Remove Data Recovery,S.M.A.R.T HDD,Repair and Check virus

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Written by: Stelian

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If you are seeing a Serious Disk Error Writing Drive C:\ alert on your computer screen,then as you probably already suspect you’re computer has been infected with a rogue software.
The malicious software is known as Smart HDD,Data Recovery,S.M.A.R.T Virus or S.M.A.R.T Check and has changed your desktop background,hidden your files and shortcuts and it’s causing browsing redirects.
In addition the S.M.A.R.T Virus will display fake alerts, claiming that several hard drive errors were detected on your computer.In reality, none of the reported issues are real, and are only used to scare you into buying S.M.A.R.T Virus and stealing your personal financial information.
We strongly advise you to follow our S.M.A.R.T Virus removal guide and ignore any alerts that this malicious software might generate.Under no circumstance should you buy this rogue security software as this could lead to identity theft.
If you’ve got a S.M.A.R.T Virus infection , you’ll be seeing this screens :
[Image: Smart-HDD.png]

[Image: Smart-HDD.png]

[Image: Smart-HDD.png]

Registration codes for S.M.A.R.T Virus

As an optional step,you can use the following license key to register S.M.A.R.T Virus and stop the fake alerts.
Data Recovery Rogue: 08869246386344953972969146034087
SMART HDD Rogue: 15801587234612645205224631045976
Please keep in mind that entering the above registration code will NOT remove S.M.A.R.T Virus from your computer , instead it will just stop the fake alerts so that you’ll be able to complete our removal guide more easily.

Removal guide for S.M.A.R.T Virus

STEP 1 : Start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking

  1. Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from your computer, and then restart your computer.
  2. Press and hold the F8 key as your computer restarts.Please keep in mind that you need to press the F8 key before the Windows  start-up logo appears.
  3. On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight Safe Mode with Networking , and then press ENTER.
    [Image: Safemode.jpg]
  4. Log on to your computer with a user account that has administrator rights

STEP 2: Remove S.M.A.R.T Virus malicious proxy server

S.M.A.R.T Virus may add a proxy server which prevents the user from accessing the internet,follow the below instructions to remove the proxy.

  1. Start Internet Explorer [Image: S.M.A.R.T Virus- IE] and if you are using Internet Explorer 9 ,click on the gear icon   [Image: IE gear icon] (Tools for Internet Explorer 8 users) ,then select Internet Options.
    [Image: Internet-options-IE.png]
  2. Go to the tab Connections.At the bottom, click on LAN settings.
    [Image: Remove-proxy-server2.png]
  3. Uncheck the option Use a proxy server for your LAN. This should remove the malicious proxy server and allow you to use the internet again.
    [Image: Remove-proxy-server3.png]

If you are a Firefox users, go to Firefox(upper left corner) → Options → Advanced tab → Network → Settings → Select No Proxy

STEP 3: Run RKill to terminate known malware processes associated with S.M.A.R.T Virus.

RKill is a program that attempts to terminate any malicious processes associated with S.M.A.R.T Virus ,so that your normal security software can then run and clean your computer of infections.

As RKill only terminates a program’s running process, and does not delete any files, after running it you should not reboot your computer as any malware processes that are configured to start automatically will just be started again.

  1. While your computer is in Safe Mode with Networking ,please download the latest official version of RKill.
    [Image: download-rkill.png
  2. Double-click on the RKill iconin order to automatically attempt to stop any processes associated with S.M.A.R.T Virus.
    [Image: run-rkill-1.png]
  3. RKill will now start working in the background, please be patient while the program looks for various malware programs and tries to terminate them.
    [Image: run-rkill-2.png]
    IF you receive a message that RKill is an infection, that is a fake warning given by the rogue. As a possible solution we advise you to leave the warning on the screen and then try to run RKill again.Run RKill until the fake program is not visible but not more than ten times.
    IF you continue having problems running RKill, you can download the other renamed versions of RKill from here.
  4. When Rkill has completed its task, it will generate a log. You can then proceed with the rest of the guide.
    [Image: S.M.A.R.T Virus rkill3.jpg]

WARNING: Do not reboot your computer after running RKill as the malware process will start again , preventing you from properly performing the next step.

