[cap2587]

I am starting up my own computer repair business. I am wanting to find the best software programs for repairing such things as: corrupt registry, backing up a computer in windows and outside of windows (crashed system), Anti-Virus and Malware programs. What should I have in my CD case to allow me to have the best shot at fixing a clients computer.

UBCD4WIN, Acronis True Image Bootable CD, Paragon Partition manager, Puppy Linux (what is this used for?) Bootable CD, Malwarebyrtes, Spyware Dr, XP and Vista Operating system CD's, Active password changer, Autoruns.

Any suggestions on good programs to use and what there used for would be very helpful. Thanks

[Stoner]

You might consider Sysinternals suite.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb842062.aspx

[cap2587]

Thanks! It looks like a lots of great programs I wasn't aware of.

[Rich-M]

I carry in free versions of the following:
Win Patrol
Superantispyware (including versions that will install with Windows installer screwed up)
Malwarebytes
jv16 Power Tools
Startup Control Panel
Avira Antivirus
Avg Antivirus
Power Toys (mainly tweak ui for XP)
Irfanview
Bit Defender Rescue cd
Hijackthis
Gmer (rootkit)
Adobe Flash Player
Java
Norton & MacAfee Removal Tool
Winsock Fix
Combofix newest
Taskbar Repir Tool
Open Office
SP3 for Office 2003 and Sp's for 2000 and 2007
Sp 2&3 for XP and Sp 1&2 for Vista
Firefox newest
Siw
Ubuntu 8.04 live-cd
UBCD4
Paid:
Nod32
Superantispyware Pro
Asterisks Password viewer
Win patrol paid

[cap2587]

Thanks for the list of all the good programs you use. Now I just need to try them and get familiar with how they work. What exactly do you use for restoring/fixing a corrupt registry. What would you use the Bit defender rescue CD for? Thanks.

[Stoner]

I use Erunt to save a good copy of my registry...

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/erunt.html

[cap2587]

Thanks Stoner! How exactly does Erunt work. I performed a back up. How do you restore this back up something goes wrong. Can you only restore the same system that you do the back up from. I recently came up against a problem with a Vista Registry problem. System32/default/config. I could not boot the system into windows and had to use restore disks. Could you copy a registry from another Vista system and use a restore disk and the erunt registry back up to fix this. Hope this is making sense. Let me know what you think?

[Stoner]

Originally Posted by cap2587

Thanks Stoner! How exactly does Erunt work. I performed a back up. How do you restore this back up something goes wrong. Can you only restore the same system that you do the back up from. I recently came up against a problem with a Vista Registry problem. System32/default/config. I could not boot the system into windows and had to use restore disks. Could you copy a registry from another Vista system and use a restore disk and the erunt registry back up to fix this. Hope this is making sense. Let me know what you think?

No
Use the Erunt backup only for the computer it was made from.

On a computer that won't boot, you can use Bart's PE to boot into a windows environment and then locate the Erunt back ups usually in the windows folder, and in that back up folder click on Erunt.exe to replace the registry.



A guide here:
http://www.pcug.org.au/boesen/ERUNT/ERUNT.htm

[cap2587]

Erunt looks like a good back-up program! My issue is that the regular person is not going to install Erunt on their computer, therefore you can't use the back-ups to fix there problem. If there is an issue with a registry file missing/corrupt in XP then you can use WINCD4U and go back to a previous registry back up. I'm assuming that in XP you have a back up registry folder/file built into the operating system. What about with Vista. Is the equivalent called regback. I know that UBCD4WIN is not compatible with windows Vista, what would you use for Vista. Basically I am just trying to figure out the best way to fix a registry problem with an XP/Vista PC. Any tips, good programs. I have downloaded all the programs that everyone suggested and now need to use them and get familiar. Thanks

[rimtech58]

get Backtrack its a linux live Disc its used for Computer forensics but can also be used to recover and fix partition problems etc ie use as live disc which loads to Ram and does not access Hard drives but can be used to solve problems our download it to h/d and learn what it can do
ps there are other linux live discs that help
http://www.livecdlist.com/

[cap2587]

Thanks for the tip on Backtrack. I have the CD already and have found it very good.

[rimtech58]

Its a awsome disc
thankyou your reply

[thoffland]

You might check out ultimate boot cd too. http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/