting infection information to Microsoft
The Malicious Software Removal Tool will send basic information to Microsoft if the tool detects malicious software or finds an error. This information will be used for tracking virus prevalence. No identifiable personal information that is related to you or to the computer is sent together with this report.
Microsoft Download Center
You can manually download the Malicious Software Removal Tool from the Microsoft Download Center. The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
For 32-bit x86-based systems:
Download the x86 MSRT package now.
For 64-bit x64-based systems:
Download the x64 MSRT package now.
