windows 7, Computer Aid

windows 7 NTFS will corrupt windows 10 NTFS

Posted on 11 August, 2015 by Luigi Martin9 September, 2015

I’m hoping this is just an isolated problem.

I upgraded customer PC from 7 to 10 due to a HDD failure.

Luckily, I was able to backup data to my workshop PC (Windows 7).

So on the customer PC, I installed a new HDD, installed windows 7, activated & did most updates, then upgraded to windows 10

Since the HDD was new, I decided to then do a clean install of Windows 10, after which, it re-activated after skipping the registration key prompt… so far all normal.

To speed up restoring customer data, I typically remove the HDD from a new system (in this case its a Windows 10 PC), attach it to my workshop Windows 7 PC (using SATA), copy the customer data to the Windows 10 HDD, then re-insert the Win10 HDD into original PC…

But each time I tried it, data would disappear, or was only half was visible, or I would get boot errors & all sorts of corruption.

After re-installing Windows 7 & doing the win10 upgrade 3 separate times, I eventually decided that windows 7 just cannot handle the Windows 10 file system

So, after much frustration, I just copied the customer data from the workshop PC to an external USB drive, then copy the data to the Win10 system via the USB

Now I need to ask myself: how long will I wait before upgrading all my work PCs to windows 10?

windows 7 won’t remember network password

Posted on 5 October, 2013 by Luigi Martin5 October, 2013

A common problem with Linux file-server networks, as well as small-scale home networks.

You try to logon to a remote network system, so that you can get access to a file/folder.

You get asked for your username & password.

You enter the details (if its another windows PC you are trying to access via file sharing (not homegroup), you enter the user / password of the remote Windows user).

You tick the box that say: “Remember my credentials”.

Everything then works well until you re-start the PC.

Then you find Windows didn’t remember your credentials, and you need to enter the username / password again!

And there is nothing obvious you can do to fix the problem.

Here is how to fix it:

On the computer that keeps forgetting:

Start -> Control Panel -> User Accounts -> Credential Manager ->If you see your login details at this point, they have probably been saved incorrectly, so click on the incorrect details, and it will expand, so that you can click “remove from vault”

Now click on “Add a windows credential”

enter the remote computer / server name, the username, and the password, then OK.

Now restart the computer, and you can connect to the remote PC/server without the hassle of entering the details every time.

Manually restoring corrupt windows 7 registry files

Posted on 21 March, 2013 by Luigi Martin1 March, 2015

Its happened twice that I’ve received a non-starting windows 7 PC, only to find no hardware problem, and it quickly becomes obvious that the windows 7 registry has become corrupt, and windows 7 recovery is not smart enough to restore the registry.

And in typical Microsoft style, system restore also fails to work.

But I’m used to doing this in XP, where the registry backups are stored in C:\System Volume Information, and its a simple matter to copy and rename the 5 registry files back to c:\windows\system32\config

But Microsoft (in their typical “change for the sake of change” attitude) have decided to move it somewhere else.

I found some mention of a single copy of the registry files in c:\windows\system32\config\RegBack

But that doesn’t help if the backup also gets corrupted.

So far, I’ve been lucky that the copy in the RegBack folder has managed to fix the system… but its a concern to go from automatic multiple registry backups (with windows XP), to a single backup with windows Vista, Windows 7, and presumably Windows 8 )… A decrease in reliability, for no noticeable benefit.

the maximum file size for session readyboot has been reached windows 7

Posted on 22 October, 2012 by Luigi Martin22 October, 2012

I had a PC that was behaving strangely.

I eventually looked into the Windows event viewer, and found an odd error (amongst others):

the maximum file size for session readyboot has been reached.

So a search reveals its could be safely ignored… but I’m not convinced.

Since the most accepted solution is to increase the filesize limit, I decide to try it.

In regedit, I go to:

hkey_local_machinesystemcurrentcontrolsetControlWMIAutologgerreadyboot

Then change MaxFileSize from 14 (hex) to 40 (hex) (ie triple the max file size).

When I restart the PC, the readyboot error (and a few other errors… eg a WMI error) are gone.

Next: look at the other errors, and see if any can be fixed

windows 7 Stop 0x000000f4

Posted on 10 September, 2012 by Luigi Martin10 September, 2012

Sometimes, computer faults just conspire against you.

In this case, a win 7 computer just suddenly started to display a blue screen:

Stop 0x000000f4 0000001 0000000003 fffffa8004e18600 fffffa8004e188e0 fffff800025d8510

Unfortunately, the customer had no Windows CD (PC was purchased from a local computer company, so the CD should have been included)

All my tests show no apparent hardware fault.

