repairs & replacements, drastic & otherwise

Yoyizit

On my Windows XP home version running on my desktop, I've run System Recovery several times now because of blocked Internet access, which seems to have started with me downloading Windows upgrades.
My computer works for a few days and then I do another restore to an earlier date, but these upgrade people are seriously pursuing me.

I'm ready to try the next step involving the hard disk partition, but I must first back up all the programs and files that were added since I made the recovery disks.

My documents, photos, etc. take up 1 GB.


In particular, how do I back up my virus protection software, all my e-mails and contacts and all my Internet bookmarks? Are there any other files I should back up? Can you estimate how many MB this will take so I can buy CDs now?

Are there titles in the help index where I should look specifically for global backup commands?



Related: I'm going to buy a Mac desktop all-in-one. Any downsides besides the $1200?


Thanks.
Computers are great when they actually wuk.

Charles

Personally, I would try to troubleshoot your internet connection problem further before reinstalling windows.

If you do want to back up your files though:

Internet Bookmarks:

If you are using Internet Explorer your bookmarks should be located under C:\documents and settings\"Your User Name"\favorites

You can just copy this folder and its contents.

Email:

It depends a little bit on the client, but if you google "export email outlook" or "export email thunderbird," you should find a good guide. This one looks like it explains the process for outlook: http://www.sitedeveloper.ws/tutorials/outlook.htm

Together your emails and bookmarks should easily fit on 1 cd with room to spare.

Virus/Programs:

Generally with windows, you can not back up programs the same way you can back up pictures or documents. You will have to uninstall and reinstall the program.

If you still have a paid subscription for your virus program, you will want to visit their site and check support before you uninstall it. Usually programs will have a product key that you will have to enter in order to activate it again.

Yoyizit

So far, so good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles troubleshoot your internet connection

How specifically?
The modem lights look good and after a system restore, Internet & E-mail work again.

Charles

Well, if it works for a few days and then stops working when you do an update, I would turn off automatic updates or at least set it to ask you before it installs the updates.

I know there were some issues with people that use Zone-Alarm Firewall that were unable to connect to the internet after this most recent update, so you might also consider temporarily disabling any anti-virus/firewall software to see if this is causing the issue.

In either case though you would want to figure out what is changing between the time you do the restore and the time your internet stops working (such as installing new programs, installing updates, ect)

RippySkippy

Charles is on the money...

The windows update takes a dump on Zonealarm. After installing the updates, uninstall ZA, and re-install it. I tried the link on their page and it would routinely fail after the Windows update. Here's the thread that outlines that issue, and URL to download and install a version that works.

__________________
when it comes to breakfast, the chicken is dedicated, the pig is committed.
LMASD

poppameth

Zone Alarm has been updated to fix this problem if that is what is causing your issues.

Yoyizit

I did the ZA download and it clobbered my PC, so now I refuse all downloads, but I can't get away with this for long.

I'm going to back up all my docs & photos very soon, then I'm going to do the restore using the hard partition and

if no workey, then using the seven recovery disks.

I have several credits in computer science but Windows is opaque to me (pardon the pun).

And, can you imagine having a car that doesn't start some morning, and it tells you that the reason it won't start is that it's downloading a new water pump and, no, it doesn't know how long it will take, and thank you for buying [your brand of car].

Yoyizit

The Internet bookmarks, e-mail addresses and mails, and docs are all backed up.
The last thing is ZA and then I'm ready to restore.
What could possibly go wrong. . .? [ha, ha, just kidding]

If this works I can put off spending $1200 for a while longer.

Thanks, folks!

Yoyizit

Going to the Zone Alarm site, I found a big yellow bubble that told me how to unfix the Microsoft fix that clobbered my Internet access.

I guess it will work, we'll see tomorrow; I give it 50-50 odds.

Yoyizit

Microsoft downloads stuff with or without my permission. I have e-mailed them telling them to stop, telling them that they are wrecking my computer.

I think the little X in the top right corner of a lot of dialog boxes is just there to humor you/me.

System restores now take 6 hours or more, up from 20 minutes, but if I pull the plug after one minute, Internet access is somehow restored.

Now that I know how to delete Microsoft upgrades, I can [in principle] hold Mr. Gates and Co. off, indefinitely.

RippySkippy

Your kidding right? That's great. Have you turned off the auto install of updates on your system?

__________________
when it comes to breakfast, the chicken is dedicated, the pig is committed.
LMASD

Yoyizit

How do I turn off the auto install of updates?

I'm getting an Apple for online use and keeping the HP Pavilion for personal info, offline.