Computer Maintenance and debugging Maintaining your computer.

Computers, like most other machines need a set of basic maintenance to increase lifetime and
performance. Simply follow steps one through five at least once every 6 months, to maintain a
fast running computer!

1- Temporary Internet File

2- Other Temporary files
3- Empty recycle bin
4- scan disk
5- Defragment you Drives
6- Clean inside the computer

Removing Temporary Internet Files

Open Internet Explorer

On the menu bar, on top of the page, click on Tools and select internet options.

You will get the window below.

First, click on Delete Cookies and once prompted click on Ok (it may take a few minutes to
delete the cookies, so be patient)

Next, still on the internet option window, click on Delete Files (make sure that you put a check
mark in the box next to Delete all offline content), click Ok (it may take a few minutes to delete
files, so be patient)

Finally, click on Clear History, click Ok and then Yes when prompted.

Empty Recycle Bin

On your Desktop you will find the Recycle Bin, right click on it and select Empty Recycle Bin
Check and repair bad sectors on drive
Go to My Computer.

Highlight the C drive (or any other hard drive partition you have), right click on it and select
Properties.

From the Property window, select the Tool Taband click on Check Now.
In the popup window, make sure to put a checkmark in the baxes to allow Automatically Fix
Sectors, as well as Attempt Recovery.

You will get a message whether you would like the utility to run next time you restart, click Yes.
Reboot your computer.

Reorganize File Structure For Efficiency

Go to My Computer.

Highlight the C drive (or any other hard drive partition you have), right click on it and select
Properties.

From the Property window, select the Tool Taband click on Defragment Now.
You will get a window like that.
With your C; drive highlighted (by default) click on Defragment
You will get the status of your file structure and how it is restructured. It may take a long time (1
hour or more).

You can defragment 2 or 3 times in a row until you get a good quantity of blue continuous
segments.

Note that your system may hang (you will have to hard reboot). There is nothing to do about it.
But on the bright side, it wont harm your system to try another time. Some times your system
needs a couple of tries!

leaning Inside Your Computer.

For this you need to purchase a can of
compressed air spray (available at most
electronic/computer sale shops).

Open the side panel of your computer and blow

the dust off (obviously you should do that
somewhere adequate). One of the most
important part you should clean is the heatsink
that cools your CPU.
This will make your computer faster and will extend its life.

Note: Be careful about static electricity!

NTLDR missing or corrupt

- Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM, and boot from it.

- In the Windows XP setup menu press "R" to repair Windows.

- Log into your Windows installation by pressing "1" and then enter. If you use a password for
Windows, you will be prompted for your administrator password.

- Copy the below two files to the root directory of the primary hard disk. Note that your CD-
ROM may be under a different letter on your PC.

copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\

copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\

After both of these files have been copied, remove the CD and reboot.

Password Recovery Tool

Recover password for Outlook Express,
IncrediMail, CuteFTP...
There are many applications that ask you to type a password to safeguard your data. The
password you type is not displayed on the screen, instead you see asterisks "**********"
characters.

This Password Recovery Tool can recover the passwords stored behind the asterisks in standard
password text-boxes.

Asterisk Logger (from http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/astlog.html) is a Freeware that works under

Windows 9x, Windows ME, Windows 2000, and Windows XP.

Asterisk Logger works fine with most password text-boxes, but there are some applications that
don't store the password behind the asterisks, in order to increase their security. In such cases,
Asterisk Logger will not be able to recover the password.

The following applications and OS components don't store the password behind the asterisks:

 Netscape 6.x (Passwords in the Web page)

 Dialup and network passwords in Windows 2000
 Windows NT/2000/XP user management tools.


Asterisk Logger Password Recovery Freeware

Asterisk Logger Password Recovery Freeware for Internet Explorer

License

This password recovery utility is released as freeware for personal and non-commercial use. You are
allowed to freely distribute Asterisk Logger via floppy disk, CD-ROM, Internet, or in any other way, as
long as you don't charge anything for this. If you distribute this password recovery utility, you must
include all files in the distribution package, without any modification !

