Windows XP recovery disc's

[Jimbo22]

I have an extended family members laptop to fix...lucky me. It's a HP pavilion dv5000 with windows xp pro. It has got some serious bugs. My problem is that I cant download any thing because IE 7 is some what dorked up. They have google set as home page. I can access the net and home page comes up fine. When I type any thing in either search bars, google or IE 7, I get the normal list of suggested options. When I click on what I want I get the other window that pops up with this coupon page with only 4 or 5 items to choose from. Looking at the URLs listed on those items in the list, they look suspicious and act that way when clicked on. AVG picks it up as a virus. So I'm stuck. I asked if they had the recovery disc's and they cant remember. I checked with in system programs and there is no system recovery manager of any kind. Need help.

 

[Celestra]

I'm an HP user...... HP carries pavilion recovery discs free of cost, check there first. If you have any problems obtaining from HP- try this: Link Removed - Not Found I've never encountered this problem yet- but it is interresting, and I didn't know HP has a limit restriction on recovery cd. Link Removed - Invalid URL ( Did you know that Microsoft is now selling IE7 for XP?- About $9) Can XP take IE8? I think if the recovery manager is gone it would be better to re-install, they probably broke the partition. Important programs may be corrupted or missing.

 

[kemical]

Unless you can do a system restore then a installation disk of some sort is going to be needed...

 

[Celestra]

Unless you can do a system restore then a installation disk of some sort is going to be needed...

(He says they can't remember if they have any system restore disc's and they no longer have a system restore manager..)

 

[Jimbo22]

Thanks Kemical and Celestra. I had to order the recovery disc's from HP. I just got them today. So it looks like today is going to be reformat day. Thanks for all the input and help.

 

[satrissal]

Which antivirus to choose?

Good afternoon, do not know where to seek help to get rid of viruses , no antivirus does not help , I hope for your help. Familiar advised to use Internet filter to protect against viruses , but something I'm afraid.

 

[OldTimer]

If AVG is NOT version 2012 and it's NOT up to date, that could be a problem.
I would run MalwareBytes on that PC, as quickly as possible.

There ARE some forms of malware out there that can disable almost any AV software, installed on the PC.
I'd love to get a crack at that Laptop, before its formatted. It's what I do for a living and have done for the
past 30 years. There are also some Portable AV programs that work a treat. Even Spybot S&D has a portable
version that I update and run from my Flash Drive.

Often, in my own PC business, I've pulled the hard drive out of a customer's PC and slaved it to my own Desktop PC.
Then I can scan that drive with my own package of AV/AS software to find and remove any malware that might be on that drive.
I can also run Chkdsk /f /r against that drive to eliminate any errors on the HD.
Finally, when the HD has been cleaned and repaired, it can be put back in its own PC and run properly.

But getting OFF of MS Internet Explorer would be the best thing, to start with. It's as unsafe as a screen door
to keep out a hurricane. For about 16 years, MS has been trying to fix the security holes in I.E., and they have
not done it yet. I won't touch it. If I could just uninstall it, like any other POC program, it wouldn't even be on
my computer.

Anyway.........

good luck,

 

[Trouble]

Internet Explorer more secure than Chrome and Firefox - Neowin.net

 

[Elmer]

I'd say IE9 is more secure. I use it to read my e-mails and have never had a problem. Whereas I use FF to visit pron sites and am always getting infected.

In other words, its the user who is unsafe, not the browser.

 

[Drew]

I have addressed this many times in various (other) threads.

I will 2nd the fact that IE9 is probably the most secure browser currently available.

An extremely good & strongly suggested combo which, I & many others, swear by for ourselves AND our clients is:

Windows 7
IE9 Link Removed - Invalid URL
Many articles & tests to support it being the safest & best browser available.
MSE Microsoft Security Essentials - Free Antivirus for Windows
Far better/(best) than other AV/AM offerings, many articles & tests to suport this + personal experience, personal & professional... countless ocasions of removing other security platforms (AVG, Avast, Norton, MacAfee, et al, for clients & replacing w/ MSE. No problems thereafter.
CCleaner www.ccleaner.com
&
Malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.org.

W/ the above 'team' there is no need for Spybot or Ad-Aware, as was the case w/ XP & prior to MSE.

Continuing to use XP, @ this point in time, is a bit silly. Certainly, if one has a problem XP machine, belonging to a friend, relative or client... see it as a golden opportunity to recommend migrating them to a Windows 7 machine or installation (via "Custom Install").

Regards,
Drew