Windows Startup Repair

Windows Startup Repair is a rogue defragmenter that attacks your ability to view files, reduces your computer's security and creates fake warning pop-ups as part of a scheme to steal your credit card information. Despite its name, Windows Startup Repair isn't affiliated with Microsoft and isn't a default part of the Windows Recovery Environment, unlike the standard Startup Repair feature. SpywareRemove.com research team hasn't found even a crumb of defragmentation or hard disk error-detection features inside Windows Startup Repair, which is cloned from other rogue defragmenters from the System Repair family. You only should remove Windows Startup Repair from your PC with a suitable anti-malware program, since Windows Startup Repair will make Registry changes and other alterations that can't be reversed solely by deleting its files.

How to Catch Windows Startup Repair Before It's Thievery is Complete

Windows Startup Repair is a relatively new rogue defragmenter as of August 2011, and your anti-malware products may need recent threat updates before they can detect or delete Windows Startup Repair. However, the underlying code that Windows Startup Repair is based on is a direct copy of other rogue defragmenters that SpywareRemove.com malware researchers are highly familiar with, such as System Repair, Windows Repair, Windows Tool, Smart Defragmenter, Windows Diagnostic and WinScan.

The bulk of Windows Startup Repair infections are caused by Trojans such as Zlob or Fake Microsoft Security Essentials Alert; the latter will pose as fake codec or other software updates before installing Windows Startup Repair or a similarly malicious program onto your PC. Once Windows Startup Repair is on your computer, Windows Startup Repair will launch itself automatically and spam messages like the following:

Activation Reminder
Win Scan Activation
Advanced module activation required to fix detected errors and performance issues. Please purchase Advanced Module license to activate this software and enable all features.

Critical Error!
Windows was unable to save all the data for the file \System32\496A8300. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware.

Critical Error!
Damaged hard drive clusters detected. Private data is at risk.

Critical Error
Hard Drive not found. Missing hard drive.

Critical Error
Windows can't find hard disk space. Hard drive error

Critical Error
RAM memory usage is critically high. RAM memory failure.

Critical Error
A critical error has occurred while indexing data stored on hard drive. System restart required.

Low Disk Space
You are running very low disk space on Local Disk (C:).

System Restore
The system has been restored after a critical error. Data integrity and hard drive integrity verification required.

Windows - No Disk
Exception Processing Message 0x0000013

2% of HDD space is unreadable

Data Safety Problem. System integrity is at risk.

Hard drive doesn't respond to system commands

Read time of hard drive clusters less than 500 ms

Bad sectors on hard drive or damaged file allocation table

Ram Temperature is 83 C. Optimization is required for normal operation.

Requested registry access is not allowed. Registry defragmentation required

GPU RAM temperature is critically high. Urgent RAM memory optimization is required to prevent system crash

Windows Startup Repair's error messages aren't indicate of any real problems with your hard drive, and nothing needs to be done to remove them or any associated malfunctions besides getting rid of Windows Startup Repair itself and any related infections.

Ducking the Many Kinds of Disrepair That Windows Startup Repair Throws at Your PC

SpywareRemove.com malware analysts have found that Windows Startup Repair uses other attacks to make your computer seem more dysfunctional than it really is, such as:

• Attacking your file-viewing settings. Folders may appear to be empty or to have the wrong files. So far, Windows Startup Repair has only been seen using this attack against the default Windows Explorer, so the use of a different file-viewing program, such as Command Prompt, may let you view and access all files.
• Hijacking your web browser. Windows Startup Repair may attempt to use these attacks to redirect you away from anti-malware websites or to force you to visit Windows Startup Repair's homepage. Hijacks can also be exploited to display fake or misleading content, such as inaccurate 'unsafe website' error screens.
• Blocking your real security programs, such as basic Windows tools or virus scanners, from operating. Safe Mode may allow you to launch these programs before Windows Startup Repair can get a chance to attack them.

SpywareRemove.com malware research team has found that the freely-distributed code 8475082234984902023718742058948 will unlock many Windows Startup Repair clones to ease the deletion process, and variants of Windows Startup Repair may also be responsive to it.