new computer with Win 7

[cf36]

I just bought a HP G61-320 from Best Buy. It came with Win7. I followed all of the instructions religiously, and after a few hours it seemed to be okay. Then I received a message about windows needing to install 17 updates. After installing 9 (I don't know which ones) it just hung and said it was installing update 10. I went to bed and the next day it was still at the same spot. I tried to cancel the update install and after an hour or more it exited. Then when I tried to shut down it went right back to the install- another 3 hours. I finally turned the power off and re-started, did a system restore and it doesn't work worth a crap. Every few minutes it just hangs. I uninstalled the Norton trial and put Webroot ant-virus and Office 2003 on it. That's all there is and it won't work. Is this update problem common and what if anything can I do about it? A brand-new computer with this supposed premier OS should work at least some of the time.

 

[whs]

This is unusual and should not happen. Up to now I have not yet seen any problems with win7 updates. I would go back to the Geek Squad and have them fix it. Chances are there is a hardware error in the RAM or the disk.

 

[cf36]

Thank you
The Geek squad doesn't want to do anything unless I pay- I'll just take it back and get a new one- I think I'll avoid the HP. What I'd to know is how can I troubleshoot and at least find out what the problem was?

 

[cf36]

One other thing- I mentioned that I put Office 2003 on and there are about 8 or 9 critical updates that it wants to install for Office 2007. Do I need these updates? Shouldn't Windows recognize that it's the 2003 version or is this normal? If I set updates to auto, am I going to get all kinds of updates for programs that I don't even own?
thanks again

 

[whs]

1. I think your problem will be hard to trouble shoot. That's why I suggested the Geek Squad. Given that your system is brand new, they should not charge you. Talk to the store manager and put your foot down. They tool your money and you should not have those problems on the 3d day.
2. The office updates should be for 2003. if they are clearly for 2007, right click on them and click "hide".
3. You should not get updates for programs that are not on your system - only for the ones you have.

 

[gregrocker]

If you were not provided a Win7 disk then you need to first type Backup into the start box and create a system repair disk. This will allow you to boot into the Repair console to do a Startup Repair or System restore from boot if you lose the ability to startup. You might also make and store externally a backup image to reimage your HDD if necessary in 15 minutes.

What you want to do now is system restore to before you did ANY updates. I would also suspect Webroot antivirus since problems occurred shortly after you removed Norton and installed it. I have installed Avast free antivirus on hundreds of machines and never had a problem, something to consider.

You are right to want to purge your computer of bloatware but be aware that the simple act of removing Norton or even Office trial can corrupt system files for which the only cure is a clean install of Windows 7, so be on the lookout for a clean copy of Win7 install disk which we can help you with here when you want to get totally clean.

After removing the bloatware like Norton, type regedit in startbox and check the Software keys in the first two Registry hives to make sure no Norton or Symantec is listed as it may need to be rightclick deleted there to get it all out.

Now check performance with Norton and/or other bloatware gone and then add antivirus, check performance again thoroughly, then do your updates for whatever it offers that applies to what you actually have installed. Then check performance again after updates installation completes in boot mode and restarts.

 

[cf36]

Thank you
Is the Back-Up the same as the recovery disks? I made 3 DVD's before I installed or up-dated anything. Can I use these to begin a new Win7 install? Re the Norton, I don't think it was completely un-installed.

 

[gregrocker]

The backup center In Win7 will make you a complete image of your HDD which can be reimaged back onto the HDD or a replacement in 15 minutes, making reinstalls a thing of the past. Once you create the image, it will ask you if you want to make a System Repair disk which is the same Repair console as in the Win7 installer, or available via F8 if you have the 100mb Win7 boot/repair partition.

If you want to do a clean install over the factory bloatware, you will need a clean copy of Win7, which will activate with your OEM license key tattooed to your motherboard. You can borrow it from a friend.

More immediately, you need to system restore to before you did ANY updates, or use the factory recovery console to restore your computer to factory condition, then follow the steps suggested above to remove the bloatware in the Control panel and registry, replace the anti-virus, and do your Updates again - checking performance in between each step to see which, if any, is giving you a problem.

