How can Malware survive a format?

Did you also repartition (actually delete the current partition and then re-create a new one) before formatting? This is the best thing to do.

However what disks are you reinstalling from?
Are they original CDs from Microsoft?
Is your OS Win XP SP2 with ALL updates?
What about all the other stuff you are reinstalling after format? Where is this stuff coming from?

Are you sure whatever you are reinstalling from is not infected? Are you positive?
Are you connecting to a home network? Are drives shared? Is every PC on the network clean? Are you sure?

 

Yes and yes! That is why I was asking about what disks you were installing things from.

Yes! I will give you the full procedure below.

Please follow our standard cleaning procedures which are necessary for us to provide you support. Also there are steps included for installing, running, and posting HijackThis logs as attachments.

• Run ALL the steps in this Sticky thread READ & RUN ME FIRST Before Asking for Support
• Make sure you check version numbers and get all updates.
• Very Important: Make sure you tell us the results from running the tutorial...was anything found? Were you unable to complete any of the scans?...Were you unable to download any of the tools?...Did you do the on-line scans as suggested? etc.

• After doing ALL of the above you still have a problem make sure you have booted to normal mode and run the steps in the below link to properly use HijackThis and attach a log:

Downloading, Installing, and Running HijackThis
​

• When you return to make your next post, make sure you attach the following logs and that you have run these scans in the following order too (these scans are covered in steps 6 & 7 of the READ & RUN ME sticky)
  • Bitdefender
  • Panda Scan
  • HijackThis

.

 

Just post the 3 requested logs whenever you finish the procedure.

 

You're welcome. Make sure you and you dad check out the below:

How to Protect yourself from malware!