How to know if the rootkit is really gone from my system?

my AVG has a rootkit scanner… I use the paid for AVG antivirus + firewall… it also come with anti-spyware and other stuff I dont install.. but I’ve never been infected while AVG is installed and using firefox…

firefox alone would have stopped you going to an infected site with the option ‘get me the hell out of here!’

I cant comment on what other browsers will do as I dont use them..

if youve just done a full format and I mean a full format, not a quick format it will be gone.. a quick format doesnt 100% format the drive… so as you said, he didnt format the whole drive yes its possible its still there just waiting to be rewoke..

if your comfatable editing your own registry… start - run - type ‘regedit’ (as jeremy said) but without the qoutes and have a look in the HCU and HLM for anything that doesnt look right…

after I’ve installed something and I have the option to add a yahoo toolbar, I untic to allow install but the bugger always ends up in my registry so I always go in and delete it manualy…

windows will give you the option ‘are you sure you want to permanently delete this key?’ just make sure its not a windows file otherwise youll have to format again..