STEP 4: Remove S.M.A.R.T Virus malicious files with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware FREE

  1. Please download the latest official version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware FREE.
    download Malwarebytes
  2. Install Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware by double clicking on mbam-setup.
    [Image: malwarebytes-installer.png]
  3. When the installation begins, keep following the prompts in order to continue with the installation process. Do not make any changes to default settings and when the program has finished installing, make sure you leave both the Update Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware checked. Then click on the Finishbutton. If Malwarebytes’ prompts you to reboot, please do not do so.
    [Image: install-malwarebytes.png]
  4. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start and you’ll be prompted to start a trial period , please select ‘Decline‘ as we just want to use the on-demand scanner.
    [Image: decline-trial-malwarebytes.png]
  5. On the Scanner tab,please select Perform full scan and then click on the Scan button to start scanning your computer for any possible infections.
    [Image: malwarebytes-full-system-scan.png]
  6. Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware will now start scanning your computer for S.M.A.R.T Virus malicious files as shown below.
    [Image: malwarebytes-scanning.png]
  7. When the scan is finished a message box will appear, click OK to continue.
    [Image: malwarebytes-scan-finish.png]
  8. You will now be presented with a screen showing you the malware infections that Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware has detected.Please note that the infections found may be different than what is shown in the image.Make sure that everything is Checked (ticked) and click on the Remove Selected button.
    [Image: malwarebytes-scan-results.png]
  9. Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware will now start removing the malicious files.If during the removal process Malwarebytes will display a message stating that it needs to reboot, please allow this request.
    [Image: malwarebytes-reboot-prompt.png]

STEP 5: Double check your system for any left over infections with HitmanPro

  1. This step can be performed in Normal Mode ,so please download the latest official version of HitmanPro.
    [Image: Download Hitman Pro]
  2. Double click on the previously downloaded file to start the HitmanPro installation.
    [Image: hitmanpro-icon.png]
    NOTE : If you have problems starting HitmanPro, use the “Force Breach” mode. Hold down the left CTRL-key when you start HitmanPro and all non-essential processes are terminated, including the malware process. (How to start HitmanPro in Force Breach mode – Video)
  3. Click on Next to install HitmanPro on your system.
    [Image: installing-hitmanpro.png]
  4. The setup screen is displayed, from which you can decide whether you wish to install HitmanPro on your machine or just perform a one-time scan, select a option then click on Next to start a system scan.
    [Image: hitmanpro-setup-options.png]
  5. HitmanPro will start scanning your system for malicious files. Depending on the size of your hard drive, and the performance of your computer, this step will take several minutes.
    [Image: hitmanpro-scanning.png]
  6. Once the scan is complete,a screen displaying all the malicious files that the program found will be shown as seen in the image below.After reviewing each malicious object click Next.
    [Image: hitmanpro-scan-results.png]
  7. Click Activate free license to start the free 30 days trial and remove the malicious files.
    [Image: hitmanpro-activation.png]
  8. HitmanPro will now start removing the infected objects, and in some instances, may suggest a reboot in order to completely remove the malware from your system. In this scenario, always confirm the reboot action to be on the safe side.

STEP 6: Unhide your files and folders

S.M.A.R.T Virus modifies your file system in such a way that all files and folders become hidden, to restore the default settings , you’ll need to run the below program.

  1. Download Unhide.exe, to unhide your files and folders.
    Download Unhide.exe
  2. Double-click on the Unhide.exe icon on your desktop and allow the program to run.The whole process should not take more than 5 minutes to complete,and at the end this utility will generate a report.
    Unhide files utility

STEP 7 : Restore your shortcuts and remove any left over malicious registry keys

S.M.A.R.T Virus has moved your shortcuts files in the Temporary Internet folder and added some malicious registry keys to your Windows installation , to restore your files we will need to perform a scan with RogueKiller.

