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Life Gets Tougher

As a nerd one of the most frequently performed services for customers is restoring their Windows operating system after it has been corrupted by viruses and spyware. The restoration process is tricky because Microsoft is testing more and more for licensing compliance. The product key found on the Microsoft certificate of compliance attached to the PC as well as other authentication information is needed to restore Windows. When Windows is not licensing compliant, Microsoft now detects this and stops providing security and other upgrades to Windows.

Restoring Windows depends upon reinstalling it using the original CDs that came with the PC. This is not a system restore which reformats the disk drive and wipes out all your data. It is a re-installation of Windows over Windows preserving your data and the linkages between Windows and the PC's application software. The fresh copy of Windows installed on a PC fixes the registry, repairs DLL corruption, fixes problems connecting the PC to the Internet, stops Windows crashes, and resolves other problems caused by viruses and spyware. When Windows has more serious problems, the original Windows folder is deleted and Windows is reinstalled on the PC. This more drastic recovery measure still preserves all important data and application programs while placing a factory fresh version of Windows on the PC. In this case though many Windows applications must be reinstalled.

Most often Windows is restored using these two procedures. However, in very rare cases Windows is not restored using these two procedures, necessitating using the system restore feature. System restore requires the original CDs that came with the PC.

Although these procedures are relatively simple to accomplish and very effective in restoring Windows while preserving customer data, problems arise because few customers have the original CDs that came with their PC. These original CDs have the Windows XP that was installed on the PC and bonded to it by the Microsoft registration process. If a freshly installed Windows does not match exactly with the originally installed Windows, bad things happen. The simplest is that Windows does not start unless it is re-registered with Microsoft. Re-registering was readily accomplished using the Internet. However, today you must most often call Microsoft to complete the re-registration process. When calling Microsoft, you are required to talk to a Microsoft representative and provide them with information on your PC. You commonly must give them your PC's model number, promise that this is the only PC that this Windows will ever run upon, and your first born. When the original CDs are used to install Windows over Windows or install Windows into a new folder replacing entirely the corrupted Windows, the re-registration process is much simpler.

New Dell and Compaq PCs have the re-installation version of Windows XP in a special disk partition and no longer on CDs. In this case a fixed disk failure may prohibit recovering Windows XP.

The important thing for you to remember here is to save the original CDs that came with your PC in a place that you can easily find them. The CDs contain the original Windows installation files that match your PC. They make rebuilding Windows much easier and more effective. Using these PCs to rebuild Windows also assures total licensing compliance. There is no need to organize the CDs as long as they are all thrown into the same easily found box.

Because most customers cannot find their original CDs, a nerds life gets tougher. Customers don't make a nerd's life tougher, but Microsoft does.


Link to Restoring a System Image in Windows 7

P. D. Moulton and Dial A Nerd, a local Columbia, Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland(MD) PC repair, computer repair, laptop computer repair, Wi-Fi network and wired LAN network configuration & repair, Windows XP repair, Windows Vista repair, Windows 7 repair, network server computer support, and virus & spyware removal. Dial-A-Nerd repairs PC (s), computers, networks, removes viruses & spyware and upgrades slow computers 24 hours a day 7 days a week. DialANerd provides immediate remote access as well as fixed price computer repair, network repair, virus & spyware removal services at its local Columbia, Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland(MD) repair shop. Repair completion is typically 24-hours to 48-hours. Dial A Nerd recovers hard disk data and saves your data. Each hard disk is tested for errors for free. Dial A Nerd makes a fixed disk image, recovers and saves your data for about a 90% of the desktop computer, laptop computer, and netbook PC (s) serviced. Dial A Nerd, a local Columbia, Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland(MD) repair business provides fast PC repair, computer repair, desktop computer repair, laptop computer repair, Wi-Fi network and wired LAN network configuration & repair, Windows XP repair, Windows Vista repair, Windows 7 repair, network server support, and virus & spyware removal services with a warranty. Dial A Nerd works on many PCs including Sony computers, Gateway computers, Hewlett Packard computers, Compaq computers, Toshiba computers, Emachines computers, Clone PCs, and Dell computers in the local Columbia, Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland(MD). The Dial A Nerd mission is delivering the best quality, affordable cost effective PC repair, computer repair, laptop computer repair, desktop computer repair, Wi-Fi network and wired LAN network configuration & repair, Windows XP repair, Windows Vista repair, Windows 7 repair, network server support, virus & spyware removal, home PC repair, printer configuration, PC - desktop computer - laptop computer - netbook computer performance optimization & speed up service. Homes and small businesses with limited IT service and IT support budgets in the local Columbia, Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland(MD) hire Dial A Nerd.


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DialANerd
7146 Rivers Edge Road Columbia, MD 21044 US
Phone: 410-531-5890 Website: dialanerd.com