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GMC Forum _ CHILL OUT _ To Format Or Not To Format?
Posted by: Tolek Dec 29 2008, 12:48 AM
Hey guys,
I´m thinking of formatting my pc tomorrow (or rather today 
) because it is a bit anormal. (With every start up it shuts down at least 3 times, etc.) Will it help or not? Of course, I´m going to save all my important files to CDs.
Is my computer going to be better after that formatting? What do you think?
Cheers,
Tolek
Posted by: superize Dec 29 2008, 12:50 AM
If the problem is in a file then it will halp by reinstalling windows and the computer will go faster after that to(For a while atleast)
I have recently done it and the computer works much better now
Posted by: Muris Varajic Dec 29 2008, 01:00 AM
What's situation with viruses,spams etc?
Posted by: Tolek Dec 29 2008, 01:07 AM
I have recently done it and the computer works much better now
If I reinstall Windows, what will happen to my files? Are they going to be still there or not?
How can I actually reinstall it?
By putting the CD into the device and selecting the actions to do?I don´t know.
I don´t have an anti-virus installed yet... When I tried to, it didn´t work. That´s why I want to format.
Posted by: MickeM Dec 29 2008, 01:16 AM
I just reinstalled Windows for the second time in a couple months time. It showed afterwards I had a broken RAM that caused blue screens to appear all the time.
Unplugging the chip made it allright again. Pity though I have to reinstall every program I had, over nothing.
Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Dec 29 2008, 01:16 AM
If you have 2 partitions available, just transfer all important files on the partition that is NOT the system partition. System partition is the one that has WIndows on it. Then just format the system partition and install all the software and drivers again. Make sure you install antivirus FIRST, update it from the internet and immediately scan all the hard drives and USB flash memories you have.
Posted by: Tolek Dec 29 2008, 01:23 AM
Unplugging the chip made it allright again. Pity though I have to reinstall every program I had, over nothing.
Thanks, I´ll check that tomorrow.
Where exactly is this chip? I know how a computer looks inside, but I can´t tell you how every single part of it is called...I understand what you mean, but I have no clue how to copy everything on the other partition. In BIOS, I have to create as second one, right? And then?
Posted by: opeth.db Dec 29 2008, 01:47 AM
Where exactly is this chip? I know how a computer looks inside, but I can´t tell you how every single part of it is called...Right Click "My Computer"
Select "Manage"
Select "Disk Management" in the left column under "Storage"
Look at "Disk 0"
-If you see that "C" extends the whole way across you have no other partiion sharing on this drive. If you do you will see it split and see a drive letter for both the sytem partition and the extended partition.
Posted by: Ramiro Delforte Dec 29 2008, 01:47 AM
Uhmmm buddy, I recommend you installing a anti virus NOW!!!
There are four things that helped me to keep running my PC without problems: Antivirus, Firewall, Antispyware and Tune Up.
Free software for me it's the best so I have AVG antivirus, ZoneAlarm firewall, Search & Destroy antispyware and the Tune Up it's a program that helps you to optimize the use of your PC.
If you install and run those things maybe you could avoid the formating process.
Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Dec 29 2008, 02:17 AM
No, he already posted that he cannot install antivirus. Probably the computers drive is already infected. The simple solution would be to try to install AVG, and if it cannot be done, then formatting is only option.
Tolek, if you don't have 2 paritions, just burn the DVD's with backup data and format away.
Posted by: IDontWantMyUsername Dec 29 2008, 05:03 AM
I´m thinking of formatting my pc tomorrow (or rather today
) because it is a bit anormal. (With every start up it shuts down at least 3 times, etc.) Will it help or not? Of course, I´m going to save all my important files to CDs.Is my computer going to be better after that formatting? What do you think?
Cheers,
Tolek
If you turn it on once, it shuts down 3 times? How is that possible?
Posted by: kahall Dec 29 2008, 05:34 AM
From your description of your problem you are infected. I have seen this shut down on start up a lot lately. Sometimes it is just easier to format and start over as long as you realize you will loose everything on the drive. Then follow Ramiro Delfortes advice above immediately after you get windows loaded. I'm not saying that there is no other way, but man what a pain in the butt these viruses can be, and if you have been online for more than an hour without an AV program your PC is probably very sick.
Posted by: Tolek Dec 29 2008, 11:17 AM
Good morning!
My computer just started normally but I´ll format it anyway.
My plan:
1. Burn the most important datas on CD/DVD.
2. Format the computer and reinstall Windows. (I´m not sure how to do it... like this? Start->Programs->Accesories->Systemprograms-> and what then?)
3. Install anti-virus etc.
4. Go to GMC.
Is this ok?
Posted by: Velvet Roger Dec 29 2008, 11:38 AM
Yeah this is the good sequence.
Please do not forget to backup for e-mail PST file etc (if you are using it) and any favorites as well.
For step 2, just put your windows install CD into your CD-ROM drive, restart your PC (and make sure it loads the CD-ROM first before HD, you can set this in your BIOS if not set already).
