I've been asked to try to sort out a PC belonging to a relative of a colleague. It was constantly loading Notepad and a load of unexplained browser windows once booted. When I got my hands on it, I found that the antvirus software hadn't been updated since 2001 (!), and there was no firewall.

Although the PC had only ever been used for the odd bit of web surfing and e-mailing over a dial-up connection, I found it to be absolutely riddled with viruses, trojans and adware. AVG found 90+ viruses, and the usual anti-spyware tools (Microsoft, AdAware, and Spybot S&D) found a similar number of bits of malware, and I don't just mean tracking cookies.

The vast majority of these nasties were removed easily enough but a few stubborn ones remained. Although the programs claim to remove them, they always return after Windows is restarted. Even after spending many hours trying to get rid of them with a combination of software tools (I discovered very useful program called TDS-3), and manual editing of registry and start-up items in MSConfig, I haven't been able to eliminate the last one or two.

Given the damage that all this malware could have done, and the time (how appropriate) I've already wasted, I'd like to format the drive and install Windows from scratch but there's a problem.

The PC was made by a well-known Lancashire company that used to be advertised by Leonard Nimoy. The owner doesn't have a Windows CD and the company doesn't supply such a thing with new PCs. A bit of research on the web reveals that they offer a restore CD for an outrageous

Unfort. the only 2 licence keys which worked across each other were windows 98 and windows 98 SE. None of the others work with the other version of windows if ya get what i mean?

Another microsoft money scheme

I have no TIMEfor companies who charge for restore cd's

I can send you a copy of WinXP that will work. The Microsoft Licensing deems that it's the sticker (CoA) that's important, there's no problem having the media on say a recordable CD. Second option I would look at is loading PartitionMagic and seeing if you can uncover the 'secret' partition. I heard of this happening but haven't seen such a PC personally, so can't comment on how easy it will be to uncover. Would be interested to know the outcome though.

Steve

Perhaps I've misread your post regarding the OS on the PC. What version of Windows is on there at the moment, and what version is the license sticker that's on the PC?

Steve

...None of the others work with the other version of windows if ya get what i mean?

That's what I suspected.

I think the choices are:

1. buy the restore CD
   
2. buy a copy of Windows
   
3. get a dodgy copy or dodgy licence
   
4. get another OEM copy (if it would work)
   
5. install Linux.
   

I wouldn't do 1 or 2 on principle - after all, a copy of Windows has already been paid for.

If you can, as wardy said, use any cd for that version, its fine. The sticker is the licence and the media is not important. Which version of winblows is it?

Perhaps I've misread your post regarding the OS on the PC. What version of Windows is on there at the moment, and what version is the license sticker that's on the PC?

Sorry, it's my fault for not mentioning it. The PC has Windows XP Home installed and that's what the sticker is for.

Thanks for all the rapid replies!

If you can, as wardy said, use any cd for that version, its fine. The sticker is the licence and the media is not important. Which version of winblows is it?

If that's the case then all I'd need to do is find a plain vanilla OEM (presumably not upgrade) copy of XP Home? Is it possible that the key for this PC is designed only to work with the Time version? As you can see, it looks like any other Microsoft sticker.

Martin,

other than the fact that there's permanently wasted and inaccessible part of the hard disk, would there be any problems in formatting it in the normal way? Do Time PCs have any other hidden horrors? From a purely hardware point of view, it doesn't seem a badly made PC.

Thanks again all.

I can't believe there isn't another way of getting to that data! Time weren't that clever believe me

In any case, you can get round the problem by using a standard XP Home disc. Any will standard one would work as that's a standard XP COA sticker. I can send you a CD with all the XP 'Flavours' on it and you can just select the correct version of XP from the list, job done

Just tell the guy never to buy anything like that again

Steve

Also when installing XP you will see the whole drive as partitions, so you can delete the wasted space then use the whole drive for windblows

I can't believe there isn't another way of getting to that data! Time weren't that clever believe me

I've done quite a lot of web searching. Although I can find instances of people in the same position, I haven't found examples of anyone finding a hack to get round the Time restriction. I suspect the sort of people who could work out how to do it are too knowledgable to buy a Time PC.