How to Recover your Password

Just copy to any folder you want, and double click astlog.exe. The main window will appear,
with no items in it.

Open the windows that contains the asterisk text-box you want to reveal. The password will be
instantly recovered and revealed inside the password box, and in addition, a record containing
the password and other information will be added to the main window of Asterisk Logger utility.

Do not hesitate to visit our Password Recovery Forum if you have any questions.
We can also use password crack, oph crack and other softwares for cracking password of
windows.

EasyCleaner (Free)

Registry Cleaner. EasyCleaner is a small program which searches the Windows registry for
entries that are pointing nowhere. A little housekeeping for your Windows XP.

Protecting your computer from Malwares

How to Select an Anti-

Virus!
Commercial
Antiviruses
Free Antiviruses
Visit our Antivirus
Forum
At this point, we need to scan for viruses and other malwares. Most of the major antiviruses offer
free trials and scans. There are also a few free ones. We need to find out if your computer is
infected. You'll need to scan your computer with an antivirus. If you already have one, then I am
sure that you have already scanned your system. If it didn't help and you need to recover data, go
to the data recovery page.

If you do not have an antivirus, then you need one! Below, there are links for antiviruses. Get a
trial version or a free one and scan your system for viruses.
Free Antiviruses.

Here are the 3 top free anti viruses out there! They are relatively good, and do not give many
false positive detections. They are descent anti viruses for the home PC that is not used for
professional applications.

Make sure to read their terms of use as some of them are not allowed to be used for professional
applications.

Please post a review or your comments in our Antivirus Forum, to let everyone know how good
or bad you think they are.

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic

avast! 4 Home Edition
AVG Free Edition

Commercial Antiviruses

Below you 'll find a list of the current Anti viruses competing on the market. I have written a
brief description, but I encourage you to also visit our Antivirus Forum to see what other people
think about them! Compare the Anti-Viruses available on the market to see which ones would
protect you and your computer and which ones will ruin your computer's system (and nerves).
Click Here to learn more on what to look for when selecting an anti virus.

Anti-Virus Comparison Table

Check also our Antivirus Forum

Best Anti virus detection in

the world today. Kaspersky is
Objectively the number one
anti virus in the world. They 10/10
have won all the virus
detection "competitions"
against all the major
competitors (we'll see them
Click to Visit Site below) in 2006. The anti
Virus you need if you are
doing business or serious stuff
with your computer. It is a
little complex to use at the
beginning but this is the price
to pay for more control.

User review is good for

Kaspersky so in general
people are satisfied with the
product.

The down Side is that it is

(rightly so) one of the most
expensive (49.99$US). But
when the difference of price
between the best and the
average product is about 20$,
then why not go for the best?

If you have a serious virus

problem, (otherwise you
won't be reading this I
assume), then consider
Kaspersky.

They offer a free trial and also

free online scanning!

You can click here to Receive

a discount on Kaspersky Lab
products

BitDefender performs slower

than most anti viruses and takes
a lot of resources when scanning
(do not attempt to do anything
else during the scan unless you
5/10
are ultra patient). Also the
uninstall is not done completely,
and you will always have a part
Click to Visit Site
of the program that will try to
keep running.
 An all in one Package.
Excellent for those who want
a no head ache one does it all
protection against viruses and
spy wares. It also comes with
a nice firewall (I use that
firewall myself). They have
frequent updates and a very
user friendly interface.

I have seen only positive

comments about Zonealarm 10/10
which I tend to believe as I
use that product myself and
am not considering changing
Click to Visit Site it any time soon.

Overall the best choice for a

full internet security package.
Quality product and easy to
use and specially, no useless
headaches. At 49.95$ it is a
great value. A great package
for a home PC.

Rather nice anti virus Easy on

resources and it makes itself
forget by not annoying at
every mouse click with a pop
up message. Robust virus
detection algorithm. One of
the best anti virus for the
average computer user.
7/10
Comes at a very reasonable
Click to Visit Site price. Overall users are
satisfied.

