System Restore

[madmax]

Please help me out with this and maybe I'll never have to pester you folks again ;)

About 2 months ago 'something' happened to my computer. To be brief, my husband was trying to intall an anti-virus program - I have no idea what he did but the machine went nuts and the only option was to click on System Reovery. I lost a lot of settings and such, all my email and am now I'm having so many problems I'm not sure if the system restore files are still on the hard drive. I can't afford 170.00 for the Geek Squad.

Can I use system restore to go back say 3 months before all this crap started? And if so, please tell me how to do that. Oh, boy - I know you're shaking your head thinking this person is too stupid to live, let alone own a computer but, I'm trying to learn. Thanks

I've had computers for 10 years however, my son being a Network Admin and general all around computer genius always sets things up for me as he is fond of saying 'idiot friendly'. When I asked questions about how or why he did something or how to do something he told me, 'you're on a need to know basis - and you don't need to know'. Control FREAK!! Now he won't help me because I wouldn't 'lend' him 3500. to buy a 65 Chevy Malibu he wants to restore. Pfffft!

[Gore1FL]

1. Yuo can go back as far as you have backed up

If you have a big enough restore block reserved on your HD, you can go back to the orginal registry settings.


Start->settings->accessories->system tools->system restore is where you need to go to check if a restore point is still available pre-change, and to restore it to that point.

Please note, this isn't always pretty, either.

[madmax]

5. I've never backed up

Since my son instilled the fear of the computer gods in me I never do anything (Can't blame him - guess I'm lazy) or messed around with the computer. Doesn't MS automatically create system restore points? I'm using two idiot friendly books to tweak and clean out the computer and also to learn how to maintain the system - what I should have done before but, whatever.

They're pretty good (for someone who knows nothing) - Windows XP by Harshad Kotecha and Windows XP Tips and Tricks by Stuart Yarnold. For tweaking things like getting rid of the arrows in the short cut icons, removing fonts you don't need, migrating files and other b.s. Easy step by step with pics for the computer challenged. But they also hold your hand thru Using System Restore and making backups. I'm sure it's not that hard but, I've never ventured into beyond on/off, start/finish, read or view.

Ok, how about this: I only use my computer for web surfing, pics, and email. The most important files to me are my pic files. I need to back them up on cd's. Also my settings, emails, bookmarks, address book.

Then format C: and do a clean install of WinXP? I'm using XP on the desktop and Vista on the laptop. Right now I'm just concerned with the desktop because the laptop is only a few months old and not working to0 poorly as long as I'm not using an anti-virus program. I'm going to remove Avasti and d/l Lavasoft.

[Gore1FL]

7. Windows should do it automatically--not your data, tat is but your system

The system restore is on automatically, unless it is specifically turned off.

If you do decide to do a restore, I recommend downloading XP Service Pack 3 and putting that on one of the CDs. and installing it right after a fresh install. You'll have much fewer problems than if you do it later. Additionally, go to the hardware vendor site (ie HP.Com, Dell.com), and download the latest chipset, network, video and audio drivers for your device and put them on the same CD as SP 3. After you reinstall, right click on "my computer" and select "Properties". Click the "Advanced" Tab and then click the "Settings" button under performance. click the advanced tab there, and then click on the change button under "Virtual memory". At ther bottom of that window it will have a "recommended size. add 256 to that number. Click custome size, and put that figure in *both* the initial size and the maximum size. *Click "set" button*. Click Ok all the way out, and then restart (you will likely be prompted to do so).



Use Windows update, and use custom instead of express nab everything (except hardware, and repeat until there are no more updates. (you may have to go back a few times.) Next load MS office if you have it, and run Windows update again (you should be able to go to Microsoft Update from there) and download the patches for Office (repeat until you get them all).

If you use another browser, download that next, hit up adobe for flash, shockwave, and reader.

Nab a anti-virus (if you use AVG, turn off Link Scanner (it is bandwidth Hog with no useful benefit).

grab a anti-spyware program too, but to be honest, AVG does a decent job of killing those, so you aren't going to find a whole lot of them (even with link scanner disabled).

Load all of your other software and backed up data.

Defrag your disk

When finished run an AVG scan

When finished run an adaware scan

When your done with that there are a few more things we could look at to speed it up further. LEt me know when you get there, if you choose this method.

