Author Topic: Need Help with Reinstalling Windows (Read 9378 times)

Nitantnel · « **on:** July 30, 2012, 10:52:44 AM »

Computer is getting slow and old, figured reinstalling Windows would give it a fresh new start, two problems though:

-My laptop did not come with any disks,
-I don't have the patients to reinstall all files and programs that I have so I am looking for: A) A good backup program that can save all my files, B) A method to find and back up all zipped files of the programs I downloaded so that I can reinstall the programs after I set up windows.

AsherO · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2012, 10:55:30 AM »

Quote from: Nitantnel on July 30, 2012, 10:52:44 AM

Computer is getting slow and old, figured reinstalling Windows would give it a fresh new start, two problems though:

-My laptop did not come with any disks,
-I don't have the patients to reinstall all files and programs that I have so I am looking for: A) A good backup program that can save all my files, B) A method to find and back up all zipped files of the programs I downloaded so that I can reinstall the programs after I set up windows.

If you're going to back up all the programs and port them to a new Windows install, you'll likely bring along a lot of the bloat you're trying to get rid of. Also, IME these kinds of software aren't foolproof and you might lose some settings or experience other quirks.

AJK · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2012, 11:21:26 AM »

Quote from: AsherO on July 30, 2012, 10:55:30 AM

If you're going to back up all the programs and port them to a new Windows install, you'll likely bring along a lot of the bloat you're trying to get rid of.

+2, the whole point of a reinstall is to start anew sans bloat. 1) Spend the time starting from scratch, and 2) once everything is set up just how you like it, image your drive so you can start anew whenever you want in the future in less than 15 mins.

DH Data Recovery · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2012, 11:27:06 AM »

Ok so lets start simple, 1) some computers come with a recovery partition built in and you dont need any disks. 2) you can properly copy software wiothout reinstalling.
so firstly whats the model # of the laptop?
what windows were you running?

DH Data Recovery · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2012, 11:27:40 AM »

sorry 2) was you CANT! properly copy software without reinstalling

Nitantnel · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2012, 12:06:37 PM »

Thanks, I have a Lenovo G470 running Windows 7

DH Data Recovery · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2012, 12:10:25 PM »

ok. So if I'm not mistaken Lenovo includes a program called one key recovery and that allows you to wipe the computer and start again with the factory defaults - meaning as it came out of the box.
Remember Back up all your personal data first (ie documents, pictures, music, Outlook, Quickbooks etc) not everything is stored in the same location so make sure to find all the data and backup before you do this. Doing a factory restore will wipe all your data!

Name Changed · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2012, 07:55:43 PM »

Quote from: DH Data Recovery on July 30, 2012, 12:10:25 PM

ok. So if I'm not mistaken Lenovo includes a program called one key recovery and that allows you to wipe the computer and start again with the factory defaults - meaning as it came out of the box.
Remember Back up all your personal data first (ie documents, pictures, music, Outlook, Quickbooks etc) not everything is stored in the same location so make sure to find all the data and backup before you do this. Doing a factory restore will wipe all your data!

Quote from: Nitantnel on July 30, 2012, 12:06:37 PM

Thanks, I have a Lenovo G470 running Windows 7

From my experience this model of Lenovo should have the one key recovery, its a physical button on the computer to initiate it.

IIRC during the recovery they give you the option to back up your files. They basically save the files you select, that they wont get erased when you format the drives.

DH Data Recovery · « **Reply #8 on:** July 30, 2012, 11:14:57 PM »

I prefer wiping the drive completely in case you have some hidden viruses in your data which will then be backed up as well and can re-infect your system

AJK · « **Reply #9 on:** July 30, 2012, 11:19:08 PM »

Quote from: DH Data Recovery on July 30, 2012, 11:14:57 PM

I prefer wiping the drive completely in case you have some hidden viruses in your data which will then be backed up as well and can re-infect your system

+1, and hidden bloat.

Name Changed · « **Reply #10 on:** July 30, 2012, 11:35:37 PM »

Quote from: DH Data Recovery on July 30, 2012, 11:14:57 PM

I prefer wiping the drive completely in case you have some hidden viruses in your data which will then be backed up as well and can re-infect your system

Good point.

The Original Poster seems to want the easy way of doing this... I would suggest this...

But if files are infected, then even if copied off, if they are copied back onto the computer before scanned, then there is the same risk of having the One Key Recovery backup and restore those files.

DH Data Recovery · « **Reply #11 on:** July 30, 2012, 11:37:00 PM »

as long as he installs a decent antivirus it will probably be picked up when he copies them back.

DH Data Recovery · « **Reply #12 on:** July 30, 2012, 11:38:51 PM »

which leads to a new topic

what antivirus do you use, how's your experience with it. The good, the bad, the ugly...

ye · « **Reply #13 on:** October 12, 2012, 09:01:02 AM »

I have a Lenovo B575 and when I try to open most programs it just opens Microsoft Word. They say it is a file association issue caused by a virus. I ran McAffee and a program Lenovo gave me called Super Anti Spyware and they didn't show that I had any viruses. I also tried restoring the default settings of which program it opens for each file type, and downloaded some type of fix that is supposed to do this as well, but neither has worked.
Does anyone have any other suggestions?
Should I just backup and start over, or I might backup the problem too?
Does the One Key Recovery work to reinstall Windows, or do I have to buy a disk (which Lenovo sells for $59)?

Thanks!!!!!!

DH Data Recovery · « **Reply #14 on:** October 12, 2012, 09:35:08 AM »

easiest solution is to start over. Backup, and use one key it will reinstall the entire os.
if you don't want to reinstall you can try a system restore to a date when it all worked properly

ye · « **Reply #15 on:** October 12, 2012, 09:54:16 AM »

Quote from: DH Data Recovery on October 12, 2012, 09:35:08 AM

easiest solution is to start over. Backup, and use one key it will reinstall the entire os.
if you don't want to reinstall you can try a system restore to a date when it all worked properly

System restore said that due to an error it did not complete. Tried other dates and got the same message. Just noticed that One Key doesn't work either, it opens up Microsoft Word.
Any other suggestions?
Thank you very much!

Yossi. · « **Reply #16 on:** October 12, 2012, 12:15:33 PM »

Quote from: ye on October 12, 2012, 09:54:16 AM

System restore said that due to an error it did not complete. Tried other dates and got the same message. Just noticed that One Key doesn't work either, it opens up Microsoft Word.
Any other suggestions?
Thank you very much!

run it from the command prompt

DH Data Recovery · « **Reply #17 on:** October 12, 2012, 12:31:43 PM »

or run it from out of windows, turn on the computer - press f8 untill you get the boot menu, then select repair this computer. Once you get into the option try running system restore from there or try using one key from there, or you can try using safe mode as well.

popcorn1508 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 13, 2012, 07:50:22 PM »

I locked my boot menu and forgot my password any ideas how to unlock withoit restoring

DH Data Recovery · « **Reply #19 on:** October 13, 2012, 08:15:04 PM »

did you lock your windows password or bios password?