POST DISAPPEARED?

Hi. I was here I think on March 17, maybe a bit earlier….i explained i had been unsuccessful in a system restore attempt after all my tool bars disappeareded and i could find no way to find them in my computer, so I decided to go back to an earlier date when I did have my tool bars, but for some reason the attempt to restore was unsuccessful and the computer recommended i try another earlier date or do a system recovery, so i opted for system recovery and then I stupidly interrupted my computer when it was undergoing a system recovery, and now because i did that, the computer is saying i need to find my system recovery disc, which i don't have because it is up in another state, i have moved and just have not found a new place to live permanently so cannot bring my stuff down here yet…. I was hoping you guys have the capability to take over my computer like you have done in the past and somehow get the system recovery thingy to work again….i explained i had dropped the computer, and the disc drive door doesn't even open anymore anyway…..so is this a total loss for me at this point??? I checked for three days straight and there were no replies to my query….. and then last Wednesday, I was assaulted, beaten, robbed and my car was stolen….so that is why I have not been online for the past week, was hospitalized for three days….. these jerks got everything i owned…now i'm thinking because I wasn't online for a week, you just got annoyed I never replied if someone did actually respond….. so whatever…i'm back, i'm in the public library, using their computers, I'd still love to try to fix my laptop because it is my only lifeline right now , they got my cell phone and my nook reader i had bought because the laptop was not working…. please let me know if you can help me ….. even if you can just remind me how to get into safe mode???? when i turn on my machine and the bios logo appears, what key do I hit to try to access safe mode????? F5???? I can't remember. Thank you for your help

So sorry to hear about the assault and robbery. I do hope you are okay.

You posted in the General Hardware forum on the 17th: http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?sh…=122653&hl= which is not an area I monitor, so let's let that one alone and continue here.

As for remoting into your computer, sorry but we don't do that. Even if we did, it would not be possible if you are in a recovery loop. I can't think of any way around this without you have the Win 7 install disc.

Hmmm, did the laptop come with Win 7 or did you upgrade to it? If it came with it, there should be a (or may be) a recovery partition on the hard drive that you can access at boot time with a Fn key.

What is the make and model number of the laptop? With that we can check the manufacturers web site to see what the Users Guide says about recovery.

Rich, thanks alot, sorry, I thought there was one time someone had remotely hooked into my laptop and had control of it and fixed it for me….. no matter, i am notorious for having no memory. I did not bring the broken lap top into the library with me…. it is a Lenovo and it has Vista, not Windows 7….so I need a Vista restore disc. The only person i found who had a system recovery disc had it for Windows XP…… heck i have both of them, but they are up in storage in Virginia, I am now in Durham, here only 3 weeks and everything I had was stolen. Can I still access simple things like my emails if i hit that F5 key, i think it is F5, that gets me into safe mode?…… my library time is over, I will have to log on again tomorrow, I will bring the lap top in with me tomorrow. thanks so much for such a prompt reply. blessings, Candice

F5 and F8 should both take you to the Advanced Boot Option Menu. From there, select Safe Mode with Networking and see if that works for you. That will give you internet access but the screen resolution will be poor, 800x600 VGA mode). Did the laptop come with Vista or did you upgrade to it from XP? If it came with Vista it may have a Recovery Partition on the hard drive that you can use to restore the computer to it's factory new state. What is the make and model number of the laptop. The online Users Guide should tell us how to do this. It means you would have to backup your data first as the recovery will format the install partition.

Rich….sorry I couldn't get on any sooner, library sign ups have been hours long to wait… this is a Lenovo G555, model name 0873… It wouldn't start in safe mode at all…. the message is "Windows failed to start, a recent hardware or software change might be the cause… 1. insert windows installation disc and restart computer . 2. choose settings and click next 3. click repair your computer…. NO. I never had Windows 7, but now when I hit F5 or F6, all I get as an option is " Choose an operating system to start Windows 7"….. i never had windows 7……I had windows Vista on this laptop and my desktop has windows XP, but that is still in storage up in VA….. I know what I did wrong, I interupted it when it was doing a system recovery and now it won't work at all and I am up the creek I guess. thanks for trying to help anyway. I'm going to purchase a cheap hunk of crud Sylvania netbook for $109.99 so I can at least get on the web at some point or in a WiFi friendly area. Right now I am renting a room and the landlord has no wifi or at least is very unwilling to let me hook into her internet service. thanks…..maybe I can find someone on Craigslist who has the installation CD

Don't give up yet! See here: Lenovo G555 (0873) Users Manual?

Look at Chapter 4, Lenovo One Key Recovery. See if that works for you.

link doesn't work for me Ztruker, all i get is a quick path find my product page.