Consider Rising anti virus if

you are looking for a nice anti
virus, and do not need the
firewall or spy ware. At
29.95$ it is a great deal!
 CA Anti virus is very user
friendly, easy to install and use.
It runs using less than 13Mb of
RAM and is very light on
6/10
resource consumption.
Downside is that apart from
email and live chat support, all
other support will be charged.
Click to Visit Site

For Norton Anti virus, the

user rating is not very good. I
myself find it a little too
"enthusiast" about catching
the viruses! Too much
resources taken! Too
suspicious and it considers it
has priority on everything
(including you working).

On the virus detection side

they do reasonably well and 4/10
they have nice features. For
Click to Visit Site
the install and uninstall make
sure you plan for some extra
time!

Support is not free! As one

user puts it: "Norton will not
even allow you to report a bug
without the open threat of
charging for "support"- at any
price they choose to charge."
(source: CNET ).

Good anti virus overall, but

the firewall that comes with it
seems to be buggy. The spy
ware. too seems to ask a lot of
user input. 5/10

They have free customer

support, but the support
Click to Visit Site doesn't seem to be very
knowledgeable.
 Spyware do not harm your
system like viruses do. All
they do is spy on you and
steal your data. Unfortunately,
they reproduce like viruses
and are therefore contagious.
According to the Wikipedia,
the name Spyware refers
broadly to software that
subverts the computer's
operation for the benefit of a
third party.

If you make a living out of

your computer then it would
be reckless not to have an anti
spyware.

Spywares can spy on all the

following:
8/10
 Every WEBSITE you visit
Click to Visit Site  EMAILS you send and
receive
 INSTANT MESSAGES
sent and received
 CHAT ROOM conversion
made
 Every PROGRAM that
your run
 Every KEYSTROKE you
type

Webroot is the best Spyware

of 2007. It has earned many
awards for wining benchmark
tests. Webroot also gives you
the option to to get their anti
viruses. Even though it is a
very decent Anti virus, I
recommend getting yourself a
stronger anti virus for a
complete coverage.
 From PC tools. Another good
spyware. Free online Scan. A 7/10
little more expansive than
webroot!

Click to Visit Site

Also from PC tools, Registry

Mechanic is the best Registry
cleaner tool I know about.
The Windows Registry is a core
component of the Windows
Operating System. The Registry
stores everything about your
system. Colors, installed 7/10
applications, hardware drivers
and even changes made in the
Control Panel. Over time, the
Click to Visit Site Registry becomes bloated with
incorrect and outdated
information slowing down or
even crashing your computer.

Another Spyware cleaner

utility. Spyware Solver is
constantly updated to identify
the latest threats. The
software will scan your PC
for different Spyware,
Adware, Dialers, and Web
Bug traces.

Spyware Solver is updated

several times per week, and
comes with shields to protect
you while browsing the web.

Safeguard your children.

Safekeeper even has a 9/10
Predator alert that tells you if
there are known sex offenders
Click to Visit Site living in your area. It comes
with an anti virus, a firewall
and spy ware. all that for
29.95$, for up to 3 computers.
They also have a 2 weeks free
trial!

Please NEVER hesitate to call

the police if you know
someone is a child predator.
Also make sure you report it
to:
http://www.cybertipline.com/

Another Parental Control!

(Let them compete).
3/10
Substantially more expensive
Click to Visit Site than Safekeeper, and they
don't have a free trial!

Internet Parental Control.

Something to consider if you
have kids(See above). Don't
use it to spy on people!

Netintelligence gives you the

ability to filter and customize
web access for your children,
record all instant messaging
conversations, set and monitor
time spent on your computers,
both on and off line and
prevent harmful viruses - in 9/10
one easy to use combined
product. And with our
Click to Visit Site Parental Control version you
can use the service on three
separate machines as
standard.

Combines Anti Virus, Anti

Spy ware., Web
Blocking/Filtering, Time
Controls, Instant Messenger
Management and Usage
Management in one simple to
 use service. It makes you feel
you are in control!

They have a 30 Days Free

Trial!

