System Crash: Computer Repair for Complete Idiots

[Neko-]

Reinstalling from a Windows XP installation CD is fine... However, if you have a specific computer recovery CD, you're likely going to be in for a heap of problems I'd rather not try myself with that CD if that's the case.

Just to see... input the CD into a different PC, and see if the root contains something akin to this (for Windows XP):

DOCS
I386
SUPPORT
VALUEADD
AUTORUN.INF
BOOTFONT.BIN
README.HTM
SETUP.EXE
WIN51
WIN51IP

If that's about the contents of the disk, then you likely have a standard CD installation disk. Could be there are some extra files or not, but it should globally adhere to the above.

Now I do know there are two ways to recover from failure using a boot disk. First one is the (what I call) softrepair, which is basically boot from the CD and request the installer to 'repair' windows... Usually when I get down to grabbing the CD, this method however proves absolutely useless... There are cases I've seen it work, but more often then not it doesn't really do anything.

Recovery console is something you can forget. That would get you a DOS prompt where you can execute a few commands... I know it does allow you do do things in C:\WINDOWS, and I recall it'll allow you access to the files, but it will NOT allow you to write (or delete) files from the HDD. Copying them is fine tho. So if you really need to get data off this might be a way to go, although I'm not sure it supports USB devices in that mode.

The second recovery is what I call the hard-repair... You basically state you want to install Windows XP and move through all the motions of a clean install, leave the harddisk intact (do not format), and just select the same folder for install (C:\WINDOWS). Acknowledge the warning that Windows is already present there, and it'll go ahead, delete most of the contents of the Windows folder, and reinstall there.

If you choose to format the dis, or repartition it: that's it. Data is gone. So be sure to NOT do any of those!. Selecting a different Windows installation folder (C:\WINNT for instance) is possible. That will leave the C:\WINDOWS completely intact tho, and make your PC behave as if it has two operating systems on it... (which is a bootmenu that pops up at the start. If that happens, there are ways to make that one disappear aswell).

Beware... Utilizing the latter method may or may not require a license-code to be entered. Also be aware that doing this may require Windows re-activation with Microsoft (depending on your version of XP).

Be sure to have hardware drivers and such present in the latter case, since it's likely Windows won't know all of it's hardware. XP is pretty self-sustaining, but with recent PC's I've found you always need to get some drivers to get all the hardware to cooperate again. I'm not sure it keeps the drivers handy when reinstalling (allowing it to re-use them and therefore run all hardware as-is), but I'd rather state this now and save you some pain when you do reinstall and find you need drivers.

[Spokavriel]

This brings up the 2 reasons why you really need the disk that came with the system. The Motherboard chipset drivers are often highly fine tuned. The system can work without them but not that well. It's one of the main advantages Windows has over freeware OS software. Those drivers tend to be included on the rescue disk. And without your actual recovery disks for that particular computer any attempt at installing even repair installing windows would ask for your activation key. The only exception that would possibly allow your old key would be an upgrade and that is a really slim chance and often requires a new key too.

[Comartemis]

That's probably what's happening now. I went ahead and ran the installation software but I only get to the Recovery Console before the system asks me for the administrator password. Which is a problem, because to my knowledge my computer doesn't have any passwords and not entering anything three times results in an invalid password message and a forced reboot.

[lwf58]

As a pro computer tech, I suppose I should put in a few words.

First off, yes, you can often install from a Dell OS disk even if you don't own a Dell. The most important thing is to have the Microsoft Product Key for your computer, and that the version of Windows matches... in other words, that you have a valid Windows sticker on the pc, and that you're installing the version of windows it has printed on it.

Windows XP will format the hard drive even if it has no partition, or often allow you to repair the current installation. If you're reinstalling due to a malware infection, it's better to reformat, or the malware will still be there when you finish.

Most manufacturers supply device drivers for their computers on their web sites. The only thing you need to get them is internet access long enough to grab the drivers for your network card or modem. That's something I often do several times daily.

Manufacturers often have more than one set of drivers for a given computer model. In other words, they may, for example, have more than one possible video or network device, and will list several different driver downloads to cover the variations. A program like "system information for windows" can help you figure out what devices are actually installed in your pc, so that you can download the right drivers.

[Comartemis]

Seems to be working just fine, but I'm going to have to transfer all my files over to the new user account and reinstall most of the software, it seems. However I'm getting a request to activate windows sometime in the next thirty days or the computer will cease functioning.

[Spokavriel]

Activation is where the Registration key comes into play most.

[Comartemis]

Shit. Can you use a registration key that's already been used for another computer?

[Neko-]

Most of the time the regkey is posted up on the case itself...

Officially using a different computers key is not allowed. It seems that the computer reports the key to Microsoft along with a hash-key of the global hardware of the PC. If the hardware changes too much it'll detect the PC has changed, and will not allow a re-activiation as-is... Calling in is about the only way to get it to run again...

Won't know unless you try tho. Just let it see if it can activate itself. If not, you can just switch registration key, and see about that one.

[Spokavriel]

If you can use it go with the Registration Key that goes with the computer that disk was intended for. Just tell them that you had a problem and had to re-install. There's no law that says you have to admit to it being entirely different hardware. That is what you did. And you don't have any more Software copies than you legally bought so it's a gray area that isn't even all that dark.

[Comartemis]

If we had a reputation system going on Fukufics I'd be showering you guys in +1 Reps for the next week and a half. Not only is my computer functioning properly again, but it also seems as though the problems the viruses were causing have vanished as well; for the first time in six months, my CPU Usage is running around an inactive baseline of 2% instead of 50%. It'll take some work to get everything running properly again, but you guys just saved me a load of work and a fair chunk of change.

