Lisajb Report post Posted September 4, 2005 Hi people, last night tried to download something called PCGuard from Blueyonder website, didn't install, pc crashed, internet wipted out. Got it back eventually but pc has since crashed again, we're running XP. Is my only option to phone time putors, get the disks and reinstall, and then try to set up everything again? Never intend to touch the PCGuard thing again - avoid! Lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nellie Report post Posted September 4, 2005 Lisa, Hubbies advice, try this in the order given. 1.Windows XP operates a system restore facility, which means you can return to an earlier version of your software i.e. before you installed the damaging program. 2.Click on start, choose help and support centre, type in system restore and use the system restore wizard. System restore allows you to go back to a previous date when your computer worked normally. 3. Only if your PC is not currently working you can run system restore in safe mode (this is a basic mode that you can use for trouble shooting). To start in safe mode, turn off the computer, then turn it back on again and as soon as the first start up screen appears press the F8 key until the windows advanced options menu appears, choose safe mode. 4. Last resort. If system restore fails to help use the F8 key method and choose last known good configuration. (you may lose recent emails documents etc.) Hubbie says he is not liable if it blows up!!! Good luck!! Nellie xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KarenT Report post Posted September 4, 2005 I had problems with PC guard as well - what it doesn't tell you is that it doesn't have a spam filter so even if you get it running it's not up to the kind of standard you'd want. As Nellie suggested, I did a system restore and got back to normal, but it was a complete waste of a day and a half. PC guard - don't touch it with a cattle prod. Karen x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lisajb Report post Posted September 4, 2005 Would like to use a cattle prod on it Karen! Thanks Nellie will try that. Two blokes on helpline more or less admitted that the probs I'd had were down to PCGuard! Lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viper Report post Posted September 4, 2005 My advice? Give it a good hard kick, scream and shout at it then let hubby deal with it. Works for me. Viper. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phasmid Report post Posted September 4, 2005 nellie's hubbies advice looks about right to me. That ought to work. For future reference I have something called 'Go Back' installed on my PC. It came as a part of a Norton System Works package. It is a nifty bit of kit that can really get you out of a hole. It works in a similar way to System Restore but it runs as a part of the start up routine. As it comes up it gives you a ten secon option to hit the space bar to open it. Once you do you can 'go back' the system to a point in time prior to the problem. It works every time! Has saved me from one or two bugs and viruses in it's time. I spent �60 to get it - 1 virus on my old PC cost me that much for someone to 'try' and fix it, another �20 for someone else to do it properly! I run it on every PC I have, and put it on friends PC's as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lisajb Report post Posted September 4, 2005 Well I work for an IT company so suppose could ask the techie guys for help. (bit embarrassing really!) I only do goods in/out, reception and admin so its not as if I'm supposed to know what I'm doing in techie land Trouble is they use techie speak and I'm not good at that! Like the kick it and leave hubby to sort it out option Viper! Nellie how do I do the F8 thingy? Would that be at start up? Cheers guys Lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phasmid Report post Posted September 4, 2005 The following are taken from the 'Help and Support' Topic pages: To start the computer in safe mode You should print these instructions before continuing. They will not be available after you shut your computer down in step 2. Click Start, click Shut Down, and then, in the drop-down list, click Shut down. In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, click Restart, and then click OK. When you see the message Please select the operating system to start, press F8. Use the arrow keys to highlight the appropriate safe mode option, and then press ENTER. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system, choose the installation that you need to access using the arrow keys, and then press ENTER. Notes In safe mode, you have access to only basic files and drivers (mouse, monitor, keyboard, mass storage, base video, default system services, and no network connections). You can choose the Safe Mode with Networking option, which loads all of the above files and drivers and the essential services and drivers to start networking, or you can choose the Safe Mode with Command Prompt option, which is exactly the same as safe mode except that a command prompt is started instead of the graphical user interface. You can also choose Last Known Good Configuration, which starts your computer using the registry information that was saved at the last shutdown. Safe mode helps you diagnose problems. If a symptom does not reappear when you start in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and minimum device drivers as possible causes. If a newly added device or a changed driver is causing problems, you can use safe mode to remove the device or reverse the change. There are circumstances where safe mode will not be able to help you, such as when Windows system files that are required to start the system are corrupted or damaged. In this case, the Recovery Console may help you. NUM LOCK must be off before the arrow keys on the numeric keypad will function. The following comes from the Help and Support pages after typing in 'Safe mode' - it explains it all a bit more: To run System Restore in safe mode Access System Restore through Help and Support. Follow the instructions on your screen. Notes To access the System Restore Wizard, click Start, and then click Help and Support. Click Performance and Maintenance, click Using System Restore to undo changes, and then click Run the System Restore Wizard. While the computer is in safe mode, System Restore does not create any restore points. Therefore, you cannot undo a restoration that you performed when the computer was in safe mode. You can use System Restore to restore your computer to any restore point while in safe mode. If you cannot start the computer in standard mode, you can use System Restore to restore to a time when you could start the computer without errors. To restore to a time when your computer started without errors, select a restore point as close to the time you remember it last started without errors. If System Restore is suspended because of insufficient disk space, you cannot enable it by making more disk space available while in safe mode. You must restart the computer in standard mode and make more disk space available. Print this Off! Hope it helps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nellie Report post Posted September 5, 2005 Lisa, Safe Mode. On start up after the first screen appears press and hold F8 key until the windows advanced options menu appears, choose safe mode. If it doesn't work try again pressing the F8 key a little earlier/later. The rest is as per instruction. Nellie xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
