Do all comps with vista get to upgrade to 7?

[JohnnyScience]

Ok I've got to go to my uncles to fix his comp tomorrow as it's riddled with viruses.

He's currently running vista on a Dell computer he bought within the last year or so.

Is he eligble for the free 7 upgrade? If so how do I go about dong it?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

If you mean a free upgrade from Dell, I don't know, but would guess he would have had to buy the Dell within the last few months, maybe back to the summer. He should have been told he was eligible for a free upgrade if he is.

It's a near certainty his computer can run Windows 7. If he isn't eligible for anything free from Dell, you will have to buy it. Replacing the OS would probably void the Dell warranty.

 

[Dark Nova Gamer]

Ok I've got to go to my uncles to fix his comp tomorrow as it's riddled with viruses.

He's currently running vista on a Dell computer he bought within the last year or so.

Is he eligble for the free 7 upgrade? If so how do I go about dong it?

Try this.

https://win7.dell.com/Eligibility.aspx

 

[poin2]

Ok I've got to go to my uncles to fix his comp tomorrow as it's riddled with viruses.

He's currently running vista on a Dell computer he bought within the last year or so.

Is he eligble for the free 7 upgrade? If so how do I go about dong it?

Likely not. It's only for some models purchased since June 26, 2009 with Vista Home Premium and up.

 

[JohnnyScience]

That kinda sucks, but oh well.

If he doesn't have the orginal vista cd to format & reinstall, (which he probably does but I don't know 100% yet, what's the best way to reset his system?

Also will Microsoft security essentials be good for the vista platform?

 

[ZeshanA]

That kinda sucks, but oh well.

If he doesn't have the orginal vista cd to format & reinstall, (which he probably does but I don't know 100% yet, what's the best way to reset his system?

Also will Microsoft security essentials be good for the vista platform?

Probably not Johnny as MSE is not a very Centralised AV and it's not comparable to other Commercial AV's. I recommend you install Windows Defender from here Download details: Windows® Defender (Free but you need to have a Genuine PC), and Avast! Home Edition from here: Download FREE antivirus software - avast! Home Edition (Free, Paid Pro version available but Home Version is all you need). You might also want to install MalwareBytes Anti-Malware from here: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware - Reviews and free Malwarebytes Anti-Malware downloads at Download.com (One of the best free Virus Scanners around).

ZeshanA

If a user helps you, please REP them!

 

[Dark Nova Gamer]

That kinda sucks, but oh well.

If he doesn't have the orginal vista cd to format & reinstall, (which he probably does but I don't know 100% yet, what's the best way to reset his system?

Also will Microsoft security essentials be good for the vista platform?

Probably not Johnny as MSE is not a very Centralised AV and it's not comparable to other Commercial AV's. I recommend you install Windows Defender from here Download details: Windows® Defender (Free but you need to have a Genuine PC), and Avast! Home Edition from here: Download FREE antivirus software - avast! Home Edition (Free, Paid Pro version available but Home Version is all you need). You might also want to install MalwareBytes Anti-Malware from here: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware - Reviews and free Malwarebytes Anti-Malware downloads at Download.com (One of the best free Virus Scanners around).

ZeshanA

If a user helps you, please REP them!

I disagree, MSE is a great product for what it is. Nothing fancy about it, it gets the job done.

As for Windows defender, doesn't that come standard with XP SP3, Vista and 7?

 

[JohnnyScience]

why is MSE good for 7, but not for vista?

Aren't they a very similar OS? (obviously with 7 being better)

 

[JohnnyScience]

Ok I'm here redoing the computer now. I couldnt even do a system restore through the vista option because he had so much junk on his computer so I just formated & reinstalled vista.

So what programs should I install for virus? There seems to be conflicting answers right now.

Should I go with MSE?

That covers it all at once doesnt it? Virus, malware & spyware?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

MSE seems to have a pretty good rep, but it is new. Make sure you have the Vista firewall turned on. I don't know how well MSE would be as a single app for virus, malware, and spyware. I still use an antivirus, Spybot, Spyware Blaster, and Malwarebytes.

 

[Dark Nova Gamer]

Ok I'm here redoing the computer now. I couldnt even do a system restore through the vista option because he had so much junk on his computer so I just formated & reinstalled vista.

So what programs should I install for virus? There seems to be conflicting answers right now.

Should I go with MSE?

That covers it all at once doesnt it? Virus, malware & spyware?

You should be fine with only installing MSE. I only have it installed and I haven't been compromised in a long time.

 

[JohnnyScience]

Yeah I mean I'm using it on 7 and I like it.

People in my other thread said I didnt even need spyware or anything other than MSE, it handles it all they said. I can link to the thread if you guys want.

So I'll go with MSE now then.

 

[MacGyvr]

That kinda sucks, but oh well.

If he doesn't have the orginal vista cd to format & reinstall, (which he probably does but I don't know 100% yet, what's the best way to reset his system?

Also will Microsoft security essentials be good for the vista platform?

Probably not Johnny as MSE is not a very Centralised AV and it's not comparable to other Commercial AV's. I recommend you install Windows Defender from here Download details: Windows® Defender (Free but you need to have a Genuine PC), and Avast! Home Edition from here: Download FREE antivirus software - avast! Home Edition (Free, Paid Pro version available but Home Version is all you need). You might also want to install MalwareBytes Anti-Malware from here: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware - Reviews and free Malwarebytes Anti-Malware downloads at Download.com (One of the best free Virus Scanners around).

ZeshanA

If a user helps you, please REP them!

