Help needed with os shortcut

[minimuffin]

I purchased a used Toshiba Satellite A215-S5837 and it seems the previous owner did something with Vista OS transfer and in the process put a shortcut on the screen. I've recently installed Windows 7 (custom, not clean install) and I still can't get this darn shortcut off my screen. My ex-BF would have helped but he's history.
Can anyone help me with this?? The shortcut seems to be my OS. Tawn

 

[DocBrown]

Welcome minimuffin

Can you give us a screen snip of the short-cut & what happens when you click on it ?

:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

 

[minimuffin]

Sure. When I click on it it opens a folder named SQ004681VO3...which I renamed "Vista". Created before I bought the laptop 7.47 GB and contains 44,494 folders. I've looked around in it...no doubt it's the OS because I installed Windows 7 last night and now everything in it...ie assembly, System32, tapi, Temp, tiinst, twain_32, WindowsMobile and winsxs are all dated yesterday. It doesn't seem to be slowing my system down and doesn't seem to be causing any problems...I'm just tired of seeing it without being able to get rid of it. Thanks for your response, BTW. Tawn.

When I click it, it opens a folder named SQ004681VO3 and when I click that it opens a folder named Windows which is now dated yesterday. Tawn

 

[DocBrown]

What happens when you right click on it & select Delete ?

 

[minimuffin]

Sorry....I'm trying to do a "screenshot" but don't seem to be having any luck. I do know that dragging the shortcut over to the recycle bin doesn't delete the shortcut, it's starts deleting all kinds of things and stops after about 4.7 gb and says it can't keep going because some programs are in use. Tawn

Right click and select delete...it asks if I'm sure I wanna send it to the recycle bin and if I click yes, it starts deleting...after over 4gb's of deleting it stops and says it can't continue because some programs I'm trying to delete are running.

If I knew how to back up all my programs and drivers I'd reinstall Windows 7 as a clean install...and that would do it, I bet. But I don't know how to do all that stuff. Tawn.

 

[DocBrown]

So when you did the win7 install, was your custom install an upgrade of the Vista originally that was on the computer ?

Do you have an external drive to back up to ? How many programs & files are already installed ?

:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

 

[minimuffin]

Yes, I bought the Windows 7 at WalMart and installed as an upgrade. No, I don't have an external HD. As for programs, I have all the Toshiba Factory installed programs, plus a few I did myself...McAfee Security Suite, RealPlayer, RegServe Registry Cleaner, stuff like that.

 

[EzioAuditore]

Have you tried deleting that in safe mode? Or may be in safe mode with command prompt? Type rmdir <path of the folder which opens after clicking shortcut> when you try the latter method.

 

[DocBrown]

Then, it may be more trouble for you to do a clean install, than just living with a renamed short-cut icon. Sounds like there are programs there that got linked to you new win7 install.

A quick way to do screen snips is :

Start :ar: Snipping Tool :ar: make a snip & save it with a file name to pictures

 

[minimuffin]

I will have to read up on how to go into "safe mode". I haven't tried that yet. No doubt there are programs in it that got linked to the Windows 7 upgrade but they were there prior to the install. They were linked to Vista as well...I think it IS Vista and somehow someone put a shortcut there on the screen to send it to a DVD-RW for back up. I've had this icon on my screen for over a year now...I just thought maybe Windows 7 would make it go away. But I just had a thought. If I have the option to send that to a DVD-RW (for back up) is it everything on my C drive or is it just the OS.?? I will go try to snip and JPEG what is on the screen, then when I click it, then when I open it and all the folders/files in it....though there's quite alot in it...a half over 7gigs. Tawnya

 

[DocBrown]

Over 7 gigs will not fit on a standard DVD, plus that is really not the way to backup the Vista OS.

 

[minimuffin]

 

[minimuffin]

Thanks for the snipping tool tip. That's new to me with Windows 7

 

[DocBrown]

Good job on the snips Practice will make you a pro at snips.

I have seldom used Vista, but I would think there should be more folders in snip #3.
Maybe somebody else who knows Vista better will have an answer.
I have been a Win98, Win-Xp, & Win7 Power user


It's getting late here in my Time Zone, so I need some sleep before dealing with a 12 hour day tomorrow of science experiments.

I'll mark your thread in my watch list to see the future posts. Make it a Good One!

" Doc "

 

[Bill2]

Do you have a second (data) partition on that hard disk? If yes, try backing up this folder to that partition. Since you are a pro at snipping now, show us a snipshot of the disk management window- Click on Start orb, type diskmgmt.msc, hit Enter.

 

[minimuffin]

I'm not sure. I'm clicking start and in search typing diskmgmt.msc but am not seeing a pie graph.

 

[minimuffin]

 

[Bill2]

No, dont want pie. Just the snip of the window that opens when you type diskmgmt.msc and hit Enter.

 

[minimuffin]

 

[minimuffin]

Not sure why but I've just noticed that this laotop doesn't have a "Recovery D:" like the desktop does. And I'd like to say thank you for all the help on this from everyone involved. Tawnya