Help with system restore

[ultamin]

My comp has suddenly had all these problems, and I wanted to know if theres a way to wipe everything on my hard drive exept a few programs. Also system restore does not work so I can't use it.
Thanks

 

[Secret Chorro]

I know I'm having the same problem here. Somehow System Restore doesn't work for me either. Someone please help us

 

[whs]

You can reinstall the system to factory state from the recovery partition. The exact procedures vary slightly from make to make. But that wipes everything on your C: partition. You have to save your data first to an external drive or another partition. After the reinstall you have to reinstall all the programs that you installed yourself and did not come with the system. You also will get all the updates from Microsoft that have been released since your PC was built - but that will happen automatically.
If you have programs where you purchased the product key (e.g. a security program), you should secure those keys too so that you have them for the reinstallation of said programs.
For the Vista reinstallation I may have the procedure. But I need to know the make of your system. Below I give you the example for a Gateway or E-machines system: (but again note that it is different for other makes)

1. Copy all your own files and folders to an external storage (Disc, USB stick even SD card - 1 GByte capacity should be ample - even 512 MB)
2. Shut the PC off
3. Turn the PC back on and keep hitting the F8 key repeatedly until the Advanced Boot Option Screen appears
4. Click "Repair Your Computer" –if you are not already on it, use the up and down arrows to maneuver to it and then press ENTER
5. Next you have to pick your country and click OK
6. On the "System Recovery Options Screen" click "Restore Application" (last option)
7. Follow the on-screen instructions
8. When prompted, click on "Full Factory Recovery"
9. Click "Next"
10. Click "Yes"
11. Go and have a cup of coffee - don't touch anything - for a while it seems like nothing is happening
12. After many minutes, recovery will complete and you click "Finish"

 

[tasaholic]

I do agree somewhat with whs but as a tech, I usually prefer to save whatever data the client wants, then wipe the lot and do a new, clean install. The main reason is that it ends up cheaper for the client plus the security of knowing there are no infections ,hidden or otherwise , to compromise the system at a later date as well as the knowledge that I can confidently offer a full guarantee on the repair. Great peace of mind in that fact alone , nothing would bug me as much as feeling I had not given the best service I am capable of to my clients. After all, it is not only my reputation on the line but equally important , that my client has received an honest and lasting repair on a system that will continue to perform to the best of it's potential. Most of us face a shrinking budget and can ill-afford to pay for mistakes made by anyone else on something that is becoming ever more vital to everyday life.Rather than using system restore which is often the first target of Malware, I use an imaging program ( Acronis or Macrium) for the backup.

 

[ultamin]

sorry I forgot to tell you that I can't use USB drives because that driver is not working too.

 

[whs]

Hmm, that is tough. You have 4 options.
1) you can try to use the firewire if you have one and a disk that supports it.
2) you can try to shrink e.g. the C: partition and create a new partition to where you can move your data.
3) you can try to save your data to a large SD card (but that may or may not work because the SD card reader is also a USB drive.
4) you can burn your data to a DVD.