Need A Laptop Reformating Service

[ezzra]

We're in need of a computer techie person that can reformat my laptop OS ( Vista) and do other

simple maintenances

that ACTUALLY understand what he is asked to do and dose it correctly, seen and been to

too many computer cowboy shops to

know that a lot can be lost in translation and i speak the local lingo,

can be a home service or

go to the shop, Any suggestions as to a true computer savvy person in and around Sukhumvit Rd,

Bkk will be greatly appreciated and will put you on my Christmas list,

Thanks,

[thaimite]

I'll be round to fix your laptop....; At Christmas

[Derifo]

How much are you willing to pay for something that you can do by yourself?

Try Pantip, or if you can be at Mcdonald's around Sala Daeng at 11:30, I'll put you through the whole process. Bring your Vista DVD.

[chinook]

you'd be better dumping Vista and using XP, Windows7 or Linux Mint.

[xen]

I had my gf's laptop reformatted a few months ago at Pantip - just a guy with barely a shop but recommended to me by my regular DVD retailer. I had him install a genuine copy of XP that i had but he still started to install all those shit extras and games that they like to install . He was surprised when i told him i didn't want them . I can install the additional programes myself but to avoid headaches install a genuine operating system (get rid of Vista is my advice and go for windows 7 ) . I have since learned to do a reformat myself - surprisingly easy if you have a genuine Windows CD -insert in hard drive and follow the prompts but download all your drivers first and put them on a flashdrive so you can re-install them from the flashdrive, Also save/backup all your docs etc onto a portable hard drive and delete them from your computers's harddrive if you have privacy concerns before you do the re-format or get somebody to do it for you.

[ezzra]

Thanks for all the feed back,

The problem is that my OS was pre installed when i bought the computer new and i don't have an installation's

disk, i have a recovery disk and I'm not sure how to use it, also, i have so many important stuff on my HD that i don't want to lose any of it by DIY,

if i have learned one thing in my life is that if you are not sure as to what are you

doing than leave it to the expert and don't wing it, I'm not a 100% computer's literate, so

I'm happy to pay for the right service,

[NanLaew]

You have been to a few techie shops and you speak the language but they don't do as they are told. Buggers!

First point of note: doing a comprehensive backup/restore isn't a while-you-wait activity.

Second point of note: a comprehensive backup/restore needs to be planned and structured and never an 'over-the-shoulder' task with anyone.

I have recovered and restored my laptops and PC's for years. Most have been caused by system upgrades but a few have been forced on me due to technical issues and HD failures but I am still batting 1000. Some of my buddies have asked me if I can do the same for them but they too don't want to lose anything. However, most of them don't help much by being unable to tell me exactly what they want saving and it usually ends up in a pissing contest because 'I am not listening' to them when in reality, they haven't a clue about what they are asking for or don't realize how time consuming and complex it can get. The worst aspect is usually this is their ONLY working machine so they want it done now and be finished in a couple of hours... for a beer.

Since you will forever be at the risk of getting something 'lost in translation', I reckon what you need to do is buy an external USB hard drive, say 500Gb maximum. Then take a long, quiet weekend and sit down with your laptop and locate ALL the stuff that you can't afford to lose by file name and location. Back the files up to the external drive. If you use a regular POP3 or IMAP email client, then you will need to backup your emails too (most of my mates didn't appreciate that email backup aint a simple point and click exercise). I would imagine that you have favourites and saved url's in the web browser(s) that you use so you need to export them to that they can be imported into your new installation. Also, make a list of all the programs that you have installed, then over a glass of wine or a beer, whittle that list down to what you want to re-install on your 'new' machine. There's about 30% of programs downloaded and installed on a 'trial and error' basis, to fix a one-off situation, just old and obsolete and never, ever used again so you don't need them.

When you are happy that you have all the files saved and only you know what files you want, then it is time to learn how to use that recovery disk (if you want to clean install the Vista o/s. The alternative is to go online and download and install the Win7 compatibility checker then run it. This will indicate pretty conclusively if your 'legacy' laptop will (mostly) work with Win7. If it passes the test, buy it, download it and install it. That way you have a genuine product and not that hacked crap that you have seen them try and foist on you at the local traps. The Win7 installer is pretty impressive at getting the right drivers for your peripherals but if in doubt, you can always go to the online support pages for your laptop BEFORE YOU CHANGE ANYTHING and download and save the Win7 drivers to the external HD.

Now, after you have either restored or clean-installed your laptop and reinstalled your programs, you can plug in the external HD and either copy your backed up files en masse back to their new homes on the laptop which will be time consuming. I would recommend working for a few weeks with the external HD attached and only copy back the files on an as-needed basis. Once again, you may be surprised at how much of that precious backup is obsolete or otherwise redundant.

If the above does seem beyond your technical savvy and there's no shame in admitting that, then my rates are US$150/hour for standard service and US$300/hour for expedited service.

The advice in this post is free.

[Dork]

I had my gf's laptop reformatted a few months ago at Pantip - just a guy with barely a shop but recommended to me by my regular DVD retailer. I had him install a genuine copy of XP that i had but he still started to install all those shit extras and games that they like to install . He was surprised when i told him i didn't want them . I can install the additional programes myself but to avoid headaches install a genuine operating system (get rid of Vista is my advice and go for windows 7 ) . I have since learned to do a reformat myself - surprisingly easy if you have a genuine Windows CD -insert in hard drive and follow the prompts but download all your drivers first and put them on a flashdrive so you can re-install them from the flashdrive, Also save/backup all your docs etc onto a portable hard drive and delete them from your computers's harddrive if you have privacy concerns before you do the re-format or get somebody to do it for you.

