I has a major computer-based issue:

[Thanatos 51-50]

Okay, I know there used to be a "Technology itP" Thread, but I couldn't find it.

As the title says: I'm having a computer issue.
Background information: I run Windows Vista on an HP Laptop. I'm not very computer-saavy. I'm the only user of this computer.

A couple days ago (Actually, about 24 hours as of the time of this post): I let the machine power down so it could install those "updates" Vista loves bothering you about.

When I re-energize the computer and attempt to login, I get shunted over to a temporary profile, saying my data could not be loaded.
"No big deal" I says, and then reboot it.
Same problem.
I reboot the computer in safe mode.

Same problem again.

As it is, I'm now running around on Firefox because I can't find Opera and theres no way I'm braving the corrupted bowels of my IE program, and asking all you techno-wizards here itP this simple question:

How do I fix it so I can get my actual profile up?
I've never made a little bookmark in my recovery drive to do a system restore.
I tried to once, immediately had my recovery drive fill to 100%, and now its asking me to fix that (oh, and we never completed your last backup...).

My C drive has 46 of 105 GB free.
My recovery drive has 16 MB of 6.5 GB free.

I'm pretty sure theres a button somewhere where I can just tell my machine to forget everything and restore my "lovely" factory settings (loosing all my music and pretty pictures in the process - which are, really, the only things I care terribly about preserving).

You guys who are smarter than me, GO!
Please help!

[Rawhide]

System restore?

[Emperor Tippy]

I've never made a little bookmark in my recovery drive to do a system restore.

Reading is fundamental :smallwink:

And unfortunately I don't know Vista.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Ah. Crap.
Is that really the only option I have?

[Emperor Tippy]

Ah. Crap.
Is that really the only option I have?

Restoring to factory settings? Prolly not. But you might want to try an actual tech forum (or maybe call Microsoft's customer service).

[SDF]

Ah. Crap.
Is that really the only option I have?

A system restore is pretty simple, and only restores the computer to a few days/week ago depending on how much resources you devote to it. It isn't like formating or wiping your computer.

Start -> Control Panel -> Backup and Restore Center -> Use System Restore to Fix Problems and Undo Changes to Windows.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Restoring to factory settings? Prolly not. But you might want to try an actual tech forum (or maybe call Microsoft's customer service).

That'll be fun stuff. I wonder if they have a Japanese number where the operators speak English.


A system restore is pretty simple, and only restores the computer to a few days/week ago depending on how much resources you devote to it. It isn't like formating or wiping your computer.

Start -> Control Panel -> Backup and Restore Center -> Use System Restore to Fix Problems and Undo Changes to Windows.

I was under the impression it reset the system to whenever you marked it as "restore to here". I'm wrong, I guess.
Unless I read some better advice, I'm probably going to do this tomorrow before I shimmy off to watch.

[Rawhide]

System restore is a feature of Windows since Windows XP. It saves the state of several of your critical files and settings at certain points, one is usually just before installing updates, and when you manually create them. It is not a factory restore or using your restore disks.

I don't know the full procedure for restoring to a system restore point on Windows Vista though.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Seems the computer had an error of the unspecified variety while restoring last night,

Lets run it Again!

[Don Julio Anejo]

You could just make a new profile and copy all your documents and the like from C:\Users\Old profile to C:\Users\New profile.

Your computer will still work fine along with everything installed on it although you will probably lose your display settings and the like.

[Thanatos 51-50]

You could just make a new profile and copy all your documents and the like from C:\Users\Old profile to C:\Users\New profile.

Your computer will still work fine along with everything installed on it although you will probably lose your display settings and the like.

I've actually tried this.
I created a new profile and attempted to log on.
THAT, completely new and pristine, profile didn't load, and I got stuck witht eh "Temporary" one, again.

[Don Julio Anejo]

I'm afraid you're probably going to have to reinstall Windows :frown:

If you can though, install XP... (Although if you do this, first get all of the drivers you may need, like for your LAN port, sound, video, touchpad, etc).

[Jokes]

I thought vista made system restore points automatically, especially before it installs updates. Just go to the windows menu and type "system restore" in the search box.

[Thanatos 51-50]

I've already attempted multiple system restores, as documented in the thread. Both came back as failures due to an "Unknown error".

[BRC]

I had the same problem, a computer fixer person poked around, did some mumbo jumbo to appease the machine spirit, and ended up making a new profile for me that I put everything in. You can still get to all your old stuff, you just have to poke around in the My Computer abit and find your old user file.



Also, Vista is Shiny Suck.

[Thanatos 51-50]

I found my old stuff, I can manipulate it and give it a nice, big back massage.
Thats what motivated em to attempt to make a second profile.
Which, as previously mentioned, is also not loading.:smalleek:

[Emperor Tippy]

Then backup your old stuff that you want to a DVD or CD or external harddrive (or other backup medium) and just reformat the whole thing.

[Don Julio Anejo]

Then backup your old stuff that you want to a DVD or CD or external harddrive (or other backup medium) and just reformat the whole thing.
+1.
This is the best way to deal with this.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Yup.
Thats the only option I see. Time for a crash corse in "How to re-format".

I'm barely compitent enough with computers to make my own crash, eh?

Thanks for your help, Playground. I'll give you an update when the deed is done.

[Jokes]

There is a little tool out there called abr (http://directedge.us/files/abr/ABR-1.0.exe) that lets you back up your CD key and activation. Useful if you have an oem machine and the authentication servers won't let you activate. Just have to put it on a flash drive, run the backup program, reformat, install vista (without putting in your cd key), then run the restore utility. Viola, activated!

[Thanatos 51-50]

This is the point where I point out that my laptop didn't come with any CDs.
I activated Vista thusly:
I hit the power button. The Computer did the rest of the work.

[Last_resort_33]

you should have a recovery partition available to re-install windows. usually it involves pressing a button on bootup to activate a little recovery installer...

I would phone HP and ask them how you do a complete system recovery from the recovery partition. You shouldn't need to back up your CD key, as any machine with windows OEM installed, MUST have an OEM license sticker on the case somewhere.

[Jokes]

You shouldn't need to back up your CD key, as any machine with windows OEM installed, MUST have an OEM license sticker on the case somewhere.

Yes, but often the people who put the laptop together don't use that one, otherwise they would spend a lot of time typing in keys. They use the same method as I described above, using a "factory key." The oem license will only allow for a certain number of activations. Backing it up and restoring extends the life of your key. I've had several keys run out on me :smallannoyed: