Thread: Computer people please help.

so i think i have a pretty simple task at hand here, but my knowledge is limited at times

i had a virus on my work computer that killed my windows explorer, so not knowing how to restore the corrupted files, i reinstalled windows on the same partition, creating 2 "Windows" files, one that works (and i have been using for about 2 months) and one that is virus free but messed up still. i know this was a backwards way of doing it and probably much more complicated then it needed to be but i did what i could right.

so now i want to delete the old Windows that doesn't work properly but it won't let me. my guess is that Windows is programed to not allow you to delete the Windows file, and for good reason, but i only want the good one. so the files are named "Windows" and "Windows(0)", the later being the good one. a thought i had was that what if i renamed the old one windows(12) or something and then renamed the good one just "Windows". i know that seems kinda simple and doesn't make total sense but i thought it was worth a try. my other thought was to go into Safe Mode and try it there.

any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
thank you
Wes

When you say Windows file do you mean Windows directory?

Do you get a boot menu asking you which you want to run when you power up?

Oh yes, what version of Windows?

i would probably back up my data and start with a clean slate. But that is just how I roll

The easiest and simplest way to correct this is to fix it the right way. Better late than never. Take your time and back up everything. Documents, email, bookmarks, ect. When that is done boot from the windows disk. Do not run the recovery console. Delete the partition. Create a new partition. Install windows to the new partition. Install your updates, applications, and anti-virus. Scan your backed up files before copying them back to the computer.

This is the only way to totally get it cleaned up. More than likely there are a ton of dll's still registered in the old install and you will not be able to cleanly remove them. Your registry is also probably quite hybrid by now making it even more difficult. There could still be copies of the virus floating around in the old directory just waiting to be run.

ya i get a boot window so i think i am referring to the Windows directory

it is windows XP pro i believe.

thank you.

Originally Posted by DustinW

The easiest and simplest way to correct this is to fix it the right way. Better late than never. Take your time and back up everything. Documents, email, bookmarks, ect. When that is done boot from the windows disk. Do not run the recovery console. Delete the partition. Create a new partition. Install windows to the new partition. Install your updates, applications, and anti-virus. Scan your backed up files before copying them back to the computer.

This is the only way to totally get it cleaned up. More than likely there are a ton of dll's still registered in the old install and you will not be able to cleanly remove them. Your registry is also probably quite hybrid by now making it even more difficult. There could still be copies of the virus floating around in the old directory just waiting to be run.

agree with everything said.
just make a new format and partition then install new windows. will resolve your problem.

Yeah, these are good questions. Is the two Windows are on the same partition of the hard disk?

I'm not sure that the new Windows will work if You delet the old one. (Windows is making registry logs, that will search for the files.)

If You can't go further with it, try to download a linux live cd (it's free to downlload&use), and boot wit it. Linux got a different file system as windows, so if You start Your PC from the live cd, You can delete the windows. (I suggest to ask someone wat is going to happen, if You delete it!)

Originally Posted by mry314

Yeah, these are good questions. Is the two Windows are on the same partition of the hard disk?

I'm not sure that the new Windows will work if You delet the old one. (Windows is making registry logs, that will search for the files.)

If You can't go further with it, try to download a linux live cd (it's free to downlload&use), and boot wit it. Linux got a different file system as windows, so if You start Your PC from the live cd, You can delete the windows. (I suggest to ask someone wat is going to happen, if You delete it!)

What will happen is a broken OS. If the files are no longer registered or in use then he would be able to delete them. The computer doesn't care what they are named as long as nothing is using them.

Regardless of what you try the first step is to back all your stuff up immediately.

these are all the answers that i was looking for. since i don't know that much about operating systems i really didn't wan to mess anything up. so i guess my best bet is to reinstalll windows AGAIN ha its not that big of a deal but s=considering it is my work computer and i use it as a cash register i may have to stay late which isn't really that big of a deal.

so does anyone have any suggestions on some key files that i should be backing up? heres my list so far:
-drivers (it took me a while to find them the last time)
-Point of Sale Program (obviously )
-all word documents and other personal things like that

anything else to think about that would make things easier?

Follow the advice to back up before you do anything risky.

As a short term measure try Start Run msconfig
(Click Start, Click Run, type in msconfig)

Click the BOOT.INI tab.

You can then change the default Windows that loads when you boot, and change the timeout. You can change the order of the menu.

This should be safer than editing the BOOT.INI file directly.

If you know which directory contains the incomplete Windows, you can try to rename it (safer than deleting it.) Then go in to msconfig again and use the "Check All Boot Paths" button. I've never done this but I'm hoping that if it detects a missing system it will delete it from the boot menu.

Don't bother renaming the Windows directory that works - it's asking for a ton of grief.