Think he was surprised when you mentioned the word "genuine". Not something heard often around Pantip.

[ezzra]

You have been to a few techie shops and you speak the language but they don't do as they are told. Buggers!

First point of note: doing a comprehensive backup/restore isn't a while-you-wait activity.

Second point of note: a comprehensive backup/restore needs to be planned and structured and never an 'over-the-shoulder' task with anyone.

I have recovered and restored my laptops and PC's for years. Most have been caused by system upgrades but a few have been forced on me due to technical issues and HD failures but I am still batting 1000. Some of my buddies have asked me if I can do the same for them but they too don't want to lose anything. However, most of them don't help much by being unable to tell me exactly what they want saving and it usually ends up in a pissing contest because 'I am not listening' to them when in reality, they haven't a clue about what they are asking for or don't realize how time consuming and complex it can get. The worst aspect is usually this is their ONLY working machine so they want it done now and be finished in a couple of hours... for a beer.

Since you will forever be at the risk of getting something 'lost in translation', I reckon what you need to do is buy an external USB hard drive, say 500Gb maximum. Then take a long, quiet weekend and sit down with your laptop and locate ALL the stuff that you can't afford to lose by file name and location. Back the files up to the external drive. If you use a regular POP3 or IMAP email client, then you will need to backup your emails too (most of my mates didn't appreciate that email backup aint a simple point and click exercise). I would imagine that you have favourites and saved url's in the web browser(s) that you use so you need to export them to that they can be imported into your new installation. Also, make a list of all the programs that you have installed, then over a glass of wine or a beer, whittle that list down to what you want to re-install on your 'new' machine. There's about 30% of programs downloaded and installed on a 'trial and error' basis, to fix a one-off situation, just old and obsolete and never, ever used again so you don't need them.

When you are happy that you have all the files saved and only you know what files you want, then it is time to learn how to use that recovery disk (if you want to clean install the Vista o/s. The alternative is to go online and download and install the Win7 compatibility checker then run it. This will indicate pretty conclusively if your 'legacy' laptop will (mostly) work with Win7. If it passes the test, buy it, download it and install it. That way you have a genuine product and not that hacked crap that you have seen them try and foist on you at the local traps. The Win7 installer is pretty impressive at getting the right drivers for your peripherals but if in doubt, you can always go to the online support pages for your laptop BEFORE YOU CHANGE ANYTHING and download and save the Win7 drivers to the external HD.

Now, after you have either restored or clean-installed your laptop and reinstalled your programs, you can plug in the external HD and either copy your backed up files en masse back to their new homes on the laptop which will be time consuming. I would recommend working for a few weeks with the external HD attached and only copy back the files on an as-needed basis. Once again, you may be surprised at how much of that precious backup is obsolete or otherwise redundant.

If the above does seem beyond your technical savvy and there's no shame in admitting that, then my rates are US$150/hour for standard service and US$300/hour for expedited service.

The advice in this post is free.

Thank you Manlew,

your comments were a big help and an eye opener, albeit somewhat condescending at times,

but hay, i asked for it didn't i? i have taken all your wisdom words to mind and shall try to act

on them, and thanks for the freebie,,,

[aarn]

NanLaew advice spot-on, methinks. Important to backup everything onto an external hard drive.

Once you have done that, heartening news is that some laptops have a built in restoration function. Not sure if that applies to Vista O/S, but toshiba netbooks running Win7 can be brought back to as-new state if the 0 (zero) key is held down before you turn the thing on (keep pressing the 0).

Google 'restore system' and add your comp brand/model for possible advice. AA

[UbonOz]

NanLaew advice spot-on, methinks. Important to backup everything onto an external hard drive.

Once you have done that, heartening news is that some laptops have a built in restoration function. Not sure if that applies to Vista O/S, but toshiba netbooks running Win7 can be brought back to as-new state if the 0 (zero) key is held down before you turn the thing on (keep pressing the 0).

Google 'restore system' and add your comp brand/model for possible advice. AA

I had my Windows 7 reinstalled a couple of weeks ago by a Thai guy, very little English, and he appears to have done a good job.

I did notice when he started he used something called a "Ghost" which took a copy of my system before wiping it and reinstalling.

It took about four hours from start to finish.

I am not technical at all and would not trust myself to do this sort of work.

Anyway, my laptop has probably never run better in the two years since I bought it.

[NanLaew]

^ That would be Norton Ghost, a disk cloning utility. I have never used it but I have heard that Ghost does do what it is supposed to do and does it quite well.

The problem with Symantec is their tendency to start bundling perfectly good standalone products with some of the bloatware they make and call it some sort of 'suite'.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

May I suggest that you simply use Windows Easy Transfer... Then you can run the brand's Factory Restore procedure.

Though personally if the data was important, I would reverse clone the disc beforehand.

Make and model?

[ianwuk]

All shops here use Ghost and just restore from the backup. This means if the backup has viruses or whatever your system will have them also. I would love to start up a sort of PC repair company so I'd be happy to help out.

[JSixpack]

All shops here use Ghost and just restore from the backup. This means if the backup has viruses or whatever your system will have them also. I would love to start up a sort of PC repair company so I'd be happy to help out.

Ah, well, one does a virus scan before or after the backup.

Careful about that work permit, pal.

[webprogrammer]

check the support section at the site of laptop mfd, there is a chance that they provide OS images for reinstall purposes

otherwise try torrent search, you probably not alone with what you are looking for ;-)

so if there is an image of CD-DVD with OS and hardware drivers, just download, burn it and reboot from it - then you will get clean system with all drivers installed ;-)