How to Remove the Strawberry Virus from Baguio

The Baguio strawberry virus, or promise virus, is a computer virus that infects the Windows operating system, particularly Windows XP. The statement, "I am still waiting for the strawberry coming from my Baguio! Pls... Help!" comes up on the screen as the computer starts. Users have to click OK on the message before they can continue logging on to windows. The virus doesn't cause a lot of damage, but it can be irritating if you keep seeing the same message when you start your computer.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Antivirus software

1. Run your computer antivirus software to try to detect the virus and remove it from your system. For updated antivirus programs, this virus is fairly easy to detect and quarantine. There are a number of free antivirus programs on the web, so you can just download one of those.

2. Log on to the computer as an administrator. If your computer has more than one user profile created, log into the main profile to delete the file from there.

3. Right click on the "My Computer" icon and left click "Explore." From the Windows Explorer window that comes up, look for a file called autorun.inf. Delete the file.

4. Open the registry editor on your computer. The registry contains files that your computer reads as it starts. Click "Start" and then click "Run." In the space provided, type "regedit."

5. Click "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" to expand that registry entry. From the list provided, click "Software," then go to "Microsoft." Under "Microsoft," click "Windows NT" and then click "Current Version" under that. Finally, click "Winlogon."

6. Look for an entry that says "LegalNoticeCaption" under Winlogon. You should find an entry that says "PROMISE?" Delete the value data from this entry, then look for an entry called "LegalNoticeText." From this entry, delete the data named "I am still waiting for the strawberry coming from my baguio! Pls... Help!"

7. Close regedit and restart your computer. The virus should be gone from your screen, and you should be able to start Windows normally.

Tips & Warnings

• For some users, the file autorun.inf may keep reinstalling itself. To remove it completely, look through other places in your computer's hard drive for the same file and delete those, too. Update your antivirus software regularly to ensure that your computer is protected from viruses and spyware.
• Use caution when visiting unfamiliar websites and downloading files from the web, as this is where you usually get computer viruses. You can also use a utility tool from the web to remove the virus.
• Make a backup copy of your computer's registry before making changes to it. Directions for how to do this are available online. Be careful not to accidentally delete any registry entries other than the ones discussed, as this could make your computer inoperable, especially without a backup.

References

• Noob Killer Utility
• Raxso.net