 

[cf36]

Thanks again- I assume it's too late to make a back-up disk now, since something is corrupted. Are the recovery disks/utility of any use? They seem to be more than just a boot disk. I'm asking all of these questions since my son has the computer at university and I'll be looking at it tomorrow when he comes home. It looks like I'll likely be returning it, but I would like to try to get it working right. So, I should try a system restore to its first point and then get rid of Norton etc. If this doesn't work, can I use the recovery utility?
thanks

 

[gregrocker]

Can he start it up? If so, System Restore to the first Restore point before anything was done.

If he can't start it up, you need to find a way to get into the Repair console, which is probably linked from the Recovery partition to make those tools available tapping F8 at bootup. Then run Startup repair repeatedly, if that doesn't work after at least 3 reboots, then use System restore from the same Repair console menu.

Those failing, you should probably use the built-in recovery console to do a full recovery to factory condition. The prompt for this should be noted on the first boot screen, otherwise it might also be F8.

You are still under manufacturer's warranty and they can help you get it recovered if you call their tech support, which you already paid for a year. Be aware that they are trained to protect their bloatware (since it provides most of the profit margin nowadays) so don't expect them to be too helpful in getting it taken off, just recovering to factory condition.

 

[cf36]

ok- thanks again- I'll try all of the above- I think it starts up, so I should be able to do a system restore and hopefully go from there.

 

[gregrocker]

Let us know how it goes. I am a clean reinstall guy so am real interested in how much bloatware they try to lard onto these new 7 machines, since it keeps me busy findin ways to get it off.

Vista was corrupted up to 90% of perfomance by bloat, it's own included.

Anything that compromises Win7 being featherlight with instantaneous response is something that needs peeling.

 

[cf36]

ok
I'll let you know all the crap they put on it. I just hope I can scrape it all off my boots, so to speak.

 

[cf36]

Hi again
I did a system restore and used the Revo uninstaller to get rid of Office 2007 Trial and the Norton Security. (The windows uninstall programs did not work)
Everything seemed to work fine until I trie installing 10 important security updates. When it got to the 8th it just seemed to stall- It's been trying to install this for nearly an hour. It is the security update for Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 Sevice Pack 2 for x64-base...
Should this be a multi-hour process? This was the problem before- When I tried to stop the installation it took about 10 tries to finally stop- then when I tried to shut it down it said it was installing updates and froze again.

 

[gregrocker]

I'd give it as much time as you can stand (esp if it's showing any progress) then bail out, install all the other Updates.

Later you can try again to install this one Update, but if it remains a problem you might want to contact MS on their support link for Updates. HP would need to provide any phone tech support since your Win7 came with a new HP. You might want to make a list of issues to call them at some point.

 

[cf36]

Thanks- I talked with HP, am doing a full recovery and if the problem still exists I'm dumping it back at Best Buy.
bye

 

[gregrocker]

Suggest you do your Updates first, all but the problem one first, then the problem one.

Then do your culling of the bloatware, again systematically to test performance after each step.

The failure to install one Update is not uncommon but usually the error is quickly worked around. I wouldn't bail out on the machine just because of that.

 

[whs]

To uninstall Norton, you need the Norton removal tool. ( Download and run the Norton Removal Tool ) Nothing else works.

 

[cf36]

Hi again
Thanks for all of your help. I seem to have gotten rid of Norton as well as Office 2007 and everything works really. All of my Windows security updates have installed seamlessly. I set the updates to not download or install, but when I just checked for updates it still shows 9 important ones for Office 2007. Since it says to select the ones I want to install, I have to assume that they were already downloaded when I first registered Win7 since I got rid of Office before I first checked for any updates. I know that I can hide these updates but do you know of a way that I can get rid of them altogether?
thanks
Carl

 

[gregrocker]

If you check for updates again and still have those OFc 2007 popping up then it might mean you have more of that suite to get out. I know you used the special tool but there is also a list of stuff to yank out manually which you can get by googling. It really shouldn't show up again in updates if it is truly gone.

Also run sfc /scannow and see if removing Ofc has corrupted system files beyond repair, which requires a simple Repair installl (upgrade over top of 7) run from the desktop, or perhaps a clean reinstall which is the best antidote for bloat.