Vista User

[G-CPTN]

I recently returned my laptop computer under warranty to the manufacturer (Medion).
A new motherboard and various things (mouse buttons) and CD/DVD drive were fitted.
On receipt a message stated:-

To verify that your device was fully functional a test account was set up.

As far as I know, the hard drive wasn't changed, but when I got it back and switched it on it appears to have been 'wiped' and was set up with an identity that had been used for testing - User Medion:-

Switching it on opened the test account - and no sign of my data (or installed programmes).

I restored the backup that I had made immediately before sending the laptop away, but this has installed itself under a different User (my original user name) and I now have three User accounts (Medion, Public and G-CPTN), but whenever I reboot it opens as the Test User and I don't have direct access to my documents and pictures.

What I have effectively got back is a new ex-works installation (though I suspect that the original hard drive might still be the same item).

My first question is whether I can, somehow, 'recover' completely my original setup (together with all the various programmes that I had installed - these have not been restored by the backup - just the data files) or is that now completely gone and lost forever?

Windows doesn't show any other partitions (other than the standard D:Recover Partition that contains drivers and the bundled programmes - which are now already installed within the 'Test' User identity on the C:drive.

Are there any programmes that will 'unhide' whatever is stored on my hard drive?
_________________________________________________________


My second question is, having restored the backup, how can I arrange for the system to boot directly into my 'G-CPTN' User identity with direct access to all my documents and pictures etc?

Selecting 'Switch User' in the start menu doesn't offer alternatives (only 'Medion' - though I can locate Public and G-CPTN by selecting 'Computer', '[/I]C[/I]', 'Users'.

Assuming that question one is negative, how can I 'overwrite' the User 'Medion' with the attributes of 'G-CPTN'?

I am prepared to start again from scratch (I have the backup dated early May 2010). If necessary, how do I undertake this?

[mad_jock]

To be honest you can't unless you contact them and see if they imaged your drive before they trashed it.

The service guys will have squirted an image onto you drive and removed everything on it.

The reason why they do it is becuase its a zero input method of testing the computer they just hook it up to a network and leave it runing for a couple of hours and the scripted software will say pass or fail after its done its thing.

They will also come out with some persudo legalise rubbish about how they can't return computers without confirming that all software on it is legal.

Personally if I was you I would use this pain in the neck feature to go Windows 7.

Next time you let anyone near your PC always take a disk image. By that I mean a complete image of the drive not just a backup.

[G-CPTN]

Thanks for your reply.

I'm not too upset - though it's a nuisance to have to 'start again'.


Now, any answers to my second question, anybody?
How do I 'overwrite' the User(s) so that it opens with my preferred User?

[Avtrician]

Are you able to delete the other users,,,,

I would contact the repair mob and ask what has happened and insist that they make it work the way it should.....

[mad_jock]

I would scrub it and reformat that partition and do a fresh install.

You don't know what that new OS they have blown onto it has had tweaked.

[green granite]

Or alternativly: cntrol panel>admin tools>compuet management>system tools>local users and groups you can create and delete accounts from there, BUT make sure you have at least 1 user with admin rights.