6
   

Windows Vista got zapped!

 
 
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 07:49 pm

so we had a couple of hiccups in the power a little while ago -- each long enough to shut everything off.

now my five year-old windows vista PC is a blank . slate.

no start button, no task bar, no desktop icons whatsoever.

thru task manager, i was able to look at my C Drive folders.
everything's still there.
i opened a browser by clicking on the EXE file...

Exclamation Exclamation Exclamation HALP!!! Exclamation Exclamation Exclamation

how do i put it back the way it was before the power went out?

i prolly have the vista installation CD around here somewhere...

thanx
 
View best answer, chosen by Region Philbis
Debacle
 
  2  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 08:14 pm
@Region Philbis,
Have you tried to do a System Restore, selecting a restore point at a time before the power outage?
Region Philbis
 
  1  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 08:27 pm
@Debacle,

no.
how would you do one if you had no desktop?
Rockhead
 
  0  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 08:46 pm
@Region Philbis,
on restart put it into safe mode?

(XP guy here)
0 Replies
 
Butrflynet
 
  3  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 08:47 pm
@Region Philbis,
Does rebooting into safe mode by holding down F8 during the reboot do anything?
0 Replies
 
Debacle
 
  2  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 08:47 pm
@Region Philbis,
I've never done a system restore when I didn't have a Start button available. But this link purports to show how to launch System Restore from Task Manager. Hope it solves your issue.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5810717_run-system-restore-task-manager.html

Region Philbis
 
  1  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 08:52 pm

just had power outage #3...
0 Replies
 
Region Philbis
 
  1  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 09:05 pm
@Debacle,
Quote:
this link purports to show how to launch System Restore from Task Manager. Hope it solves your issue.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5810717_run-system-restore-task-manager.html
thanx.
i tried running the system restore file, but nothing happened.

however, further down the page was a link for repairing vista.
so i downloaded "PC HealthBoost", which is currently running a scan...
0 Replies
 
Region Philbis
 
  1  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 09:05 pm

763 errors found.

i think that's a good thing... ?
Region Philbis
 
  1  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 09:12 pm

ah, there's the rub.
it costs $30 to register the software...
0 Replies
 
Debacle
 
  2  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 09:45 pm
@Region Philbis,
It may well be a good tool. It's available on a number of similar websites.

Here is another website about doing a system restore:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/using-windows-vista-system-restore/

Just out of curiosity, how were you able to launch your browser and access A2K without a desktop? Or are you using a different PC or device?

Butrflynet
 
  2  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 10:06 pm
@Debacle,
He's probably using his roommate's computer. Very Happy
0 Replies
 
Debacle
 
  2  
Reply Wed 10 Jul, 2013 10:31 pm
@Debacle,
I hope it wasn't a scam you got into. Sometimes when browsing the internet a popup will appear saying RED ALERT Your Computer is At Risk, or some such rubbish with a button to click to remove the risk and scan your system. If you click the button, it appears to run some sort of scan and then advise that you have a number of errors which you can have them remove for $50 or $75 bucks. If you decline, your computer will lockup and unbeknownst to you they've installed an empty file which acts as a conduit for a number of their associated companies to use to access your PC and create havoc. Some of the companies are hackers armed with viruses.

I went through that on my old PC last year. I was able to do certain things online as usual, but the one thing I couldn't do was any sort of web searches. No search engine would work. I wasn't even able to launch my browser until my ISP gave me the IP address of Google which I was able to use as my browser homepage instead of the usual www.google.com.

Finally about two months ago, when my wife decided she didn't want to use my new PC and wanted to continue using the old XP machine, I paid Microsoft $99 for a 30-day service agreement and they commenced looking for the problem. It took them a total of 30 hours over three days to get it sorted out. Each day a different level technician had control of the PC. Finally after six hours on the 3rd day the level 3 (the highest) tech ran a special scan which uncovered two viruses which had resisted all scans to that point.

He then downloaded and installed a small program called tdsskiller which is a freebie from Kapersky Lab. http://usa.kapersky.com/downsloads/tdsskiller which he then ran. It detected and removed the two trojan viruses. The computer now runs like new, faster than ever, it seems to me, and everything works fine. I've since ran that tool about once a week just as a precaution. And I've installed it on my new Win 8 PC as well.

I hope you find a way to get your PC running again. You might then consider installing that "tdsskiller." It's a tiny program that works wonders.

Region Philbis
 
  2  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 05:11 am
@Debacle,
Quote:
Here is another website about doing a system restore:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/using-windows-vista-system-restore/
thanx -- i'll check it out tonight...

