Desktops: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting...
- 8/3/07 12:20 PM
Linux Install Goof Up
by dknapp - 8/4/07 7:58 AM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Be very careful when trying to set up a dual, or in my case, triple, boot. I had Win98 and WinXP Home coexisting just great for a couple of years. Then, when trying to put SUSE 10.1 on another partition, I answered the install question wrong and overwrote the boot info. After trying many options it was just better to wipe and re-install. Booting with multiple OS can seem simple at first, but it is not and there is no product I could find that would do an easy rescue, and I tried a bunch. Other than that, I have not had much bad luck in the wipe/reinstall arena.
Boot sector problems
by somanyroads - 8/4/07 8:16 AM In reply to: Linux Install Goof Up by dknappI have been using a duel booting in some case's triple or more for years. I have come unstuck doing this as well. Even though the main OS may be running from say Drive F: it has a certain amount of information in Drive C: I forgot this and reformatted C: one day with the resulting loss of all the Os's on the system.
"CLEAN INSTALL"....less frequently with registry repair
by denkile - 8/4/07 8:37 AM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Prior to finding a good registry repair a year ago,
I did a "clean install" (format/erase HDD and install fresh)
whenever the system became corrupt or slowed down:
_monthly for 95SE, 98SE, ME
_quarterly for XP without registry repair
_yearly for XP with registry repair for the purpose
of updating applications and removing hidden crapware.
Advanced System Optimizer, SysTweak works for me but
when I first used it I had to do a "clean install"
to undo my "tweaks". I do not use the ASO "tweaks" !
The Startup Manager, Registry Repair, Registry Defragmenter
work without problems. It has corrected some serious problems
like startup and shutdown problems common to HP drivers.
Also, I am experimenting with utilities for
better HDD defrag and memory management/RAM clean
to keep the system fast and responsive.
Mine and others slowed down with this years, Security Suites.
1 Time Only
by markerichannelly - 8/4/07 9:03 AM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I had to reformat my entire hard drive when I downloaded a rogue program that screwed up my registry. I had no access to my optical drives, even external USB ones! I eventually had to reinstall my XP OS. I didn't have anything important on it anyway since it was only my desktop that I used for gaming. I've had no computer problems since.
Never
by MMRudy - 8/4/07 10:00 AM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I was on the verge of reformatting with my three year old ABS 4600 this spring. The machine kept freezing--requiring reboots as frequently as 8X/day.
Fortunately, this problem was raised in the "Community Help and How To" Newsletter. I followed the instructions to the point of reformatting without success. Then, on a whim, I removed McAfee (the subscription was due for renewal anyway) and replaced it with a smaller program, Avasti.
So far, no screen freezes, no viruses, no malware, etc. etc. Best of all no need to reformat the hard drive. However, should the problem recurr, I'm buying a Mac!
How many times have I resorted to reformatting..
by betteguadalupe - 8/4/07 10:09 AM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I only made the mistake once, and that was enough..I was in my registry and cleaning out un-necessary files,(do not mess with these)I was following a help msg from msn windows, when suddenly my screen went to "THE BLUE SCREEN"..I panic and pressed my system's off button to shut down PC..needless to say I called up Dell and was told to reformat my hard drive..I lost every thing on PC..
I have had to reformat HD/ reinstall operating system twice
by xbsims - 8/4/07 10:19 AM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
First time was because of a virus. It was 5-6 years ago and did not think I needed virus protection. i know better now.
Second time was when I installed Vista over XP and was using a older registry cleaner. Started to have features like photo viewing quit working, and network sharing problems. after doing a clean install of Vista all has been working fine. I also quit using registry cleaners.
reformat c:
by pooch - 8/4/07 11:31 AM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Usually has been due to dll file failures in win98. Have not yet had to reformat my xp machine
Never have had to reformat.
by Wolfgamezzz - 8/4/07 12:07 PM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I never have had to reformat my computer(s). I always run anti-virus and firewall (except during games). If I have a system failure of some sort, I go to my other computer and google it, ask people on forums (such as cnet), and ask friends. Eventually I get it worked out and everything is fine.
