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Will restoring to factory settings fix my problem?


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#1
youngratty

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In a cupboard I have a neglected old pc with Windows ME - last time anyone used it, it had aquired a whole raft of Trojans and other nasties.

I'd like to try to get it up and running for my youngest son to use and wonder if you could tell me if restoring the machine to factory settings would rid it of the gremlins lurking on the hard drive?
If the answer to this is yes, then can anyone point me towards 'an idiot's guide to restoring...'?

Any advice/suggestions would be very gratefully received
Thanks very much
:whistling:
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#2
Retired Tech

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Have you got the ME CD

Is there any data / programmes on the PC you need
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#3
youngratty

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Thanks for responding Keith.
It came with Windows ME pre-installed, but there's a recovery disk with it.
No, I don't mind losing whatever's on there.
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#4
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What are the options if you insert the recovery disc
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#5
youngratty

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Afraid I haven't got the machine up and running just now (it's in young son's bedroom & he's asleep).
I'll take a look tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed that you're still about and then I'll be in a position to respond properly if that's ok with you?
Thanks very much for picking up this thread.
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#6
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That's fine, I will get an e-mail whenever you post in this thread
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#7
youngratty

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Much appreciated Keith, thanks again.
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#8
youngratty

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With the Mesh recovery disk in, I get:

PRELOAD
WIN9X
AUTORUN
CD-DUTCH
(+ same for other landguages)
INST95
INST95 EN.TM_
(then same for other langauges)
INSTALL
INSTALL
MASTERLOG

I've never been down a recovery route before, so your expert guidance would be more than much appreciated! :whistling:
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#9
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Can you load the CD, cancel auto run, right click the CD ROM Drive in my computer, click explore

ME isn't obvious in the list you posted

Open the 9X folder to look for a set up icon, same for the ME folder if there is one
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#10
youngratty

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THere doesn't appear to be an obvious ME folder. In WIN9X there's a setup notepad and what looks to be a setup wav file, but that's it
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#11
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Can you right click the 9X folder then click properties and post the size of the folder
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#12
youngratty

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It says it's 109MB
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#13
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Maybe ME was put on as an upgrade

Can you load the CD and select install, if it says 98 then go with that

If the CD will load a complete install of windows then you could look at wiping the drive, which is about the safest way of ensuring there isn't any unwanted bits, then clean install

98 (preferably 98SE), is more reliable than ME anyway
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#14
youngratty

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Mmmmm....
I load the CD, select INSTALL and what I get is a screen which says
MASTER CD INSTALLER
SYSTEM DIAGNOSE VERSION 7.0©2000 Softhinks

Then is has a box for TEST, with option buttons for WAVE, MPEG,MIDI, AVI
and another box for DEVICE INSTALLATION, withoption buttons for SOUND CARD, VIDEO CARD, MODEM CARD, NETWORK CARD.
A third box called Other Options has a button for SYSTEM

The second INSTALL (which comes up as INSTALL.ICO) simply
me what programme I want to open it with...


There doesn't seem to be any reference anywhere on the disk to 98. Just to 95 as on the list above.
Do you reckon then this is Windows 95 with an upgrade? ..and actually no backup on the disk at all?

Edited by youngratty, 16 February 2007 - 05:20 AM.

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#15
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Because the existing data isn't a problem, you can click on anything which implies install, apart from the ones which are obviously not OS based

You could also contact Mesh to see what the disc should be capable of, you may have a drivers / applications only CD

http://www.meshcompu...SUPPORT_CONTACT

If this is the case then possible options are, e-bay or similar to get a version of windows which will run on the PC as is, or consider how much you would need to spend to upgrade the PC to run XP, ME isn't the best so look at 98SE or XP

If the " owner " of the PC is in full time education they will qualify for educational versions which are much cheaper

If the PC runs now you could run through this to check it is clear, however, you are stuck with a PC which you are unlikey to be able to repair the OS, so a windows CD is almost certainly going to be needed at some point

Please follow the procedures outlined here: Malware Removal Guide

You will need a PC which can connect to the internet

Run all the programmes as advised then post a current Hijack This Log in a new topic in the Malware Forum

For the purpose of accurate malware analysis, Hijack This Logs are only dealt with in the Malware Forum. Posting them anywhere else will result in a delayed response

If you are unable to run any of the programmes, please ask for advice in the Malware Forum
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