Thanks a lot everyone!

[Neko-]

Glad to hear it got resolved Now to safeguard the hentai, and possibly remove it from the HDD

Anyway: get AVG or whatever kind of virusscanner, and run it with updated datafiles. Then get a spyware scanner (SpyBot or Adaware) and run that one with updated datafiles. That should get rid of the most direct issues that might still be lurking on the system.

Other then that, I can only advise on cleaning the harddisk:

* Check C:\WINDOWS\TEMP and empty it. It's supposed to be empty anyway.
* Check C:\Documents and Settings\<profile>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5 (hidden folder). Any folder in here can be deleted (your internet cache... it might contain virusses still)
* Check C:\Documents and Settings\jvdoornik\Local Settings\Temp - It should be mostly empty, although it usually has some stuff in there that's in use. No biggy.

Then run the cleanup wizard - Start - Run - Cleanmgr

Let it search your partition, select what you want cleaned, and compressed, and you should be all set again.

If the PC starts acting up again, you could check the registry to see what it loads on boot-up, but that might be going a tad far at the moment.

If you do want to do it, remember: doing stuf in the registry has NO recyclebin, and can affect performance (or even booting of the PC) inadvertantly... If you do not trust yourself: stay away from the registry!

[CRBWildcat]

* Check C:\WINDOWS\TEMP and empty it. It's supposed to be empty anyway.
* Check C:\Documents and Settings\<profile>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5 (hidden folder). Any folder in here can be deleted (your internet cache... it might contain virusses still)
* Check C:\Documents and Settings\jvdoornik\Local Settings\Temp - It should be mostly empty, although it usually has some stuff in there that's in use. No biggy.

I've been wondering about where that stuff was for ages. I've managed to clear out several gigabytes worth of data, games, etc. off my C:\ in the past year or two, and my space still flucuates between 200 MB and 0.99 GB.

[Neko-]

If your computer is updated (which is also something Comartemis should do to prevent further infections and such), and has no further updates going, it might help to remove the update-files too...

For any removal: note the creation/modification date of a file/folder. Just to make sure it's not readily used anymore.

$ folders

The C:\WINDOWS folder has the update rollbacks saved as $-folders. They're hidden, so not readily visible to remove. Microsoft recommends leaving the $hf_mig$ folder intact (as in, do not delete it), but I've removed it numerous times and have not noticed any issues....

Making them visible: Open the folder, open the Tools menu, choose Folder Options - select the tab 'view', then select the following 'Display contents of system folders', 'Show hidden files and folders', and 'Hide protected operating system files'. The first one can be switched on, while the last one can be switched off.

Word of warning: you are seeing WAY more files then normal now... Be very wary what you remove, and once done, I recommend for normal usage to reapply the original settings I mentioned above to hide the files and folders again.

Installation log files

The KB*.LOG files in the C:\WINDOWS folder show the logs that were used for the installations... If you remove the above, you can also remove these.

IE7 updates

Other then that the C:\WINDOWS\ie7updates contains IE7 updates if applicable, and it can also be removed.

Minidump

The C:\WINDOWS\Minidump can be cleared out too, but I doubt that'd give you much space back.

Automatic Updates

And then there is the automatic update folder... Like I said: if your PC is already updated, you can look at the services screen (start - run - services.msc), select the automatic updates, right click it and stop it. Then go to C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution, and empty the folder. Leave the SoftwareDistribution folder intact. Then just restart the Automatic Updates (same way it was stopped above), and it'll refill the folder.

File hogs

Other ways to see where space is being lost could be found by using some folder size checker such as the freeware one here: http://www.rotebetasoftware.net/wp/free ... lder-size/ - That can give you a good view of where the big hogs of space on your filesystem are. And possibly do something about them.

On occassion I've found some drwatson logs under the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users folder that were using huge amounts of space... Usually these are also applicable to be removed.

Check Disk

To verify the continueity of the filesystem, you can drop to a DOS prompt, and run 'chkdsk c: /f'. The c: can be substituted by any drive, and I'd recommend running it atleast once every so often on each drive. This basically prompts a check of the filesystem, and even the MFT bitmap if applicable) that fixes filesystem errors, and possibly corrects misnoted disk-usage. If you run it on the systemdrive (usually the C:) it'll have issues since Windows uses that drive, and come back to ask if you want to run it on the next reboot... Just hit Yes, and when the reboot comes around, it'll drop to a blue-ish screen, run the check, and do the corrections, and then reboot the PC again to boot up normally.

Compression

Last but not least, you can reclaim space (although it's a tradeoff with CPU and time incase you need the files) by compressing the files. They're there, they're accessable, they just need a bit of time more to open.

Rightclick the file or folder for that, select properties, click the advanced button, and select the compress tick. Hit OK, and it'll proceed with compressing the files to reclaim diskspace.

Defrag

To make the most of all the cleaning up, defragmenting the drive would be the best thing to do. Start - run - dfrg.msc. That'll get the drive data-continueity in order as much as possible again...

Hope that gives you (and others) something to work with

[Comartemis]

Okay, new problem. My computer is custom-built and I can't find a product key listed on it anywhere. I got 29 days to fix this. You guys have helped me out a ton already, but I have to ask for more help with this.

[nuriko]

You said your computer was used, I believe? I think this is going to be a problem ... the activation key for Windows (for me, at least), is with the packaging/disc holder for the Windows CD. Anything I could suggest (beyond finding that, and I don't know if you were even provided with it) would be legally problematical or fairly expensive.