My computer gave me some trouble. Can you please help me?

[mets82]

I was the person who posted about how Windows would freeze up all the time and I would have no sound coming out of Realplayer etc. Well, heres an update. I have sound but I have to start in Realplayer to get it, otherwise, there is no sound. Now as far as Windows goes, what I did was a couple of things. First, I disabled a few add-ons which helped me out. Second, I upgraded internet explorer from IE 8 to IE 9. When I did those two things, my computer was fixed or so I thought.
The real only problem now is that everyday Windows is telling me to install new updates and whether I should restart the computer in 10 mins, 1 hr. or 4 hrs. Well everytime I try to install new updates, it says that I failed. Windows couldnt install the updates. This happens EVERYDAY !!! Also the microsoft fix-it center which helped me with the computer problems I mentioned above doesnt open. What should I do?
Also, I should point out that some of my history is gone from today as well and I dont know why. Its also freezing a little bit but not as bad as before.
I have Malware Bytes Anti-Malware. I also have Norton Security Suite. I use the Norton Firewall to protect my computer. Theres a lot here but here are some of them:


Update for Windows Vista (KB2607712)
Security Update for Windows Vista (KB2536276)
Update Rollup for ActiveX Killbits for Windows Vista (KB2570791)
Update for Windows Vista (KB2570791)
Update for Windows Mail Junk E-Mail Filter (Aug.2011) (KB905866)
Update for Windows Vista (KB2563227)
Security Update for Microsoft.NET Framework 2.0 SP2
Security Update for Windows Vista (KB2556532)
Security Update for Windows Vista (KB2563894)

Those are some of the updates that when I try to install them, they dont work. It says to install, so I do. I restart the computer and it says the updates were not configured and windows couldnt install the updates.
I tried disabling Norton Firewall for 15 mins. and used Windows Firewall but it was no dice. The updates still are not installed right. Also, thanks to me, windows defender is gone. Everytime I try to open up Windows Defender it says "Application failed to initialize 0x80070006. The handle is invalid." What does that mean? Maybe thats the reason why the updates are not working?
I went to check my browsing history to see what sites Ive been on and there was nothing there. It shows the history from 1,2 and 3 weeks ago fine, that hasnt disappeared yet, all the sites Ive been on are not shown. Can someone please help me?
Heres what happened when I looked up Windows Update and Windows Installer. For Windows Update, I changed the startup type to manual. Windows Installer's startup type was already manual. Is this what I should have done? What should I do next?
I tried the link above and I thought it worked but it didnt. What should I do now? Now I see on my computer that I have low disk space. Well, I clean my disk space from Disk D about 5 or 6 times now and theres nothing left to delete.
So what should I do about the failing windows updates and the disk space problem?
I tried your link that you gave me and it doesnt work as I still have low disk drive. Can you please tell me about the used space on each partition? What does that mean? I actually think I posted it somewhere already. If your talking about what I think your talking about, I posted it in the post that I started "My computer is fixed...sort of".

When I clicked on the link Microsoft Fix It came up. I let them handle any problems I had. They said everything was ok and I had to restart the computer to install the updates. When I restarted the computer, it said the samething I had before, that the Windows Update were not configured. I think I hit restore and nothing has changed. It still says I have low disk space on Drive D. I have deleted everything I could from Drive D.

The recycle bin is empty. I have C, D and E. I do a disk cleanup and I choose either between Disk C or D. I choose C obviously. Now I have deleted some files. I hope this works now. I deleted Recycle Bin stuff, downloaded program files and a couple of other things, which Im not sure of.
I ask this because Im still having the same problem with Windows Update and Drive D. My computer keeps saying that the Windows Updates are not installed correctly and that I have to free up space on disk D.

Now I have tried Disk Defragmenter but I dont know if Im doing it right. When it says defragment now, I do that to all the disks, yet I still have the same problems. What should I do?
Drive D appears on my screen. It says that Im low on disk drive space on disk D. Theres a picture of a disk at the bottom of the screen. I mean Ive deleted files from C,D,E etc. I dont know what else to delete.
Im very sorry if this seems long and I rambled on and I repeated myself. Im sure some of you guys know my problems by heart by now. So if you can help me, I'd appreciate it. I dont know what all this means above. The stuff that I posted above, I really dont understand it, so if you can help me with any of these problems, I would deeply appreciate it. Thank you.

Now I posted this on computerhope.com on October 6. What I got was a link for Acer eRecovery. Heres the link: http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/de...360faq40.shtml

I followed that link and now I lost EVERYTHINGMy browsing history, my files, my Norton Anti-Virus, my videos are all gone. I even think Internet Explorer 9 went back to IE 7. I had to basically reboot my whole computer as if it was the first time I went on my computer. Thats how it is now. Its like a flashback to when I bought the computer in Nov.2007 and had to set the computer up. Thats what it felt like tonight. Everything is gone.
Is there any, any, way I can get my stuff back. Or at least try to show me how to get it back I would really, really appreciate it.

[robyrob]

well, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but yes - if you ran the system recovery then all your stuff is gone.

the recovery process basically involves wiping the operating system partition completely clean (removing all existing data) and then copying a disk image onto that empty partition. The disk image is the original state your computer came in with all of its original software and drivers installed.

You are going to have to do all of your Windows Updates, reinstall your software and get a new antivirus installed as well.

when you look at the instructions on that link you posted, it says in the very first point:

"Note: These steps will return the system to the original factory installation including all factory installed drivers and applications.
Back up all data prior to using this procedure."

it is not a bad idea of getting into the habit of making back-up copies of anything important that you couldn't afford to lose if you have a computer problem.

[mets82]

Originally Posted by robyrob

well, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but yes - if you ran the system recovery then all your stuff is gone.

the recovery process basically involves wiping the operating system partition completely clean (removing all existing data) and then copying a disk image onto that empty partition. The disk image is the original state your computer came in with all of its original software and drivers installed.

You are going to have to do all of your Windows Updates, reinstall your software and get a new antivirus installed as well.

when you look at the instructions on that link you posted, it says in the very first point:

"Note: These steps will return the system to the original factory installation including all factory installed drivers and applications.
Back up all data prior to using this procedure."

it is not a bad idea of getting into the habit of making back-up copies of anything important that you couldn't afford to lose if you have a computer problem.

Ok, let me ask in your last paragraph, which I highlighted in bold, I know a made back up copies of my files. Im 99% sure. Now how would be able to find out? Im not a computer genius, obviously, so would I do it? Can you please give me step by step process if you dont mind?

[robyrob]

Originally Posted by mets82

Ok, let me ask in your last paragraph, which I highlighted in bold, I know a made back up copies of my files. Im 99% sure. Now how would be able to find out? Im not a computer genius, obviously, so would I do it? Can you please give me step by step process if you dont mind?

normally you would back them up onto recordable cd's or dvd's, or copy them onto an external hard drive or usb flash drive, or you could upload them onto the internet


unless you specifically did one of those things, I don't see how else you could recover your files.

[Janice]

When I recently lost just about everything on my computer, I took it to The Geek Squad. What I had backed up didn't work. The Geeks were able to get it from my partition. Roby, you probably know what that means, but it's all Geek to me.

[robyrob]

Originally Posted by Janice

When I recently lost just about everything on my computer, I took it to The Geek Squad. What I had backed up didn't work. The Geeks were able to get it from my partition. Roby, you probably know what that means, but it's all Geek to me.

what they probably did is copy everything over to a dvd first, and then run the recovery.

it is important to actually TEST your backups to make sure they work, or have multiple backups incase you lose one or it fails.