Windows 7 forum: Many programs crash after OS restore to factory defaults

I wonder how to test HDD for this? Quick googling pointed me to softwares Passmark Disk Checkup and HDD guru. Am I on a right track?

Thanks in advance.

I don't know what PC repair work you've done in the past but these look fine.

You may want to tell how old the laptop is and if you are doing your usual 6 month CANNED AIR BLAST of the vents.
Bob

Its less than a year old and I have never done canned air blast. Frankly, I don't what it is but if I understood correctly, you just blow air in all opening slots on the laptop like fan and stuff, right?

http://www.geeks.com/techtips/2005/techtips-AUG04-05.htm

I admit I do this every month or two.
Bob

Yes, My OS (Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit) is up-to-date and Its almost at same state as before (with regards to updates, except all programs installed previously, only essentials are installed at the moment)
Previously, all of these programs worked flawlessly.. so I am super confused what went wrong after restoration.

Did you use a DVD set that you created when you first bought your laptop? or did you use the hidden partition method?

The reason I'm asking is that your DVD set may, over time, become oxidized, and need to be cleaned. I worked on a laptop just a month ago, where the lady had somehow found the hidden partition and deleted it, thinking that she was "deleting unnecessarily used disk space", so when something went wrong with it and she brought it to me, I couldn't do anything to restore it to factory settings. I couldn't do anything for three weeks, until she finally found those DVDs. Then, once I used them, I had a similar problem, with programs crashing.

I didn't know why, until I decided to copy the DVDs onto my hard drive, so the next time I would need to fix her laptop, if she found and deleted the hidden partition again and if she couldn't find those DVDs, I would have an ISO copy that I could easily burn to DVDs and use. Well, one of the DVDs didn't read properly, so my program that turns it into an ISO image told me that the disk was corrupted. When I looked at it in the light, I saw that there was a film of oxidation on it, so I cleaned it with my cleaner for my glasses and I used my glasses cleaning cloth to clean the DVDs and it worked. I then re-installed it onto the computer and all the programs worked properly again.

There was one other problem, though. Every once in awhile, at startup, before the bootup sequence was finished, it would go to blue screen. I found that that was caused by a program that ASUS had pre-installed on it, called, "Fancy Start". Apparently, it does something to the MBR file at startup, whether you use the program or not. It's a silly program that isn't needed, so I uninstalled it, and the problem went away.

In short, what I'm recommending is for you to:

1. Clean your Recovery DVDs and try it again.

2. If that doesn't work, call Toshiba and find out how to start the Factory Settings Recovery program without needing the CD (by using the hidden partition) and try that.

3. If that doesn't work try the Toshiba Forum at http://forums.toshiba.com/ and click on "Computer Troubleshooting". Maybe when you're among other Toshiba users, it might be easier to get an answer, because they would all have a Toshiba computer. Or try here again until someone can figure out what your problem is.


That's the best that I can answer. I'm sorry I can't do any better to help you. I tried going to the Toshiba website to find out how to run the Recovery program from bootup, but the first thing I found is that I don't know the model number of your Toshiba Satellite, so I used X205-SLi6 as the model number, just to see what I could find out, but to no avail. The User's Manual doesn't even mention the hidden partition--or even making or using the Recovery DVDs. That's why, in #2 above, I say to call Toshiba and ask them for help.

~ Barry

I used HDD restore and all that you mentioned, I have already done that as this is my 5th machine and have been through various issues, so have become wise over the period of time. Since I used HDD restore, I didn' t touch DVDs or the ISOs.

Only one thing that I did different than previous setup was to delete SP1 backup files that freed up about 3GB of space, as mentioned on GHacks blog.

I have surfed through Toshiba forums for this question but found no answer but did find that Toshiba customer service is pathetic, so I don't want to bother them. I will fix it with the help of experts like you and Bob, I am sure the community on the web will be more helpful than Toshiba customer service.

Again thanks to both of you for chiming in and giving your opinions.

<<Only one thing that I did different than previous setup was to delete SP1 backup files that freed up about 3GB of space, as mentioned on GHacks blog.>>

Did you delete those files from the Recovery Drive? If so, that's probably where your problem lies.

Do you want to know what I have to say about "deleting junk files" and "duplicate files"? DON'T

My son came to me when his laptop quit working and it wouldn't bootup anymore. I asked him what the last thing was that he did, and he said that he had found a program that locates "junk files" that were "duplicates" and deletes them to save space, so he deleted them all. Then when he restarted the computer, it no longer worked.

If you touched the files on the Recovery Drive and deleted just one file, to save only 1 KB, that may be the file that makes everything work. You need ALL the files. By deleting the "backup files" for SP1, I can see why it wouldn't install properly, and you're wasting your time, my time, and Bob's time.

I'm out of suggestions now. The only suggestion I have to offer now is to find your set of DVDs if you have one and use THOSE to restore your laptop, and I'll bet THAT would work--because they WOULD have ALL the files on them.

I didn't mean to search the Toshiba forum. I meant to make your own post there, just like you're doing here. The people who would answer you there, would be fellow TOSHIBA LAPTOP USERS who may have had the same problem that you're having.

I hope you find a way to solve your problem.

~ Barry

I did NOT touch recovery partition, as a matter of fact, I can not even access it except for recovery, so the recovery partition is AS IT IS.

The backup files from SP1 were the files left on HDD after successful installation of SP1 through Windows Update. (Followed instructions from http://www.ghacks.net/2011/02/23/remove-windows-7-sp1-backups-to-free-up-disk-space/) And actually the problem started BEFORE deleting these files so I think the issue is somewhere else.

I have posted on Toshiba forum (I usually search for info before posting hence I said that I surfed through the forum) Lets see if there is any reply otherwise I will just do another restore..

I just thought of something...

I have already checked the user's manual for a Toshiba laptopa and could not find my answer, so you will have to make a post on the Toshiba forum and ask someone there if they know the answer...

On my Acer laptop, I can start it from the Recovery drive, by using an icon in the Start Menu, or I can start it up from startup, by pressing the key combination of <Alt> + <F10>, for the ASUS laptop I'm working on now it's <F9>, and for the Compaq I just helped a lady with, it's <F11> at startup.

Ask, on the Toshiba forum, if anyone knows the key (or key combination) to get the Recovery Program started at bootup, without Windows running first.

Then, I'm wondering if it would help if you would find a disk utility that would allow you to format the C:\ drive without Windows running. For example, I have Acronis Disk Director Suite, and with that, I can make a bootable CD that has the entire program on it, so I can use that to format the C:\ drive without Windows working.

If you can do that, and either use the special key (or key combination) at bootup, or even if you use your Recovery DVDs at bootup after formatting the C:\ drive, I wonder if it would work better, because then you'll be working with a fresh start, with nothing on the C:\ drive.