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Virus, maybe? - Printable Version

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Virus, maybe? - Kliapatra - 2008-09-15

So this computer that I'm on right now belongs to a friend. It is a three-week old HP laptop that she's done not much more than some classwork, skyping, using iTunes, and browsing the internet on.

 Spoiler

This morning she logged in on her laptop and found that pretty much all the windows-related functions have been erased. Her internal search function is gone, her defragmenter is gone, MS Word is gone, she can't use iTunes... On the start menu, the listing for her personal folder is gone. Internet Explorer works fine (obviously), Skype is still fine, but she (nor I) can log in on Windows Live messenger. I managed to get to the DxDiagnostic program through following the path from my own computer (doing that manually isn't fun). I've tried to see if I could access her defragmenter program in the same way, but it seems she doesn't have a Program Data folder, which is where mine is stored. Same with her System Recovery. This is, of course, assuming that her folders are set up the same, which they very well may not be, considering that my laptop is an Acer.

So I come to you, oh great Southperry tech community. She has a meeting with the ITS tomorrow, but I seek help from you as well. If you have any idea of what this is or what to do, please, help.

Virus, maybe? - Arrg - 2008-09-17

I can't think of anything that will fix it other than reformatting, so I'm just going to leave..

Virus, maybe? - Kliapatra - 2008-09-17

Thanks for trying. xD;

Well uhm, so far we've tried system restoring the other way (when the computer starts up), but it still hasn't fixed everything.

Virus, maybe? - Magus - 2008-09-17

Is there any data on there that she doesn't mind loosing?
And for that matter, do you have the disks that came with the PC?
If so, I would personally suggest reformatting.

Virus, maybe? - Kliapatra - 2008-09-18

It's a laptop. Windows kindly preinstalls Vista on them and doesn't give any discs with it.

She doesn't have a lot of stuff on it, and I've considered reformatting, but because there are no discs... >_<

Virus, maybe? - Magus - 2008-09-18

Kliapatra Wrote:It's a laptop. Windows kindly preinstalls Vista on them and doesn't give any discs with it.

She doesn't have a lot of stuff on it, and I've considered reformatting, but because there are no discs... >_<
Oh, right. I remember now that I had to make one for my Pavillion...
It said in the package: "RESTORE WITHOUT DISKS! Big GrinDD SO AWESOME!!"
Then in small print: "Yeeeeeeah..... You should make a restore disk anyway though."
(Not in those exact words.)

Virus, maybe? - Kliapatra - 2008-09-18

Rofl, so how would one go about reformatting that stuff?

Virus, maybe? - Bacon - 2008-09-18

Reformatting is the easy part. Just go into Google and search "How to reformat a computer" and you'll be hit with dozens of good guides.

Just remember to back up the important information before reformatting.

Virus, maybe? - Dan - 2008-09-19

uhh... when you start up your computer you'll have an option to format it by tapping one of the F buttons which it states.

Virus, maybe? - XTOTHEL - 2008-09-19

Your university might provide free windows vista keys (mine does...for students...) so maybe you could use their DVD to reformat your friend's computer.

The only problem with that is that unlike a restore disk you can create, there won't be any drivers on the disk and you would have to look for ones after the installation. Good thing is...there won't be any presintalled bloatware on the laptop after the installation.

Your university should also provide some sort of anti virus, again, free for students.