Memo for Problems and Solutions

How to Restore Windows

Problem 1:
- You need to restore your Windows to a time that you are sure that It was working fine.

What you need to know:
1. You will need to have Windows XP or Vista to use Restore.
2. How to run restore: Start -> Execute -> RSTRUI
This tool is one of the most usefull I've used, and whan It finished with sucess, It's a solution that really works, 98% of the times, I've used to solve problems caused by worms, viruses an other problems caused by software installation and others. Usually I use this option has a last resort, when everything else fails, we should ponder the gravity of the problem versus the potencial loss of all activites made during the timeframe until the selected date to restore to, being this date a day in wich we are sure that the problems didn't occur.

3. What will be replaced:
- System files will be replaced in case they were changed during the time till restore date.
- Changes on the registryin case there were changes during the time till restore date.
- Softwares will be uninstalled in case they were installed during the timetill restore date.

4. What won't be changed: Users Files contained on My Documents and directories that are not system directories.
5. In case restore results ends with error: You can try again to restore, I've been much more sucessfull executing it in safe mode. To activate safe mode you should restart your PC and after memory tests and Bios tests press F8 before windows starts, then select Start in Safe Mode. Once in safe mode call Restore has described in 2.

6. Restore Backups, make a Backup, solve problems with Worms, recover windows passwords and other problemas you need to solve off-line (without starting windows):
- You can use CD MultiBoot (http://utilsmultiboot.blogeasy.com) allready version 6.0, this CD contains several utils this CD is really for profissionals.
- Usually I use Norton Ghost or PowerQuest.

7. Expand your Partition (speaking of multiboot, let's talk a bit about this theme):
- You can use the MultiBoot CD to do this on XP or other Windows, but Windows Vista allready has this option in its Disk Management (Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management ,or better yet on: Desktop right-click on My Computer and select Manage, there look for : disk management) you should use this option carefully, so that you don't loose any data.
- What is a Partition and why should I extend It?
R: A partition is where all data is, usually it's know has "C:" this is normally the operating system partition, there may exist a secondary partition "D:" usualy created during the istallation of the operating system, usually I join all space in one drive, so that I don't have to manage free space on two diferent drives. Drive "C:" should never be full, because Its the operating system one and there should subsist all installed software, even if you install much of your software on another drive, there should allways be free space on "C:" for DLLs, registry increment and other configurations.
- How to extend: on Vista you have to delete the secondary "D:" and on the primary "C:" select the option from menu (mouse right-click) and select expand, follow the instrucions and select your desired options and your done, just make shure you use all space freed due to deletion of "D:".

posted by cupidazul @ 9:16 PM