I want to restore my computer by 4 days...

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Guest

First, before you ask Why to this thread, please just share your imput about
Vista Premium and how I may restore it by 4 days.
It's a laptop. 6 months old.
I've already talks to technical support, and I cannot tackle the method, I
am confused, help!
 
Hi Jennifer--

It's great to see a girl who wants to just get down to the nitty gritty of
fixing ( like the Avril Lavigne song "Let's Go") , but why sometimes
increases the options for us to help you. I'm going to try to be insightful
and guess you want to restore "by 4 days" because 4 days ago some change
happened that is not making you happy. Pretty swift huh?

***If you tell us exactly what's wrong, we can zero in on exactly how to fix
it.

My input on Vista Premium is that it has the most features except for Vista
Enterprise. I'm sorry tech support didn't help you, but if you mean
Microsoft or your computer maker, you're talking about very rich companies
in the U.S. like Convergys who go to India and hire the cheapest labor they
can, and don't invest in training them properly. It's called Outsourcing to
the max--and they spend millions lobbying as the long article in the NYT a
couple days ago spelled out.

In order to restore your computer to before 4 days using System Restore, you
have to have a restore point to before 4 days.

Here are some links that quickly explain SR in Vista:
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/search.aspx?=&qu=system+restore

If Jennifer can boot to Windows:

It'd be nice to know if you can infact boot up to Windows Vista and work in
Vista, and if you can, then just type restore into the search box above
start>then click on the link System Protection and see if you have a
restore point that goes back to four days or before (you may or may not).

If Jennifer cannot boot to Windows Vista:

If you have the Vista DVD (not just a recovery DVD from the company who
made your computer) but one with Vista on it, you have more options to fix.
If you don't have the Vista DVD, you can try System Restore at the F8 menu
from 3 different places, and also something called believe it or not, "Last
Known Good Configuration" and below are the directions for you to follow:

***Startup Repair from the Vista DVD***

How to Use The Vista DVD to Repair Vista (Startup Repair is misnamed by the
Win RE team and it can be used to fix many Vista components even when you
***can boot to Vista):

http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm

If you elect to run Startup repair from the Vista DVD (it can fix major
components in Vista--I've verified this many many times; it's good for more
than startup problems, and the Win RE team simply screwed up when they named
it not understanding its full functionality):

Startup Repair will look like this when you put in the Vista DVD:

http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png

You run the startup repair tool this way (and system restore from here is
also sometimes effective):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925810/en-us

How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm

It will automatically take you to this on your screen:

http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png

That will allow you to go to the Vista setup that has a Repair link on
thelower left corner>click it and then you'll see a gray backgrounded list
and I want you to click Startup Repair from it and follow the directions.

The gray screen after you click the first link in the above pic will look
like this:

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winvista/images/repair/staruprepair/Image17.gif

Click Startup Repair, the link at the top and after it scans>click OK and
let it try to repair Vista. It will tell you if it does, and if it
doesn't, try System Restore from the Recovery Link on the DVD. If these
don't work booting into Safe Mode by tapping the F8 key and using System
Restore from one of the safe modes besides VGA may work. That means you
have the option to try 4 different safe modes to get to system restore, (one
from the Recovery link on the DVD) and sometimes one will work when the
others won't.


You could also try a Repair Install with Vista which is done exactly the
same way as in XP:

***Repair Install Steps*** (can be used for Vista) MVP Doug Knox
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx


If you don't have or can't get a Vista DVD:

***Using the F8 Environment***

***Taking Full Advantage of the F8 Options (Windows Advanced Options Menu)
by starting the PC and tapping F8 once per second when the firmware screen
with the pc manufacturer's name shows a few seconds after restarting***:

The F8 options in Vista are the same as XP, and the link for Safe Mode Boot
options is labled XP by MSFT but they are the same for Vista (they haven't
updated to add Vista to the title as they have with several MSKBs that apply
to both).

Again, pressing F8 repeatedly when you seem the firmware screen may be is a
generic way to launch Windows RE on some OEM Vista computers.

You could also:

Think: I have 4 different ways to get back my XP at F8 and try 'em in order.
1) Safe Mode 2) Safe Mode with Cmd to Sys Restore which is simply a cmd
prompt in safe mode 3) Safe Mode with Neworking 4) LKG or Last Known Good
Configuration


Try to F8 to the Windows Adv Options Menu>try 3 safe modes there (I don't
use WGA) and Last Known Good>then I go to Win RE in Vista. That gives you a
choice of Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking,and Safe Mode with Command
Prompt.

These methods are outlined in

A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP/and Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding System Restore from MSFT:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/plan/faqsrwxp.mspx

System Restore can be run from the Win RE recovery environment from the same
link as Startup Repair, and sometimes it will work from one F8 safe mode
location or from the Win Recovery Environment when it won't work from other
locations.