Ridiculous....MSE is an excellent anti-virus product and will work very well on the users Vista system.

 

[Jacee]

Hope you did a clean install since his Vista was 'riddled' with viruses. :shock:

It's hard to help someone who will click on anything just to see what it is, or open a web page that's been injected with malware code.

MSE is good to have... also a good (running) firewall program and download SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard. These two programs are not 'after the fact', but "prevention".
Tutorial guide
SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/products.html
Spyware Guard is a real-time malware scanner
SpywareBlaster tutorial:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/Using_SpywareBlaster_to_protect_your_computer_from_Spyware_Hijackers_and_Malware-tut49.html
SpywareGuard tutorial:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/Using_SpywareGuard_to_protect_your_computer_from_Spyware_and_Hijackers-tut50.html

 

[gregrocker]

That kinda sucks, but oh well.

If he doesn't have the orginal vista cd to format & reinstall, (which he probably does but I don't know 100% yet, what's the best way to reset his system?

Also will Microsoft security essentials be good for the vista platform?

Any Vista retail disk can clean reinstall his OS and activate using the batch key stickered to the box. Leave the key blank and uncheck the box first time around, then it should either auto-activate or require a quick robo-call to MS to trade some numbers after startup at the Computer>Properties activation link.

If you want to try to hunt down the infections without clean reinstall, suggest you download Avast free home and run the boot scan to get the deepest possible scan. I would also run Spybot from safe mode. Make sure Defender is standing guard, and click it's Software Explorer to uncheck all non-MS startup programs which are free-riders on your RAM.

Finally, download free CCleaner and run its Cleaner and Registry tabs. Then the Auslogics Disk and Registry Defraggers will organize the files perfectly. These are state of the art.

 

[JohnnyScience]

Hope you did a clean install since his Vista was 'riddled' with viruses. :shock:

It's hard to help someone who will click on anything just to see what it is, or open a web page that's been injected with malware code.

MSE is good to have... also a good (running) firewall program and download SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard. These two programs are not 'after the fact', but "prevention".
Tutorial guide
SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/products.html
Spyware Guard is a real-time malware scanner
SpywareBlaster tutorial:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/Using_SpywareBlaster_to_protect_your_computer_from_Spyware_Hijackers_and_Malware-tut49.html
SpywareGuard tutorial:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/Using_SpywareGuard_to_protect_your_computer_from_Spyware_and_Hijackers-tut50.html

Ok I've installed MSE.

I was reading through my other virus/spyware thread and this was the reason they gave to only run MSE:

It's a full AV, you don't really need other antispyware programs with it, but you can, just not recommended to have 2 AV's installed together.

So were they correct in their answer of not running 2 AV's together?


GregRocker - is that a real pic in your sig? Did a surfer really slam a touch screen into a waterproof pocket on a surfboard?

By the way I'm installing all of the original discs on his computer since I did a complete wipe, but when I got to the driver cd they make you install each driver one by one, I honestly dont feel like sitting here and going through it all, is there an easy/quick way to update all drivers on his computer?

He is running Vista 64.

 

[Jacee]

If you want to try to hunt down the infections without clean reinstall, suggest you download Avast free home and run the boot scan to get the deepest possible scan. I would also run Spybot from safe mode. Make sure Defender is standing guard, and click it's Software Explorer to uncheck all non-MS startup programs which are free-riders on your RAM.

I would not suggest that at all! :shock:

 

[gregrocker]

If you want to try to hunt down the infections without clean reinstall, suggest you download Avast free home and run the boot scan to get the deepest possible scan. I would also run Spybot from safe mode. Make sure Defender is standing guard, and click it's Software Explorer to uncheck all non-MS startup programs which are free-riders on your RAM.

I would not suggest that at all! :shock:

Why not? Which programs NEED to start up with the computer and suck RAM full time instead of only when they are needed?

Possibly Adobe reader if you don't want to wait 15 seconds for it to load?

Ok, AV is def one. Sorry I forgot that.

How about the 7-8 startups most unaware people leave checked that keep their machines in constant internet contact with update servers at Java, Adobe, Nvidia, etc? Result: always an update running in tray.

If you don't use specialized control panels, then there is simply no reason for having a dozen or more free riders on your RAM. I was taught this by MS tech support way back in XP's early dogdays.

 

[gregrocker]

GregRocker - is that a real pic in your sig? Did a surfer really slam a touch screen into a waterproof pocket on a surfboard?

That is an Intel touchscreen surfboard w/nosecam that travels with the World Pro surfer circuit.

By the way I'm installing all of the original discs on his computer since I did a complete wipe, but when I got to the driver cd they make you install each driver one by one, I honestly dont feel like sitting here and going through it all, is there an easy/quick way to update all drivers on his computer?

Look in the Device manager and see if any devices are in error(!). Click Driver>Update and check online, or browse to that disk to pluck any that are in error or moldyold.

Check custom Windows Updates frequently to see incoming driver and software Updates.

Note performance closely as troubleshooting may be needed if bloatware was larded back in. Various visual effects trims, msconfig>startup, service and indexing edits can regain performance if lagging in Vista.

 

[JohnnyScience]

GregRocker - is that a real pic in your sig? Did a surfer really slam a touch screen into a waterproof pocket on a surfboard?

That is an Intel touchscreen surfboard w/nosecam that travels with the World Pro surfer circuit.

Seriously? That totally rocks. Does it get wifi?


Any idea what SM Bus driver is?

Its got a yellow ! but when I try to update it, it says windows was unable to update it? Any idea what it is or why it couldnt update it?