One example, was when one of my computers wouldn't connect to the internet. I asked tech support from different places. I then learned that it was my Firewall. I had uninstalled it because it was giving my problems, but it never completely uninstalled. It left the firewall there and it blocked anything and everything from connecting to the internet. So I reinstalled it, and it worked!
So my advice is to work with it. If you have valuable information, try and back it up with a Live-CD of Linux, such as Knoppix. If you don't have access to another computer at home, try getting to one and work, or at the library. Then Google it and ask people on forums and try and figure whats wrong.
How many times have you had to restore/reformat?
by dxjanis - 8/4/07 1:23 PM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The first time I subscribed to DSL from the telephone company, I was given a desktop, USB connected, modem. Everytime the telephone rang, the computer would restart. The operating system was WinMe and I could never get most things to work in that environment including system restore. Eventually, it occurred to me that the ring voltage (90 volts DC) was probably going backward through the modem to the motherboard. That came to me after the computer just stopped working and the tech support people from the telephone company also failed me. I turned to Dell support and they walked me through a reformat which worked faultlessly and fixed the computer. I had prior to the formatting removed the DSL modem and gone back to dial-up. Eventually upgraded that computer to XP home and it is still A-OK. Now on DSL, with the same telephone company but with ethernet connected modem.
Never Happened to me.
by Doomrayz - 8/4/07 1:36 PM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Its never happening to me, but I do have a Sony VAIO. As far as I know I won't have this issue if I stay away from gateway, dell, and other cheap brands.
I had to Restore twice.
by Peter Edman - 8/4/07 1:47 PM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Peachtree Complete Accounting. Suddenly would not load.Tried restoring to prior date used, no luck. Went back to a restore point a month earlier. Still no luck Finally wound up reinstalling the original software, as a new company (using our same company name). That faked it out and I was able to do a Peachtree "Restore" from my flash drive backup file. It loaded my most recently saved data and I was back in business. I have other issues with Peactree. I may look for help through CNET to help resolve Administrator and "Read Only" files problems.
Sharing my secrets
by js61054 - 8/4/07 3:07 PM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I can't recall a single time when the only solution I had available was to wipe my hard drive, re-format, and, reinstall. This is not to say I haven't chosen this option because it was the least painful. I have re-formatted on many occasions but it was a choice, not the only way to remedy my problem. I'm willing to bet most people who indicated they had to do this either chose to or were not aware of their options.
If your drive fails outright then a re-format won't help.
In fact, I think I've even resurected a couple of drives without reformating.
Back in the cold dark days of DOS there actually were occasions where you needed to low level format and then format but that was a long long time ago.
Other tips:
Backup your entire drive, not just the data.
Keep a boot disk or CD handy.
Learn to use the MS-windows "repair console" or whatever they call it. It gives you DOS like access to the operating system.
Use the repair function built into Windows XP and Vista.
HP disaster
by C T - 8/4/07 4:48 PM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have had to reinstall windows several times on this compaq computer. The reinstall leaves most of the hard drive intact but updates and some programs are lost. After the last time I did this I still couldn't boot up. HP after diagnosing my poblem said my only alternative was to order and reinstall windows XP. I did this without thinking ahead. I should have put in a different hard drive but I didn't. The windows CDs 5 in all not only reinstalled the OS it also reformatted the whole HD. I lost about 40g of personal information(pictures, music, extra programs etc.)
So if you have to reinstall, do it on a new hard drive you can always reinstall the original HD and move your data. Lesson learned the very hard way.
REFORMATTING YOUR COMPUTER AS A FULL TIME JOB
by freestyl - 8/4/07 5:20 PM In reply to: Poll: How many times have you resorted to reformatting... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Lets begin by saying, that if it were'nt for Anti Virus programs or spamware protection programs losing their usefulness, having to remove them from your system so other programs replacing them would run just fine, we all would be just happy...!
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