My Computer Hates Me!

[LONDONER]

My small netbook that I carry with me on my travels, most recently to Prague, doesn't hate me, it just decided to give up the ghost! I switched it on last Sunday morning and absolutely every single programme that I had installed, had disappeared. Now I have to pay my IT expert to re-install everything for me.

[MisterTinkles]

Thanks everyone who responded.

Things went from bad to worse. I asked a friend if he would help me remotely but then I couldn't get back online!

In the end I took it to a repair shop who for £40 backed up all my data, formatted the PC and reinstalled Windows 7.

I brought it back home an hour ago and as you can see, I'm up and running.

Maybe now I'll edit my profile and make it less verbous or add some pics of Liverpool which I think you'll love and hopefully will make you want to visit the city... and hey, if you ever want a free tour guide!

Get an external hard drive that can handle the capacity of your computer.
Copy everything onto the external hard drive.
This way, you have your computer saved on something that wont crash if it goes wrong again. All you have to do is wipe your drive and reinstall what you have on your external hard drive. Saves lots of money and aggrevation.

[Chas]

Get an external hard drive that can handle the capacity of your computer.
Copy everything onto the external hard drive.
This way, you have your computer saved on something that wont crash if it goes wrong again. All you have to do is wipe your drive and reinstall what you have on your external hard drive. Saves lots of money and aggrevation.

^Basically this, have a backup of everything so you can just reformat the computer yourself in the future. Personally I have 2 backups (a usb stick locked away and a DVDRW disc) just with my important files that I need, everything else can just be redownloaded.

[MisterTinkles]

^Basically this, have a backup of everything so you can just reformat the computer yourself in the future. Personally I have 2 backups (a usb stick locked away and a DVDRW disc) just with my important files that I need, everything else can just be redownloaded.

Format disks came with my old pc, but my new pc didnt come with any.
So Im going to have to get me an external hard drive and copy my pc onto that.

Im on my fourth computer. My first two, I didnt know much about them, lost the first one to a virus. The second one got two viruses, but were "cleaned" out of the pc, but it never ran right again. I installed 3 different style cleaning programs, and two security programs on my last computer, which I still have. It runs a bit slower than its supposed too, but I figure thats a hell of a lot better than crashing again and having to redo everything....plus that pc came with backup discs for everything.

My new pc came already installed with everything. No backup disks though.

When I have the money, Im going to get a nice new external hard drive off of ebay. You can get one cheap off there.

[Vigilias]

Time to do all those windows updates then scan my three memory sticks for nasties.

Time for somethig to eat and I'll watch Hollyoaks while the computer does it's thing.

Wonder if Ste ("Me kids") will get back with Doug, I hope so, they were my fave soap couple!

[Kiid]

Well you think they hate you. I boutght a new shiny computer i7 processor 4gb dedicated graphics and 1t memory. It also had a touchscreen.... It keeps touching itself. Made me rage so I threw it against the wall JK but is did shut the play on if for hours while it was doing this. After I closed then opend the lid it stoped u.u

[Bowyn Aerrow]

80+ updates is way to many to be updating at the same time.

You will need to shut off automatic update and manually install and update about five (at most) at a time. Some will have to be updated individually. Yes it is time consuming, yes you will be rebooting the damn infernal devil machine each and every time.

Mind you most likely do not need all of those security updates - so get a pen and paper and write down each update name and read up on it on the internet.

Security updates often have newer security updates, thus if you have one from a year ago that is the same as the newer one, you can decline the older one as the newer one will have the right, current programing.

I would suggest you update drivers first. Such as graphics drivers, sound drivers. Active X, Java, whatever other software updates and hardware updates that Microsuck is suggesting.

Get those out of the way.

I also suggest you use Ccleaner: http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

It is free and has several features. Get it, update it and run the Registry Cleaner - DO save a copy of what its about to remove from your computer. Run it the first time BEFORE you attempt any updates.

Each time you do a batch of updates, run Registry cleaner and SAVE that. I have a folder in My Documents that I save each and every Ccleaner batch file.
The Registry cleaner removes left over bits and pieces, often .dlls which are left over from software that updates, downloads and installs programs.

Yes this first time around it will be time consuming, and require you to do some leg work (Google searches) to find out which security updates you really need.

Once you have gone through your 86 updates, as small batches, then turn back on automatic updates.

I keep mine set to where Microsuck will ask my permission before installing and I always use manual install option so I can read through the technomancy and decide if this dark magick is something I want on my machine.

There is an option to never see a particular update again, once you click that that particular update will be removed from the list you see, but later on if you feel you must install it, you can locate it again and install.

