System Restore

rand1 · Feb 3, 2012

Hello everyone,

I am running 32bit vista home premium and got some crazy virus a while ago but was able to restore my computer and used it for several weeks.

Then a few days ago it crashed again. I tried to use system restore a second time but when I do no restore points are found

After searching several forums I decided to boot in safe mode and run the command prompt: Vssadmin list shadow storage.

The result was:
Error: Unexpected failure: Catastrophic failure

Next I tried the command:
Vssadmin resize shadowstorage /For=C: /On=C: /MaxSize=2GB

This resulted in the same, error unexpected error catastrophic failure.

Would someone please help me resolve this issue?

I think my hard drive speed has slowed down by 25% +.

And I may have other issues with computer that I'm unaware of.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post and for any help you may offer.

-rand

richc46 · Feb 3, 2012

Rand,
Lets go to back to square one so that we can give you the best assistance possible.
Make a full anti virus scan
Download and make a full scan with malwarebytes.

rand1 · Feb 3, 2012

richc46 said:
Rand,
Lets go to back to square one so that we can give you the best assistance possible.
Make a full anti virus scan
Download and make a full scan with malwarebytes.

Rich, thanks for the response. Unfortunately there are no longer any programs, files, or desktop icons on that computer. I am not sure what is left but all I see is my user name, the start button with only the run window, and a black desktop background (the trash icon may still be there in the top right corner).

So, unless I am missing something, I do not believe I can run an anti virus scan or download anything...

I would bet I have a virus, something that poses as a security/repair program and tries to get you to enter credit card information.

rand1 · Feb 3, 2012

rand1 said:
richc46 said:

Rand,
Lets go to back to square one so that we can give you the best assistance possible.
Make a full anti virus scan
Download and make a full scan with malwarebytes.

Click to expand...

Rich, thanks for the response. Unfortunately there are no longer any programs, files, or desktop icons on that computer. I am not sure what is left but all I see is my user name, the start button with only the run window, and a black desktop background (the trash icon may still be there in the top right corner).

So, unless I am missing something, I do not believe I can run an anti virus scan or download anything...

I would bet I have a virus, something that poses as a security/repair program and tries to get you to enter credit card information.

Or perhaps, more appropriately I should say, they may still be there but I do not seem to have access to them.

wither 3 · Feb 3, 2012

Can't you get into safe mode anymore?

richc46 · Feb 3, 2012

Sometimes its best to bite the bullet than take a lot of time trying to fix what can be fixed easily.
If you can lose your stuff, lets just do a factory restoration, if you are willing.
If you cannot install Ubuntu, it will be difficult to take any other action.
You can try to use safe mode to get to repair console, if possible

rand1 · Feb 3, 2012

wither 3 said:
Can't you get into safe mode anymore?

Yes, but there is nothing there either.

rand1 · Feb 3, 2012

richc46 said:
Sometimes its best to bite the bullet than take a lot of time trying to fix what can be fixed easily.
If you can lose your stuff, lets just do a factory restoration, if you are willing.
If you cannot install Ubuntu, it will be difficult to take any other action.
You can try to use safe mode to get to repair console, if possible

I am more trying to save my stuff than the computer.

I would like to give Ubuntu a shot. I am not quite sure how though. I, literally, cannot do anything with the computer besides turn it on and off and boot it in various modes.

Are you imagining that I would download the software on a different computer, burn it to a CD, and then try and open it on the computer in question? I have no idea if this will work or not but am willing try it if you think that this is my best course of action.

Also, would you be so kind as to list the steps for a factory restoration in case I am unable to install Ubuntu or decide, as you said, that that path is too much work? This way I will not have to ask later and you will not have come back to this thread, again.

BTW, I am quite grateful for your assistance, thank you very much.

richc46 · Feb 4, 2012

I need the make and model of your computer for a factory restoration.
I do understand your reluctance to perform actions on your computer because you do not feel qualified.
Nothing that I have mentioned can hurt the computer. It will only affect the operating system, which is already a major problem.
Use another computer to create a disc with Ubuntu, try to install it, if it does not work, you have lost nothing.
The worst case scenario, if everything goes wrong is that you have to get an install DVD of Vista or buy an upgrade version of Seven. We just have to be sure that the problem is not with the computer and I am very confident that it is not. A definitive test would be getting Ubuntu to work on the computer. Ubuntu is just and operating system, just like Vista.
Good luck

rand1 · Feb 4, 2012

richc46 said:
I need the make and model of your computer for a factory restoration.
I do understand your reluctance to perform actions on your computer because you do not feel qualified.
Nothing that I have mentioned can hurt the computer. It will only affect the operating system, which is already a major problem.
Use another computer to create a disc with Ubuntu, try to install it, if it does not work, you have lost nothing.
The worst case scenario, if everything goes wrong is that you have to get an install DVD of Vista or buy an upgrade version of Seven. We just have to be sure that the problem is not with the computer and I am very confident that it is not. A definitive test would be getting Ubuntu to work on the computer. Ubuntu is just and operating system, just like Vista.
Good luck

