On the Windows operating system, Bad Sectors 1.2 is a boot virus that infects users computers mainly by email. However, it may also infect a computer if the user visits certain web sites.

Overview

An obvious symptom of the Bad Sectors 1.2 virus is a buggy and lengthy startup. The computer then begins a lengthy scan for "possible bad or inactive sectors" during a particular boot. During this scan the system hangs and must be restarted. However, the scan will continue to be run until it is impossible for the user to access their system.

The only possibility of getting around this glitch is to boot in safe mode

Safe Mode

Safe mode is a diagnostic mode of a computer operating system . It can also refer to a mode of operation by application software. Safe mode is intended to fix most, if not all problems within an operating system...

 and cancel the scan.

Users browsing the system32 program files will discover corrupted files and programs created by the virus. The virus adds meaningless and random number strings such as: "B84F5319052758433" that slows down the infected system. Also, a dialog box appears that says "SYSTEM ERROR" whenever a user attempts to delete these files.

The infected computer must be rebooted in safe mode and all corrupted files deleted. Then, the user must perform a System Restore

System Restore

System Restore is a component of Microsoft's Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, but not Windows 2000, operating systems that allows for the rolling back of system files, registry keys, installed programs, etc., to a previous state in the event of system malfunction or failure.The...

in order to remove the virus.