Recovery from Image or b/u disk

[karlsnooks]

1. Remove Zone Alarm. Don't just disable. Remove.
2. Install the one anti-virus that has never given problems with Win 7, namely, Microsoft Security Essentials MSE - Microsoft Security Essentials
3. Turn on and use Windows Firewall. You won't need to make any adjustments, etc. Both Win 7 Firewall and MSE work straight out-of-the-box, in other words, no adjustments, etc needed.

Nearly all of us here are strong supporters of MSE because we don't like to have to fix problems caused by other AV/firewall software and we also want you to have a secure, virus-free system.

I understand the use and necessity of dial-up. Some of these city boys have never lived in the sticks.

Ok now, making a system image backup is easier than taking candy from a baby. We have an excellent tutorial explaining all of the iins-and-outs,
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

I'll give you my abbreviated version thereof:
WIN | type Backup | Enter
In the left-hand pane, choose Create a System Image |
fill in the dialogs, specifying the backup location (often Win 7 will guess correctly) and when asked what partitions to include in the image, select all of them on the drive you are backing up.
OK you way and let the backup begin. (Drum roll!)

Definitely backup to an external usb drive. Do NOT backup to DVDs. Expensive, time-consuming, and problematic.

The backup is NOT a sector-by-sector backup so the backup drive doesn't need to be as bid as the drive you are backing up.

an example: I make a system image backup of C which has 30 gb of 50 gb used and the image is only 11 gb.

 

[mjf]

I gather from what you've said that you are more comfortable with the PC/Windows 7 etc. I wouldn't be worrying about getting the .NET Framework back. Unless there is a special reason I'd be going back to factory settings and starting again.
(Clean install if you have Operating System disks)
I then suggest you unload the trial software you don't want and focus on a stable system.

Posting more detailed system specs would be a good idea.

 

[karlsnooks]

nithig,

as another mentioned, you can help us to help you by filling in your system specs.

This procedure will assist us both:

​

HOW TO FILL OUT YOUR SYSTEM SPECS


In the line at the top of www.SevenForums.com you will see UserCP.
That is an abbreviation for User Control Panel.
Click on UserCP.
In the left-hand column, under Your Profile you will see Edit System Spec.
Click on Edit System Spec
You can copy and paste from the output of Speccy, Speccy - System Information - Free Download to fill out much of the info. Be sure to use the Other Info section of your System Specs for such info as your optical drive, your wireless adapter, your speakers, etc.

​

 

[nithig]

mjf suggested

I then suggest you unload the trial software you don't want and focus on a stable system.

Sounds easy ... but that's where a mistake was made. (And I emailed MS several time for assistance!)

The nuisance of it is that all the Office Prog. are still in Start/All Programs ... they have not been removed.
So I'm a little confused about how to be rid of them.

Just went into CP and added more to system specs.

General comment: it's clear here how to make both b/ups and Images ... thanks.

I suspect your suggestion mjf to rebuild from scratch is what will happen... I have resisted because of
all those Updates! It must be wonderful to have fast b/band.

 

[karlsnooks]

Will this help?
uninstall - Office 2003, Office 2007 or Office 2010 suites

 

[nithig]

Thanks Karl, I'll follow that up ... just now have to quit computer however
will save the MS page you've directed me to and study it asap.

cheers.

 

[nithig]

Yes! The Fixit program did it ... removed Office.
Thanks for that Karl ...

Now all is well ... have an external HDD with a new Image and backup ... and will
remove Soluto as that required .NET but I'm happy with a 1 minute boot.

It's been a good thread ... thanks to all who contributed ... learned some things
which have been or will be applied.

 

[karlsnooks]

Hii Nithig,
Wonderful! Thanks for getting back to us with the results and glad that we could be of assistance.
karl

 

[mjf]

Good find Karlsnooks.
For hopefully the minority that MS uninstall alone doesn't work.

 

[karlsnooks]

mjf, this is actually a rather common problem.

 

[mjf]

mjf, this is actually a rather common problem.

Well if indeed it is, you shouldn't need to go hunting for an uninstaller.

 

[nithig]

mjf, this is actually a rather common problem.

MS defenders get really hot under the collar when their high church is criticised
but this is just one example of the arrogance of the corporation. To put on a trial copy
of complex software is one thing ... to do so without any instructions of how to remove,
if not wanted, is something else.
It's a shame as the basic OS is good (enjoyed fault free XP for many years) but imho
MS Corporate Culture is its own worst enemy.

