Re: BIOS - COULD THERE A PROBLEM WITH MY PC'S BIOS?

Hi Ken

so those discs can now go in the garbage so I do not get confused and try to
use them.)


Well, what's on the CDs? Although you can't use any programs copied to
them, you can use any data that's there. So unless you're sure it's
just programs, I wouldn't be too quick to throw them away. And, as I
said, an occasional small program is self-contained, and can work
without having any entries in \Windows.

Ok. Probably better just put them aside then, since the cds contain other
files too, not just the programs, they may prove usefull if other
alternatives fail. At least with your help I have been able to learn not to
restore the copies of the programs but to use the intallations cd instead if
I use the cds to restore data.


For data, yes. For programs, no. See above.

Ok. I am much clearer on the back up now. I think I would benefit from
having an 'image" - I learnt from this forum that I need Acronis True Image
or Norton Ghost to do that.


Not necessarily. Those are *two* choices, but there are others.
Personally I like Acronis True Image the best, and I dislike anything
from Norton.
I personaly am not a great fan of Norton either. Most of my present problems
started when I installed Norton Internet Security, I did not do very well
with it. It might suit other people but I would give Norton a place at the
back of my list. I will check out a few programs before bying one.

I personally prefer imaging my drive to having just data backups.
That's because I have invested substantial time and effort in
customizing Windows and my applications to work the way I like them
to. If I had only data backed up, and lost my drive, yes I could
restore the data and reinstall the apps, but I would lose all that
customization. Putting it back the way I like it would take me many
extra hours or days

I am growing pretty fond of the idea of getting imaging software, I will
look into what is available when I fix my existing problem. Too bad I did
not know about this earlier, I would have saved myself a lot of grief and the
forum experts a lot of time especially you Ken. I am still in time to avoid
problems in future by using such software on my PC.

Other people run much more vanilla systems, and for them, backing up
just data can be fine.

I usually worry more about safety features then anything else but looks like
I did not do a good job of protecting my PC. I am better equiped for the
future though.


so I understand that with copies of my data I
should be good because i do have the sofware for programs and the items that
are connected to the box. Yes ???


Yes.


my data files. I understand i
need to copy those which I have on cd and on external drive as well.


No, you don't *need* to copy them to both places. If you reinstall
Windows cleanly, you'll need to restore your data, but you only
restore from one place. On the other hand, even though you don't
*need* to, having two copies, one on a CD and one on an external
driver, protects you against the possibility that a single backup
might be unreadable. Just like originals, backup disks *can* fail too.

Yes, my idea was that if cds failed to help me restore I could try the
external drive and/or vice versa, kind of like backing up the back up.



Are the backup logs part of my data?

Logs created by Windows B/up Utility at the time of backing up.
Unfortunately they are momentarily gone. I had to perform a system restore 2
days ago because the system was unworkable, ie taking more than 10 minutes to
open a file and many applications stopped responding for reasons that are
unclear to me.


Sorry, what backup logs are these?

When I did the back up with Windows B/Up Utilitity it created logs of the
back ups I have made


what about the files that internet security puts in quarantine? Do I need to
copy those?


Generally not. But what internet security? What files?

TrendMicro Internet Security 2007 - when it runs a scan and finds viruses or
spyware tries to clean then and if it can not it will quarantine those files
and create a log of those files. I leave them in the quarantine because I
don't know if they should be deleted or not. I have seeked support from TM in
this respect several times with no solution to my questions. I understand
that I should know what files what files should deleted but I can not decide
due to lack of knowledge so I leave them in quaratine.
There are files with worms and viruses that read like this:
DEL193.tmp in C:\Documents & Settings\user\Local Settings\temp\
mmc32.exe in C:\WINDOWS\temp\_ISTMPI.DIR\
C:\System Volume INF - BFB9-F152896DF473)\RPS521\A0098710.DLL
and other similar ones with .exe and .dll extensions
also C:\WINDOWA\System32\silc_dll.dll
I have lots of logs filled with files like the above mentioned. I have
installed HIJACK THIS and will try to export the files to one of their forum
for analysis as I am not at all able to decide what to do with them myself.


I have now copied my Favorites - I did not realise that I could and should
copy them or back that up. ( duh)
I thought that I would find "all" my data in the "My Documents" folder I am
probably wrong again.



Two points here:

1. Things like favorites, E-mail, and contact lists are not normally
kept in My Documents. If you want to save what's there, they will need
to be backed up separately.

Even application programs like Word don't necessarily always save in
My Documents. My Documents is the default (almost always, but some
programs *could* do it differently), but whenever you save a file, you
*could* change the location from the default.

In all probability, all your data except for favorites, E-mail, and
contacts will be in My Documents. I don't mean to scare you, but for
the sake of completeness, I wanted to point out that some (or even
all) of it could be elsewhere. I can't tell you where your programs
store their data, not do I know whether you have ever not used the
defaults. All I can do is caution you to look around carefully. Since
you're the one who created the files, you should recognize the names
of any data files that are elsewhere.

Thank you. This is just the kind of guidance I have been searching for. I
will go and find out how and where my programs save data and back it up. Is
this the way to go or are there better/simpler ways to do this? considering
my particular difficulties with everything?
I would love to be able to do a search of *user created folders* - I will
search anyway I can. Anything is better than nothing.


I am going to read again all the advice I have received in this thread and
apply it. I will install a few anti-spyware programs and follow steps to
clean malware in my pc, ie follow the advice in the elephantboycomputers'
website. I will study all the websites you have indicated previously and take
action recomended in them. Meanwhile try to make sure I have all my data
backed up and hope that by the end of this process my PC will be working a
lot better. Then I will clean up my files - delete what I don't need,
uninstall programs I do not use.
When I am done with that I think I will take a look at my start up
menu/programs and clean this up as well.
If all the above does not solve the problem of my pc being so slow, I will
then think again about formating my hard disk drives. When and if I decide to
format them I will seek some information and suggestions on how to set up my
pc in a more efficient way.
Sounds like a plan, but your input on my plan would be greatly appreciated
at your convenience. Then I will get on with the cleaning up and free you up.
I truely appreciate the patience you have had with me and my inexperience. I
also truly am greatful for your time and knowledge. I hope one day I may be
able to help someone too in any small way.
Thank you.
IH
.

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