Remove .Start file virus

About this ransomware

.Start file virus ransomware will lock your data and demand that you pay to get them back. Ransomware in general is believed to be a highly harmful threat due to the consequences it will bring. A file encryption process will be instantly launched as soon as you open the contaminated file. Most frequently, the targeted files include photos, videos, documents, basically everything that victims might deem important. The key you need to decrypt your files is in the possession of hackers behind this malware. Occasionally, malware researchers can crack the ransomware and develop a free decryptor. If you’ve never backed up your files and have no other way to recover files, you might as well wait for that free decryption utility.

You will notice a ransom note placed on your operating system after the encryption process has been finished. The note will explain what happened to your files and how you may recover them. It should not surprise you but it’s not advised to pay hackers anything. It’s not that hard to imagine hackers simply taking your money and not providing a decryptor. What is stopping them from doing just that. We should warn you, if you do not wish to be put in this kind of situation again, you have to have trustworthy backup to store copies of your files. In case you have made copies of your files, just uninstall .Start file virus.

You opened a malicious email or fell for a fake update. Those two methods are the cause of a lot ransomware contaminations.

Download Removal Toolto remove .Start file virus

Ransomware spread methods

Even though your device could get contaminated in many ways, the most likely way you acquired it was through spam email or false update. You will need to be more careful with spam emails if email was how you got the contamination. When you come across unknown senders, do not rush to open the attached file and thoroughly check the email first. Oftentimes, well-known company names are used because it would lower people’ guard. For example, they may claim to be Amazon and say that the added file is a receipt for a recent purchase. Nevertheless, you might easily check whether that’s really true. You just need to see if the email address matches any that belong to the company. We also suggest scanning the file that has been added with a malware scanner to ensure that it won’t damage your computer.

It is also possible that the malware tricked you into installing a bogus software update. Occasionally, when you visit dubious web pages fake software update notifications might pop up, intrusively forcing you to install something. They also come up as ads and would not automatically appear dubious. For those that know how updates are usually offered, however, this will bring about immediate doubt. Unless you want to harm your system, you have remember to never download anything from suspicious sources, which include adverts. If you have automatic updates turned on, updates will happen automatically, but if you need to manually update something, you will be alerted via the application itself.

What does ransomware do

It’s likely not necessary to explain that your files have been locked. File encryption might not be necessarily noticeable, and would have began quickly after the contaminated file was opened. An extension will be attached to all files that have been affected. There is no use in trying to open affected files since a strong encryption algorithm was used for their encryption. Details about how your files could be recovered will be provided in the ransom note. Ransom notes generally seem quite similar to one another, threaten with forever lost files and tell you how to recover them by paying the ransom. While criminals might be right when they claim that file decryption is impossible without their assistance, paying the ransom isn’t suggested. The people responsible for encrypting your files are unlikely to feel obligated to restore them even if you pay. It would also not surprise us if you became a specific target next time because criminals know you were willing to pay once.

Instead of giving into the requests, try to remember if your files are stored somewhere but you have just forgotten. In the future, malware researchers may release a decryption utility so keep your encrypted files stored somewhere. Whatever the case may be, it’s still necessary to eliminate .Start file virus.

While we hope your file recovery is successful, we also would like this to be a lesson to you about how critical it is that you start frequently backing up your files. If you do not make backups, this situation may reoccur. So as to keep your files secure, you will have to buy backup, and there are quite a few options available, some more expensive than others.

.Start file virus elimination

If you’re reading this, manual removal is probably not for you. You need to get anti-malware program for safe ransomware removal. The infection may prevent you from running the anti-malware program successfully, in which case just launch your device in Safe Mode. As soon as your device loads in Safe Mode, scan your system and terminate .Start file virus once it’s identified. Anti-malware program is not able to help you with file decryption, however.

Download Removal Toolto remove .Start file virus

Learn how to remove .Start file virus from your computer

• Step 1. Remove .Start file virus using Safe Mode with Networking.
• Step 2. Remove .Start file virus using System Restore
• Step 3. Recover your data

Step 1. Remove .Start file virus using Safe Mode with Networking.

• a) Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking.
• b) Step 2. Remove .Start file virus.

a) Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking.

For Windows 7/Vista/XP

1. Start → Shutdown → Restart → OK.
2. Press and keep pressing F8 until Advanced Boot Options appears.
3. Choose Safe Mode with Networking

For Windows 8/10 users

1. Press the power button that appears at the Windows login screen. Press and hold Shift. Click Restart.
2. Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.
3. Choose Enable Safe Mode with Networking.

b) Step 2. Remove .Start file virus.

You will now need to open your browser and download some kind of anti-malware software. Choose a trustworthy one, install it and have it scan your computer for malicious threats. When the ransomware is found, remove it. If, for some reason, you can't access Safe Mode with Networking, go with another option.

Step 2. Remove .Start file virus using System Restore

• a) Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
• b) Step 2. Restore files and settings.

a) Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

For Windows 7/Vista/XP

1. Start → Shutdown → Restart → OK.
2. Press and keep pressing F8 until Advanced Boot Options appears.
3. Select Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

For Windows 8/10 users

1. Press the power button that appears at the Windows login screen. Press and hold Shift. Click Restart.
2. Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.
3. Choose Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

b) Step 2. Restore files and settings.

1. You will need to type in cd restore in the window that appears. Press Enter.
2. Type in rstrui.exe and again, press Enter.
3. A window will pop-up and you should press Next. Choose a restore point and press Next again.
4. Press Yes.

While this should have taken care of the ransomware, you might want to download anti-malware just to be sure no other threats are lurking.  

Step 3. Recover your data

• a) Using Data Recovery Pro to recover encrypted files.
• b) Restore files through Windows Previous Versions
• c) Using Shadow Explorer to recover files

While backup is essential, there is still quite a few users who do not have it. If you are one of them, you can try the below provided methods and you just might be able to recover files.

a) Using Data Recovery Pro to recover encrypted files.

1. Download Data Recovery Pro, preferably from a trustworthy website.
2. Scan your device for recoverable files.
3. Recover them.

b) Restore files through Windows Previous Versions

If you had System Restore enabled, you can recover files through Windows Previous Versions.

1. Find a file you want to recover.
2. Right-click on it.
3. Select Properties and then Previous versions.
4. Pick the version of the file you want to recover and press Restore.

c) Using Shadow Explorer to recover files

If you are lucky, the ransomware did not delete your shadow copies. They are made by your system automatically for when system crashes.

1. Go to the official website (shadowexplorer.com) and acquire the Shadow Explorer application.
2. Set up and open it.
3. Press on the drop down menu and pick the disk you want.
4. If folders are recoverable, they will appear there. Press on the folder and then Export.

* SpyHunter scanner, published on this site, is intended to be used only as a detection tool. More info on SpyHunter. To use the removal functionality, you will need to purchase the full version of SpyHunter. If you wish to uninstall SpyHunter, click here.