We could go on and on with anti viruses but it would be time wasting as the good ones are here. I
Hope this helped you orient your searches. If you still are unsure, then consider ZoneAlarm.
Read below for more information on what to consider when selecting an anti virus

Comparing Anti viruses

It is amazing the difference one sees between reviews made by "professional" reviewers and
those made by actual users. Before jumping to conclusions, we need to take into account the fact
that people generally write a review when they are not happy, so we get more unhappy reviews
than happy ones.

That being said, I have tested some of the products below myself, and compared the data. But I
also greatly rely on users rating and reviews that you can find in some blogs or other places on
top of the benchmark numbers. I do that because the role of the anti virus is to let you work
freely in safety. There is no point being safe if it costs you the ability to work freely (no I am not
doing politics!). So users feedback is very important to determine the quality of the anti virus as
they represent the need that the anti virus must fulfill.

Virus Definitions updates.

Any anti virus software is only as effective as its most recent update because it is inherently
reactive treating only known threats.

Think of the anti virus as your immune system and the anti virus updates as vaccines. When your
immune system knows about a threat and is prepared for it then you are protected.

Therefore the most important part of the anti virus is how often and how fast the virus definitions
are updated. So when you install anti-virus software, go to the vendor's web site and update the
program and virus definitions immediately and then turn on the auto update feature (if it has
one). That is why the quality and frequency of the virus definitions is the primary factor by
which to judge an anti virus Not having that would make everything else useless (or at least as
good as a placebo!).
System resource.

Another issue is the amount of resource your anti virus takes to run (it runs all the time your
computer is on). So make sure you try the anti virus on your computer if it is slower than 2GHZ.
All of the commercial anti viruses have either a free scan and/or a trial version.

System takeover.

No virus can infect your computer if you never turn it on. Following that philosophy, some anti
viruses are so radical that you cannot send an email without having to go through a few scans, a
few permission granting, and a couple of anti virus updates!

The point is that some anti viruses are oversuspiscious (or underachieving) and they block
everything on your computer preventing you from working.

Conclusion.

If you make a living from your computer, then the virus definition update is of ultimate
importance to you. If not, then you can consider getting a free anti virus (not the free spywares
that are useless).

If you have an old PC then the system resource usage is of capital importance to you. Try the
trial version first to see what you get if you opt for the commercial ones.

Make sure you read the reviews to know which anti viruses to avoid at all cost. Also visit our
Antivirus Forum for more reviews.

Don't forget to visit our Data Recovery page if you also need to recover your data, and our
Secure and Backup page to find out ways backup your system so you will never have to go
through a windows installation again (imagine having a "photocopy" of your hard drive that you
can restore any time). That's it for the anti viruses Best of luck!

If this didn't help, then it's serious enough that you need to re-install Windows XP

irewalls & Internet Security

Firewalls basically control the traffic between
your pc and different networks also reffered to
as "zones of trust". For example the Internet is a
zone with no trust and a home network is a zone
with high trust.

The goal in implementing a firewall is to have

controlled interfaces between zones of differing
trust levels. You will be able to control data
received from the internet (ie: have you asked
for it or is
someone trying to install something on your PC) and more importantly, data sent to the internet
(ie: is it the data you want to send, or is it a program installed on your PC that is sending these
informations away without your consent).

ZoneAlarm
ZoneAlarm is truly one of the best firewalls (to our opinion the
best). The best thing is that there is also a free version of it that runs
a basic firewall. No subscription, no expiry, it is absolutely free.

You can click on the link on the left, then look for the home and
home office products and you'll find it there.

Boot Partition Error.

A little about Boot Sectors.
When troubleshooting boot failures it can be helpful
to understand a little bit what the boot sector is.

A boot sector is the first sector of your Hard Drive.

It contains the information to locate the active
partition and to invoke its Volume Boot Record.

Any computer with a mismatch in the boot sector

will likely report "'Boot Sector Not Found".
The good news is that Windows XP keeps a backup of your boot sector, and we are going to
try to restore it.

To repair the boot partition, boot the computer from your Windows XP CD-ROM and start the
Recovery Console. Next, use the Bootcfg.exe tool to rebuild the Boot.ini file.

In more details:

> Boot from the Windows XP CD ROM.