OK, I will give it a shot tomorrow and let you know how it goes. I will also post the make and model tomorrow.

wither 3 · Feb 4, 2012

I asked about Safe Mode because, you should be able to run anti-virus, if it's installed.

rand1 · Feb 4, 2012

I started the dl, apparently it will take ~10hrs so I will not have anything to post until tomorrow.

rand1 · Feb 4, 2012

wither 3 said:
I asked about Safe Mode because, you should be able to run anti-virus, if it's installed.

Ive been on the computer in safe mode and cannot see how I could run anything.

It is like I posted above, there is nothing there.

If you have an idea on how I could run the scan I am happy to try it.

I had McAfee but am confident it expired. After I got the first virus I decided to install new security (Avast) but before I could the current issue occurred.

wither 3 · Feb 4, 2012

I have a feeling you're hard drive is trashed. You were running vista and the system crashed. You didn't uninstall Vista and you're saying that Windows Explorer doesn't see any software whatsoever in Safe Mode.

If you had a restore disc, you could try to reinstall Vista to a different partition, if you had more than one partition.

You could also try connecting the hard drive to another computer (as a secondary drive) and fixing it with Easybcd or running a anti-virus or malware scan on it.

Another possibility is to download Microsoft Security Essentials to a flash drive, attach it to your computer and try to install and run it from Safe Mode.

rand1 · Feb 4, 2012

wither 3 said:
I have a feeling you're hard drive is trashed. You were running vista and the system crashed. You didn't uninstall Vista and you're saying that Windows Explorer doesn't see any software whatsoever in Safe Mode.

If you had a restore disc, you could try to reinstall Vista to a different partition, if you had more than one partition.

You could also try connecting the hard drive to another computer (as a secondary drive) and fixing it with Easybcd or running a anti-virus or malware scan on it.

Another possibility is to download Microsoft Security Essentials to a flash drive, attach it to your computer and try to install and run it from Safe Mode.

This wouldnt surprise me. I installed a non factory video card and had lots of conflicts with the Nvidia driver and Windows areo theme. I also used several data bases, like Postgress SQL. Recently the the video card that I installed quit working so I switched back to the factory one and use a USB connected device for my 2nd monitor (the reason for the non factory video card), this sometimes crashes the display driver.

My point is that the computer has gone through some stress and is not in very good shape. What I am most interested in doing is recovering my files.

I am guessing a trashed hard drive means that is impossible? Can I (if it is indeed trashed) at least do a factory restoration so I can use it until I am able to get a new one?

richc46 · Feb 5, 2012

If the hard drive is gone, the best you can do is try to save your stuff. Unless you do not care about your stuff, its best that you try to save before anything else.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/

wither 3 · Feb 5, 2012

I looked at what Richc46 recommended and that's a nice solution since, as far as I know, your hard drive still runs. Lottiemansion had me use EaseUS for the same thing but I had to have another hard drive (I did) to use it.

After you recover your personal files, you could try to reformat the drive and reinstall Vista. I don't know if if the Ubuntu disc will do that.

rand1 · Mar 2, 2012

To everyone who has been contributing to this thread thank you. I left the situation alone for a while and just got back in town.

Interestingly, it seems to have improved.

I still do not have icons on my dekstkop. But, the task-bar short cuts are there. And, now all of my programs are listed under the start menu. When you open a folder, say iTunes, it says (empty).

So I am convinced that the data is still there. It is just that somewhere along the communication process a block has occurred.

The jump drive I had planned on writing Ubuntu to is too small so I am going to buy some blank CDs.

When trying to use system restore it still says that there are no restore points. But, in the meantime, is there something I can do--working just with the computer--to circumvent the communication block?

Also, how could an extended period of in-activity improve the situation?

wither 3 · Mar 2, 2012

Look in Control Panel\Administrative Tools\Services. Is the Desktop Management... running?

rand1 · Mar 3, 2012

wither 3 said:
Look in Control Panel\Administrative Tools\Services. Is the Desktop Management... running?

I found a program/file that I knew was associated with the problem so I got rid of all traces of it.

Before I did this I would login to windows normally. Now, after rebooting post removal it asks me to login in as "other" instead my normal icon and windows user name.

I haven't really tried any thing and I am trying to bring up a screen with my normal login.

As soon as I get to my desktop I will check what you suggested.

System Restore

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