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Windows Forum / Windows Me / System Tools / May 2005Ghost & Registry Queries
Hi to all out there I have a 3-4 yo Time Computers WinME box with AVG Free, Ad-Aware, SpyBot, Ccleaner & Smart PopUp Blocker, which has occasionally been restored to "as new" using the supplier's bootable recovery CD (which takes many hours reinstalling soft and hard ware). The screen says it is recovering with Norton Ghost. Questions: Is this CD self contained, or does it read from data on the HD? Can I reformat HD and then use this Ghost CD to restore? When Defragging, there are lots of sectors marked as "data that will not be moved". Are these likely to be Ghost Data? The reason for the query is that my Registry is loaded with keys in the Domains and History sections refering to dubious sites. I have not visited these web sites, although long ago in a Google session some of the links directed me to various sites resulting in a flurry of dubious site popups. This was before installing a popup blocker. So presumably, the Ghost CD has not completely restored the box to "as new" (unless they were already on the initially installed registry!). I tried deleting these keys (after backing up registry) but they keep coming back. Any ideas? especially on cleaning the registry TIA delboy Most manufacturer's recovery CDs are self contained and restore the system to the state it was in when first delivered with the deletion of all user data and installed applications. Since such CDs differ from manufacturer to manufacturer my advice would be to read carefully the documentation that came with the CD to see what options are available. Some manufacturer's however store the recovery information on a hidden partition on the hard disk and rather than providing a recovery CD provide a recovery floppy disk (although this could be a CD). Note that my registry also contains many references to dubious sites. I placed them there myself as I suspect you may have done when I used SpyBot Search & Destroy and also Spyware Blaster to put such sites in the Restricted Sites security zone to prevent my inadvertently downloading content from such sites.  SignatureMike Maltby MS-MVP mike.maltby@gmail.com > Hi to all out there > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > delboy Thanks for the info Mike, I know from experience that using the recovery CD removes all unbundled software and later installed hardware but was not clear whether ALL recovery info was on the CD or not. I guess I will have to contact Time Computers and ask them the question. Relieved to know that Spybot will add dubious sites to the registry although some of the domain names are VERY alarming. delboy > Most manufacturer's recovery CDs are self contained and restore the system > to the state it was in when first delivered with the deletion of all user [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] > > > > delboy > Relieved to know that Spybot will add dubious sites to the registry > although some of the domain names are VERY alarming. Indeed. :-) SignatureMike > Thanks for the info Mike, I know from experience that using the > recovery CD removes all unbundled software and later installed [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Relieved to know that Spybot will add dubious sites to the registry > although some of the domain names are VERY alarming. Hi Mike Explored the supplied recovery disk and since there's only 2 files (hidden) totalling 1.4 MB, I guess the recovery data is in all those "will not be moved" sectors. Delboy > > Relieved to know that Spybot will add dubious sites to the registry > > although some of the domain names are VERY alarming. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Relieved to know that Spybot will add dubious sites to the registry > > although some of the domain names are VERY alarming. Delboy, It appears that Time are using a (possibly hidden) partition which contains a Ghost image of the system as delivered and using the recovery CD this image is copied to the C: drive and as a result erases all user data and installed programs. Compaq use a similar system. SignatureMike Maltby MS-MVP mike.maltby@gmail.com > Explored the supplied recovery disk and since there's only 2 files > (hidden) totalling 1.4 MB, I guess the recovery data is in all those > "will not be moved" sectors. Mike Clicking My Computer shows A, C, D, E, F, G, H, I & J drives. F to J are Card RW drives, D & E are CD & CDRW and A & C are the normal 3 1/2 and a 40G hard drive respectivly. Tweak UI allows all drives A to Z to be shown in My Computer. What could a hidden partition be called? The missing B drive? Presumably Tweak cannot override the hiding. No special reason for asking; just a mild interest in improving my knowledge. TIA Delboy > Delboy, > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > (hidden) totalling 1.4 MB, I guess the recovery data is in all those > > "will not be moved" sectors. Windows Explorer/My Computer won't necessarily show all drives on a hard disk but instead only those formatted to use the FAT12, FAT16 or FAT32 filing system and assigned a drive letter by Windows Explorer. Other tools are required to see all partitions on a drive, one such being fdisk which can show more information than Windows Explorer but should be used with care. Other tools include a free application called partinfo.exe and disk management tools such as Partition Magic. SignatureMike Maltby MS-MVP mike.maltby@gmail.com > Mike > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > No special reason for asking; just a mild interest in improving my > knowledge. Helpful as ever Mike (serious) thanks for advice and comments. Delboy > Windows Explorer/My Computer won't necessarily show all drives on a hard > disk but instead only those formatted to use the FAT12, FAT16 or FAT32 [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > No special reason for asking; just a mild interest in improving my > > knowledge. Following up Mike, I have a HP XP machine which uses a hidden partition to do the OS "recovery" and is accessed