A Detailed Malware Removal Guide

[nihil]

Well, that seems pretty comprehensive but I find it interesting that I go about it in a different sequence.

The first thing I run is CCleaner to get rid of useless files and some malware.

Then:

1. Spybot , A-Squared and Ad-Aware.

http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/

2. Traditional AV

3. Specialist removal tools

But, if the machine has been compromised (owned) then it is reformat and reinstall. After all, every user has backed up their personal data and used nLite or vLite to create the latest slipstreamed version of their OS; haven't they?

EDIT:

OK, perhaps I should explain. My sequence tends to reflect the type of problems I usually encounter in my particular location and environment.

If I come across something that I recognise as spy/adware that needs a specific removal tool I will go after that first.

Most of the stuff I encounter is pretty mundane adware/spyware and the more specialist tools for these annoyances seem to do a more comprehensive job than mainstream AVs (I mean the three in #1)

I notice that HijackThis! has been mentioned? For the non-technical I would recommend using this site:

http://www.hijackthis.de/

Just copy and paste the log and they will analyse it for you. For the "unknowns" you need to Google them. If that shows nothing, then find the file, and submit it to these:

http://virusscan.jotti.org/
http://www.virustotal.com/

If those don't work, then your malware author is "ahead of the game".