[madmax]

8. Yes, I think I'm going to do it.

You explained everything so well. It may be time consuming but, it will be worth it. I want to delete as much accumlated b.s. before I do the back up. I've got book marks up the wazoo and useless Notepad doc's. Once I get thru all that I'll start backing up files and settings and pic files. And make sure I print out the serial numbers to programs and digging out the original disks etc.

Thank you :hug:

[Gore1FL]

9. Let me know when you are ready...

and I'll have you download a couple of utilities and explain how to use them. The first will defrag your pagefile and registry (which it cannot do when windows is running) the other wil help you clean out your system tray of stuff you really don't need to have running all the time. (when you actually need them they will launch more slowly, but when you don;t, your system will perform much better)

[Duer 157099]

13. What do you use for the pagefile and reg defrags?

Right now I'm using SysInternals pagefile defrag and RegVac's reg defrag, but are there others I should know about?

[Gore1FL]

14. I use Sysintyernals pagedefrag

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897426.aspx

[Duer 157099]

2. System Restore sure comes in handy sometimes

But I've never really understood, or even tried to find out, what it actually does or does not restore. I remember it saying something like you won't lose any documents, but is that so? And what if you did some system maintenance in the interval, like a defrag, does it restore to the un-defragged state? (ok, that can't be possible. can it?)

I thought email was safe from restore. No?

I've been in a security loop of my own creation, going back and forth (mostly in circles) installing, scanning and then uninstalling, cleaning registry, repeat repeat repeat and (aside from why I'm doing that) in the process, felt the need to remove AVG8, only the uninstaller wouldn't cooperate (nor would any other like CCleaner) so eventually just manually (LOL!) removed it (HAHAHAHAH as if).

OMG, let me tell you what a nightmare that was (which is where System Restore comes in to the rescue).

As it was, there were two "service" entries from AVG that just would not go away. I finally had to alter their properties to make them fail and stay disabled. And then I found some pretty intense program for rootkit removal (GMER) (not that I had a rootkit, I don't think so - but still investigating) and was finally able to delete the entries.

What I've learned from all this, is that Comodo Firewall is a lot more complicated than I ever thought.

[Gore1FL]

3. I think...

It is pretty much reg entries and system files

[madmax]

4. CCleaner!!

I've been trying to get rid of that puppy too. Avasti virsus program slowed the machine down so much I don't run and am thinking about removing it. I should have stuck with lavasoft and spybot search and destroy. They didn't bog down the system like Avasti and AVG.

[Duer 157099]

6. Which one are you trying to get rid of?

AVG8?

If so, go to the grisoft website and search for the AVG uninstaller. At first it didn't work for me (because I had already done some serious intervention) but eventually it did work and cleared out all the remaining reg entries. I have the log that I'm keeping for reference because it shows all the keys that it tries to remove (why? because I reinstalled AVG8, LOL -- turns out there was a more current version than the one I had, and I wonder if the one I had was buggy) So it's reinstalled now and so far no problems (whew)

[Gore1FL]

10. I have used ccleaner--but as a reference more than a utility

It is a good reference if you need HD space, which I needed on a few hundred PCs, but I prefer to remove specific files it identifies manually. I found it to be a bit overly aggressive.

[RoyGBiv]

11. It is ...

It warns you of this, actually, but it's easy to ignore the warning.

When you start messing with the things CCleaner messes with, you're asking for trouble if you don't pay attention to it.

I like it, but I don't ever let it have free reign.

[Duer 157099]

12. Jeeze, and here I was thinking it wasn't finding enough!

I usually do let CC do it's thing, and then for good measure, follow that up with a round with Wise Disk Cleaner and Wise Reg Cleaner, with a RegVac chaser!

Oh, and I've added another to the mix that seems good, Advanced Windows Care, and then a final look-see with Reg Cleaner.

Overkill? LOL -- but you'd be surprised how each one seems to find things the others don't. And then of course, once one finds something, I have to go back and re-do the others and inevitably they'll find something now too. I do this until everyone cries Uncle (and all scans come back squeeky clean)

But I'd advise anyone from doing what I do

[Gore1FL]

15. Are you reclaiming HD space, or trying tomake you system faster?

or both?

[Duer 157099]

16. Mainly speed but also just decluttering

When I go into the registry and see how much BS is in there, it just makes it that much harder for me to deal with the things that *should* be there, y'know? So anything that any program will remove because it's just "there" is fine with me.