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449

Good luck,

CH
 
Thank you very much Chad, I will use your advise a.s.a.p and let you know of
any improvments. But at the same time, I am also investigating another
potential problem I might have with my computer; a fried wireless chip. In
which I will take to have diagnostics ran.
I am waiting to restore simply because of that, I want to know before hand
whether my wireless chip is broken or not, so I can make the right decision
on what to do. Restoring my computer to four days prior would indeed restore
my wireless networks and grant me internet access, or would it? This is the
type of question I am asking myself. Because if I am inncorrect, without
running a diagnostic on my computer, and having a technician examine my
wireless card, I could have restored it for nothing. Right now, considering I
have had laptop Bad Luck, I am skeptical about working on my own computer,
instead, I would rather allow a more experienced computer wiz to handle it.
 
Why do you think a wireless chip might be "Fried"? Just because
networking stopped working?

Restore may not do what you expect. What happened 4 days ago just before
it stopped working?

Wireless can be pretty unreliable at times, in fact a lot of the time,
if you can explain what kind of network you have and whether anything
unusual happened someone may be able to help with a few simple instructions.
 
If it is a laptop, ensure that you have not accidentally moved the
'wireless' switch on the side somewhere to the 'OFF' position..


Jennifer C. said:
Thank you very much Chad, I will use your advise a.s.a.p and let you know
of
any improvments. But at the same time, I am also investigating another
potential problem I might have with my computer; a fried wireless chip. In
which I will take to have diagnostics ran.
I am waiting to restore simply because of that, I want to know before hand
whether my wireless chip is broken or not, so I can make the right
decision
on what to do. Restoring my computer to four days prior would indeed
restore
my wireless networks and grant me internet access, or would it? This is
the
type of question I am asking myself. Because if I am inncorrect, without
running a diagnostic on my computer, and having a technician examine my
wireless card, I could have restored it for nothing. Right now,
considering I
have had laptop Bad Luck, I am skeptical about working on my own computer,
instead, I would rather allow a more experienced computer wiz to handle
it.
Click to expand...

--


Mike Hall
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/
 
Jennifer--

I assume Vista is on the laptop. Remeber the software solutions I gave you
in the post earlier today, take very little time to try, and cost little. I
don't know if you do or don't have a Vista DVD.

Good points by Charlie and Mike. Is there a light that comes on (something
like a green lite) when the switch is on? I think you could resolve this
without costing yourself money for consultation--that can get expensive and
you want to use that money for other things. Try your laptop at different
locations and of course make sure the switch is on. I don't know what
stores you have access to but walking your laptop into several of them
without formally paying a technician for a session is the way I'd go there.

Whatever your card/adapter is, I guarantee you there are detailed
illustrated instructions on more than one website if you just google for
them.

In the search box above start button type cmd>when cmd pops up right click
it and select "run as admin">and at the command prompt type without quotes
"ipconfig /release" then type "ipconfig /renew" (space is after ipconfig).
This will make the laptop try to pull an IP address.


Does your card show up in device manager when you hit the Windows key +R and
type devmgmt.msc in the run box?

Type services.msc in the run box and see if there is a wireless zero
configuration service and highlight it>right click it and set it automatic
and start it.

Make sure the card is configured correctly.

I want you to follow this MSKB to reset your TCP/IP stack:

How to reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357


Either right click the Network icon in your notification area (lower right
by the clock) or go to control panel and click Network and Sharing Center
and both view the map and click the hyperlink on the left for "diagnose and
repair."

Also run SFC which can fix many things on a Windows box:

***SFC as a Remedy***:

SFC or System File Checker is a bit like the spare tire in your car or a
backup battery I suppose. In Vista of course, they have changed it somewhat
and come up with a new name--Redmond stands for name it something different
twice a year and now it's part of WRP or Windows Resource Protection. It
scans protected resources including thousands of files, libraries, critical
folders, and essential registry keys, and it replaces those that are
corrupted with intact ones. It fixes a lot of problems in Windows XP, OE,
Windows Vista, Win Mail, IE6, and on Vista or if it is installed on XP, IE7.
It protects these things from changes by any source including
administrators, by keeping a spare of most of them.


How to Run SFC:

Type "cmd" into the Search box above the Start Button>and when cmd comes up
at the top of the Start menu>right click cmd and click "run as Admin" and
when the cmd prompt comes up at the cmd prompt type "sfc /scannow" no quotes
and let it run. This may fix things quite a bit. It replaces corrupt files
with intact ones, if you're not familiar with it.


Just strolling into a Best Buy's or a Fry's type store close to you and
having someone knowledgable take a look unless you can corner a friend
familiar with laptops would be the way I'd go there.

Also on any IE window, go to Tools>Internet Options>Connections tab and
check the settings at the settings button and the lan settings button or get
someone in the store to do this who knows them and see if things are
correctly set there.

System restore is a type of snapshot actually of your registry settings at a
given time, though in Vista they are using different methodolgy called VSS
or Volume Shadow Service adopted from their servers that the File Core
Services Storage team and System Restore Teams and others applied to Vista.
System Restore would restore software settings that might interfere with
your reaching the web, but of course won't fix broken hardware.

Do you have a driver for the wireless pc card that could have been corrupted
that you might replace? Also someone might have a wireless card you could
borrow and try to see if that is in fact the problem--i.e.if you suspect a
piece of hardware, you can substitute one you know works to confirm your
suspicions.

Or just get a friend with a laptop and take your wireless card and test it
in theirs if you can find one that your card works with.

Good luck,

CH
 
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