[cmorris]

Hi

jJust need some advice - I think I know what to do but just need some clarification.

A guy came to me with a problem yesterday with his computer. He told me he remove Internet Explorer from his PC and now when he boots he receives an error every time on the screen (a blue screen with some text). It was a System32 error

I went round yesterday and went into Windows XP Recovery Console (R) Pressed 1 for C:\WINDOWS and it had no admin password.

Should I have then used fixmbr to fix the Master Boot Record

[Maxatoria]

the MBR is fine he's just done something silly so ask him exactly what he did and any sign of redness in the face, shifty looks or just hesitancy just assume he's been pratting around and deleted a few bits he shouldnt of so it'll probably be time to wipe and start again once you've managed to backup his data for him

[mac2708]

It would seem a very unwise/unsafe thing to do in completely removing IE (*if* that's what he did rather than disable) which can lead to all sorts of problems.
Can't speak from experience but, evidently, some who tried needed to a re-install of Windows

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/browsers/f/removeiexp.htm

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...8204439AAf2Pqw

[RobinOfLoxley]

Did you try F8 at boot and Last Known Good Configuration or Safe Mode and Restore?

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/...t-boot/6031733

Worst case is a clean install, but try a Repair Install (In-place upgrade) first

[cmorris]

Yes I did but it still came up with an error. I did have a look at the System Recovery of XP but I wasn't sure what to do. I thought it was fixmbr but apparently not.

So I just insert the CD , Pretend to do a new install but press (R) at this stage. He does have several partitions available to him on the disk.

So I would recommend a complete reinstall and remove all partitions

[Maxatoria]

before messing any more try and backup his data as atleast then you wont worry too much if it all goes tits up and you have to restart from scratch

[cmorris]

I have told him to take it to someone to get sorted as I can't even get into the computer itself as after the splash screen the error appears

[Sven945]

Originally Posted by cmorris

I have told him to take it to someone to get sorted

An IT technician?

[barky99]

remove internet explorer from a windows machine! do folk not realise its integrated into windows to the extent that if removed no installed internet browsers can even access the web?

[cmorris]

He did it not realising it. I am capable of doing it but he has important files, software he needs etc so have advised him to get someone else to look at it.

[Maxatoria]

tell him to make sure they backup his data before they start to mess with it as i've seen it happen where no ones told them theres important stuff on the drive so they've just wiped and reinstalled followed by some wailing and gnashing of teeth

[cmorris]

Can I explain I can do these IT Technician things but I am scared of getting things wrong.

[Maxatoria]

It aint rocket science or brain surgery, the main things are to give yourself enough time to do the job and have a couple of backups of the users machine before starting (and disconnect them from the machine and put them in a draw so you dont accidentally format them during the reinstallation) and any drivers/service packs needed on a disk/stick as after that theres not much that can go wrong that you cant just wipe it and have another go if something really goes wrong

and make sure you have the right version of windows for the cd key or the manufacturers restore disks

[cmorris]

Yes I know its not rocket science but I don't think the guy trusts me yet. He has just moved in but other villagers do

[Maxatoria]

well just tell him to find someone to sort it out for himself and have done with it, IT support isn't a right

[cmorris]

Ok. I am able to do it quite successfully and have done and fixed these problems before but as I said I don't think he trusts me but I have worked on numerou PC's and laptops for villers and they are totally saftisfied with my work and therefore get called back.

Am I being stupid

[LION8TIGER]

Originally Posted by cmorris

He did it not realising it. I am capable of doing it but he has important files, software he needs etc so have advised him to get someone else to look at it.

That is the first thing to try and retrieve. You could remove the hard drive and hook it up to another Windows computer using one of these and that should enable you to find them unless the hard drive is dead.
You could boot up from a Linux CD (don't install it) and that may do the trick. You could try booting up with UBCD to try and fix the problem but I'd leave that option until last.

[cmorris]

I will just let him deal with it as he did't seem comfortable with me doing it

[LION8TIGER]

Originally Posted by cmorris

I will just let him deal with it as he did't seem comfortable with me doing it

That is probably the best idea, I would not feel comfortable doing it if that is the way they felt and sometimes it is just not worth the grief.

[cmorris]

Lots of other villagers trust me as they have known me for a ong time but he only moved into the village last year.

I also fel guilty for not dong the job, well at least I tried

I left my card anyway

I hae have four phone calls to do jobs Thurs, Fi, Sat and Sun

2 are Teaching and 2 are IT Technician jobs

[s2k]

Originally Posted by LION8TIGER

That is probably the best idea, I would not feel comfortable doing it if that is the way they felt and sometimes it is just not worth the grief.

Agreed. Some people have a habbit of dumping their data all over the drive so it can be hard to say you have salvaged everything. There is always going to be that chance they will come back to you a few days later "actually I cant find that important word document"...

In some cases where I have had a non-booting system ive had to give it back "half-finished" but in a bootable state and said to the person to get their stuff off prior to giving it back to me to rebuild or whatever. I dont mind doing the odd favour here and there but I refuse to trawl through gigs worth of personal data because they were too lazy to make any backups. Then again I dont charge for doing personal work and only do it for friends, family members etc...not village randoms

[cnbcwatcher]

Originally Posted by barky99

remove internet explorer from a windows machine! do folk not realise its integrated into windows to the extent that if removed no installed internet browsers can even access the web?

Are you serious?! I thought IE wasn't a browser, just something used to get a browser? So even if you have FF or Chrome installed you can't browse the 'net unless IE is installed in the PC somewhere? That sounds scary to me

[cmorris]

I have been doing IT Technician work for people for 9 years now and 90% of work done I have done succssfully without problems and all of them have been happy for me to do the work but there have been some who want to take it to someone

P.S I would feel uncomfortabe from taking money from a vicar so doing the job fr free would be pointless

[Akane Tendo]

Originally Posted by cmorris

I have told him to take it to someone to get sorted as I can't even get into the computer itself as after the splash screen the error appears

What an IT technician such as yourself?

[Akane Tendo]

Originally Posted by cmorris

I have been doing IT Technician work for people for 9 years now and 90% of work done I have done succssfully without problems and all of them have been happy for me to do the work but there have been some who want to take it to someone

P.S I would feel uncomfortabe from taking money from a vicar so doing the job fr free would be pointless

The only reason you have a 90% success rate is because you come on here and get other people to diagnose your problems for you without doing any work! I think people here should be asking for a commission!

Why would it be pointless doing a job for free anyway? Poor vicar.