[Gore1FL]

17. you'd probably be better off

setting some services to manual, setting your pagefile to a static size (and defragging it) and running autoruns, and killing some of the silly startup programs with Autoruns.

[Duer 157099]

18. Yep, done all that already

speaking of the services, (and I'm sure you already know this) this site has great info about what they all are and which can be safely set to manual/disable:

http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

[madmax]

19. Hi

Haven't gotten very far. It's crazy here.

Re: Windows Updates - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=242x20946 You posted this Link http://www.eggheadcafe.com/software/aspnet/30532125/upd... linky no worky.

Also just wanted to ask you something regarding System Restore etc. This computer is only 2 years old in properties shows:

GB hard drive - 177 GB Used space 34.2 GB - Free space 143GB

Maybe there is another way to do this? I'm not having any luck trying to get that damn update fixed. Probably due the fact that I'm completely in the dark - because I didn't take responsibilty and learn. How can I find them on the hard drive and if I delete them can I d/l the whole shebang

Doing a system restore let's say back a year. That's when everthing worked. What happens to the programs that I may have installed after? Also with the Kodak Easy Share that I've been trying to delete and reinstall will it be back on the hd if it was on there at that restore point?

I looked at Belarc Advisor and there is a red icon next to that damn update KB 936181
Ran CKDSK
Ran RegCure
Cleaned out some old docs and files
Ran Defrag

And the program I'm having the most problems with is Kodak Easy Share and Kodak EasyShare printer dock plus. I've uninstalled and reinstalled and it just keeps getting worse each time. Figures it's one of the programs I really use. Get a lot of error msg's re: dll files - paths - file extensions and this one "The ordinal 181 could not be located in the dynamic link library PXdll" and "DMA Scheduler.exe"

I used add/delete programs from the control panel but, I don't think it's deleteing all of it.

Don't have windows office, word, powerpoint. I just use the machine for emails (Outlook Express), pics (Kodak, Adobe, Picassa) websurfing, (IE) and digital scrapbooking Adobe Photoshop Elements 5 - that's working fine.

Think I'll have a cup of T. :) I could use something stronger but...
Back to politics

Oh, I recently moved to NC from NJ - maybe I'm crazy but, seems to me my machine was faster there. (don't laugh) I had cable modem up there and here but, TimeWarner sucks. Even the cable tv service is bad.

[Duer 157099]

21. RegCure? Look at the thread in this forum about that

That might be part of the problem

[Gore1FL]

22. first the link:

I am splitting the link in two so it works right. copy and paste each portion into your browser:

http://www.eggheadcafe.com

/software/aspnet/30532125/update-kb936181-fails-to.aspx

[Gore1FL]

23. Now for the Kodak "fix"

Regcure is probably evil. It is probablyworth running an AV scan and adaware before you do much else:

dotcosm (in post 20)looks prepared to help with a system restore if you want to go that route. I'll defer that. I typically don't used it. You are in much more capable hands with dotcosm.

If the Kodak stuff is not uninstalling, I have something that might work, but understand, it is like performing heart surgery with a chain saw (there willbe people who read this who cringe when they see what I am having you do):

1> Open explorer See if there is a directory under c:\Program files\ named "kodak" or "Easy share". If you see it, make note of the name, and rename it "probably crap" (or whatever you want)

2> Click on file run, and type "regedit" (no quotes) and hit enter. (Note this gets kind of serious and not recommended if you aren't prepared to do a fresh reload)

3> Find HKEY_Current_USER and expand it. look for "Software" and expand it. on the list that appears, look for Kodak, or Easy share. if you see it (and you might not) highlight it, right click it, and select "export" to save it somewhere you remember with a name like kodak1.reg When it is saved, delete the entry.

4> Find HKEY_Local_Machine and expand it. look for "Software" and expand it. on the list that appears, look for Kodak, or Easy share. if you see it (and you might not) highlight it, right click it, and select "export" to save it somewhere you remember with a name like kodak2.reg When it is saved, delete the entry.

5> close out of regedit, and go back to explorer. Look for a directory named "Documents and settings". open it and look for the name you use on this computer. Open that directory. Look for two directories, "application data: and "local settings" If you do NOT see them do step 5a, if you do, proceed to step 6.

5a> click tools and the select folder options. click the view tab and look for a radio button that reads "show hidden files and folders and selected it. click OK and then hit F5 to refresh.

