Compaq question

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,24hoursupport.helpdesk (More info?)

A colleague has a Compaq Presario with Windows XP, and his PC appears to
have been contaminated by a Trojan and Dialer 7 something. I have never used
a Compaq before, but I notice on POST boot up that there is an option F10 to
restore your system.

For those who are familiar with Compaqs, my question is: if you use the
system rceovery F10 procedure, which I understand is supposed to take you
back to a basic fresh re-installed XP system, will that defeat any lurking
virus?

My second question. I've just learned that the F10 recovery system is stored
on a secret partition on the disk. Is this true, and does that not mean that
a re-format or re-partition will lose these recovery system files?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,24hoursupport.helpdesk (More info?)

Compaq Desktop PCs - Performing a System Recovery in Microsoft Windows XP
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=bph07145&dlc=en&lang=en

Q: "...does that not mean that a re-format or re-partition will lose these recovery system files?"

A: No. They remain on the hidden partition as long as you use Compaq's recovery procedure
and not use an alternative method to reformat or repartition the drive.


Try the following before resorting to the Compaq recovery procedure:

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software
http://support.microsoft.com/?­id=827315

Download Ad-aware SE and scan your PC for the presence of sp­yware:
http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button

Symantec Security Check
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=YVXRORVWHFHMFNZMBBX

Install Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Frank Booth Snr" wrote:

| A colleague has a Compaq Presario with Windows XP, and his PC appears to
| have been contaminated by a Trojan and Dialer 7 something. I have never used
| a Compaq before, but I notice on POST boot up that there is an option F10 to
| restore your system.
|
| For those who are familiar with Compaqs, my question is: if you use the
| system rceovery F10 procedure, which I understand is supposed to take you
| back to a basic fresh re-installed XP system, will that defeat any lurking
| virus?
|
| My second question. I've just learned that the F10 recovery system is stored
| on a secret partition on the disk. Is this true, and does that not mean that
| a re-format or re-partition will lose these recovery system files?

 

[bar]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

The user manual provided by Compaq / HP has all the answers and instructions
how to manage the computer and use their restore function.

In short a Restore will over write any files and generally detroy the effect
of the virus. It will also make any personal information unavailable
[erasing it].

A format of the 'hidden' partition will wipe any and all data [including the
Windows installation files].

To remove a virus it is better to install Anti-Virus and Ant Spyware
aplications.

Reformatting and the reinstallation of an Operating System [and all
applications] to remove a trojan is akin to using a sledge hammer to crack a
nut. It also takes a lot of time.

"Frank Booth Snr" wrote:

> A colleague has a Compaq Presario with Windows XP, and his PC appears to
> have been contaminated by a Trojan and Dialer 7 something. I have never used
> a Compaq before, but I notice on POST boot up that there is an option F10 to
> restore your system.
>
> For those who are familiar with Compaqs, my question is: if you use the
> system rceovery F10 procedure, which I understand is supposed to take you
> back to a basic fresh re-installed XP system, will that defeat any lurking
> virus?
>
> My second question. I've just learned that the F10 recovery system is stored
> on a secret partition on the disk. Is this true, and does that not mean that
> a re-format or re-partition will lose these recovery system files?
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

BAR wrote:
> To remove a virus it is better to install Anti-Virus and Ant Spyware
> aplications.
>
> Reformatting and the reinstallation of an Operating System [and all
> applications] to remove a trojan is akin to using a sledge hammer to crack a
> nut. It also takes a lot of time.

In my opinion, a format clean after a bad virus infection is a good
idea.
I understand your analogy of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, but
after a bad infection, there is always a chance that there are files on
the drive that have been corrupted. It may not even become apparent
until months after.
But hey, thats just my opinion.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,24hoursupport.helpdesk (More info?)

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:eXOT9d9YFHA.2768@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Compaq Desktop PCs - Performing a System Recovery in Microsoft Windows XP
>
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=bph07
145&dlc=en&lang=en
>
>> Q: "...does that not mean that a re-format or re-partition will lose
these recovery system files?"
>
> A: No. They remain on the hidden partition as long as you use Compaq's
recovery procedure and not use an alternative method to reformat or
repartition the drive.
>
> Try the following before resorting to the Compaq recovery procedure:
>
> Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software
> http://support.microsoft.com/?­id=827315
>
> Download Ad-aware SE and scan your PC for the presence of sp­yware:
>
http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=b
utton
>
> Symantec Security Check
>
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&
pkj=YVXRORVWHFHMFNZMBBX
>
> Install Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware
>
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-
a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en
>
Thanks. But having just found all of this out, I've realised there is no XP
system disk supplied, which means if the hard disk should fail, I'm stymied,
(unless I buy one). This is not my own computer, but a colleague's. I don't
use XP on my PC.

Also partition D: which stores the system files is 'locked' ( for obvious
reasons). Does that mean I cannot extract system tool files I would like
such as NTBackup, which is not installed Although I have a version of
Winzip.

Finally you did not quite answer my point about viruses. Although D:
partition is locked, does that prevent a virus writing to it, and destroying
the system restore facility?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,24hoursupport.helpdesk (More info?)

i have a compaq 6400nx and on my computer you can create the cd's with your
cd burner as a backup to windows xp should your hard drive ever go kapute.

go to start, all programs, compaq, compaq pc tools, then click on compaq
recovery cd creator, everything from here on is self explanatory. mine took
7 cd-r's to create it.

before doing the system restore with the F10 button i would do a spyware
check with ad aware se as mentioned earlier in this post.




"Frank Booth Snr" <frank@oldman.com> wrote in message
news:4299a62e@212.67.96.135...
>
> "Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
> news:eXOT9d9YFHA.2768@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>> Compaq Desktop PCs - Performing a System Recovery in Microsoft Windows XP
>>
> http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=bph07
> 145&dlc=en&lang=en
>>
>>> Q: "...does that not mean that a re-format or re-partition will lose
> these recovery system files?"
>>
>> A: No. They remain on the hidden partition as long as you use Compaq's
> recovery procedure and not use an alternative method to reformat or
> repartition the drive.
>>
>> Try the following before resorting to the Compaq recovery procedure:
>>
>> Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?­id=827315
>>
>> Download Ad-aware SE and scan your PC for the presence of sp­yware:
>>
> http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=b
> utton
>>
>> Symantec Security Check
>>
> http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&
> pkj=YVXRORVWHFHMFNZMBBX
>>
>> Install Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware
>>
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-
> a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en
>>
> Thanks. But having just found all of this out, I've realised there is no
> XP
> system disk supplied, which means if the hard disk should fail, I'm
> stymied,
> (unless I buy one). This is not my own computer, but a colleague's. I
> don't
> use XP on my PC.
>
> Also partition D: which stores the system files is 'locked' ( for obvious
> reasons). Does that mean I cannot extract system tool files I would like
> such as NTBackup, which is not installed Although I have a version of
> Winzip.
>
> Finally you did not quite answer my point about viruses. Although D:
> partition is locked, does that prevent a virus writing to it, and
> destroying
> the system restore facility?
>
>
>
>