Recently there are many case reported that ‘autorun‘ virus spread through so many computer due to using flash memory or USB pendrive, so we need a preventive action to stop this virus spread to our computer.
As we insert a USB pendrive to computer, window will scan and check is there have autorun.inf file and then write into ‘mountpoint2’ registry, ‘mountpoint2’ will amend the act to open a disk or pop up menu. Although you already set up ‘disable auto play’, use right click or use ‘explore’ to open disk, the result still will run ‘virus .exe’.
Disable Autorun.inf
Therefore we need to banned the ‘mountpoint2’ registry area to disable autorun, the method as below,
1.START ->RUN ->Key in ‘regedit’ to open registry.
2. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion \Explorer\MountPoints2,
3.Right click ‘mountpoints2’ and select ‘permission’
4.Then click ‘Advance’, uncheck ‘inherit from parent the permission entires that apply to child objects.Include these with entries explicity defined here’.
5.Click ‘remove’.’Yes’ and ‘OK’.
Now even you insert a pendrive with virus and your computer couldn’t affected.
PS 1:Add a post step by step manual delete autorun virus on 23/1/08
PS 2 :Add a post Talking about ‘autorun inf’ virus again on 31/1/08
A novice editing the registry can easily make mistakes and cause more damage. Here is a decent way to do the same thing
Go to
Keep looking at the right side pane and scroll down till you notice the TweakUI.exe file
Download and install it. (Restart PC if necessary)
Launch it. (Start >> All Programs >> Powertoys for Windows XP >> TweakUI)
On the Left side, expand the My Computer Node >> Expand the AutoPlay node >> and choose the Types node
On the right side >> deselect the box for ‘Enable Autoplay for removable drives’
You may also deselect the box for ‘Enable Autoplay for CD and DVD drives’ for added protection.
Apply >> OK and exit.
Another easy method of preventing ‘Autorun’ is to hold the SHIFT key pressed for 1 minute after inserting the USB drive / CD-DVD.
‘Prevention is better than cure
gr8 job buddy……it worked fine….hvnt chked my pen drive yet…smewer else…thks anyways..this cleared my pc…Its a long job but fruitful
This is a really good tip, because viruses like “virut” will use flash media to infect computers using the auto-run functionality which unfortunately is turned on by default in Windows XP. I learned the hard way.
Really you rightly spoke – “Prevention is better than cure”…
Perfect Tip prevent our system from autorun virusus.
once we've disabled it, is it possible to enable it again? and how do we do it? thanks
you can enable back,just put back a check only.