Expert: Lorry - 9/10/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi Lorry,

I just got back to town from the Labor Day Weekend and I got your message and I really appreciated that you got back to me. This will not be too long. Now, Lorry you mentioned about doing a reinstalling of Windows by reformatting the Hard drive. I never got the Windows OS CD with my computer when I got it. I had to make Recovery CDs from a program in the computer that I can make Recovery CDs when I need them. Is the reformatting of the Hard Drive and doing a System Recovery the same thing?

By doing a restore before this happened and doing a virus scan from the site that you sent me, to me doesn’t make any sense if you do not mind me saying, cause the virus scan that you sent me said no viruses found. And that was after this happened, well I never knew this site existed before this issue of mine happened.

And as I have told you about windows programs in my computer either they are not working or responding I never really had this happen before this issue of mine, I never got them before only after the issue.

And all I want to do is get rid of threats that I can not remove in AVG and Spybot. And as far as doing a System Recovery I think I am ready?

I will let you know what happens and I will let you know. Thanks, Lorry.

Sincerely yours,

Martin C. Meyer

P.S. What did you think of the site that I sent you, Lorry? I think with that site and the sites that you sent me I think I will be ready and to get any more threats that comes to me I will get rid of them! I hope I do not have to, I mean if I need them I have them. What do you think? Again I will let you know what happens.

ANSWER: Hi Martin,

The recovery cd you made does the same thing. A few years ago, pc manufacturers decided it would be easier if they put the recovery information on the partitioned drive. The site you sent me is a great one, then again, personally anything Symantec is usually good to my way of thinking.

Reformatting and restoring are two different things. Reformatting actually removes all data so that the drive is clean, system restore is just restoring Windows to a previous date.

The reason why I mentioned using System Restore was because if you took it back say a month ago, the virus 'might' show up and then you could remove it properly.

Try using the tool mentioned at:

http://www.symantec.com/norton/support/DIY/index.jsp

Let me know if it doesn't remove the threats. If it doesn't, then I would suggest backing up anything of importance, then use the Recovery CD you made.

Hope this helps!
Lorry

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hey Lorry,

I know that reinstalling and restore are the same thing. I asked if reinstalling and recovery the same thing? And the site that you sent me did not find any threats and I did do the site I found and the same thing did not find any threats. But, I can not get rid of the threats in AVG free and Spybot though. I did go to Target and I found a deal on buying AVG for $14.99 and a Tune up CD called Tune Up Utilities for $14.99 too. Again I will certainly get back to you on whatever happens and also tell you how everything went on my reinstalling of Windows that I think I am ready to do. Even if I do not have a virus in my computer it has something and I want to get rid of this and even if I have to start all over with a new system after I am done I will do. I know that doing a recovery by reinstalling windows that I am going to do is the last thing that anyone including me has to do after trying anything but, sometimes we do not have time to figure out what is wrong, but I think it has been long enough. I will contact you and talk to you later, Lorry. And please let me know if there is anything else I can do, before doing this I mean like I said the sites did not find anything, but my computer has something. Stuff that doesn't at least never happened to me coming from my computer as I have said that it does from my last writing you and the long letter I wrote you that took me 5 days to do. Thanks, Lorry

ANSWER: Hi Martin,

Difference Between Repairing and Reinstalling Windows
When you repair an installation of Windows XP you install Windows into the same folder as the old installation. All the files in your Windows folder are overwritten. This may change some of your settings, program short cuts, and location of your My Documents folder, but all other folders will remain intact. For more information about this click here.

On the other hand, when you do a reinstallation (also called a clean install) of Windows you first format the hard drive and then install Windows. When you format your hard drive all the information that it once contained is erased and wiped clean. This is why you should first try to repair Windows before attempting to do a clean install.

I would suggest doing a clean install of Windows. That way you know for a fact that you starting with a clean hard drive.

Let me know how you make out,

Later,
Lorry

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Lorry,

I figure it was that. I mean the difference in reinstalling and recovery that recovery was over writing the old OS. And if you had a problem with the old OS doing a recovery would only over write the old OS but, you will still have the problem?. Got ya. Now I wanted to let you know I did get a blue screen I really do not remember if I was shutting down, I think it was that or I was starting up, I do not think it was that. Any ways the blue screen happened so fast that all I got was that my computer either has a virus, (which I do not have with the sites that told me I didn't), Spyware, Malware, but as I said it has something. What do you think? Yes, indeed I will let you know how I make out.

Sincerely yours,

Martin C. Meyer

Answer
Hi Martin,

At this point you should use the Recovery CD you made. By using that, you will be able to restore the computer back to the way it was when you first got it.

If you run into any problems, please get back to me - that's why I'm here.

Later,
Lorry