  1. Please download the latest official version of RogueKiller.
    download RogueKiller
  2. Double click on RogueKiller.exe to start this utility and then wait for the Prescan to complete.This should take only a few seconds and then you can click the Start button to perform a system scan.
    [Image: roguekiller-1.png]
  3. After the scan has completed, press the Delete button to remove any malicious registry keys.
    [Image: roguekiller-2.png]
  4. Next we will need to restore your shortcuts, so click on the ShortcutsFix button and allow the program to run.
    [Image: roguekiller-1.png]

STEP 8: Get your desktop look back!

S.M.A.R.T Virus changes your desktop background to a solid black color,to change it back to default one follow the below instruction.

    • Windows XP : Click on the Start button and then select Control Panel. When the Control Panel opens, please click on the Display icon. From this screen you can now change your Theme and desktop background.
    • Windows 7 and Vista : Click on the Start button and then select Control Panel. When the Control Panel opens, please click on the Appearance and Personalization category. Then select Change the Theme or Change Desktop Background to revert back to your original Theme and colors.

What’s next? Join our amazing community and build up your malware defenses !

10 Rules to Avoid Online Scams

Here are 10 practical safety rules to help you avoid malware, online shopping scams, crypto scams, and other online fraud. Each tip includes a quick “if you already got hit” action.

  1. Stop and verify before you click, log in, download, or pay.

    warning sign

    Most scams win by creating urgency. Verify using a trusted method: type the website address yourself, use the official app, or call a known number (not the one in the message).

    If you already clicked: close the page, do not enter passwords, and run a malware scan.

  2. Keep your operating system, browser, and apps updated.

    updates guide

    Updates patch security holes used by malware and malicious ads. Turn on automatic updates where possible.

    If you saw a scary “update now” pop-up: close it and update only through your device settings or the official app store.

  3. Use layered protection: antivirus plus an ad blocker.

    shield guide

    Antivirus helps block malware. An ad blocker reduces scam redirects, phishing pages, and malvertising.

    If your browser is acting weird: remove unknown extensions, reset the browser, then run a full scan.

  4. Install apps, software, and extensions only from official sources.

    install guide

    Avoid cracked software, “keygens,” and random downloads. During installs, choose Custom/Advanced and decline bundled offers you do not recognize.

    If you already installed something suspicious: uninstall it, restart, and scan again.

  5. Treat links and attachments as untrusted by default.

    cursor sign

    Phishing often impersonates delivery services, banks, and popular brands. If it is unexpected, do not open attachments or log in through the message.

    If you entered credentials: change the password immediately and enable 2FA.

  6. Shop safely: research the store, then pay with protection.

    trojan horse

    Be cautious with brand-new stores, “closing sale” stories, and prices that make no sense. Prefer credit cards or PayPal for dispute options. Avoid wire transfers, gift cards, and crypto payments.

    If you already paid: contact your card issuer or PayPal quickly to dispute the transaction.

  7. Crypto rule: never pay a “fee” to withdraw or recover money.

    lock sign

    Common patterns include fake profits, then “tax,” “gas,” or “verification” fees. Another is a “recovery agent” who demands upfront crypto.

    If you already sent crypto: stop paying, save evidence (wallet addresses, TXIDs, chats), and report the scam to the platform used.

  8. Secure your accounts with unique passwords and 2FA (start with email).

    lock sign

    Use a password manager and unique passwords for every account. Enable 2FA using an authenticator app when possible.

    If you suspect an account takeover: change passwords, sign out of all devices, and review recent logins and recovery settings.

  9. Back up important files and keep one backup offline.

    backup sign

    Backups protect you from ransomware and device failure. Keep at least one backup on an external drive that is not always connected.

    If you suspect infection: do not connect backup drives until the system is clean.