Insert the Windows XP CD and turn the computer on.

When prompted "Press Any Key to boot from CD", press a letter or number key.
If you don't see that Prompt, visit the Boot Sequence modification page

> At the welcome screen, press R for recovery.

> At the command Prompt type "bootcfg /rebuild".

That's it! Eject the CD, reboot and you are good to go.

Don't forget to also visit the Secure & Backup page to learn how you can prevent that from
happening in the future.
 If you still cannot access Your Windows XP

Ways to recover your lost Data

Recovering your data from your hard drive might be easier
than you think! Off course I am referring to software and
operating system problems. If your hard drive is physically
damaged then no software can help you recover your data. I
highly recommend you see a professional to recover your
data if your data is vital. If your data is not vital and you
want to save your money and learn something new by trying
to retrieve your data from a damaged hard drive click here
for a few tips.

There are numerous software's and a few freeware's to help

you recover your data . All the software's are commercial
and cost money. On the other hand most freeware's are
limited in what they allow you to recover. Yes, companies
know that people are willing to pay money to recover their
Data.

Good news there are only a few free and unrestricted data
recovery softwares, and we should be able to recover your
data with them. Note that I am in no way affiliated with any
of these software's and products.
Continue reading to understand how to recover your data.

Understanding Data Recovery.

1) The Master Boot Record (MBR) and partition table are found in the first sector of your hard
drive. They determine which partition(s) on the disk are bootable and use that information to
boot the operating system.
If your MBR or partition table is corrupted, the drive will become un bootable, and may appear
to be blank if the partition information has been erased.

2) The first file on a NTFS partition is the Master File Table(MFT). MFT is basically a list of the
names, properties and locations of all the files in the partition. The Master File Table is used by
the operating system to access files.
When you delete a file and then remove it from the recycle bin, the operating system simply
marks the file as deleted in the Master File Table .
In both cases, the good news is that the data is not actually erased, but rather the space it takes up
on the disk is now considered to be free.To prevent the operating system from overwriting on
your data,

Do not save or write anything on your Hard

Drive!
Recovering your Data.

There are 3 things we need to do to recover the data. First is to boot the computer, second a
recovery software and third we need somewhere to transfer the data to. I'll give you several ways
to do that so you can recover your data the way it is easier for you. I will begin with the most
recommended ones.

Option 1 - Transfer Hard Drive to another Computer.

If you have access to another computer, put your Hard Drive in as a Slave (Change jumper
Settings). Boot computer from the Master Hard Drive. Look for your files with the file explorer.
If you cannot find your files click here to go to the next step.

Option 2 - Windows XP Boot Floppy.

- Place a floppy disk in the floppy drive.

- Click on My Computer, right click the A: drive and click Format.
- In the Format window, check Create an MS-DOS startup disk.
Data Recovery Software.

Download this free Data Recovery Software. You can also find the source code here, but you
won't need it (I have to make available for legal reasons). I am very greatfull to
www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk for making this software available as an open source.

Remember not to save anything on the hard drive that needs data recovery. If you will be
using the boot floppy, then you need to unzip the file and burn the content on a CD-ROM.

Data Recovery Process.

Boot the computer (either floppy or Master hard drive) and run the testdisk_win.exe that is in the
win directory (just double click on the file in windows xp. If you have booted from the floppy
type d:\testdisk-6.5\win\testdisk_win.exe).

Choose No Log.

Select your physical drive and Proceed.

For windows XP select Intel.

Select Analyse.
 Proceed.

You can press p to see a list of files in the partition :-)

Press q to come back to the data recovery screen.

Select write. Your data is being recovered!

I hope that nothing was overwritten and you have recovered your data. If you couldn't find your
data, and you are sure that your hard drive is not failing (I have seen a hard drive crash because
of cheap unstable 250W power supply) you might have to consider a professional data recovery
software with much more elaborate algorithms. Here is a list of Data Recovery Softwares

If you came to this page because of boot partitions issues, and this couldn't help you, then you
need to re-install Windows XP.

Data Recovery from a failed Hard Drive.