Right, type in G555 and click on Find my product then select G555 (0873). That brings this up: 📎LenovoG5550873.jpg

Hi Candice,
Until Rich gets back to you here are the instructions to set your computer back to its "Factory" condition
If you do this then if the problem is caused through a software problem then there is a good chance this will get your computer going again. (if you have a hardware problem then likely it wont!)

NOTE By setting your machine back to its Factory state it will go back to just as it left the shop/Factory…. you will have none of your personal stuff left on it, all your files docs photos, music, emails address books/contacts all downloaded programs and everything you have put on it will be gone (that's why backing up personal stuff is often recommended here on the WTT site. )

So if you are ready to go ahead and try to bring back your computer to its Factory condition then here's how to do it:

1 Make sure that you have removed all CD's memory sticks, ethernet/Internet cables, printers, scanners and things plugged in your your computer in any of its slots…..(you should just have the main power cord operating through your "black brick" power supply unit, connected…nothing else!
2 Make sure your computer is powered off ( its best to hold down the Power On button for 30 seconds to make absolutely sure)
3 Press once the button immediately to the right of the Power ON button (it should have a backwards facing curved arrow on it)
4 This should take you into the One Key Rescue System (from there on its just a question of following the onscreen directions).

Post back here if you have any questions before you start the work….. other wise …Good luck!

Dont forget that the first thing you should do once its working again is to check that you have a good up to date anti virus product installed, so no surfing until you are happy with this.!..next thing is to check you have a firewall working on your computer, and then finally download and install all important and critical Windows updates….reboot as required and keep updating until Windows tells you there are no more to be done
(only do the critical or important ones)
Post back if you need detailed instructions on this.
Regards
paws
PS I must learn to type a little quicker… I see that Rich has got back to you already!

rich, i will copy down that information, but here at the library, the computers don't let you download anything at all, but this is great for future reference…

paws, as we speak, i am using that little button one step system restore…. WHO KNEW????? I SWEAR TO ALL THE DEAD AND LIVING GODS, YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!!

Seriously, it appalls me i am so stupid on these things, I mean, I am so stupid I couldn't understand those yellow and black computer for dummies books……and you guys know everything, just everything and it so amazing

look at this!!!!!!

WHOOPEE!!!!!

mY COMPUTER IS WORKING AGAIN, BACK TO DAY ONE, BUT WHO THE HECK CARES??????? MY PUTER IS WORKING!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU PAWS!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM SO GRATEFUL YOU GUYS DO THIS FOR US TOTAL RETARDS, I THINK ALL OF YOU ARE THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.

I am not a logical thinker, I run on pure emotion and have my entire life, rational thought is not my forte and that is why these machines just stump me and I get into problems every step of the way……

now, there must be some key to hit or someplace to go so I can get important security updates, i don't like most of the updates they do, sometimes they are not to my advantage and are geared to push and promote whatever the corporation thinks I should want or buy…… but security updates are important….

and yes, Paws, have been here for years now and use Avast and malware bytes and i think spybot destroy and they really really work and I far far fewer virus emergencies than I did when first came here.

Thanks again and have a wonderful spring…..and remember, it is National Poetry Month and everyone should be reading some really great poetry by some wondrous contemporary poets like Lucille Clifton, Franz Wright, C D Wright, Maxine Kumin, Donald Hall, Patricia Smith, Galway Kinnell, Sharon Olds, Linda Pastan, Tony Hoagland, Michael Cirelli, Tara Betts, Rachel McKibbens, Ted Kooser (ted has a great website called American Life in Poetry where you can get a free poem emailed to you every week, wonderful stuff!)…..or just read some of my long time favorites like Yeats, Czeslaw Milosz, Bly, Hopkins, Williams, James Wright, Akhmatova, Dickinson, Longfellow

as a thank you, here is one of my favorite poems for you!!

Love by Czeslaw Milosz

Love means to learn to look at yourself
The way one looks at distant things
For you are only one thing among many.
And whoever sees that way heals his heart
Without knowing it, from various ills-
A bird and a tree say to him: Friend.

Then he wants to use himself and things
So that they stand in the glow of ripeness.
It doesn't matter whether he knows what he serves;
Who serves best doesn't always understand.

Happy Spring, Happy Day, Happy happy NOW!!!!!!!!

Hi Candice, It's so good to hear that things are now working OK…so well done! Your getting good on fixing computers now…. it won't be long before we will see you setting up your own repair shop! Don't forget Candice that some of us here on the forums have been fixing computers for a while now, and the more you do, the better you get! Rich and I for example have been doing this work since ……well… since Noah was a Sea Cadet! All best, and thanks for the Poem…… loved it! Incidentally you should find "Windows Update" by going to the Start menu ( bottom left hand corner of your screen) and looking in "All Programs" Regards paws