[Sonesta]

Hi there,

I wonder if someone could kindly assist me?

I have a desktop pc that has been redundant for sometime due to it running really slow and my getting a new laptop. However, due to the fact that we now have a room we have turned into an office at our shop and my laptop spending most of the time there I decided to see if I could sort out my desktop so that I can then use that at home. I ended up restoring it back to the factory settings as I was told by several more computer literate people that maybe the reason my pc was so slow was that it had a virus which my normal anti virus software could not fix! Anyway, I took their advice and decided to restore it back to its factory settings and so I saved all the information I wanted to keep on a memory stick and did the restore! At first it seemed like this proceedure had solved the problem as my pc was running like a dream and whizzing in and out of websites at lightning speed but within a couple of days it was acting up again and was taking 2 or 3 mins to open up certain pages and some it wouldnt open at all! I know it is not a problem with my ISP as hubby's wireless laptop and my little netbook and my iphone work perfectly ok through the same ISP. I googled the problem and several websites and forums google took me me to explained that sometimes a standard factory reset does not resolve certain viruses and the virus can often hide in other areas of the computer!!!!! Like I say, I am a total ignoramus with such technical things and would appreciate some advice especially any advice on how to do a more thorough restore!

I await your help folks

Sue

 

[philjohn]

Hi,
Perhaps the easiest way would be to find an online virus scan, if you google online virus scan you should find one, Symantec (Norton) have one. Worth a try.

Phil J

 

[JohnsCrossMotorHomes]

Hi Sue,

It might be that after you did the restore and put the data back on, the problem was reinstalled.

Try doing a restore and using it as a new virgin PC.

Peter

 

[richardjames]

It might pay you to do a defrag as well

 

[EJB]

Nobody has asked the specifications or even the operating system of your PC.
Go to a specialised forum and get a definitive answer....after the questions have been answered.
I rarely answer PC problems here because most comments are just snippets of one case experiences.
Virus problems require an expert and some time.

Obviously I recommend the Vista-XP forum :wink:

Good luck either way

 

[spykal]

Hi Sonesta

Factory restores come in so many different flavours so we really need to know much more detail.

What operating system ?

What make of computer make and model?

After the restore was the system " as delivered" or did it just do a re-install of the operating system? ( did it remove all the user data and files)

Did you do the factory restore from a restore CD/DVD or from a hidden partition on the PC?

Did the restore offer the option to format the hard drive?


Mike

 

[Sonesta]

Ooh goodness me you lovely kind helpful people - I am sorry to say that I really do not understand any of your replies! I apologise for being so dumb where such matters are concerned but truthfully, I am a real computer virgin! :roll:

All I can tell you is that it is a:

Packard Bell Desktop PC - Model IXTREME 6081

Operating System - Windows XP

It did not come with a restore CD/DVD and so I was advised to just press the F10 key on start up (I think it was the F10 or was it the F11 key?) which then took me to a screen that took me through the factory restore menu. As for formatting the hard drive, yikes what is that????? Ooh err - I'm lost now but I must confess I do not recall it asking such a question! To be honest though, I really cannot be 100% on that one. :roll:

I do hope someone can assist me but please remember you need to explain it all to me in simple language cos me poor befuddled brain cannot grasp such technical information easily lol!

Thanks again.

Sue

 

[spykal]

Hi Sonesta

The information that you need to read up on....if you can get your head around it :wink: is to be found here:-

How to Restore a Packard bell <<

How to Restore a packard bell to its original State <<

In reading through the second link you will see that you may have been offered two different types of proceedure:

If the Recovery Program proposes the Complete and Partial options, you may by able to retain settings and personal data for later retrieval.

This version of the Recovery Program allows two types of recovery:

Complete Recovery
Removes all programs and data on drive 'C' (HDD) and restores your computer to its original factory state. If your personal data is stored in a separate partition, i.e. data stored on drive 'D' (DATA) this information will be kept for later retrieval unless the Delete all user files option is selected.
If you select the Delete all user files option, or your computer has no second partition, all your data will be lost (personal documents and settings, driver updates, etc.)
Partial Recovery
Restores your original operating system and software to their original factory state without deleting your personal data (unless stored in C:\WINDOWS, see Notes).

That is why I asked if when you did the restore if all the user data ( files and additional programs) was deleted.

If it is available to you you need to do a "Complete recovery".. that will erase everything (format ) and then put it back as it was the day you bought it.

If all this still sounds like gibberish then I guess you need to go out and find a local computer techie to help you :wink:

Mike

 

[Rainbow-Chasers]

If you are going to restore, and have any upgraded prgrammes on disc (such as office or antiviruses) the restore - but do not download your old data. As if you have a trojan or worm, then it will be on your old info. See if that works for a while, get a good all in antivirus scan - even a free trial from norton etc (60 days) and run it through the system. It should find most things!