Again if your data is vital, call a professional data recovery service. If you are willing to
destroy your dat while attempting to recover then this section is for you. Remember that you
cannot open your hard drive. The dust in the air will render it unrecoverable.

Check the environment.

Look for an environmental factor that may interfere with the functioning of your hard drive. Are
there magnets on the computer case close to the hard drive? Is there a fan or heater near the
computer? Is there a transformer, electrical box, or high power device near the computer (on a
floor above or in a nearby wall)? All of these will produce magnetic and/or electromagnetic
fields that can interfere with your hard drive. Equipment that may vibrate the computer even at a
very low amplitude can resonate and cause hard drive heads to skip and jump or even scratch the
platters.

Freeze it!

No kidding! Put your hard drive in a sealed bag in the freezer for a couple of hours. Meanwhile
get another hard drive (faster than CD or DVD in case you have gigabits of data to recover). Do
that fast while it is cold and still working. You have about 20 min!

Shake, hit and drop your hard drive.

I warned you! We are going to try to reset any mechanical dislocation. Shake the hard drive
vigorousely and try it. Drop the hard drive on a hard surface on its top. Sometimes it is the heads
that are stuck to the platters. Try hitting your hard drive a few times to reset any mechanical
dislocation. Again this works very often but not for long. So be fast, be prepared.

We hope that by now you have recovered your data.

RAM Installation guide

Usually the RAM slots are close to your CPU and they are closely packed. Make sure that the
brackets are open.
Then align your new RAM as shown on the picture.

The RAM should be in a vertical position with respect to the motherboard. Then push the RAM
into the slot until the brackets on both sides are in a closed position (you should not have to close
the brackets, they should close as you push the RAM into the socket).
irst place your power supply at the back of your computer case. Standard power supply should
have their fan toward the outside of the case. You will have to tighten your power supply to the
case with 4 screws.

Then you must make the connections to your motherboard. Here are the typical connections.
Older motherboards use a 20 pin connector, slightly newer motherboards have an extra 4 pin
connector. Nowadays, motherboards have simply a 24 pin connector. Look on your motherboard
or see your owner's manual.

Now connect the power to your floppy drive (if you have one)
Finally connect the power to your hard drive and CD/DVD ROM.

irst you must find your AGP slot. It sits above the PCI slots and is usually of brown color.
Place your video card in the slot and press down until fully inserted. Make sure that you tighten
the video card with a screw (if by negligence someone pulls on the monitor cable it may damage
your video card if not properly tightened.

 Recover XP
 Repair XP
 Safe Mode
 XP Restore
 Windows Install

Getting your computer

back to it's previous
Settings
We are going to go back in time! Windows XP saves
backup of the most critical system files. We are going to
reboot the computer and press F8 just when the windows
XP load screen is due.
Choose "Last known good configuration" and press enter.

Hopefully this gave you access to your windows XP. Remember to scan your computer for
viruses (update your Virus definitions first) as your computer might be infected. If you do not
have an antivirus, Click Here to get a list of free Virus Scans available on the web.

Before starting to repair windows XP.

Let's use the Windows XP CD to repair your Windows XP installation. A Repair Install will
replace the system files with the files on the XP CD used for the Repair Install. It will leave your
applications and settings intact, but Windows updates will need to be reapplied.

A Windows XP Repair will replace files altered by viruses and malware, but will not repair an
virus infection. Be sure tpo scan your system as soon as it is repaired. If you do not have an anti
virus, here is a list of free anti virus scans available on the web.

The Windows XP Repair procedure.

Insert the Windows Xp CD-ROM and reboot your computer. When prompted to press any key to
boot from CD press a key.
If you do not get that message it means that you have to change your boot sequence in your
BIOS. First, Bookmark This Page so you can come back and continue the installation. To go to
the boot sequence change page, Click Here.

When the CD loads press ENTER to setup windows XP. DO NOT PRESS R TO REPAIR!
Pressing R now would get you to the windows xp repair console.
Accept the agreement with Microsoft.

Now select your windows XP installation and press R to repair.

Click Next.
Enter the Windows XP CD key.

Choose No and Click Next unless your computer is at the office.