Quote:
Just out of curiosity, how were you able to launch your browser and access A2K without a desktop?
task manager --> applications --> New Task --> Browse --> locate iexplore.exe

i should set up a few shortcuts, which would save a few precious seconds...

Butrflynet wrote:
He's probably using his roommate's computer. Very Happy
actually, no because she's always on it... Mr. Green
0 Replies
 
edgarblythe
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 05:13 am
@Debacle,
Debacle wrote:

I hope it wasn't a scam you got into. Sometimes when browsing the internet a popup will appear saying RED ALERT Your Computer is At Risk, or some such rubbish with a button to click to remove the risk and scan your system. If you click the button, it appears to run some sort of scan and then advise that you have a number of errors which you can have them remove for $50 or $75 bucks. If you decline, your computer will lockup and unbeknownst to you they've installed an empty file which acts as a conduit for a number of their associated companies to use to access your PC and create havoc. Some of the companies are hackers armed with viruses.

I went through that on my old PC last year. I was able to do certain things online as usual, but the one thing I couldn't do was any sort of web searches. No search engine would work. I wasn't even able to launch my browser until my ISP gave me the IP address of Google which I was able to use as my browser homepage instead of the usual www.google.com.

Finally about two months ago, when my wife decided she didn't want to use my new PC and wanted to continue using the old XP machine, I paid Microsoft $99 for a 30-day service agreement and they commenced looking for the problem. It took them a total of 30 hours over three days to get it sorted out. Each day a different level technician had control of the PC. Finally after six hours on the 3rd day the level 3 (the highest) tech ran a special scan which uncovered two viruses which had resisted all scans to that point.

He then downloaded and installed a small program called tdsskiller which is a freebie from Kapersky Lab. http://usa.kapersky.com/downsloads/tdsskiller which he then ran. It detected and removed the two trojan viruses. The computer now runs like new, faster than ever, it seems to me, and everything works fine. I've since ran that tool about once a week just as a precaution. And I've installed it on my new Win 8 PC as well.

I hope you find a way to get your PC running again. You might then consider installing that "tdsskiller." It's a tiny program that works wonders.



I could not get the link to open.
BillRM
 
  2  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 05:47 am
@Region Philbis,
I know you are not going to like this as the cost is around 80 dollars but the over the years I had have in my family over five computer that was brought back on line with a program by the name of spinrite.

It is a program that boot from a CD under it own OS and will checked every sector of a hard drive and recover if it possible to do so the information contain in bad sectors.

Just a few months ago my netbook would not boot and spinrite found the problem and fixed it.

Without that program that netbook would now be a worthless paper weight.

You can get it at GRC.com

Note a major update is in the work however any such update will be free to any current owner of spinrite.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinrite
Region Philbis
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 05:52 am
@BillRM,

thanx -- i'll look into it...
0 Replies
 
Region Philbis
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 06:04 am

ideally, i'd like to do a restore point, and i think this page may help to that end.

trying to decide if it's better to spend $ on software that may or may not work, or just purchase a new computer.

jespah found the vista installation CD, so i might just give up and start from scratch...
Debacle
 
  2  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 07:33 am
@edgarblythe,
Oops! It appears the link is faulty. Sorry about that.

However, the tool can be downloaded from a CNet page.

http://download.cnet.com/Kaspersky-TDSSKiller/3000-2239_4-75722087.html
0 Replies
 
BillRM
 
  2  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 08:11 am
@Region Philbis,
Quote:
trying to decide if it's better to spend $ on software that may or may not work, or just purchase a new computer.


Well even 80 dollars is a hell of a lot cheaper then a new computer to say nothing of the work needed to get all the software you like installed on a new computer.

The chance of the software I had suggested is better then 50/5o at the very worst in solving your problem.

PS the desktop I am on now is working due to spinrite and the netbook in my bedroom the same.
0 Replies
 
 

Related Topics

Clone of Micosoft Office - Question by Advocate
Do You Turn Off Your Computer at Night? - Discussion by Phoenix32890
The "Death" of the Computer Mouse - Discussion by Phoenix32890
Windows 10... - Discussion by Region Philbis
Surface Pro 3: What do you think? - Question by neologist
Windows 8 tips thread - Discussion by Wilso
GOOGLE CHROME - Question by Setanta
.Net and Firefox... - Discussion by gungasnake
Hacking a computer and remote access - Discussion by trying2learn
 
  1. Forums
  2. » Windows Vista got zapped!
Copyright © 2024 MadLab, LLC :: Terms of Service :: Privacy Policy :: Page generated in 0.14 seconds on 12/08/2024 at 09:51:49