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Other => General Topics => Topic started by: Shiw Liang on December 20, 2009, 04:57:15 PM
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If my computer was infected by viruses and that I need to delete some important files,after deleting them and if I run my backup.Will my computer be able to run properly after a restart :-\?
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if you delete some important system files, you won't be able to boot and restore from back up. BUT: you can restore from backup if you run Vista or Seven, by booting your Windows DVD and going into the recovery console that will offer you the necessary options. So, when you boot your DVD, instead of clicking on "install", click on "repair" instead and follow the instructions. This will work only with a backup made by Windows native utility of course ;)
ps: if you're running XP there's another option, at the very beginning of the boot process with the CD, hitting F6 or something (not sure anymore). But this supposes that you got the appropriate backup somewhere.
If backup restoration is successful, you will be able to boot normally. You can also try a system restore point, also available in Vista/Seven recovery console. No backup needed there.
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Oh thanks^^
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-- DISK IMAGING
I would suggest you also look disk imaging software. I use Drive Image 7.1, the last version by PowerQuest before it was bought by Symantec and merged into its Norton Ghost disk imaging software, another option is Acronis true Image, there are others, most of them are paid options.
I take an image back-up of my primary hard disk partitions every week as part of my system maintenance. This is saved to my second HDD or it can also be written to a DVD. I also back-up volatile data files, .doc, .xls, etc. along with emails, bookmarks, address book, registration keys, etc. (anything you don't want to lose) every day sometimes several times a day.
So if I experience a problem like yours (haven't to date) then I just restore my last back-up disk image (takes about 15 minutes) followed by the last daily data back-up (takes seconds rather than minutes) and I will have lost virtually nothing.
Compare that with The experience experience of some in these forums and the money I paid for my disk imaging software would have paid for itself if it had to be used just once if you valued your time at just £5 per hour. I have had to use it several times (not virus related) where it has hauled my a** out of the fire, it is an absolute god send.
-- SYSTEM BACK-UP & RECOVERY
If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.
If you have a back-up and recovery plan, you can recover from anything in minutes, not hours or days.
1. back-up all the things that you don't want to lose, data files, like documents, spreadsheets, emails, email account details, registration keys, address book, favourites/bookmarks, downloaded files/programs, etc. the list goes on and on but if you don't want to lose it back it up. There are many back-up programs that can simplify this task and run it every day.
2. Recovery - re-installing your system really is a poor choice and one of last resort. There are tools (Drive Imaging software) that take exact images of your Partitions or Hard Disks and these images can be restored in minutes if you suffer a major catastrophe and that doesn't have to be a virus attack.
I do a weekly image of my partitions and save them to my 2nd hard disk, they can also be saved to off-line storage, DVD, USB external hard disk, etc. as part of my weekly system maintenance.
So if the worst comes to the worst at most I lose:
A. 6 days worth of program updates or new installations, but with my daily back-up I can recover most of that.
B. less than one days data files, emails, etc.
None of these is a problem and much quicker than a system reinstall and I don't have to go on-line to download the myriad of security updates needed to secure my system where there is a chance to get reinfected whilst my system has vulnerabilities because of these missing patches. Not to mention all my system tweaks and program settings are retained and I will have saved myself many hours of work and a huge amount of stress.
Many of these programs cost, there are some free ones, but it will take some research on your part to find these tools and decide on what is best for you from reviews, user feed back, etc. good luck.
- Free EASEUS Partition Master http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm (http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm) this also allows for disk copying.
- Free Paragon Backup & Recovery 10 Free Edition http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-express/index.html (http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-express/index.html), this is a big download over 100MB for those on dial-up, phone a friend on broadband.
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Oh I see so the image backup is better than the windows backup itself by the way thanks for the link^^
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OR!
You and used a Paragon Backup & Recovery 10 Free Edition and is does very much like Norton Ghost and True Image.
http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-express/download.html (http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-express/download.html)
Edit: Sorry DavidR I didn't read the the last part that you already post about Paragon Backup & Recovery 10 Free Edition