Help with registry/restoring factory image?

[chedge05]

Hi all. I am trying to clean up the wreckage left on my mom's desktop. I have almost everything back to normal. My first option was to factory reset the thing. There is no factory image to restore to. I can only restore it back a few weeks. Here's the story...

There were multiple user accounts that have been added/deleted over time. When she tried to log on one day, there were two users, the guest account and a blank account. I re-booted in safe mode and restored it. From there, she said everything was fine. It happened again. She took it upon herself to do the research and from there some registry keys were deleted. There's the sticky part and the main problem.

Now, I am able to log onto the computer just fine. Here are the re-occuring issues that I am having with this machine. It freezes, alot. When it sits idle for amount of time, not even the slightest amount of activity, it freezes. The explorer restarts sometimes, and doesn't come back. (ex: folders at the bottom of the screen, running programs in the background...etc...). I have also gotten the "This version of Windows is not genuine" message. In fixing that, the only solution is to run the command prompt as Admin and type "slmgr -rearm" and that fixes the problem temporarily, but it comes and goes. (due to a false re-start when the system freezes)?

So, from here on in, what are my options, if any? If I had a Windows 7 restore disk, I would love to do so. I don't have any blank DVD's either. I wouldn't be sure how to go about doing that. I have a beginner/ nearly-intermediate knowledge of a computer.

Thanks for any help!

edit...This is the computer in my profile description. If you need any more information, let me know.

 

[Ztruker]

Can you do the System Restore again like you did before? That would fix any registry problems.

 

[chedge05]

Can you do the System Restore again like you did before? That would fix any registry problems.

The restore point doesn't go back that far, like now it only goes back to 3/3/15 :/

 

[Layback Bear]

I believe this tutorial by Brink should meet your needs.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[chedge05]

I believe this tutorial by Brink should meet your needs.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

Thanks for the help. If it would work, that would be amazing..when I enter my product key, I get this message...

System error.

We encountered a problem with the product key you provided. Please visit the 'Microsoft Support Contact Us' page for assistance. Refer to Message Code 715-123130.

Should I contact Microsoft Support?

I couldn't find the product key, so I created a .vbs file to find it.

 

[RolandJS]

Belarc also should be able to sniff out the Windows Product Key and such.

 

[chedge05]

Belarc also should be able to sniff out the Windows Product Key and such.

I'll give that a try, thanks.

 

[chedge05]

Red flag with Belarc

I ran the Belarc system utility. I looked through the specs, and this, to me, is a red flag. I have attached an image. Under the "user accounts", there is my account, my mom's account, the administrator account, which is disabled, and the guest account. What caught my eye is..there is an account on there named, "HomeGroupUser$" that had never been used. Is that normal?
Also, shouldn't the Admin account be the main account (my mom's), and if so, how do I fix that?

 

[Ztruker]

Can you do the System Restore again like you did before? That would fix any registry problems.

The restore point doesn't go back that far, like now it only goes back to 3/3/15 :/

Did you click the Show more restore points checkbox?

 

[chedge05]

Can you do the System Restore again like you did before? That would fix any registry problems.

The restore point doesn't go back that far, like now it only goes back to 3/3/15 :/

Did you click the Show more restore points checkbox?

View attachment 352267

View attachment 352268

Unfortunately, yes I did..and it only goes back to March 3rd of this year.

 

[whs]

If this is an original Windows 7 system, there must be a product key on the COA sticker which looks like thsi:

 

[chedge05]

If this is an original Windows 7 system, there must be a product key on the COA sticker which looks like thsi:

The product key is different than the key I looked up in the registry. And that is the number that came up when I used the Belarc Utility as well. My product keys aren't matching up?

 

[derekimo]

You want to use the one on the sticker.

I removed that picture for your safety, you don't want to post your product key to the public.

 

[whs]

The Key of the COA sticker is the one which goes with the system and is unique. The key you found with Belarc, etc. is the key the OEM used to activate the system at the factory. That same key is on thousands of systems and useless for you.

 

[chedge05]

The Key of the COA sticker is the one which goes with the system and is unique. The key you found with Belarc, etc. is the key the OEM used to activate the system at the factory. That same key is on thousands of systems and useless for you.

Ahh I see, thanks. I tried the recovery with that key, and this is what I get...

 

[derekimo]

That looks like you are trying to download the ISO from Microsoft. Correct?

 

[whs]

This Microsoft site supports only retail copies of Windows. For OEM you have to turn to the OEM company.

 

[chedge05]

That looks like you are trying to download the ISO from Microsoft. Correct?

Yes, it's my only option it seems. There's no Recovery Image on my hard drive to restore to factory. I would love for it to be that easy

 

[chedge05]

This Microsoft site supports only retail copies of Windows. For OEM you have to turn to the OEM company.

I see, thank you for that information. Where would I look for that?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

This Microsoft site supports only retail copies of Windows. For OEM you have to turn to the OEM company.

I see, thank you for that information. Where would I look for that?

Throw yourself on the mercy of Dell Incorporated, Round Rock, Texas.

They may supply disks for a fee. Maybe not. I think they did at one time.

If you like to live dangerously, you could fish around on the dreaded Internet and take your chances with whatever download you could find---possibly legit, possibly laced with unknown horrors.