Again press Next! We are almost done repairing your computer (only a few more Next buttons!).

Choose No for now. You can do that once windows xp has finished the repair! I am trying to
keep that as short as possible.
Congratulations! Microsoft says you are ready to go! Click Next and you are there.

Remember that repairing Windows XP has not removed viruses or other malwares. If you
didn't scan for viruses on the last page, I highly recommend you do so now!

For that you need to update and run your anti virus. If you do not have an antivirus Click Here
for a list of free scans and antiviruses on the web. Remember that your Windows XP is not
repaired until you scan your computer.

Check also the secure and backup page. You might find usefull tools and advices to help you not
waist your time like that anymore.

If you got to this page because your computer doesn't load Windows XP, continue to rebuild
your boot partition .

If you got to this site because of Windows XP problems, and this could not help you, proceed to
the Antivirus page to get a virus scan.

If you came to this page from the BLUE SCREEN link, and this did not help, then the problem is
serious. If you have data that you want to recover, go to data recovery. You can also post a
question in our computer repair forum or decide to re-install windows.
We are going to boot windows into safe mode, which bypasses some startup files. By doing so
we'll be able to save your data and settings, and then try to fix the problem.

The easiest way to do that is to reboot the computer and start pressing F8 just before the
windows load screen is due. Choose load Windows in Safe Mode!

Is your Computer booting in Safe Mode?

Yes No

Log on to Windows as Administrator.

Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click System Restore.

On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time (if it is
not already selected), and then click Next.
On the Select a Restore Point page, click the most recent system checkpoint in the On this list,
click on a date in the restore point list, and then click Next.

A System Restore message may appear that lists configuration changes that System Restore will
make. Click OK.

On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next.

System Restore will restore your system to that privious Windows XP configuration.

If this fixed your problem you can click here to learn how to backup your settings so that you
will never have to go through that again. Click Here.

If you still have a problem don't worry! There are still many things we can do to get that
repaired. At this point, we need to scan for viruses and other malwares. Most of the major
antiviruses offer free trials and scans. We need to find out if your computer is infected. You'll
need to scan your computer with an antivirus. If you already have one, then I am sure that you
have already scanned your system. If it didn't help and you need to recover data, go to the data
recovery page.

If you do not have an antivirus, then you need one! On the next page there are links for
antiviruses. Get a trial version or a free one and scan your system for viruses.

Make Sure you have your Windows XP CD-Key Ready before starting the install. Insert the
Windows Xp CD-ROM and reboot your computer. When prompted to press any key to boot
from CD press a key.
If you do not get that message it means that you have to change your boot sequence in your
BIOS. First, Bookmark This Page so you can come back and continue the installation. To go to
the boot sequence change page, Click Here.
Windows XP will load the necessary file, and then ask you what you want to do. Press Enter to
install windows XP.

Press F8 to accept the Agreement.

If you do not have any partitions (like in a new Hard Drive) press C to create a partition. If you
already have a partition Click Here.

Select size (Use maximum if you do not want any other partitions later on)
Select the partition where you want to install Windows XP.

Format the partition (NTFS Recommended).

Windows XP will start the preliminary install.

Select your language. For English just press NEXT.

Enter your name.

Enter your Windows XP CD Key to continue installation.

Enter a name for your computer. Password is optional.

Select your Time Zone and setup the time if necessary.

Windows xp will load the network .

Choose typical settings.

 Choose No.

Time for a break :-)

Windows Xp will take a few minutes to install itself. Come back in about 15 min!

Welcome back!
Click OK.
 Again OK.

Now you are at Windows XP post install page. A few more clicks and you are done. Click
NEXT to continue with the setup.
Click NO if you have your modem connected directly to your computer (internally or externally
through a cable). If you have more than one computer sharing your internet through a router
select YES.

Choose No. You can always Register Windows XP later! I want to keep this install page as short
and straight forward as possible.
Choose as many usernames as you need!

Click FINISH.
 Et Voila! You have installed Windows XP!

Thank you for following this guide. Remember to visit our secure and backup page to learn more
about saving backups (images of your drive) so you won't have to go through that again!