[ShadowGorrath]

I need damn help! Sorry, I dunno WTF I was thinking, but I accidentaly reinstaled Windows Vista on a PC and now encountered some horrible problems that need to be fixed ASAP, before my family hangs me for this.

Firstly, since Windows were reinstaled, all the user data died. I'm talking of everything. From resolution to music that was on the desktop. Now, I can't set the monitor's default 1680x1024 resolution! As if losing all files was not bad enough. However, Windows put the previous instalation to a Windows.old folder. That includes the user data, probably, but still. . . WTH should I do?! I need everything to look like before I did this crap, and I need it ASAP! HELP PLEASE!

[The E]

Did you reinstall the Videocards' Drivers? Did you get your Monitor's Drivers? Also, did you get all the Updates that are available via windows Update?

[dragonsniper]

If you have nothing to lose you can wipe the hard-drive and re-install XP (although it would be very obvious.) It's a last option idea though. You may also try to re-install XP (I don't know if stupid, frikin' crappy vista will let you though.)

[ShadowGorrath]

Guys, you don't get the point- THAT PC IS NOT MINE! Ok, recovered the resolution, theme, desktop ( kinda ). Now trying to repair the registry for the custom files. Help?

[dragonsniper]

Can't you just re-install XP? The laptop I'm posting this on was a Professional, then I had XP SP2 put on it and it copied all the folders over. I'll see if I can find if you can downgrade. Give me a minute.

[dragonsniper]

This may help. http://www.pcmech.com/article/how-to-downgrade-from-vista-to-xp/ If not, then I'm not sure.

[The E]

What are you missing, exactly?

[dragonsniper]

And about how much time do you have. I have an idea, but you'll need a long while to do it.

[ShadowGorrath]

No no no. Let me rephrase the problem now as I calmed down a bit.

I reinstalled Vista on my sister's/mother's PC ( it already had Vista but was virused to hell, and for some reason everything went to a not responding stance when I tried to do anything. ) because I didn't know what else I could do. Well, I did, but accidentaly started it once, and then couldn't boot Windows at all without reinstalling, since Windows decided to move all the files to a Windows.old folder. So I reinstalled, loosing all the stuff.

I copied the Windows.old folders and their stuff to their respective places, but it didn't change much, apart from most of the stuff being where it should be. But the desktop, resolution and etc. were still messed up. I barely semi-recovered them now.

Ugh, if there will be complaints for my attempt at de-virusing the horribly infected PC, I might not get a new one myself ( yea, mine is an ancient one ) and not get to ever come use that one. Plus, it'd cost, as my parents would have to call in a specialist to fix the thing, which probably wouldn't happen. So yea, I'm asking you for a full, easy recover of the previous Windows Vista set-up that was before I accidentaly was forced to reinstall Vista.

Great, first complaints here... And ran out of time. Still gotta fix though.

CAN ANYONE PLEASE TELL ME WHERE THE REGISTRY DATABASE IS LOCATED IN VISTA?

[The E]

Windows/system32/config/, IIRC  BUT, you may want to go over that with an Antivirus Thingy before doing anything with it.

[Fury]

Right... so you installed Vista because it was infected with malware/virii, but you did not format the HDD? Buddy, not going to work. Whatever was there, is still there and probably migrating over soon.

The safest way would have been to boot with a linux livecd and copy all user files over to USB disk. Then format the HDD while reinstalling Vista. Then you of course have to download and install hardware drivers as well as any software that is needed, without forgetting proper anti-virus first.

It's not going to help you much in the end, but you can access registr from run-prompt by typing regedit. If you're planning to copy over the old registry, forget it. Whatever malware and virii you had (and quite likely still have), is sure to follow.

[ShadowGorrath]

Not there. I need the registry to be recovered cause Microsoft Office programs won't work. And my mother needs those in 100% efficiency. Now they say, when attempted to launch, that there's supposedly not enough memory or something to launch it...

Oh God...

[The E]

Right... so you installed Vista because it was infected with malware/virii, but you did not format the HDD? Buddy, not going to work. Whatever was there, is still there and probably migrating over soon.

The safest way would have been to boot with a linux livecd and copy all user files over to USB disk. Then format the HDD while reinstalling Vista. Then you of course have to download and install hardware drivers as well as any software that is needed, without forgetting proper anti-virus first.

It's not going to help you much in the end, but you can access registr from run-prompt by typing regedit. If you're planning to copy over the old registry, forget it. Whatever malware and virii you had (and quite likely still have), is sure to follow.

QFT. FWITW, there are also Linux-LiveCDs out there that come packaged with antivirus-software. I usually keep one of those around me at all times, just in case.

[ShadowGorrath]

I don't have that one. The plan was to boot with a Vista CD and fix the problem with an antivirus one... All's fine until it started reinstalling Vista and all this crap started.

So how do I fix Microsoft Office?

[captain-custard]

So how do I fix Microsoft Office?

by installing open office !

[The E]

Not applicable. As SG stated, his Mom needs MSO. But I have no idea how to fix it. A reinstall might help, but then all user-defined settings would propably be gone...

[castor]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933168

[Bob-san]

What Office version does she need? Heck--if you can, grab an old drive or whatever and do a fresh install. If the infection is on the drive period, odds are it'll infect whatever it's connect to (if it doesn't have proper protection). Hell--in these cases, the best I do is try to save pictures/whatever, reinstall the OS & drivers, install an antivirus, and then try to recover what I can piece by piece. If I want to be really safe, I'll just use a Linux liveCD.

[dr_costas]

I would not try to restore any registry or whatever. Since the first installation had problems and then you installed on top of that, It sounds very messy 

Since you have gone into all the trouble of trying to fix it why don't you just finish the job?

1: back up EVERYTHING you need to a USB / CD, (also do manual search into every folder for misplaced files, the desktop etc etc)

2: find the VISTA cd and the MSoffice cd making sure you have all registration info.

3: install VISTA but this time ask it to REFORMAT your hard disk (if the previous installation if full of viruses etc I would not even trust it to put the old data in the a folder)
   unless you have a VISTA upgrade cd rather than a full installation cd, hence out of luck

4: run all the updates and install all the drivers as needed

5: get a copy of an antivirus, I use AVG (free and seems ok)

6: install office

7: have a nice hot chocolate

[Hellstryker]

I would not try to restore any registry or whatever. Since the first installation had problems and then you installed on top of that, It sounds very messy 

Since you have gone into all the trouble of trying to fix it why don't you just finish the job?

1: back up EVERYTHING you need to a USB / CD, (also do manual search into every folder for misplaced files, the desktop etc etc)

2: find the VISTA cd and the MSoffice cd making sure you have all registration info.

3: install VISTA but this time ask it to REFORMAT your hard disk (if the previous installation if full of viruses etc I would not even trust it to put the old data in the a folder)
   unless you have a VISTA upgrade cd rather than a full installation cd, hence out of luck

4: run all the updates and install all the drivers as needed

5: get a copy of an antivirus, I use AVG (free and seems ok)

6: install office

7: have a nice hot chocolate

AVG is all well and good for online link scanning, but just doesn't cut it as a true antivirus IMO. I recommend MBAM, or if your parents think the only way to protect your PC is by dishing out enormous amounts of cash, NOD32 or Kaspersky.