using a toggle in the BIOS setup program. After some effort, where it seemed much harder than one might have thought to persuade HP support that I needed the tools to recover when the HD failed, I finally obtained a set of recovery CD's, which soon had to be replaced when SP1 was released, due to hardware incompatibilities. Fortunately, I have as yet never had to use any of this. SignatureJack E. Martinelli 2002-05 MS MVP for Shell/User / DTS Help us help you: http://www.dts-L.org/goodpost.htm In Memorium: Alex Nichol http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/nichol.mspx Your cooperation is very appreciated. ------ > Most manufacturer's recovery CDs are self contained and restore the system > to the state it was in when first delivered with the deletion of all user [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Restricted Sites security zone to prevent my inadvertently downloading > content from such sites. <SNIP> Out of interest Jack how many CD's did you get from them, when getting this Compaq of mine I had to make my own set which I didn't do first off <g> and when doing them went through a few hoops but finally did and it needed 6 CD's which then turned out not to work. After totally screwing up decided s*d it and wiped the drive and clean installed my own retail copy of XP Home <g> at least I didn't have all the crap that came bundled with Compaq's install <g> Joan > Following up Mike, I have a HP XP machine which uses a hidden > partition to do the OS "recovery" and is accessed using a toggle in [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > released, due to hardware incompatibilities. Fortunately, I have as > yet never had to use any of this. The HP 761N recovery CD set for XP Home SP1 was seven disks. The included software bundle is extensive so I'm sure many disks are nearly empty. One day when I have several newer, faster XP boxes running well, I'll run the "recovery" procedure on this box just for the experience. Actually, the box is unbootable right now due to a damaged registry, which I have to attempt to repair from the Recovery Console, so I can run SR, hopefully. Since every day is a new problem these days, I am very reluctant to do so just now. My to-do list just keeps getting longer ... what with spring ending and summer beginning here. SignatureJack E. Martinelli 2002-05 MS MVP for Shell/User / DTS Help us help you: http://www.dts-L.org/goodpost.htm In Memorium: Alex Nichol http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/nichol.mspx Your cooperation is very appreciated. ------ > Out of interest Jack how many CD's did you get from them, when getting > this Compaq of mine I had to make my own set which I didn't do first off [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > released, due to hardware incompatibilities. Fortunately, I have as > > yet never had to use any of this. You probably got the extra disk so it included SP1 I got this box before that came out. I know when I tried to do it with the recovery disks the first one you put in comes up with the message along the lines not for this PC even though they were made on it <g> the same thing happened with a set the computer shop gave me, hence my being thankful I had my own copy <g> I've never got around to having a look just what is on the CD's Joan > The HP 761N recovery CD set for XP Home SP1 was seven disks. The > included software bundle is extensive so I'm sure many disks are [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > My to-do list just keeps getting longer ... what with spring ending > and summer beginning here. So, see if you can burn a set of CD's and mail them to Noel, who can inform us all ... <vbg> SignatureJack E. Martinelli 2002-05 MS MVP for Shell/User / DTS Help us help you: http://www.dts-L.org/goodpost.htm In Memorium: Alex Nichol http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/nichol.mspx Your cooperation is very appreciated. ------ > You probably got the extra disk so it included SP1 I got this box before > that came out. [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > My to-do list just keeps getting longer ... what with spring ending > > and summer beginning here. BTDT, also, Jack! Had one box that I was fixing, and asked for the disks - turned out the owner hadn't burned them, so I set about doing it - failed at the first attempt (I ran out of disks!) and then discovered that you are only allowed ONE attempt!! so, a little hunting and I discovered a file that had changed at the time I attempted the first burn, opened it up in notepad, fiddled a bit, and was able to burn again<g> When I came to use the disks, they wouldn't work :( ....Fixed the PC, though! SignatureNoel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows) Nil Carborundum Illegitemi http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm http://tinyurl.com/6oztj Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's > So, see if you can burn a set of CD's and mail them to Noel, who can > inform [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] >> > My to-do list just keeps getting longer ... what with spring ending >> > and summer beginning here. <lol> Now you know the problems I had with this box, I bet it was a Compaq <g> we got this one sorted though didn't we <g> Joan > BTDT, also, Jack! > Had one box that I was fixing, and asked for the disks - turned out [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > When I came to use the disks, they wouldn't work :( > ....Fixed the PC, though! Yeah - it was an Evo <something or other> SignatureNoel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows) Nil Carborundum Illegitemi http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm http://tinyurl.com/6oztj Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's > <lol> Now you know the problems I had with this box, I bet it was a Compaq > <g> we got this one sorted though didn't we <g> [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >> When I came to use the disks, they wouldn't work :( >> ....Fixed the PC, though! |
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