Dell...Format wont happen

[tanja25]

Hi there,

I have 2 Issues with the PC of a friend of mine.
I am not really good with dell..and honestly I dont want to.

however the issues
1> If I remove a AntiVirus software the JavaScript is no more working even tho everything is enabled.
I believe it might have some to do with activeX but not sure. However after removing it it shows a blank screen on Messenger, Cant download anything and certain Windows Appz are blank too from system recovery,Messenger etc.
Main Appz just working fine.

For now I formated everything again and well try not to remove a Firewall till now but since she is not knowing what she is doing with here PC and crashing through regedit to remove some of her unwanted programs i am somewhat lost.
Maybe anyone who can help to fix that issue and I make sure she stays away from regedit

2nd Issue:
After formatting now several times her PC shows up with low disc spaces.
I dont know if dell has some protection or anything on the hard drive that still somewhere keeps part of the old OS
if so how can i remove it ?

The last time i did hers, like always format it but never the quick format since it wont delete everything,
She just got 40Gigs but even tho it shouldnt show just 280MB available after brand new install of OS and some programs..

Hope anyone can help me ASAP
I am going nuts with Dell and decided never buy one...
Stay with my homemade racing equipment....lol

Thanks a lot
tanja

 

[iss]

YOU should delete any existing parttion(s) then create a new partition and format it. otherwise yu canend up installing windows on freespace and end up with two installations.

 

[tanja25]

yep ,already did that...her wole 25GB in one C: and okay the average 8MB
still is missing about 15MB somewhere just cant find them...as i did it new it showed me that she has a 40GB but as i installed it only showed me 26.some GB
its just strange to me cuz when i do mine with a total redo it shows me all and everything on GB i have.

 

[Rick]

How are you formatting the drive? Are you using XP or Me? (I'm assuming one of these version of Windows because System Recovery was mentioned).

Dell has a recovery partition... Which should not leave you with 240MB or anything rediculously like that.

 

[hynesy]

I very recently formatted a friends Dell Dimention 3000, and had no problems what so ever. I can see no reason for Dell to have write protection. They already make it so u can have to upgrade ur dell's thro dell anyway.

 

[tanja25]

yes its XP

Its not really much she has its a P3 with 512Ram and 40GB so nothing really fast or special. Upgrade is out of question since i told her to get one that is "homemade" since its cheaper and she can adjust what she want.

With the missing GB i found out she had Acronis Back UP and the back up file was those missing GB...and acronis made an extra F: drive

However, after doing it over yesterday everything worked fine
now she installed SP2 her PC takes forever to boot
usually after that it starts that some conflicts and she has the empty screen
of some windows appz and everything thats internet related.

I am out of knowledge here since my PC aint doing it

Does that have some to do with Javascripting or activex ?
and the installed firewall ?
She has the PC cillin on it

 

[Rick]

now she installed SP2 her PC takes forever to boot

Is it possible she has two virus scanners running on it? Maybe McAfee AND PC-cillin, for example? It could certainly cause this behavior.

The best to find out what's going on is to peep into the system event log.

Start > Run > Type: eventvwr.msc and press [Enter]

Click on 'System'. The errors (and not-so-errors) should be sorted by date and time. Scroll down within the time frame these errors have occured and report to us any events that appear with a 'yellow bang'

or a especially a 'red stop sign'

 

[hynesy]

Is it possible she has two virus scanners running on it? Maybe McAfee AND PC-cillin, for example? It could certainly cause this behavior.

The best to find out what's going on is to peep into the system event log.

Start > Run > Type: eventvwr.msc and press [Enter]

Click on 'System'. The errors (and not-so-errors) should be sorted by date and time. Scroll down within the time frame these errors have occured and report to us any events that appear with a 'yellow bang'

or a especially a 'red stop sign'

I completely agree with Rick, i once install pc cillin internet security suit before uninstalling bitdefender internet security suit, needless to say it took 15min to log in:s