Vista - Basically setting up a new computer...

Hey,

So I have a Toshiba Satellite A215-S7428. I had the ram replaced in it a while ago and it was a faulty stick not too mention it was mis-installed. Originally there were two 1GB DDR2 RAM Cards and they swapped one of the 1GB DDR2 RAM Cards for a 2GB DDR2 RAM Card and mis-installed it which basically corrupted my Operating System and lead to a hard-drive failure, according to Toshiba and Office Depot. Toshiba wouldn't deal with it as it was out of warranty in a week from the time I called, therefor I called Office Depot as I have 3-Year Extended Warranty to get this notebook serviced, it's my main computer and runs nearly all day for multiple reasons: IM, Music, Movies, Photos, Gaming, Blogging, Forums, Socializing and downloads on a 56K Modem. It also had random screen shut off issues which was apparently fixed in a BiOS, after Toshiba directed me to update the BiOS to see if it fixed that issue (Which it did!) and fix the issue with the hard-drive my computer wouldn't even boot up past the green loading bar, it'd hang on a black screen with a white cursor as it wasn't loading my Windows.

Office Depot just sent back my notebook, right now I'm away on vacation in Florida and will be heading home in about two weeks to my notebook with a new hard-drive and recovery discs, whether or not it's a vista disc or just recovery discs I'm not sure. I want to assure that I get the most out of my system and it's safely up to date. I also need to re-install the new 2GB DDR2 RAM, I'm looking for anything I have to do before/after the installation to make sure that it's properly installed and problem free. So, below are some questions about what's going on.

1) Is there anyway of imaging, cloning or burning a new set of Recovery Discs just in-case the originals fail?

2) Is there anyway of downloading the service pack, updates, bios etc on the computer I'm on now and burn to disc for install on my notebook when I get home? (I'm on dial-up and it makes it virtually impossible to download updates)

3) What's the best free anti-virus suite out there?

4) What do I have to do to assure that the ram is properly installed, not faulty and problem free?

5) Should I download and install all my updates before I download and install the progams I use?

6) Would it be a good idea to make a system restore point or a back-up before I download/install the updates and install the ram?

That's all my questions for now, honestly. I just want to assure that I get the most performance, reliability and safety out of this notebook as it's my best computer, I have a crappy desktop and don't have anymore money to spend on computers!

Thanks,

You're help is greatly appreciated!

This has got to be a first! Honestly, I've never in 20 years heard of a faulty RAM stick causing hard disk failure!

The easiest would be to use Nero (or some other DVD burning software) to make copies of said recovery discs, and then keep the originals in a safe place, using the copies when needed.

The second option would require you to get the system operational as you want it, then use Acronis True Image to clone the entire harddisk.

Sure. Just go to the manufacturers website and download the appropriate files, burn them to disc, and use them when needed. Just besure to get the correct files, so as not to cause problems.

This is a matter of opinion. AVG comes highly recommended. I myself use Avast!

Not much really. If it's not properly installed, then the computer will likely give you a warning about it. If the RAM is installed correctly but is faulty, then the computer POST will probably also detect this. Otherwise, you can always use the Vista Memory Test, which is available from the F8 boot menu.

It's a matter of preference. I like to follow this procedure:

1. Install Hardware and associated drivers
2. Install all available and relevant Windows Updates.
3. Install Software.

Yes it is. ANY procedure that could potentially kill the system should be preceded by a backup. Windows Update automatically creates a Restore Point before updates are installed.

Thank-you for the reply, I was looking for input to help me make my final decision. Well, Office Depot claimed that it was the faulty ram stick and Toshiba steered me away from the ram stick altogether, telling me to take it out and purchase one from them, something about frequencys and voltages.

Is that true image program you speak of free?

I agree.
Impossible actually, quite impossible. There is no physical way that RAM can damage a HDD, there is no physical connection between the two, different busses so voltage cannot cross (MB would be bad for that to happen anyway). Damaging the OS is another matter but the drive would still be writable, so probably unrelated failures if indeed it was a drive failure as well as RAM. I tend to think it's more someone trying to sell you a drive..

Unfortunately, no, Acronis True Image is not free, and I have yet to even find a similar program that is!

Even so, Acronis True Image is the best out there (for me anyway). Some people like to use Norton Ghost, also I have experiencedsome compatibility issues with Ghost in the past.

You can get details on Acronis here: Backup software for data backup and disaster recovery in Windows and Linux - Acronis

Thank-you.

It was a given that the OS was corrupted, I don't know why though, it may have been the BiOS update Toshiba directed me too (The canadian one on a US model, go figure).

I wasn't told to pay for the HDD. The problem that occured: Booting up it would load the green loading progress bar after the splash screen and then take me to a black illuminated screen with a white cursor and hang there. Under any safe mode it would not load, it would stop loading windows files at "crcdisk.sys" or something like that and repeat the green loading bar and hang at illuminated black screen with white cursor.

I tried recovery from the recovery media that came with my computer, the system recovery options was un-able to detect a system restore point (I've set numerous ones for obvious reasons) or find problems with the second ram stick and install which was done by myself. When I tried "Toshiba Recovery Wizard" immediatly after loading the files from the disc to start the "Out of box state recovery" (Which I've also done a few times in the past due to virsues and over-load on junk) it would stop and give an error code "03-EEEE-0000" and prompt for a re-start.

The error code according to a friend is "DMI.EXE" cannot input or read DMI, whatever that is. It was told to be malware, spyware or another form of virus eating my hard-drive- According to a friend

Strangley, I didn't download anything not trusted or use torrents, considering their illegal in the first place.

Didn't understand how I obtained that problem; I also was using Avast! Home Edition 4.8 at the time.

The new HDD is installed with a pre-loaded Windows Vista Home Premium, I'm left to boot up and set up when I get home and get my stuff back on there.

Torrents arent illegal, sharing protected/copyrighted stuff is illegal.

The service pack can be downloaded through microsoft and installed once you get the computer back