 

[gregrocker]

Often time uninstalling Office trial and/or Norton damages System Files beyond repair, requiring a superior clean reinstall using a Win7 installer with the Product key on COA sticker.

Normally Net Frameworks are Windows Updates which install and remain as such. Perhaps you didnt' have that one yet. It deals them out as you need them, sometimes behind the curve - resulting in Program features that don't run right without explanation.

When uninstalling bloatware run sfc /scannow regularly to see if System Files need repair, or are already corrupted beyond Repair. Bloatware is corruption of the first order.

 

[nithig]

As everyone has been so helpful thought you might like to know what happened.
(Now remember i'm not a techie or a geek, just a bod at home alone who has recently purchased his first laptop after many happy years of desktop running XP Pro which I managed to learn enought about to keep running).

Did a rebuild - as many of you will know Toshiba have a built-in protocol whereby the system can be taken
back to 'out of the box' state.

That all went well ... but before loading my other programs I decided to run the Uninstall Office program (Microsoft Fix it 50154)...clear the decks so to speak. Also removed Norton.
Well that process left me with a mess .... not only were Office Programs still on Start/All Programs but also the various other Office components (Inerop etc) were all still in Contol Pnl/Programs.
Also many features were missing .. such as All the Toshiba Utilities (and there are quite a few!)

This was most unsatisfactory so (phew ...made an Image as prompted earlier in this thread...onto the external HDD) decided to do my first Restore from an Image.
Hallellullah ... I'm just so impressed ... every detail, even browsing history, just as it was. Big relief here.

So now I back up and create regular Images properly

One thing though - still unable to use Syst.Restore ... hasn't worked since computer was new (August '10) - when I run it, it always ends up stating that there was a file missing and so was unable to Restore.

 

[gregrocker]

Run http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

If the image you made was of the problem factory restore, what you really need is to find a clean copy Win7 installer for your version to reinstall with the Product key on COA sticker.

 

[mjf]

nithig
good that you actually did get the ext HDD. The first image I recovered from made the little ext HDD one of my best investments.

But I'm still not clear about the final "rubbish" cleanout. Did you get rid of the trials.
Given that a clean install using a valid key/COA is a legal entitlement, it has puzzled me why getting the install disks isn't easier.

 

[nithig]

But I'm still not clear about the final "rubbish" cleanout. Did you get rid of the trials.
Given that a clean install using a valid key/COA is a legal entitlement, it has puzzled me why getting the install disks isn't easier.

mjf I'm back exactly where I was ... without .NET but yes without the trials
and unable to use Restore.

I don't have install disks ... it is all built into Toshiba and the purchase doesn't come with the OS on disk; only a "Product Recovery Media".

Not sure if I've answered you fully ...

 

[mjf]

But I'm still not clear about the final "rubbish" cleanout. Did you get rid of the trials.
Given that a clean install using a valid key/COA is a legal entitlement, it has puzzled me why getting the install disks isn't easier.

mjf I'm back exactly where I was ... without .NET but yes without the trials
and unable to use Restore.

I don't need install disks ... it is all built into Toshiba and the purchase doesn't come with the OS on disk; only a "Product Recovery Media".

Not sure if I've answered you fully ...
________________________________

gregrocker - when I enter the scannow command into 'Run' (system won't let me do it directly into dos window ...thinks I'm not the Admin, but I am...there's no one else & I avoid using an Admin p/word) the dos window flashes for an instant & is gone.

Well the unistall issue isn't resolved.
A clean install using the Windows install disks and your COA is not a factory recovery which is I think what you did.

sfc/scannow
type cmd in search
right click on cmd.exe
run as Administrator

 

[nithig]

A clean install using the Windows install disks

Sorry to be slow mjf but what Win install disks? As I mentioned the purchase didn't come with OS disks.
COA ? don't understand this acronym
(What I did was use Toshiba facility to return system to "out of the box" state ... ie as it was when first purchased.)

thanks for instuction re scannow ... worked that out between posts!

 

[mjf]

you're not slow just new. Much of this is about familiarity and being pointed in the right direction.

A clean install is one that is the same as a boxed retail ie. without the trial software. You can use these install disks with Certificate of Authentication key which should stuck onto your PC somewhere. Now this is not fully equivalent to a boxed retail version of the OS because it can only be used on your PC. The full retail version cost more $ and can be moved to a new machine.
An advantage of the factory install is that they have bundled all the drivers as well. Windows should download most of what you need but this can't be guaranteed.

The real issue for me is that you should be able to easily say no to trial software and get rid of it without impacting on the performance of the OS you have paid for.