Restoring XP back to yesterday or before.

[yungman]

Hi
My grandson installed something on the computer and it really mess up the computer. It is a XP Pro system. Is there any way to recover the computer to a past date before today?

It boot up after half an hour of self checking, everything is in slow motion. I went into the control panel and can't find what he installed. He said he installed a new Java but I can't find it. I just want to return to this morning!

 

[jedishrfu]

some stats on java malware. Because of its ubiquity, its being targetted by the black hatters:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/mmpc/arc...shows-prevalence-of-java-malware-in-2012.aspx

You may have to install a new copy of Windows XP after you've copied off what you need from your machine.

Anyway this may help:

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000589.htm

Maybe you can con your grandson into paying for a new computer too, since he feels so guilty right now.

 

[yungman]

Thanks, I'll try the restore tomorrow.

Ha ha, my grandson is 13, so getting a new computer out of him is pretty much out of the question!

Thanks

 

[jedishrfu]

Thanks, I'll try the restore tomorrow.

Ha ha, my grandson is 13, so getting a new computer out of him is pretty much out of the question!

Thanks

Ha ha, How about yardwork or chores?

 

[yungman]

I got in and tried to restore to a later date, the computer went through the whole work but said it cannot restore to the date I chosen. I tried different dates and still it won't work. What should I do.

 

[rcgldr]

If this is just a Java add-on, it should only be affecting your browser. You can go to your browser (like internet explorer, click on tools, manage add-ons, ..., and disable the add-ons you don't want.

If it's some program being launched at startup, click on start, run, "MSCONFIG", and look for the offending program, usually under services or startup, and uncheck it so it's not run.

 

[jedishrfu]

If this is just a Java add-on, it should only be affecting your browser. You can go to your browser (like internet explorer, click on tools, manage add-ons, ..., and disable the add-ons you don't want.

If it's some program being launched at startup, click on start, run, "MSCONFIG", and look for the offending program, usually under services or startup, and uncheck it so it's not run.

Not true, there are some malware java downloads that masquerade as java that could do anything to your machine.

 

[jedishrfu]

yungman, did you backup up your important files? make sure you do that.

then try reloading XP from a stock MS disk.

Also note that XP has reached end-of-life so there are no more updates from MS to fix vulnerabilities unless they deem it necessary.

Perhaps this would be a good time to switch to Ubuntu Linux, different but similar to Windows with equivalent applications like OpenOffice for MS Office...

 

[AlephZero]

Also note that XP has reached end-of-life so there are no more updates from MS to fix vulnerabilities unless they deem it necessary.

No, XP is stil supported until 8 April 2014. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/end-support-help

 

[AlephZero]

What should I do.

Did you log on in safe mode before you tried the restore? The restore will probably fail if it tries to delete a program that is already running.

Or, try booting the computer from your Windows CD, and then try System Restore.

Or, run a scan of your antiviirus software.

Or if you don't have any antivirus software, try http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/pc-security/malware-removal.aspx

 

[jedishrfu]

No, XP is stil supported until 8 April 2014. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/end-support-help

Thanks, I had heard it ended a couple years ago and now I see there is a graded end of life support timeline:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/products/lifecycle

The main stream one was April 2009 which many businesses factored into their plans and then there's the drop dead extended date April 2014 for everyone else.

I think MS was coerced into extending the support due to vulnerabilities and customer migration issues.

Time for Ubuntu Linux.