6> Go into application data and see if you see a folder named "Kodak" or "easy share". if you do, rename it to "probably crap" (or something other than Kodak or easy share)

7> look for the local settings directory now. click it and tend click on the "apps" subfolder. See if you see a folder named "Kodak" or "easy share". if you do, rename it to "probably crap" (or something other than Kodak or easy share)

8> reboot.

9> try to reinstall the program.

[madmax]

25. Thank you

I saved the step by step instructions on this.

[Gore1FL]

27. You are welcome

but don't thank me yet! That procedure is a really really ugly and extreme way to do things!

[Gore1FL]

24. Net speed

there are a few fixes with this, depending on the problem. The first is to check with your ISP to see what speed you are supposed to be getting.

[Duer 157099]

20. madmax, let's take this one step at a time...

First step:

When you click on "System Restore" how many bolded dates do you see? What is the earliest date that is available to restore to?

Second step:

It's tempting to do a hundred different things at a time, but it gets out of control really easily, and I'm the worst one to give this advice because I never follow it myself.

Do you have CCleaner?

[madmax]

26. System Restore only goes back 4

May 31 June 1 July 1 Aug 1. I'd like to go back further but, I think I'd be ok with May 31. That's before the hubby did whatever he did.

Had CCleaner but, I don't see it now so I may have deleted it.

I think I need to get rid of some of this stuff:

RegCure
Registry Mechanic 8.0
Advanced Reg Optimizer 2008


I did use AVG 7.5 but, it's expired. I d/l Avasti because I read here someplace that it was a good AntiVirus program but, it slows down the machine.

Should I remove all the stuff that may be causing problems and use whatever you guys think are the best.

[Duer 157099]

28. I'd say first do the restore to the earliest date you can

then uninstall those things, especially RegCure since it's questionable

[madmax]

29. ok.... I'm going to restore to May 31

I'll do that and see how it goes. Then maybe I'll work on that damn "Security Update for Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 Service Pack 2 (KB936181)" I've installed it, it seems like 109 times. There are some suggestions to fix that on this forum and Gore1fl posted re: Kodak. So if I get that far I'm happy, lol.

I may not do it today. Gotta cold and feeling crappy. :( Probably do it tomorrow a.m. I'll post here how that goes.

Wish one of you lived in NC! :hi:

[madmax]

30. No good.

I tried to restore from May 31 the first bolded day - could not restore. Tried June and July no good either. I don't know if July would be a restore point because it was in June that I started having problems.

[madmax]

31. Recovery Tools CD

I found this disk labeled Recovery Tools 1/23/06. I must have made it because it's my handwriting :0 And 1/23/06 is the day I bought this HP Pavillion. Will that restore without losing documents and settings? Please be gentle ... I'm extremely computer challanged. I'd call support but, I'm hearing impaired and don't use the phone. Hell, I'm afraid to put the thing in the drive for fear that I'll mess things up even more.

P.S. I googled this website - what do you guys think? It's pretty step by step - 'even a cavewoman can do it'. I think x(

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&docname=c00239036

[Duer 157099]

32. Oops, sorry, I wasn't on DU most of today

Are you around now? I'd walk you through looking at one key in your registry, to rule something out

[madmax]

33. Ok...

I think we'll need an exorcism. A new wrinkle - I'm looking at my email inbox and the emails are just disappearing one by one and no clue as to where there going. Not in the deleted folder.

I know how to get into the registry. What should I look for.

[Duer 157099]

34. OK, I posted this in your other thread,but start with this

Don't do anything but just look for that key and see if it's there and if it's configured as described below. If it is, then you have the same issue as this guy who wrote this, and he has a solution. IF not, it's a different problem:

To check that your problem is the same as mine:
i) Open your registry
ii) go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Msxml2.DomDocument.4.0\CLSID
iii) If it's not there, we have different issues
iv) right-click on 'CLSID' and click 'Permissions...'
v) Look to see if you have 'SYSTEM' there and that it has 'Full Control'
vi) If it is there, we have different issues

(ps: too bad we're on opposite coasts, makes it hard to sync!)

[madmax]

35. Hi

No, don't have that. But, the Registry is a scary place ;)

The egghead link posts a lot of suggestions to fix the KB update. I'll try some of them. I'm sure the situation will be resoved around the same time Obama is running for re-election. :beer: