Help needed reconfiguring after reinstallation of Windows

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pokeefe0001

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A repair shop reinstalled Windows after my PC had some hardware problems. I'm now having some software registration problems (I assume) because they changed the name of my PC (Computer name and Full computer name). I see how to change these names, but I don't know what the old names were. I have backups - both Window and Acronis - taken before the reinstallation. Is there some way I can find these names in the backups? I assume the info is in the registry but I don't know how to read it in a backup.

I suspect this is just the first of many questions like this I'm going to have to ask.
 

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pokeefe0001 said:
A repair shop reinstalled Windows after my PC had some hardware problems. I'm now having some software registration problems (I assume) because they changed the name of my PC (Computer name and Full computer name). I see how to change these names, but I don't know what the old names were. I have backups - both Window and Acronis - taken before the reinstallation. Is there some way I can find these names in the backups? I assume the info is in the registry but I don't know how to read it in a backup.

I suspect this is just the first of many questions like this I'm going to have to ask.
Click to expand...

If it was solely hardware and you have a complete backup why not just restore it. The names are probably included in it
 

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This sounds bogus to me, but the people at the shop claimed that Windows had become corrupted - that restoring would restore some of the intermittent problems I was having. The problem was intermittently failing ram causing many freezes and automatic reboots. I don't see how this could corrupt anything in Windows except maybe the registry but I could certainly be wrong.
 

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Windows 7 x64 ProIntel i7 4771 3.50 GHzKingston DDR3 - 16GBIntel HD Graphics 4600
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Custom built by Puget Systems
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Windows 7 x64 Pro
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Intel i7 4771 3.50 GHz
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ASUS Z87-A
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Kingston DDR3 - 16GB
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Intel HD Graphics 4600
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M-Audio Delta Audiofile 2496
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pokeefe0001 said:
This sounds bogus to me, but the people at the shop claimed that Windows had become corrupted - that restoring would restore some of the intermittent problems I was having. The problem was intermittently failing ram causing many freezes and automatic reboots. I don't see how this could corrupt anything in Windows except maybe the registry but I could certainly be wrong.
Click to expand...


The most efficient way might be to re-install win 7 cleanly. Intermittent issues usually are pointed towards ram, but can be either the ram itself, or a driver writing bad data to it.

A re-install would not fix the ram but would the driver.
 

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You may be able to find the computer name by mounting the Acronis image and exploring it. But, as far as I know the validation of Windows is tied to the Motherboard, and if you were having problems with ram, a reinstallation of Windows would not fix the ram. As Zigzag said, if the problem was a driver, reinstallation would probably fix the problem, but not fix bad ram. If it was a driver, restoring the image would reinstall the problem driver.
 

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zigzag3143 said:
The most efficient way might be to re-install win 7 cleanly. Intermittent issues usually are pointed towards ram, but can be either the ram itself, or a driver writing bad data to it.

A re-install would not fix the ram but would the driver.
Click to expand...

Well, efficient or not, that is what was done. A new set of ram fixed the ram problem. A clean reinstallation of Windows fixed the (possibly nonexistent) Windows problem. Now I'm stuck with trying to reconfigure Windows as it was before it was reinstalled.

So back to my original question: How do I retrieve things like "Computer name" from a backup - either a Windows or Acronis backup?
 

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Windows 7 x64 ProIntel i7 4771 3.50 GHzKingston DDR3 - 16GBIntel HD Graphics 4600
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Custom built by Puget Systems
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Windows 7 x64 Pro
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Intel i7 4771 3.50 GHz
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ASUS Z87-A
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Kingston DDR3 - 16GB
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Intel HD Graphics 4600
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Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
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Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (@[email protected])
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I installed the stock 140mm case fan outside of case then installed the H70+ 1 of its 120mm fans inside case. Used the 2nd 120mm from the H70 to go in the Gpu tunnel.
230mm Front,200mm side,200mm top,120mm Gpu tunnel,120mm&140mm on H70.
jeepmann4x4 said:
What all Hardware was Replaced?
Click to expand...
12GB of OCZ ram (6 OCZ3G1333LV6GK ram modules) were replaced by 6GB of Crucial 2GB PC3-10600 ram modules. While that's half of what I had before, Windows was using only 4GB of the OCZ ram ... even though BIOS saw it all. Windows now sees and is using all 6GB of the newly installed ram.
jeepmann4x4 said:
What Software are you having issues with? The OS itself or 3rd party?
Click to expand...
Random freezes of Windows or automatic reboots (even though I had automatic reboot supposedly disabled). Very rarely a BSOD - only 4 over the past year vs. hundreds of freezes or reboots.
jeepmann4x4 said:
In ether of your backups can you pick and choose what you reinstall instead of full restore??
Click to expand...
I don't know squat about the Windows backups but I can access directories and files in the Acronis backups just as though they were the real live files.

jeepmann4x4 said:
EDIT: IS your other thread here about the same Issue??

Reasonable explanation for crashes?
http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/192702-reasonable-explanation-crashes.html#post1622823
Click to expand...
Just about every question I've posted since Aug 2010 has been related to this issue. Hopefully I'll soon be able to crawl back under my rock and disappear now that the problem has (hopefully) been fixed. But first I have to recover from the recovery - get this PC configured like it was before.
 

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Custom built by Puget Systems
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Windows 7 x64 Pro
CPU
Intel i7 4771 3.50 GHz
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ASUS Z87-A
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Kingston DDR3 - 16GB
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Intel HD Graphics 4600
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M-Audio Delta Audiofile 2496
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Samsung SyncMasterr 2043 BWX
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Samsung SSD 840 PRO
WDC WD1002FAEX-00Z3A0
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built in - part of case - 650 Watt
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q.gif
Quote: Originally Posted by jeepmann4x4
What Software are you having issues with? The OS itself or 3rd party?


Random freezes of Windows or automatic reboots (even though I had automatic reboot supposedly disabled). Very rarely a BSOD - only 4 over the past year vs. hundreds of freezes or reboots.
Click to expand...

Not what issue you had, u said that was fixed by the shop and a reinstall of OS.
I meant what program(s) are u having issue's with now?
 

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Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (@[email protected])
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x2 EVGA GeForce GTX 760's w/ACXCoolers in SLI Surround
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I installed the stock 140mm case fan outside of case then installed the H70+ 1 of its 120mm fans inside case. Used the 2nd 120mm from the H70 to go in the Gpu tunnel.
230mm Front,200mm side,200mm top,120mm Gpu tunnel,120mm&140mm on H70.
Did you allow them to reinstall or did they just do it ?

I know I`d be pissed, but then again, no one touches my PCs but me.
 

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I'd lean toward recovering with your last good image: System Image Recovery.
You could then confirm your Computer Name at Computer>Properties and consider reinstalling following these steps to get a Perfect Reinstall.

There is nothing in the hardware changes that would restrict the use of the backup image. If you have a question about why Win7 was reinstalled, call the shop to ask if running the backup is an option in their view. And get clarification about exactly why they reinstalled to run it by us to see if it could affect the image.

If the Win7 backup image won't restore, then use the Acronis one from it's installed program or boot CD.

Just to be sure you have a path back to where you are, you can save a Win7 backup of the unauthorized reinstall if you want: Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup. But we can help you get a much better clean reinstall.
 
Last edited:
jeepmann4x4 said:
q.gif
Quote: Originally Posted by jeepmann4x4
What Software are you having issues with? The OS itself or 3rd party?
Click to expand...
Oh, I wasn't having any real issues, just a lot of installs.
Acronis TrueImage
FireFox
Thunderbird
WinZip
Sibelus
Finale
Garritan personal Orchestra
CCleaner
Process Explorer (which isn't really an install so that doesn't count)
and a whole bunch of other little things that I haven't reinstalled yet.
​
Zomby88 said:
Did you allow them to reinstall or did they just do it ?

I know I`d be pissed, but then again, no one touches my PCs but me.
Click to expand...

It was a plan. They had run a bunch of diagnostics that turned up no hardware problems so they suggested that maybe Windows was corrupted when I did an "Anytime" upgrade from Home to Pro. They didn't make any promises - it was a shot in the dark. I agreed to let them do it on the assumption that professionals might get it right. But the PC finally died for them ... 3 times while they were trying to do the reinstall. Obviously Windows wasn't the problem (or not the only problem) but it was a bit too late to not do the install then.
Click to expand...
 

My Computer My Computer

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Windows 7 x64 ProIntel i7 4771 3.50 GHzKingston DDR3 - 16GBIntel HD Graphics 4600
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Custom built by Puget Systems
OS
Windows 7 x64 Pro
CPU
Intel i7 4771 3.50 GHz
Motherboard
ASUS Z87-A
Memory
Kingston DDR3 - 16GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel HD Graphics 4600
Sound Card
M-Audio Delta Audiofile 2496
Monitor(s) Displays
Samsung SyncMasterr 2043 BWX
Hard Drives
Samsung SSD 840 PRO
WDC WD1002FAEX-00Z3A0
PSU
built in - part of case - 650 Watt
Case
Fractal Design R4
Cooling
Coolmaster Hyper TX3
Keyboard
Dell PS/2
Mouse
Logitech USB
Internet Speed
50 Mb Cable
Antivirus
Kaspersky Internet Security 2015
Browser
Firefox
I'm a bit confused here.

You say that your PC had hardware problems, particularly bad RAM which was replaced in its entirety. Now in your last post, you say they ran diagnostics and didn't find any hardware issues, upon which they suggested it was a software issue (caused by upgrading Home to Pro) and reinstalled Windows for you.

If this was just a hardware issue and if they did reinstall Windows and if you do have a full backup of your system as it was before the reinstall, then this begs the question:
Why don't you simply restore your backup and blow the new Windows installation away? You'd have everything back the way it was. In the (IMHO) unlikely event that there really is a software problem such as a bad driver in your backed-up system, you can still start over and just reinstall Windows fresh again. But you wouldn't have to wonder about the backup anymore.

Am I just not understanding the entire situation? I have the impression this is a case of making a simple process complicated.
 

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Hardkernel ODROID-XU single-board computer (Samsung Exynos 5420)
What does your PC name have to do with registering software anyway ????

If you have a backup image, you should be able to find it in the system properties. It`s gotta be there.
 

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Windows 7 Ultimate 64BitC2D E82008GB PNY PC2-6400BFG 9600GT x 2
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Windows 7 Ultimate 64Bit
CPU
C2D E8200
Motherboard
XFX 750i
Memory
8GB PNY PC2-6400
Graphics Card(s)
BFG 9600GT x 2
Sound Card
Stock XFX Optical
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Gateway 22" HD Display
Hard Drives
C: 1 TB G: 500 GB H: 500 GB
PSU
Ultra LSP 550 Pro Lifetime Series
Case
Xion2
Cooling
ThermalTake
pokeefe0001 said:
jeepmann4x4 said:
q.gif
Quote: Originally Posted by jeepmann4x4
What Software are you having issues with? The OS itself or 3rd party?
Click to expand...
Oh, I wasn't having any real issues, just a lot of installs.
Acronis TrueImage
FireFox
Thunderbird
WinZip
Sibelus
Finale
Garritan personal Orchestra
CCleaner
Process Explorer (which isn't really an install so that doesn't count)
and a whole bunch of other little things that I haven't reinstalled yet.
​
Zomby88 said:
Did you allow them to reinstall or did they just do it ?

I know I`d be pissed, but then again, no one touches my PCs but me.
Click to expand...

It was a plan. They had run a bunch of diagnostics that turned up no hardware problems so they suggested that maybe Windows was corrupted when I did an "Anytime" upgrade from Home to Pro. They didn't make any promises - it was a shot in the dark. I agreed to let them do it on the assumption that professionals might get it right. But the PC finally died for them ... 3 times while they were trying to do the reinstall. Obviously Windows wasn't the problem (or not the only problem) but it was a bit too late to not do the install then.
Click to expand...

I would say If you don't want to go through installing everything one at a time, you should....
Make a NEW back up of your system as it sits now (Do Not Overwrite your old one) and then try to Install your Old back up and see if the issue is gone. If it is great your done, And if not then reinstall you New back and your right back where you are right now. Then just suck it up and Install all your stuff and get it back to where you like it and Run a new backup (overwriting all the bad ones) and put it away somewhere!! So if you ever have a issue that your only course is reinstall you have a clean Backup W/your preferred setup!!
Good luck
Click to expand...
 

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Computer type
PC/Desktop
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Jeepmann/Custom Built
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
CPU
Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (@[email protected])
Motherboard
Asus Maximus IV Extreme LGA 1155 Intel P67
Memory
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB 1600Mhz (4 x 4GB) (Stock)
Graphics Card(s)
x2 EVGA GeForce GTX 760's w/ACXCoolers in SLI Surround
Sound Card
On-Board
Monitor(s) Displays
3x Acer 24" HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor
Screen Resolution
3@ 1920x1080 (5760x1080 In Surround)
Hard Drives
Samsung 830 128gb ssd
Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB 7200 RPM
Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB 7200 RPM
Seagate 2tb 7200 RPM
PSU
COOLER MASTER Silent Pro 1000W
Case
COOLER MASTER HAF X Black
Cooling
CORSAIR Hydro H70
Keyboard
Logitech G510
Mouse
Zalman M300
Internet Speed
100mbps-ish Down & 5mbps-ish Up
Other Info
I installed the stock 140mm case fan outside of case then installed the H70+ 1 of its 120mm fans inside case. Used the 2nd 120mm from the H70 to go in the Gpu tunnel.
230mm Front,200mm side,200mm top,120mm Gpu tunnel,120mm&140mm on H70.
Just wondering, from what I have read about windows 7. When it is reinstalled windows 7 creates a windows.old file. If this is the case with your issue, there should be a way to open or view this file inorder to see what your original computer name was.

Still Learning, Learning Still

Curtis
 

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I believe windows.old is only created on an upgrade install, it is not created on a clean install. He has an Acronis backup. He can mount the backup and browse it with explorer. He can find the old computer name that way. But, the computer name does not have an effect on windows validation. Windows validation is tied to the hardware, the Motherboard in particular.
 

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    Windows 11 ProRyzen 9 5900X32GB G Skill DDR4-3600EVGA RTX 3080 FTW 3 Ultra
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    ALWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
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    Windows 11 Pro
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900X
    Motherboard
    Asus X570 Crosshair Viii Hero
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    32GB G Skill DDR4-3600
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    EVGA RTX 3080 FTW 3 Ultra
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    On Board/Sennheiser PC37X Headset
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    3 X Asus 27"
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    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    2 X 1 TB NVME drives
    PSU
    EVGA 850
    Case
    Phanteks Eclipse P400A
    Cooling
    EVGA 280 AIO
    Keyboard
    Logitech G510s/ Logitech G13
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    Logitech G502
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    24/1
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    ESET/MBAM Pro/SAS Pro
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    Chrome/ Firefox/ Edge

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    Dell 16 Plus
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    Intel Ultra 9 288V
    Memory
    32 GB LPDDR5X 8533
    Monitor(s) Displays
    16" Mini-LED HDR600 Touch 90 Hz
    Screen Resolution
    2560X1600
    Hard Drives
    1 TB NVME
Corazon said:
I'm a bit confused here.

You say that your PC had hardware problems, particularly bad RAM which was replaced in its entirety. Now in your last post, you say they ran diagnostics and didn't find any hardware issues, upon which they suggested it was a software issue (caused by upgrading Home to Pro) and reinstalled Windows for you.
Click to expand...

You confusion is based on a mangled time-line. The repair folks could find no hardware problem the first two times I let them diagnose the problem. And it would not fail for them those two times. The suggested that maybe Windows should be reinstalled. So I took it back to them for that purpose. It started failing for them when they tried reinstalling Windows. When they finally got it running they discovered that Windows could see only 4BG of the 12GB I had installed, and that was the case regardless of how they moved the ram modules around. They then removed all the ram and inserted 6GB from another manufacturer, rebooted, and Windows saw all 6 GB. They concluded that there was an incompatibility between the original ram and the motherboard even though no diagnostics showed a problem. And the problems they had experienced did not reoccur with the new ram.

That is certainly not conclusive, but highly suggestive.

Corazon;1629232 If this [B said:
was[/B] just a hardware issue and if they did reinstall Windows and if you do have a full backup of your system as it was before the reinstall, then this begs the question:
Why don't you simply restore your backup and blow the new Windows installation away? You'd have everything back the way it was. In the (IMHO) unlikely event that there really is a software problem such as a bad driver in your backed-up system, you can still start over and just reinstall Windows fresh again. But you wouldn't have to wonder about the backup anymore.

Am I just not understanding the entire situation? I have the impression this is a case of making a simple process complicated.
Click to expand...
At this point I've reinstalled all the important software I had running before so I think I'll leave things alone.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 x64 ProIntel i7 4771 3.50 GHzKingston DDR3 - 16GBIntel HD Graphics 4600
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Custom built by Puget Systems
OS
Windows 7 x64 Pro
CPU
Intel i7 4771 3.50 GHz
Motherboard
ASUS Z87-A
Memory
Kingston DDR3 - 16GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel HD Graphics 4600
Sound Card
M-Audio Delta Audiofile 2496
Monitor(s) Displays
Samsung SyncMasterr 2043 BWX
Hard Drives
Samsung SSD 840 PRO
WDC WD1002FAEX-00Z3A0
PSU
built in - part of case - 650 Watt
Case
Fractal Design R4
Cooling
Coolmaster Hyper TX3
Keyboard
Dell PS/2
Mouse
Logitech USB
Internet Speed
50 Mb Cable
Antivirus
Kaspersky Internet Security 2015
Browser
Firefox
Zomby88 said:
What does your PC name have to do with registering software anyway ????

If you have a backup image, you should be able to find it in the system properties. It`s gotta be there.
Click to expand...
I did find the PC name in the backup. And changing the name back did not help the registration problem. Long story that was ultimately unrelated to my PC problems. It's all been worked out now.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 x64 ProIntel i7 4771 3.50 GHzKingston DDR3 - 16GBIntel HD Graphics 4600
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Custom built by Puget Systems
OS
Windows 7 x64 Pro
CPU
Intel i7 4771 3.50 GHz
Motherboard
ASUS Z87-A
Memory
Kingston DDR3 - 16GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel HD Graphics 4600
Sound Card
M-Audio Delta Audiofile 2496
Monitor(s) Displays
Samsung SyncMasterr 2043 BWX
Hard Drives
Samsung SSD 840 PRO
WDC WD1002FAEX-00Z3A0
PSU
built in - part of case - 650 Watt
Case
Fractal Design R4
Cooling
Coolmaster Hyper TX3
Keyboard
Dell PS/2
Mouse
Logitech USB
Internet Speed
50 Mb Cable
Antivirus
Kaspersky Internet Security 2015
Browser
Firefox
What exactly are you trying to register ?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Ultimate 64BitC2D E82008GB PNY PC2-6400BFG 9600GT x 2
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Myself
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate 64Bit
CPU
C2D E8200
Motherboard
XFX 750i
Memory
8GB PNY PC2-6400
Graphics Card(s)
BFG 9600GT x 2
Sound Card
Stock XFX Optical
Monitor(s) Displays
Gateway 22" HD Display
Hard Drives
C: 1 TB G: 500 GB H: 500 GB
PSU
Ultra LSP 550 Pro Lifetime Series
Case
Xion2
Cooling
ThermalTake
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