Wanting to do a Windows 7 restore to factory settings

timbon_2

I have a BSOD issue, i have checked websites for information, done a few memory and hard drive checks, i have also checked the event viewer and tried to look up the errors on google etc.

Basically i just want to sort a complicated computer problem out as i am not that advanced in all the technical stuff and i am certain other people have done a factory reset as well.

Would this be a simple thing to do? can i save all my information on to an external disk and then after the factory reset would it return back to exactly the same as it is now? would i lose out on anything?

2010

timbon wrote: »

can i save all my information on to an external disk and then after the factory reset would it return back to exactly the same as it is now? would i lose out on anything?

With BSOD there may not be anything you can save.
What pc make and system are you running?

timbon_2

Its a HP Compaq running Windows 7, i am actually using it right now and it is not in safe mode, the BSOD happens at around 75% of the time shortly after i boot up.

The error that i get is Kernel-Power, dont have a clue on what has caused it.

I just have a feeling that a full restore should sort it out.

NiftyDigits

You can use Easy Transfer to keep your files and settings if you have a suitable external HDD(formatted to NTFS).
Then you can run the Factory Restore and all of the Updates; then to use Easy Transfer to restore your files. You may have to reinstall some programs.

closed

try turning off power management

what security software are you using, has anything been installed or updated recently

does it do it without the battery in (if it's a laptop)

timbon_2

My power settings are set to the highest performance.

I am using Zonealarm free and AVG free, i cannot think of anything that i have installed that is causing this problem and my security software has been on the system well before the BSOD.

I will have to try it without the battery, it happens when i boot up with the battery and also when i use the AC adapter with the battery. The funny thing is that it never happens in safe mode, therefore how can it be a hardware issue?

closed

try it without both of those on, avast free and windows firewall instead, blue screens are nearly always caused by software or drivers

timbon_2

Ok thanks, i will try with both of them off, i forgot to mention i did install some bluetooth software a few weeks before the BSOD, but that was a few weeks before, perhaps i could try uninstalling that as well just to see how it goes.

2010

timbon wrote: »

I am using Zonealarm free and AVG free,

I would uninstall both of them and use:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/security-essentials-download

along with windows firewall, which the download will switch on automatically.

timbon_2

I guess that solved the problem, it was either Zonealarm or AVG free, probably an update caused one to give an error, i have had both of them for almost a year.

timbon_2

For problems like this i think there should be a notification of some kind to tell you whats causing it i.e. firewall or anti virus, but now i need to solve my dhcp-client error and connection dropping.