  10. If you think you are a victim: stop losses, document evidence, and escalate fast.

    warning sign

    Move quickly. Speed matters for disputes, account recovery, and limiting damage.

    • Stop payments and contact: do not send more money or respond to the scammer.
    • Call your bank or card issuer: block transactions, replace the card if needed, and start a dispute or chargeback.
    • Secure your email first: change the email password, enable 2FA, and remove unfamiliar recovery options.
    • Secure other accounts: change passwords, enable 2FA, and log out of all sessions.
    • Scan your device: remove suspicious apps or extensions, then run a full malware scan.
    • Save evidence: screenshots, emails, order pages, tracking pages, wallet addresses, TXIDs, and chat logs.
    • Report it: to the payment provider, marketplace, social platform, exchange, or wallet service involved.

These rules are intentionally simple. Most online losses happen when decisions are rushed. Slow down, verify independently, and use payment methods and account controls that give you recourse.

236 thoughts on “Remove Data Recovery,S.M.A.R.T HDD,Repair and Check virus”

  1. Hi everything worked fine BUT I still have not a single icon on my desktop and cannot access to the xontrol panel and some of my programs have that ufly “empty” box next to it.
    Help!

    • Hello Francine;
      1.Plese run Unhide.exe

      1. Download  >> Unhide.exe. < <<
      2. Double-click on the Unhide.exe icon on your desktop and allow the program to run.When it has completed its task it will generate a report.

      2.Restore your Start menu to a previous date

      1. Right click on your Windows Start menu and select Properties.
        [Image: Eu2Aq.png]
      2. Next put a check mark on
        Store and display recently opened programs in the start menu
        Store and display recently opened items in the start menu and taskbar
        [Image: h0z5v.png]
      3. Click on Customize and click on Use default settings at the bottom
        [Image: kxZSH.png]
      4. Browse to
        Code:
        C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows

        [Image: vZZUz.png]

      5. Right click on Start Menu folder and click on Restore previous versions
      6. Now select a snapshot before you were infected by the rogue,click on restore

  2. Thank you very much. I followed all the steps to remove the SMART virus and it worked just fine.
    I do have a problem yet but i do not know if it is from the SMART virus or not.
    I am using Windows 7 and Trend Micro anti virus.
    I can not turn on the Windows Security Center. Error says it can not be started. Also I can not start the Windows firewall service. I get error code 1068. When I try to start the firewall I get error code 0x8007042c.
    Thank You

  3. Fantastic!!! I freaked out when my desktop turned black and all my files and folders had disappeared! Quite frankly I didn’t know what to do and was about to make the damn purchase the virus was prompting me to but it looked suspicious so I decided to google S.M.A.R.T and this awesome link came up!! I read through and realised that I wasn’t alone?

    Followed every step in the link and bang! All my folders and files came back!

    You are indeed a STAR! God Bless you big time!!!

  4. Thank you for this website. I have followed all the steps listed above, and the popups have stopped, my files are no longer hidden, and the system is allowing me access to my programs now.

    But I still have a couple issues. I am running Windows XP, and when I click on Start, then All Programs, it lists the installed programs, but when I try to click on a program, it gives me a little box that says (Empty). I can access the programs through desktop icons or by going into Explorer program files. Secondly, although all the subsequent scans I have run using all the programs listed above as well as two paid anti-virus programs all show my system to be clean. But Internet Explorer (which I don’t use – I use Firefox) keeps opening on its own to websites I’ve never heard of.

    Any insight you can offer on these problems would be greatly appreciated.

    • 1.Plese run Unhide.exe

      1. Download Unhide.exe.
      2. Double-click on the Unhide.exe icon on your desktop and allow the program to run.When it has completed its task it will generate a report.