After trying everything I could to repair windows, including windows repair option and system restore, I eventually decided to try the windows 7 repair option.

First I downloaded the Windows 7 SP1 ISO and created an original OEM disk.

I then go through the steps of booting from the DVD, selecting the “upgrade” option, until I get the error:

The Product key does not match current windows sku

I try altering the ISO image to match the Windows version that is installad (home premium), I also try making a “generic” iso, where I get prompted for the version of Windows that is to be installed…

But no amount of trying would get me past that error.

So after a frustrating time, I decide the best option is to do a fresh install, and then load all the backed-up data onto the fresh install.

Unfortunately, the customer only has Microsoft Office XP (which really shouldn’t be used with Windows 7), but I extract the product key (again, the CD had been lost) and then install it.

Compared to the XP repair install, the process for Windows 7 repair install seems more complicated and more prone to failure. Will Windows 8 be any better? That remains to be seen.

Windows 7 error 0x8007045D

Posted on 11 June, 2012 by Luigi Martin11 June, 2012

Got a laptop with a failing hard drive (Windows Vista).

Customer had no recovery disk… so she gave the go ahead to replace the HDD and to install Windows 7 Home Premium.

So I installed a new Seagate 320 GB HDD, and went through the usual procedure to install Windows 7

However, partway through the installation, I got an error message (0x8007045D)

A quick check on the internet doesn’t give any meaningful answers, so I try installing W7 again.

Now the logical amongst you will say: if you got an error the first time, youre gonna git it again!

But I know computers can be mysterious and temperamental.

Sure enough, the second time, Windows installs without a single problem.

I also do a full suite of updates, install an antivirus, and run the windows experience index test, all without a single problem.

Sometimes its worth trying again.

Error code 0x800704ec removing Alureon.E

Posted on 6 February, 2012 by Luigi Martin6 February, 2012

This is one of the rare infections, where I found it easier to re-partition the hard drive, rather than remove the infected.

I initially just ran malwarebytes, and by using a combination of safe mode, and UBCD4Win, I managed to (apparently) clean the system (it took 2 hours!).

So, the next day, the same customer calls, saying they tried to install AVG (I didn’t have time to re-install an antivirus on the day, and the customer seemed competent enough to do it himself)… but he kept getting errors, and now the computer won’t start.

So I bring the PC back to the office

Starting the Windows 7 PC only results in an initial attempt to start windows, followed by a re-boot

So I remove the hard drive, and install it into my bench PC.

Sure enough, malwarebytes finds and removes more infections.

But while malwarebytes is scanning, Microsoft Security Essentials say it found an Alureon.E infection in boot:deviceharddiskvolume2

But then it gives an error code 0x800704ec and says something like: I can’t remove it due to permission problems.

A second scan with malwarebytes, says the disk is clean… and I get the same report from SuperAntiSpyware, only Microsoft Security Essentials keeps detecting, and complaining about Alureon.E

I try TDSSKiller, but it can only scan the current active system, so thats useless for fixing a non-booting system.

I put the disk back into its original PC, and boot the Windows 7 CD, and attempt a “repair system startup”. After a few attempts, its obvious that its not working.

I even try to manually fix the bootup, using “fixboot” and “fixmbr”, but the fixboot gives an error.

I try a huge array of options to clear the boot sector, and I eventually manage to get fixboot to work, but MSE still says that there is Alureon.E on the disk.

Eventually I see a few forums that mention that even if Alureon.E is removed from the boot sector, once the system starts, its possible that the system will get re-infected.

At this point, I decide I’ve wasted enough time on this, and I backup all the user data, re-install windows (I make sure I delete all the partitions, and then re-create them, so that there is no chance that Alureon.E can find its way back).

Its a pain to recover lost data and applications, but at least it will save me from wasting more time on trying to fix something that might not be fixable.

Its strange: I would have thought that most anti-virus software would have the access rights to override a boot sector, yet it seems like thats not the case.

If I ever see this type of infection again, I’m going straight to the “backup and wipe windows” option!

system fix infection and missing icons on Windows 7

Posted on 21 November, 2011 by Luigi Martin21 November, 2011

I helped someone remove a fake antivirus called: System Fix

Fairly straightforward on an XP computer.

But the next day, my own Windows 7 PC got the same infection… but it seems a bit more difficult on Windows 7. Besides the warnings about disk corruption (which seemed genuine… I started to wonder about by drive failing… even though it was only 6 months old), I also developed other problems later.

It seems like it got in via a realistic-looking adobe reader update… We get so many adobe updates (it feels like they happen every day)… so its easy to just quickly click on the button that says: “yeah, sure, do your silly update and stop annoying me”.

