BleepingComputer.com: Toshiba Laptop HD Reformat Questions

I have been advised by Toshiba to reformat my laptop's HD due to a number of problems. I am dizzy from looking for a backup and nervous on that issue as well.

Is there any simple way to do this?

I cannot get a 'clean' (IMHO) backup because the incremental backups keep stopping at specific spots. I have removed the offending software, but then another spot takes its place. So, without a competent backup, I am worried about starting the reformat. I am looking at the Cobian Backup Software and hope that might help.

Could I attach another hard drive or thumb drive, move everything there, reformat the original and move the data back? That sounds so simple that there must be a catch.

My Vista is the Home Premium, so I don't have the 'full back up/restore option.'

You all have been so helpful for me in other ways, I do appreciate any information,

Best wishes to you and yours, Pat - Confused in California

This post has been edited by pat71896: 12 January 2009 - 04:24 PM

Do you have the restore cd's that came with the computer? You can install the HDD in another computer as a slave and transfer any important files before reformatting the HDD. However if there are viruses present on your HDD you risk contaminating the host computer and reinfecting your own system when you transfer filles back and forth. What is the reason for the format? Are you able to log into windows at all?

I am able to boot up. The laptop is 'sort of' functioning. It is really slow (as we all feel) but weird things happen such as all my games from BigFish (no other brands were affected) suddenly would not work. In order to get them back, I had to 'reinstall' ActiveX and download them all again. I often have to reinstall ActiveX.

I use McAfee and run the scan frequently. I also use CCleaner and run that too. I disabled the Windows Firewall because I use the McAfee Firewall. I originally had and uninstalled Norton, because I was advised by Cox Communications (my provider) to use McAfee which they offer free with Cable services.

I tried to use Cisco with VPN and it works only intermittently. Cisco had a workaround, but it did not work for my machine. I lost a good job over that one!

Sometimes, MS Word won't close. If I close it, I get a message saying that 'Word closed' and it tries to restart it. This is intermittent and has not happened for a few weeks.

I had problems with IE 7 giving me a 'not responding' message and stopping. I asked here, and was advised to 'open without addons.' That fixed that problem, but now I cannot get Google Task Bar to work at all. I have re downloaded it and no help.

I am using Idrive back up which will not complete a back up. I have the 'original' and the incrementals stop before being done. These stops are lengthy, and never really finish. I can see that there is 'stops and restarts' during the back up, but the incrementals never get completely done.

There have been other little things. I am not happy that Toshiba says to reformat - I think it is a method of getting me off their help line. This machine was bought in August 2007. I had so much trouble with Vista that I repaired my XP and used it for 8 months. I have restarted back with Vista.

If I try to move a file from one place to another, I have to give my computer permission, as administrator.

I have had other problems, but I think these are a good sample of the issues. When I originally bought this Toshiba, I had one that crashed within the first 24 hours, so this is actually my second Toshiba - within the 24 hour period of purchase 8/2007.

The CD works when it feels like it - - -

Pat

What files are you trying to back up?

I do have the "Recovery and Applications/Drivers Satellite . . . etc" discs. I tried running the 'repair' from the disc but it said there were no issues found.

I want to keep some software that I got from "Giveaway of the Day" and hoped not to lose them. I have a 'pdf to word' software that I use and would prefer not to have to pay for it. There are others as well.

Since the McAfee says all is well, can I assume that I don't have a virus? I wish I felt safe in doing this whole thing.

Thanks for working with me. I have taught MS software and Internet classes, so I do understand relatively well. I just don't really know the operating systems well enough to be confident.

Pat

1/22/09 - Now I have an HP Office Jet that originally was set to print wireless. About 6 weeks ago, that stopped working and I 'hard' wired it so it would work.

Now - the 'hard' wired printer won't work.

Pat

If would be nice to be able to rule out the chance that this is a infection, McAfee is good as far as it goes, but it can't catch everything. I would suggest downloading SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes, update both of these and then run scans with both. Please let us know what you find.

If you do a re-install or reformat the HDD you will most likely loose the programs. The best way to back up a program is to have the install shell (the program used to install the program) this program writes files to the windows registry which is erased during a re-install. There is no real viable way to back up an already installed program unless a software expert has a trick that I am unaware of. In The future its best to have a seperate partition for you Operating system and your important files (My documents and settings, and install shells). This way if you need to reformat all of your important data can be restored from the back up partition.

I am still working with the two software you noted. AntiSpy found 100+ errors!

Pat

Just a quick note to say that I finally (I think) found the problem. I had long suspected that OfficeMax had done something to the machine when I bought it in August 2007.

In a terse answer: I paid them (ugh) to remove the 'start up' junk on the machine, as I recall, about $69. I feel they may have removed something that should not have been removed. During use of the "AntiSpy" software, it came up that the 'value added' pack had a problem. I did a download and saw an immediate difference in the PC. It is not faster, but it is not giving me as many 'fatal errors' as it had done before.

I know that OfficeMax hires newbies out of class and when these newbies get some experience, they go elsewhere for more money. I had long ago resolved never to let one of them touch my machines. They also messed up my old HP Laptop and lost the cord to it as well.

The AntiSpy was, IMHO, the key to finding the issues. Of course, other programs do fine, but for me, AS did the trick. I did get my Google Toolbar back and I don't think I need to reformat my HD any more. Time will tell.

Pat