Off hand it sounds like a failing harddrive. A "full reinstall of factory
settings" would be no help if this is so. And, if so, what you would need is
a new harddrive. You'd probably be looking for a 2.5 in drive, probably
SATA.

IF the computer is under warranty, get the manufacturer to fix or replace,
else look for a good price on a fast big drive and even a copy of Windows 7.
If it is still under warranty be careful not to do anything that would void
it, otherwise it is an opportunity to get a decent harddrive and a copy of
Windows 7.

On Windows 7: The 'upgrade' version can be used to do a "clean install". And
since you already were running Vista, you'd be entitled to the upgrade
license for Windows 7. Any drivers the install routine misses can usually be
gotten off the manufacturer's website. If possible, get the drivers
downloaded and burned to CD-R *before* initiating a Windows installation.
Windows 7, however, might catch just about everything and you find you don't
need to install any drivers yourself. BTW, if your computer could do Aero
with Vista then it can do so with Windows 7.

Read the following through:

[Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media - WinSuperSite]
[url]http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp[/url]

Saucy


"fivegoldstars" <guest@unknown-email.com> wrote in message
news:7b8ef6ae2f9e1ab94de226ebc71b7a1b@nntp-gateway.com...[color=blue]
>
> Hello all. Hope somebody can offer me some help - I've Googled this
> until my brain hurts!
> Last night, my laptop reported an error with the USB Plug and Play
> function, and then automatically restarted. Chkdsk kicked in, and,
> apparently, found reams of errors. After these were 'corrected', Vista
> has developed several problems, chiefly that device manager won't work.
> Along with this, no networks are found, so the machine can't connect to
> the net. Most other basic functions still operate.
> I've tried a couple of fixes mentioned around the net, i.e.
> reregistering the dll in command prompt, with the final one being to run
> sfc /scannow. That reports errors that Windows cannot fix. I do not have
> a Vista DVD as it was preinstalled, and my only recovery option seems to
> be a full reinstall of factory settings. Is there any other way to fix
> the errors?!?!
>
>
> --
> fivegoldstars[/color]

Inplace upgrade? I don't know, because what you described sounds so hosed. A
restore shouldn't hose a system, rather bring it back, eh. The files system
shouldn't be hosed neither. Even though you've mentioned restores as the
possible culprit, I would still consider the possibility of a failing
harddrive.

Anyway, I would back up whatever docs, files, etc. I could to a network
location, an external harddrive or CD-R, just in case the drive is going
south.

Saucy


"fivegoldstars" <guest@unknown-email.com> wrote in message
news:66c9acd0f12ba3ef567a63197ae08af7@nntp-gateway.com...[color=blue]
>
> I'm fairly sure that's not the case. I think that at least some of the
> corruption was user generated due to a number of restores. I've managed
> to get the device manager back by copying over the devmgr.dll. Still
> can't get a net connection. There's a problem with the windows wireless
> service - need to see if any of the other errors found in sfc/scannow
> relate to that. Was hoping for a utility though that would check and
> restore dlls - it's laborious otherwise.
>
>
> --
> fivegoldstars[/color]