Removing System Fix using MalwareBytes (while in safe mode), was easy, but after restarting the PC, I got all sorts of other problems:

All my start menu icons, desktop icons, were missing
The icons in the right-hand taskbar were no longer being hidden
The “pinned” icons on the left of the task bar were missing
I was getting a strange .net error at startup
Some desktop gadgets were missing.
resizing an internal window in event views would generate an MMC snap-in error

I soon figured it was the aftermath of the infection… and the solution is meant to be easy: all the icons, etc are hidden in a windows temp folder.

However: Since I don’t like the useless accumulation of temp files (which Microsoft still refuses to address as a real problem), I’m currently using CCleaner to automatically clear the contents of my temp folders… so there go my icons.

Ah, but a system restore should bring them back!

Darn! It seems System Fix also cleared out all system restore points!

But I still have a fall-back: Every week, I automatically copy my whole drive to a second drive in my PC… so my icons should be on my D: drive!

So, after a lot of digging around in folders I didn’t know existed (wow MS has changed the folder structure of Windows 7!), I managed to restore most things (although I had to cheat, since the pinned icons need a proper registry entry… but I got around that my just dragging the “pinned” shortcuts from their original folder, directly to the taskbar… thus creating a correct “pin”).

Many other items were restored quite simply… eg:

The start menu items: right-click on a blank part of the task bar -> properties -> start menu -> Privacy -> tick both “store and display recently opened…”. Then on the same window: customise… -> use default settings -> OK -> OK

The right-side task bar icons were restored to their original state (ie hiding some icons like the action centre) by right-clicking on a blank part of the task bar -> properties -> task bar -> Notification Area -> customise… -> untick: “always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar” -> OK

Next was to fix the .net error?

I tried the dotnetfx_cleanup_tool, and then re-installed .net, but that din’t help at all.

After looking closely at the error (and scrolling the non-resizeable error dialog box (using cursor keys!)), I could see that there was a permission problem with a file near:

C:Users{username}AppDataLocalMicrosoft

After checking with another Windows 7 system, I realised that all folders/files under the Microsoft folder were marked as hidden (and they shouldn’t be).

So I make all folders/files below that “un-hidden”.

That fixed the resizing event viewer problem, and the missing desktop gadgets.

Back to normal (at last).

It took a few hours to fix up all the “little” problems caused by all the settings and permission changes that this nasty little thing did 🙁

Bigpond 7.2 USB internet not working on windows 7

Posted on 3 October, 2011 by Luigi Martin3 October, 2011

I see this happen all too often.

A customer brings me a laptop, and a USB internet modem (the usual 3G SIM card device).

She says it was working perfectly on her old PC, but refuses to work on the new laptop.

She spends many hours on the phone to Telstra/Bigpond technical support, only to be told that the fault must be with her laptop (which is just a lame Bigpond cop-out, since the laptop is brand new).

So she brings it to me, and I try it on a different PC, and it does the usual thing:

Initially connects as a virtual CD, then automatically installs all the needed drivers, then sends a special command to the USB device to flick it from a virtual CD drive to a USB modem, then everything works as expected.

But on the laptop in question, The USB modem is already working in modem mode, but doesn’t have all the drivers it need to operate.

This can happen due to a customer cancelling the driver installation before it complete, but it can also happen if the driver installation software encounters an unexpected problem (usually due to new hardware/software, or due to software line antiviruses that interfere with the installation).

Anyway, for me, the solution is quite simple:

I connect the laptop to both the USB modem, and also to my local internet connection via ethernet.

I can then update the missing drivers over the ethernet internet connection.

Once the drivers are updated, I can disconnect the ethernet, restart the PC, and the USB modem connects normally.

flash player won’t install on windows 7

Posted on 24 June, 2011 by Luigi Martin24 June, 2011

This computer is running windows 7 64-bit on an i5 CPU, and had been running well for about 9 months.

At some stage, the owner got the usual prompt to upgrade adobe flash player.

She does what she always does, and upgrades.

The upgrade to 10.2 seems to complete normally

But now ie8 will not run flash files (and prompts the owner to install flash, because its not installed).

I spend a few hours trying various tricks like:

disable the acrobat add-on
install ie9
reset IE9 to default settings
remove and re-install flash
download the install file and install “manually”
download and install 2 earlier versions of flash
check for infections

But I do notice that flash actually works well with firefox & chrome…

So: the problem seems to be centered around Internet Explorer.

I eventually have to conceed defeat, but at least the customer is content to use firefox for now.

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Tag Archives: windows 7