If Windows is asking to update something like the drivers for your graphics card, go to the website of the card manufacturer and see what they have in the way of that driver - most have forums where you can ask the stupid question, is it better to download the driver here or let windows automatically update. usually there are a few smart cookies who 'get' that sometimes microsuck fucks up the update which can really screw up your hardware/drivers what not and they will gladly tell you if it is safe.

[MisterTinkles]

80+ updates is way to many to be updating at the same time.

You will need to shut off automatic update and manually install and update about five (at most) at a time. Some will have to be updated individually. Yes it is time consuming, yes you will be rebooting the damn infernal devil machine each and every time.

Mind you most likely do not need all of those security updates - so get a pen and paper and write down each update name and read up on it on the internet.

Security updates often have newer security updates, thus if you have one from a year ago that is the same as the newer one, you can decline the older one as the newer one will have the right, current programing.

I would suggest you update drivers first. Such as graphics drivers, sound drivers. Active X, Java, whatever other software updates and hardware updates that Microsuck is suggesting.

Get those out of the way.

I also suggest you use Ccleaner: http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

It is free and has several features. Get it, update it and run the Registry Cleaner - DO save a copy of what its about to remove from your computer. Run it the first time BEFORE you attempt any updates.

Each time you do a batch of updates, run Registry cleaner and SAVE that. I have a folder in My Documents that I save each and every Ccleaner batch file.
The Registry cleaner removes left over bits and pieces, often .dlls which are left over from software that updates, downloads and installs programs.

Yes this first time around it will be time consuming, and require you to do some leg work (Google searches) to find out which security updates you really need.

Once you have gone through your 86 updates, as small batches, then turn back on automatic updates.

I keep mine set to where Microsuck will ask my permission before installing and I always use manual install option so I can read through the technomancy and decide if this dark magick is something I want on my machine.

There is an option to never see a particular update again, once you click that that particular update will be removed from the list you see, but later on if you feel you must install it, you can locate it again and install.

If Windows is asking to update something like the drivers for your graphics card, go to the website of the card manufacturer and see what they have in the way of that driver - most have forums where you can ask the stupid question, is it better to download the driver here or let windows automatically update. usually there are a few smart cookies who 'get' that sometimes microsuck fucks up the update which can really screw up your hardware/drivers what not and they will gladly tell you if it is safe.

Ccleaner is awesome, they have a free version, or you can buy the professional one.

I also have Revo Uninstaller. It uninstalls ALL of a program, not just the loading folder.
It also cleans your temp caches out, and gets rid of garbage that gets put on your pc.

I run Ccleaner and Revo a few times a week.
I also run the cleaning programs that come with the computer....
Disk Cleanup and Defragmenter.

Since I dont have a tv or cable, I watch everything online, and watching so may vid's all the time "gunks" up my pc...even my new pc.......so I have to run these programs a lot.

If your computer doesnt have virus protection, I would suggest Norton Internet Security 2013. I get mine off of ebay for very cheap.
I also have Norton Utilities, which helps keep the "junk" from building up in my pc's.

[Rainbowmum]

First do not panic everything is fatal with Microsoft there is no such thing as a mild error, it has to be fatal.:biggrin:

I prefer to load the updates manually .
I don't suppose you made some backup discs of your windows 7 when you first got it.

Does the thing boot up at all? If not do not panic you can get it to boot up in safe mode by pressing the F6 or F8 button as it starts up.

When you get it to boot, go to your start button Control Panel\System and Security\Windows Update.

Select change settings on your left
A new window will pop up select the drop section on important updates click the bar for drop down menu ,select what you want it to do ,if you turn it off make sure you turn it back on after you have manually installed the updates.

Now you are not done yet ,now you will have a red security shield in your task bar , click it and it will take you to a window where you can change how you are notified by the computer.

You will now notice that your computer does not lag and you browse with speed again.
Oh and I agree with BA on Crap Cleaner it's an awesome program.

That's all there is to it.

[Vigilias]

Just an update...

Thanks everyone so much for posting on this issue.

I had to take the machine to a repair shop who backed up my data, pics, videos, documents, music, the lot. They then formatted the HD and reinstalled windows 7. Unfortunatelly, they didn't connect a cable for soemthing or other and the computer was asking me to select proper boot device. I had to take it back and they sorted the problem out.

I'm now able to use the computer normally EXCEPT it now wont run CD's of DVD's. I have to reinstall the printer and microsoft office and a few other bits and bobs but it wont let me.

Looks like it's back to the shop!