My OLD AS S**T! PC keeps breaking down so im upgrading to my dad's old computer, its about 2-3 years old but back then it cost a good 1200$ and has a 300$ graphics card on it, one problem... its got Norton and AVG antivirus software and they are battling it out inside the pc like a Reboot armagedon.
is there a way to wipe the computer of all files including these anti virus programs while not needing to
re-install my operating system???
also its running *Shudders* vista, any advice on switching from XP to vista? i never really used it other than my other computer that has vista and minecraft on it, but i only ever play minecraft on it so i don't know the programing well >.<
My nerd programing is in ActionScript 2.0 and some DOS. i can make a flash animation or hack a password but this is not something i ever learned :(
down-grade to XP, or upgrade to windows 7. You're going to have to format the drive either way, so you may as well get a decent OS on there while you're at it.
And before you grab yourself a copy of Windows 7, make sure your video card is compatable or you may as well be using Vista.
I made that mistake. Generally if 7 didn't exist when the computer was new, don't bother. Other than that, I can get XP on there for you if you have time on a weekend.
i had no problems with vista.
I think i was lucky to be the only one i guess :/
: EmoFox April 06, 2011, 07:33:01 -06:00
down-grade to XP, or upgrade to windows 7. You're going to have to format the drive either way, so you may as well get a decent OS on there while you're at it.
We tryed but the computer itself is made only for vista, we took it in to reformat it and get XP but they said the computer wont accept anything but vista. and 7 wasn't out yet, remember 7 is fairly new and this is PC from about 3 years ago *Angry at computers*
One of my specialties is making XP work on Vista only computers. My current laptop is 3 years old, and does not support XP. I got around it by installing a driver for the hard drive controller into my copy of XP, and it finally noticed there were in fact hard drives connected. The rest was a breeze.
where did you take it? Most stores, especially big-box companies like best buy, are paid by microsoft to be dicks and say stupid shit like that. Worst case scenario, you might not be able to get the most up-to-date drivers for it, but it'll take whatever you put on it, with the exception of 7 because windows 7 is new, but even then if it's a $300 graphics card, it can probably take it. Check the system requirements for 7 if you're gonna upgrade it, otherwise get a friend to reformat it, or do it yourself. It's cheaper in the long run anyway, especially if you run a pirated copy of XP to check that it works, and then buy a new product key before your 30 day activation thing is up.
Also, Felix, I'm unfamiliar with this hard drive controller you speak of... I've downgraded lots of computers from Vista to XP and I've never run into that problem. Maybe its brand specific?
It is not brand specific, but controller specific. Some hard drive controllers, better known as the chipset if it's part of the mainboard, have a special acceleration that makes XP not recognise it. It can be turned off in cmos sometimes, but sometimes it gives you the choice of that, and RAID. Some controllers are RAID only. Both special controllers need drivers that XP doesn't come with.
oooh i see... Okay, I've dealt with that then. The one's I've dealt with I've been able to change the appropriate settings in the BIOS.
well that is something i didn't know, and Felix if you were to fix my computer you would have to come all the way to Ladysmith, im no cartography major but thats not really a practical trip.
im just trying to find a way to reformat my PC or anything that will wipe all that anti virus crap off my hard drave while keeping my OS installed. nothing more untill i can get everything i need to make my new comp XP usable,
oh and EmoFox thank you for asking about where i got it done, it was not a corperation it was the local non-franchise computer store Uforic/seaside computers, and we know the guy who runs it personaly so he gives us the best advice, and i taught him the cheat code for instant money on the sims Ctrl+C then "Rosebud" and enter, that will always be our thing because i know all the comand prompts for PC games LOL, this is dragging on but the guy who fixed the computer is a local and family friend.
you should be able to just uninstall the antivirus from the control panel.
Okay, feel free to correct me if I missed something here, because I admit I only skimmed this thread.
To reformat is to format the drive and remove all data from a partition. You want to reinstall, basically. I'd recommend trying to remove the AV first. Try these steps below.
A note about uninstalling virus scanners ... ALWAYS make sure you are DISCONNECTED from the internet FIRST. Download all your files, force-disable Norton if you must, and then unplug and do the uninstalls. Having a machine with AV is very dangerous if you have a net connection.
First, try uninstalling Norton first, then go to AVG's site and download the AVG uninstaller program. Run the normal AVG uninstaller from Control Panel -> Programs (the Vista version of Add / Remove Programs). Then, reboot and run the AVG uninstaller program you downloaded. Reboot again and install Norton or MSE or your AV of choice. This should clean it decently.
If that works, you should be good. You can, and I do NOT recommend this, reinstall windows over top of windows on the same drive and path. It sometimes works, but usually makes your install EXTREMELY unstable. I am also not sure if you can even do that with Vista / 7.
Pop into the BIOS, disable any anti virus stuff there, pop in boot disk, low level format, enjoy a fresh clean HD.
For the record, IMO, Vista was a pile of ass when it first came out, it's 1/2 decent now if it's fully patched.
Huzzah for victory!
Zen you want me to bring pink fur to Bowling?
Ladysmith Eh? Well then.
Would you have the motherboard brand and model number handy by chance?
Hardware specifics would be useful. Not simply manufacturer/year, but an actual system model number if it was pre-boxed and part listings for the contents of the system.
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
i don't do this kinda stuff!!!
and my PC won't even run because of the anti virus stuff, and i don't know what to do in the bios settings to do all this so im thinking i will just reformat it and reinstall the OS to make it easy for me.
You could always take pictures of the computer, try to catch the stickers... and one good picture of the motherboard. Is that possible? Then we can just retrieve the numbers ourselves if the pictures are clear enough.
If it's HP, Compaq, or anything similar to that, The system won't really work right if you tried to upgrade or downgrade. Clean installs are what you should be doing. (Back up all your data and wipe the OS drive)
Also XP doesn't play nice with a little thing called AHCI. That could be what's preventing you from going to XP. Look it up.
ACHI is what I was talking about. Thanks for the memory refresher.
im not going to do anything like thats stuff because im fine with using Vista, reformating it without delleting the OS was just because i didn't want to re-install the OS, but i will talk my computer nerd into helping me do all this, that person again the one guy i always bring up for some magical reason from outer space: Alan.
: FurryJackman April 07, 2011, 06:58:58 -06:00
Also XP doesn't play nice with a little thing called AHCI.
: WikipediaThe Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) is a technical standard defined by the Intel Corporation that specifies the operation of Serial ATA (SATA) host bus adapters in a non-implementation-specific manner.
Citation needed.
You can typically disable that, either in the BIOS or a bootdisk.
Anytime you really want to start from scratch and rebuild your system you need to wipe the hard drive. This does not mean you delete all the files or delete the partitions but rather write zeros across each and every sector of the hard. The program I use is free and called Kill Disk. I will find it on www.download.com (http://www.download.com) .
: verycuriousguyca November 09, 2011, 04:02:37 -07:00
Anytime you really want to start from scratch and rebuild your system you need to wipe the hard drive. This does not mean you delete all the files or delete the partitions but rather write zeros across each and every sector of the hard. The program I use is free and called Kill Disk. I will find it on www.download.com (http://www.download.com) .
I already did that, and installed Windows 7. I'm on a new PC that had the same problem, Since I had the Killdisk and operating system on disk I got to keep it after my dad switched to a laptop. This thing has like six or eight gigs of RAM :D great for running games.
So is the problem gone, or is it still there?
If you still need help, I'm here. ;D
Its all fixed >_________>