Help please!

[dustman]

Hello all,

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have a Dell Studio XPS 8000 about a year old. I am the original owner, with a legit Windows 7 Home on it. I set it up exactly the way I wanted it, with all my programs on it, then FORTUNATELY I made the system image on an external hard drive.
I have recently run into a problem, possibly a virus ( I do have virus protection on it) but now nearly every time I get on the computer I lose a desktop icon, or a program no longer works files are missing that are necessary to run the program. Now the printer won't work, and I can't remove programs.

I want to use the system backup image to restore everything, but while Windows 7 raves about the system image, it does not give clear instructions on how to implement it. Do I have to wipe the entire hard drive first? Or how do I proceed to install the system image?

If there is anyone out there who can kindly walk me through this, I would really appreciate it. Windows 7 does say it reinstalls everything, but will that get rid of a virus when it does? Please help!

Thanks so much,

Dustman

 

[NDSUTopGun]

I recall using either the Backup and Restore Center or booting in Recovery mode allows you to run a restoration on your computer using the system image.

 

[dustman]

Hello NDSUTopGun,

Thanks for the response. I want to be sure I am doing this right. When I log on, it loads Windows 7 automatically. How do I get to the recovery mode? When do I plug in the external (usb port) hard drive? What do I choose then? Please let me know.

Thanks,

Dustman

 

[TFT]

When you made an image you would have been asked if you wanted to make a 'boot disc', if you did then as long as your setup is set for CD/DVD first boot, then shut down, insert the boot disc and follow prompts.

If you didn't make a boot disc at the same time you made the image then you will have to do it from the 'Control Panel'.

Control Panel / Recovery / Advanced Recovery Methods / click on 'Use a System Image' and follow the prompts. Plug in your external drive previous to this.

 

[NDSUTopGun]

Concur with TFT. Give it a try in CP.

From what I recall with booting in recovery mode, I guess I've only seen that when I get a WFTS ("Windows Failed To Start") and it's prompts you to go into recovery mode. Sorry about the mix-up.

 

[dustman]

Hello again,

Thanks for the responses, I really appreciate them. I finally was able to install an old system image from DVDs, which got rid of the AVG 2011 nightmare that was preventing me from doing a back up from an external hard drive. That enabled me to install the system image from the external hard drive.

Thanks again for all of your kind responses.

Dustman