      2.Restore your Start menu to a previous date

      1. Right click on your Windows Start menu and select Properties.
        [Image: Eu2Aq.png]
      2. Next put a check mark on
        Store and display recently opened programs in the start menu
        Store and display recently opened items in the start menu and taskbar
        [Image: h0z5v.png]
      3. Click on Customize and click on Use default settings at the bottom
        [Image: kxZSH.png]
      4. Browse to
        Code:
        C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows

        [Image: vZZUz.png]

      5. Right click on Start Menu folder and click on Restore previous versions
      6. Now select a snapshot before you were infected by the rogue,click on restore

      3.This malicious software has changed your homepage in Internet Explorer…..You can go into the Internet option and chose ‘Use blank’ or add your own… OR you can just reset IE options.

      Reset Internet Explorer options

      To reset Internet Explorer options….. Go here : http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-whitesmoke-translator/ : and check step 3 to see how to reset IE to its default settings..

  5. how long does it normally take for the RKill program to generate a log? I got the black screen but it disappeared after a couple of seconds….I have been waiting about 45 minutes now but nothing has happened, so not sure if it’s working or not

    • Hello Linda,
      The RKILL scan should not take more than 5 minutes or so. Lets try another thing:

      Option 1 : Try to download a different named Rkill (direct download links bellow):
      http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/grinler/WiNlOgOn.exe
      http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/grinler/uSeRiNiT.exe
      http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/grinler/rkill.scr
      And then follow the guide starting with the Malwarebytes scan.

      If that doesn’t work please try to do this:
      Option 2: Download HitmanPro and then start this program in ForceBreach Mode
      1.Here are the direct download links for HitmanPro,
      – http://dl.surfright.nl/HitmanPro36.exe (For 32bit)
      – http://dl.surfright.nl/HitmanPro36_x64.exe (For 64bit)
      2.Hold down the left CTRL-key when you start HitmanPro and all non-essential processes are terminated, including this rogue malicious process
      Here is a video that explains with graphic details how to do this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6eRWTv2STk
      3. If it start ,let it scan and remove all the detected threats , then perform a scan with Malwarebytes.

      Next , perform a system scan with Emsisoft Anti-Malware:

      1. Please download the latest official version of Emsisoft Emergency Kit : http://www.emsisoft.de/en/software/eek/
      2. After the download process will finish , you’ll need to unpack EmsisoftEmergencyKit.zip
        [Image: ekk1.png]
      3. Open the Emsisoft Emergency Kit Folder and double click EmergencyKitScanner.bat
        [Image: ekk2.png]
      4. A pop-up will prompt you to update Emsisoft Emergency Kit , please click the “Yes” button.

        [Image: ekk3.png]

        [Image: ekk4.png]

      5. After the Update process has completed , put the mouse cursor over the “Menu” tab on the left and click-on “Scan PC”.

        [Image: ekk5.png]

      6. Select “Smart scan” and click-on the below “SCAN” button.

        [Image: ekk6.png]

      7. Emsisoft Emergency Kit will now start scanning your computer for malicious files as shown below.

        [Image: ekk7.png]

      8. When the scan will be completed , you will be presented with a screen showing you the malware infections that Emsisoft Emergency Kit has detected.Please note that the infections found may be different than what is shown in the image.
        Make sure that everything is Checked (ticked) and click on the ‘Quarantine selected objects’ button.
        [Image: ekk8.png]
      9. Emsisoft Emergency Kit will now start removing the malicious files.
        If during the removal process Emsisoft will display a message stating that it needs to reboot, please allow this request.

      If you are still experiencing problems , start a thread in our Malware Removal Support forum : http://malwaretips.com/Forum-Help-my-PC-is-infected

  6. You are a * (star!). I think I got SMARTED from E-bay (if this is possible) looking at bikes. Followed the instructions on this site and I got my life back. I assess students and have about 100 hours of work that I thought had gone for good. Thank you so, so much. My concern is that my firewall was on, Microsoft security essentials wes running in real time and my explorer is patched and up to date. So how does it by-pass my security Stelian? Is there more I should be doing to protect my computer?

