Weird computer thing - involving system restore..

trouts mom

trouts mom

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So, some of you may remember, I had a nasty virus early last year. Well I did a system restore on my puter because I didn't know any other way.

Anyway, the restore wiped my harddrive and started it all over again with my installation cds..

Well get this: I just connected a new MP3 player and the program that goes with it..and ALL THOSE MUSIC FILES ARE BACK!!


Where were they hiding?? It is the weirdest thing...any one have any clue? It doesn't matter really..the virus came from MSN so it has nothing to do with it..but still I thought that is so weird.
 
natalie_ca

natalie_ca

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A system restore doesn't wipe your hard drive. What it does is kind of take it back to a certain point in time without deleting anything. Any files and folders that were "after" that point in time get renamed with a "1" or "2" etc.

So when you wanted to play some music, your program searched for music files and found them again in a folder that had been renamed with a "1" or "2" attached to it.

Personally I don't bother with system restores because it leaves all kinds of stuff all over the place and just ends up taking up excess hard drive space. Basically double everything if you reinstall stuff that you thought was "wiped out" when in fact it's still there but with a different name. If I ever run into problems I just do a complete reformat and reinstallation of everything.
 
kittkatt

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AHHHHH!! That's what just happened to my computer! We had to do a system restore too, and everything got wiped out!
Now it looks as if we need a new computer..


I wonder if I picked up a virus from MSN too.
Something sure screwed it up.
What did you have to do to get your computer running again??

That really is weird how you got your files back again.
I'd like to be as lucky: it appears as if we lost everything!


~KK~
 
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strange_wings

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Originally Posted by KittKatt

AHHHHH!! That's what just happened to my computer! We had to do a system restore too, and everything got wiped out!
Now it looks as if we need a new computer..
Click to expand...
Silly question, but does your computer still boot up? If so, try putting your windows disc in and turn the computer on. Follow on screen directions.



Myself, I've never used the restore option. It sounds like more trouble than it's worth and takes up resources, so I have that turned off.
Then again, I have never had a virus -only a couple of trojans that I was able to easily remove manually. Best course of action, get familiar with your computer. What should and shouldn't be in your startup and processes. Install and know how to use utilities to get rid of anything problematic. It saves a lot of trouble in the end.
 
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trouts mom

trouts mom

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

A system restore doesn't wipe your hard drive. What it does is kind of take it back to a certain point in time without deleting anything. Any files and folders that were "after" that point in time get renamed with a "1" or "2" etc.

So when you wanted to play some music, your program searched for music files and found them again in a folder that had been renamed with a "1" or "2" attached to it.

Personally I don't bother with system restores because it leaves all kinds of stuff all over the place and just ends up taking up excess hard drive space. Basically double everything if you reinstall stuff that you thought was "wiped out" when in fact it's still there but with a different name. If I ever run into problems I just do a complete reformat and reinstallation of everything.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I wasn't a fan of doing it, but it was the only thing I could do..I am computer illiterate. And it got rid of my virus and thats all I cared about


I am not even sure it is called system restore what I did..I just took the 4 cds and reinstalled everything..I guess after it wipes itself kinda clean?? I don't know..but it worked and NOW I HAVE MY MUSIC BACK
 
kittkatt

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Silly question, but does your computer still boot up? If so, try putting your windows disc in and turn the computer on. Follow on screen directions.
Click to expand...
All that comes up when you turn the computer on is a blue screen that says HP Invent, and the F1 key for set-up, and the F10 key for system restore. And it won't do anything when you hit those keys..
Also, we don't have any start-up discs: we got the computer from our landlady, and she never gave us any discs when we got it. I sent her an e-mail to ask her if she still had any discs, but I haven't heard from her yet...


I just posted a thread about the computer going down about a week ago, and another one today in which a friend of ours took a look at it, and said we need to get a new CPU (I think that's what it's called. I'm computer illitetate, too
).

I apologize for posting my problems in your thread, TroutsMom..


~KK~
 
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