In any case, you can get round the problem by using a standard XP Home disc. Any will standard one would work as that's a standard XP COA sticker. I can send you a CD with all the XP 'Flavours' on it and you can just select the correct version of XP from the list, job done

Thanks! I'll ask around to see if anyone I know has a standard CD and if not I'll take you up on your kind offer.

Just tell the guy never to buy anything like that again

He's been left in no doubt. Thankfully, he has better taste in cars and was one of a couple of happy Fabia owners I spoke to before buying my own.

Thanks again for all the replies. I knew there were knowledgable people here but wasn't expecting such a rapid response!

try downloading something called UBCD... ultimate boot cd.

its a bootable cd with a load of apps on it to help the machine run... its also got a virus checker and drive applications

if its XP disable system restore and rerun the cleaning programs.

try downloading something called UBCD... ultimate boot cd

Yep, a very handy CD - worth having.

Steve

Alternatively give up on the HD and buy a new one - dabs are selling 40gb discs for about

Wouldnt recommend promoting illegally obtained and used software in particular

Fact is that if you didn't buy the restore disc, your are NOT entitled to a free windows installation disc and you will be in breach of the Microsoft license agreements..

If you want to stay legal, buy minimal hardware and purchase an OEM license from say Aria.co.uk or scan.co.uk for example. That way you are definitely in the clear, and you'll probably also have a SP2-integrated version saving you a lot of time.

Steve's post just preceeding this one could be good, esp. the windowsreinstall one.

I have installed XP on more machines then I care to remember, and when your machine has been hosed by virusses and so forth in this bad a fashion, a clean install will make it a lot more likely to keep working properly for a lot longer. Years without a reinstall is certainly possible when you do an install properly.

Once the machine is this badly compromised though, I prefer the easy life

Fact is that if you didn't buy the restore disc, your are NOT entitled to a free windows installation disc and you will be in breach of the Microsoft license agreements..

I'm not so sure that's true, I'll have to go away and re-read the MS license agreement. My take on it was that the sticker is king If you've got that, it doesn't matter what media you use to install it.

You've paid for the software, and have the license sticker to prove that. And in my mind that should entitle you to use the software properly, which means re-installing as and when necessary.

Just my tuppence's worth

Steve

I agree with your opinion - just not sure it was the case, OEM licenses like the one used by Time and it's other friends like it were a little restrictive

Either way, you're quite right, the software was paid for & you have a license sticker (keep that for sure) and you will be ok.

If you do download something please be cautious not to get a version with built-in trojans. Your safest bet would be to get hold of a CDROM from someone with another original disc. That way you should be in the clear

Yes, in this case I would just install from an OEM XP Home disc. They're all the same, as long as you're entering a license number from an OEM sticker it will install without problem.

As said earlier in the thread, I can provide such a disc, which is clean, so all is well...

Steve

To get OEM software you have to buy some hardware. Otherwise every man and his cyber pet would be buying OEM versions of Windows XP Pro etc.

Best bet would be buy new HD and also Win XP. That way you are covered and yes it will cost money but you'll have a virgin HD, with no firmware flashed hidden partitions, and an official copy of XP.

That my two penneth.

You can buy the full version of XP Home at a computer fair, it will be official with hologram CD and sticker. The only downer is that it will probably be an OEM version, which isnt a problem until a year later it ceases to update as requested....I know I have been there.....and MS couldnt get to the bottom of why it wont update.

Even so, it is an official copy and fully legal.

ps...I didnt buy any hardware or anything else.

You can buy the full version of XP Home at a computer fair, it will be official with hologram CD and sticker. The only downer is that it will probably be an OEM version,

OEM versions are only supposed to be sold with a new computer, so doing this is breaching the license agreement.

Plenty of places seem happy to sell OEM copies though... - Dabs is the only one I know of who actually doesn't sell OEM copies to just anyone!

Rob.

Same with Aria - you have to buy 'qualifying hardware' otherwise they won't ship it either. Personally I agree it's the best way to do it.

Grab yourself a nice new drive, they are pretty cheap at about 30 odd quid for something half-decent small size

OEM versions are only supposed to be sold with a new computer' date=' so doing this is breaching the license agreement.

Plenty of places seem happy to sell OEM copies though... - Dabs is the only one I know of who actually doesn't sell OEM copies to just anyone!

Rob.[/quote']

Strangly enough Microsoft didnt have a problem with me having purchased it when I rang them with problems (even if they couldnt fix it )