Your data and Microsoft's attempt to protect it with VISTA / Windows 7
(Reading all of this page can save you lots of money.)

The Microsoft Sales pitch that Microsoft used to convince Windows XP users to upgrade to VISTA was all about Security, and rightly so.  It was a really big issue to business and people who travel with Notebook computers.

VISTA (and now Windows 7) is significantly more "secure" than previous Microsft products. If you get a virus / trojan infection, fortunately, I still can rescue or backup your data.  However... finding and removing many viruses are often made impossible by VISTA & and Windows 7 security. Restoring the system to original (new) state is required.

Returning your VISTA system to full functionality often requires restoring your system to the same "New Machine" state that you had when you first got your system.  If you take your machine to any business that sells computers, or services them for profit, they will perform that restore function without regard to your personal data.  Often their focus will be to sell you a new machine.

Restoring normal operation of your system likely requires restoring it to like when you bought it.  Blame Microsoft. I need access to many secret folders from which VISTA locks me out.  Those folders, are secret folders for data that Microsoft insists it not ever be removed. Some trojans hide in there. Microsoft is proud of how private and secure VISTA has been made. That's part of why many large businesses refused to "upgrade" to VISTA. Actually, Microsoft's concern is about Microsoft's own data they want to protect.

The task of restoring your system is not "difficult" from a technical point of view.  However, the steps required to get it back to the production level, to which it has evolved with Microsoft's Critical Update* process, requires a lot of time and knowledge, most of which can be and has been done by you, the user.  If you are capable, I recommend you do those things yourself and save having to pay me for most of it.  As a courtesy, I offer this list of things that I do after I have restored the system to "new state" of VISTA. (consumes an hour)  Then there is the time it takes to perform the following:

  1. Restore the system form the Recovery Partition that is on your Hard Drive.
  2. Install the first phase of Critical Updates (installs tools to ensure that you have a valid Windows License.
  3. If you pass that step, Install the appropriate Service Pack Update.
  4. Remove most of the marketing and Spam that the machine builder put on it
  5. Install an Anti Virus (May require removing the "trial version" that came on your machine.
  6. Install Firefox (It's still a generation ahead of Interent Explorer)
  7. Run the next pass at Microsoft Critical Updates... this will install latest Internet Explorer.
  8. ...and the next pass will fetch and install Updates for Internet Explorer
  9. The next pass will fetch and install "dot net" updates.
  10. Restore any personal data that you or I previously backed up.
  11. Backup the system and make it available incase you have reason for me to rescue you again.  It allows me to restore your system to state 10 in about an hour or two, skipping those prior steps.
  12. Return the system to you, and you will need to perfotm the functions that you did when you first got your machine, like handle email access.

If it went well, this all took only four hours wall clock time.  Billing time is less.

If you want to know more, contact me.  There is more reason than ever for you to perform regular backups of your personal data.  Otherwise you WILL eventually lose it.  Digital images, iTunes and music, tax and financials... say bye now, else back it up.  If you have read and understand this page, I will work on your computer.  Tell me... that you have read and understand this page: If I can not help you, there will be no charge!

If you are a Windows XP user who is wondering if you sholud get a
new machine, see this page.

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re. Microsoft Critical Updates...
* "Critical" to whom?  I hope you don't think Microsoft cares about you.