Hi -- Remember me ...???

[defendandprotect]

Had a ton of viruses on my computer --

and wasted a lot of time trying to get rid of them!

Best solution I found was to put Cyber Defender on my machine which at least

"caged" the viruses for a while -- but eventually they get very annoying with

And when it came down to it, they said they couldn't remove a Rogue virus!


Anyway, I finally did what I always wanted to do -- simply to do a complete RESTORE.

I was calling it "reinstall" I guess -- or picked that up here, but actually you can't.

Even if you have the discs and KEY they won't let you do it for some reason.

However, total RESTORE is even better -- you don't have to bother loading discus in!!

Sorry I didn't do this a year ago - a lot of aggravation that wasn't necessary.

Simply takes you back to the condition your computer was in when you first started using it!


In my case, as I often said, I really keep nothing on my machine --

Lots of links but simply e-mailed them to my son -- and most of them are in my head,

anyway.

I had a few things on Word Perfect and simply moved them to Yahoo/mail/to my DRAFTS folders

and other folders there.

For those interested look in your manual -- my Dell had the info on pages 41-42 --

Very simple to do! I'm an idiot with computers, so believe me -- EASY PEASY--!!

Btw, the keyboard was picked up immediately, didn't have to reinstall that at all --

same with mouse. I did have to shoot in the disc for my Cannon computer -- no problem!

Was all hooked up and didn't have to change that -- just the disc.

I'd recommend this to anyone who has fatal problems with viruses --

And, I simply have AVG FREE on the computer now -- and Zone Alarm --


Next problem: This Dell computer is almost 7 years old and now that I have everything

straightened out afraid it will die and I'll have to go looking for some new crap!! Ugh!!


Just want to say "thanks" to you all for trying to help me --


I'm sure I'll be back --

always confusing stuff going on with computers!!

:) :) :) :) :)



PS: "download.com" is great for picking up links!!

[canetoad]

1. Will you marry me?

[struggle4progress]

2. Curiosity questions. Which Windows? XP?

Did you try using the installation disks supplied with the computer when you bought it, with Windows installed? And what problem did you have with reinstalling? Have you upgraded the memory, hard drive, or processor since buying the machine?

Did you use Windows "Restore" or did you reinstall the original factory settings from a recovery partition?

[defendandprotect]

3. XP -- as I mentioned . . . did try a "reinstall" with discs, etal --

but they won't allow it --

RESTALL is even better -- you simply go back to the first moment you used your computer!

Again -- they will not permit reinstall -- why exactly not sure -- however, why bother

with reinstall and discs and keys when COMPLETE RESTORE does it better and faster?

Used RESTORE --

eh . . . did you read any of my post?

If you're having problems with your computer, as I said it's EASY PEASY!!

[struggle4progress]

4. My apologies if I missed a mention of XP somewhere in your post

I was just trying to clarify for my own benefit exactly what problem you actually had with an apparent attempt to reinstall from an OEM disk: Microsoft has a reputation for being asinine about this, including forcing people to get permission from a techy if more than a certain number of reinstalls have been done from a disk or if anOEM disk is used after more than minimal upgrading of the hardware to which the particular OEM license is tied

[defendandprotect]

6. Evidently you missed everything in my post !!

I'm very happy to answer any questions --

but I think my post made clear that on the attempt to "reinstall" using

Microsoft discs and "key" ... they just wouldn't let it happen. Evidently,

there are enough changes to the original install after use that it just isn't

possible to do it. AGAIN . . . WHY BOTHER?

TOTAL RESTORE gives you what you're trying to do without having to push discs

thru -- it happens instantly!

Otoh, if what you're concerned about is being able to use the discs on other machines,

then I have no knowledge of whether or not that will work.

I do recall back about 10 years ago, when we moved and had a different computer that

when the "Comcast guy" was trying to get the computer hooked up he could not have done

it had I not have had a copy of the XP -- and he used it and it worked!

That's all I know!

[struggle4progress]

8. Well, I'll explain the reasons for my questions, and you can decide whether you want to provide any

more info on your experience

I have a refurb I bought last year with an oem xp on it, that I'll probably use for a linux box: I've tried several different linux distros on it, overwriting the one existing hdd, which is only 40gb -- so I'll probably pull it and replace it. If I put in a really large hdd, I'd probably partition it and try to reinstall the OEM xp on it just to have it -- but I've upgraded the box some and might expect to go around in circles with the ms tech guys

Similarly I have an expandable machine box with an oem windows 7 on it, but if I upgrade it to do RAID10 that would affect all the hdds and I'd have reinstall everything. So the question is, again, if I expect to go around in circles with the ms techies on the upgrade

I know my oem windows license keys are permanently tied to the particular machines where the software have been installed

But I can't tell from your post whether ms demanded, then declined, internet activation of an oem xp installation; whether or not you used the original oem xp media in your attempt; whether you've upgraded memory or hdd or cpu or gpu in the box since you originally got it; whether you actually spoke to an ms techy about your problem; and so on

[defendandprotect]

9. I'm always happy to provide info . . . but this is not generally something I can

help you with -- which should be clear considering that I had a computer loaded

with viruses. I've never used Linux and have no experience with it.

Re the XP 'REINSTALL' ... as I'm explaining now for the 3rd time they will not do it

from the discs they gave you and the key. Evidently it has something to do with

changes to the actual RESTORE that you will get.

In other words, it's a simple statement that no REINSTALL can be done.

Now -- I'm not saying that someone who knows how to take a computer apart and put it

back together again can't do it -- who knows? However, there is some change that takes

place to the original install and MS advises you that is the reason it can't be done.

I've upgraded nothing . . .

whether you've upgraded memory or hdd or cpu or gpu in the box since you originally got it; whether you actually spoke to an ms techy about your problem; and so on

And had I done any of this, I would have told you --

and certainly I've no idea how to do any of those things or whatever even a 'box' is...

Don't bother telling me -- I don't want to know!


Let me give you another clue on this -- my son's last words to me on me and my computer

were ... "You have to stop treating your computer like a shrub!!"



And, AGAIN . . . my advice to anyone concerned with ridding their computer of VIRUSES which

may be giving them a problem is to do a complete RESTORE. They should look in the computer

manual -- with my Dell, it's page 41-42 -- you hit one of the F-buttons and Control and

you have two choices: REBOOT or RESTORE -- If you select "RESTORE" you will have a complete

RESTORE back to your very first use of the computer.



Good luck -- I'd suggest you contact Microsoft if you still have any questions about this!

[struggle4progress]

10. Thanks!

[sofa king]

5. Probably a good move.

If I had to name just one place to look for fixing everything that ails the PC, I would suggest:

http://www.tweakguides.com/

That kid Koroush Ghazi apparently does nothing but create easy-to-understand guides for optimizing your PC, most of the games people play, and who knows what else. He ought to be named King of the PC.

In particular, now that you have a fresh new version of XP, you should look at Ghazi's magnum opus, the TweakGuides Tweaking Companion:

http://www.tweakguides.com/TGTC.html

If I remember correctly it even has a section devoted to removing all the stupid Dell bloatware and spyware that reduces their performance. Once you're free and clear of that, you're probably good.

[defendandprotect]

7. Thank you -- will keep the links in mind ... !!