Then, remove the C partition in the installation menu of Windows, re-partition it (I would strongly advice at that time to partition in 2 parts (C for all programs, D for all data).
Then format the C partition in the same installation menu, and finally let Windows be installed on the C partition.
After you have installed anti-virus, let it run through all your files (so both C and D drive), as there may be data files on your PC infected.
Good luck!
Posted by: Tolek Dec 29 2008, 12:24 PM
Please do not forget to backup for e-mail PST file etc (if you are using it) and any favorites as well.
For step 2, just put your windows install CD into your CD-ROM drive, restart your PC (and make sure it loads the CD-ROM first before HD, you can set this in your BIOS if not set already).
Then, remove the C partition in the installation menu of Windows, re-partition it (I would strongly advice at that time to partition in 2 parts (C for all programs, D for all data).
Then format the C partition in the same installation menu, and finally let Windows be installed on the C partition.
After you have installed anti-virus, let it run through all your files (so both C and D drive), as there may be data files on your PC infected.
Good luck!
Thanks for your tips!
I´m just selecting the datas I want to keep.Does anybody have time and the power to help me live via MSN because I´m not still very sure about it?
Posted by: Velvet Roger Dec 29 2008, 12:31 PM
I´m just selecting the datas I want to keep.Does anybody have time and the power to help me live via MSN because I´m not still very sure about it?
Sure, add me: [email protected]
Posted by: Tolek Dec 29 2008, 12:43 PM
Thanks, man.
Posted by: Muris Varajic Dec 30 2008, 02:27 AM
Tolek,not sure if you formated it already
but first try to install some other antivirus and scan your PC,
there are many free softwares out there
and perhaps you tried the only one that causes you problems to install it.
I don't not how many programs and data you have on your PC
but in my case it's much easier to scan everything (even with few different antiviruses)
instead of formating my PC and installing everything again.
Posted by: MickeM Dec 30 2008, 08:43 AM
Where exactly is this chip? I know how a computer looks inside, but I can´t tell you how every single part of it is called...
Posted by: GrindGuer Dec 30 2008, 09:11 AM
There are four things that helped me to keep running my PC without problems: Antivirus, Firewall, Antispyware and Tune Up.
For me, there is only one thing that helped me : I left Windows few years ago and have been using Linux ever since. No spyware, no anti-virus, ...
You should give it a try !
Posted by: Velvet Roger Dec 30 2008, 09:22 AM
You should give it a try !
Well that certainly helpes, but a very high dose of common sense about certain things happening on your computer prevents you as much from disasters as well (even if you have anti-virus and the whole bunch)
.
Posted by: Muris Varajic Dec 30 2008, 10:09 AM
You should give it a try !
Or go for a Mac.
But easiest solution atm is probably to scan your PC
and see if and what has infected it.
Posted by: Caelumamittendum Dec 30 2008, 10:57 AM
Sorry to burst your bubble, Linux and Mac guys, but virus' really could be found in both Linux' and Mac OS'es. It's all a matter of Windows being the larger target group, and also the easier target group. If you do a bit of searching you'll find that there has been a few non-malicious viruses on Linux.
From what I reckon though, Linux and other systems are just as vulnerable as Windows, if not even more, due to people denying the fact that Linux could be infected too. As said earlier, those making the virus probably wouldn't go for Linux as the target group of Windows users are just about infinite times bigger.
Posted by: Muris Varajic Dec 30 2008, 11:01 AM
From what I reckon though, Linux and other systems are just as vulnerable as Windows, if not even more, due to people denying the fact that Linux could be infected too. As said earlier, those making the virus probably wouldn't go for Linux as the target group of Windows users are just about infinite times bigger.
Agree,most of the users are on PC and that's why there are many viruses for PC.
But truth is,Mac's OS is still much more stable compared with Windows.
Posted by: Tolek Dec 30 2008, 11:03 AM
Hey guys, I already formatted my pc (with the help of Roger ). Everything works fine now. Anti-virus is installed, no infection found and my desktop is getting more filled.
I don´t have the money to go for a mac now. I´ll try it maybe in the future.
The onyl issue is that my computer boots very long. It even start booting again when it is nearly in Vista.
Posted by: Caelumamittendum Dec 30 2008, 11:06 AM
But truth is,Mac's OS is still much more stable compared with Windows.
No doubt about the latter, Muris! I can only agree on that, though I have friends who use Macs and have plenty of problems. I myself recently installed a 64-bit version of Windows XP on my computer, as the Q6600 is programmed to 64-bit, as far as I know. That made my system a lot more stable.
I'm sticking with Windows, as many things I use don't seem to come in Mac or Linux format.
Posted by: Pedja Simovic Dec 30 2008, 11:09 AM
I don't like format but you have to do it if your computer starts running really slow I guess
Posted by: Tolek Dec 30 2008, 12:01 PM
That´s why I did it.
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