    • Hello Burninchilli.
      Your antivirus didn’t have signatures for this particular threat and because it doesn’t have any other powerful layers of protection it didn’t have any way to stop it.
      You should really change your antivirus to one that has additionl layers of protection besides the antivirus component!
      Here is one of the reasons why Avast is better than Microsoft Security Essentials: https://blog.avast.com/2012/03/20/autosandbox-why-are-you-annoying-me/
      Quick tips:
      Free – Avast 7 Free version or COMODO Internet Security
      Paid : Norton Internet Security 2012 or Avast Internet Security 7
      Anyway ,you should really start a thread in our Security Configuration forum as you need to build a layerd security config: http://malwaretips.com/Forum-Security-Configuration-Wizard

  7. thank so much. thought i had lost everything on my laptop, & thought that I would need a new one. thanks to you I now have my stuff back!!!!

  10. I have tried Malwarebytes when I saw the smart hdd message but the problem is my C drive shows with nothing in it and also I do not have icons on the taskbar and desktop and all the programs are gone. Please I will like to know if the instruction will bring back my C drive and my icons and programs. I am able to log in now. This is a work computer.

    • Hello Ruth,
      Yes, if you follow this step by step guide , you’re folders,icons and files should be back!
      If you have any problems please post back here, and I’ll help you!!
      Stay safe!

  11. Brilliant. Complete documented set of instructions that worked perfectly.

    Thank you, you deserve a medal.

  12. I had tried a couple others before this so I was fairly skeptical of it working. But it worked great and the user is happy. Awesome documentation. Thanx very much

  15. Thank you SO much for these instructions. They were WAY more helpful than Microsoft’s forum entry regarding removal of this humongously annoying malware. You are indeed a life saver!

  16. I have two computers, a tower, which is my primary, and a laptop, which is my backup/highrisk use pc. Not sure where I picked up this particularly nasty piece of Malware from but I suspect Uploading.com or another file site when I was cruising for some vids. Normally I’m savvy enough that I can solve most problems on my own but with this little bathturd I needed some outside help. Praise be to Google which led me to this fantastic article, and thank you very much kind sir for making it and explaining things step by step so well.

    • You may have to use “msconfig” to load safe mode as this new strain of virus would not allow me to use F8 on bootup to get into safemode. Also in my case I had to use the cmd window to run “tasklist” to see the running processes and “taskkill /f /pid ####” where #### is the task pid you need to kill. It has a wierd name (random characters) so you’ll proably know which one to kill. Once you run taskkill type msconfig and choose safemode and then restart and follow the remaining directions.

  17. Thought I would have to haul my computer to the shop but I followed your step by step instructions and they worked! Thank you so much!!!!

  18. Thank you so much for your info. I got the smart virus two days ago and I followed these steps. Took me about an hour but the computer is back to normal. The only issue I still have is I cant see anything on my external harddrive. I can click on the J drive but I cant see anything in it. Should I run these steps again with the external drive plugged in?

    Thanks for your help

    • How to Unhide Files and Folders
      To avoid manual execution of programs and files, Smart HDD will hide files and folders on the infected computer. Most victims think that files and folders are deleted, but it is not. The malware simply changed the attributes to hide the data. Follow this guide to show all hidden files and folders if it remains hidden after activating Smart HDD.

      1. Open My Computer or Windows Explorer.
      2. On top menu of upper left corner, click on Organize, then choose Folder and Search Options.

      3. Folder Options dialog box will appear. Select the View tab.
      4. On Advance Settings, mark “Show hidden files, folders and drives.”

      5. Click OK to save the settings. You can now view the folders and files, though, they are still concealed because Smart HDD sets the attributes to hidden.
      6. While still on Windows Explorer, click on the drive (C: or D:). On right pane, mouse over on the folder or file you wanted to unhide. To select all folder, you may use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+A. Right-click, then select Properties .

      7. On the Attributes area, remove the check mark on Hidden . This will change the attributes of affected files and folders. Click OK to save the settings.

  20. You guys are GREAT!!!! Never thought i could get pc back to normal!!!! This worked wonderful!!!!

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