I have a vindictive soon to be ex husband who wiped my daughter's laptop harddrive and tried to wipe mine?

I suggest:

Having a person with that type of education around can be a saint or a devil.

You DON'T know what he might have loaded onto the computers.

To be TOTALLY safe, wipe both back to factory - get your personal files and folders off to an external media FIRST!

If the Toshiba still has the image file, here is how to restore:

Many Toshiba laptops come with the factory software recovery image stored in a special (hidden) area on the hard disk. From this special hidden image, you can restore your computer to its factory-fresh software condition by following these steps:

To restore the original factory software image on your computer follow these steps:

1. Make sure the computer is turned off ("Shut-down" from the Windows Start menu)

2. Remove any peripherals such an external mouse, keyboard, monitor, USB flash drive etc.

3. Make sure the AC Adapter is plugged in and working.

4. Press and hold down the 0 (zero) key on the keyboard while powering on the computer. Release it when the recovery warning screen appears.

5. If the recovery process offers a choice of Operating Systems, select the appropriate one for you.

6. A warning screen appears, stating that when the recovery is executed all data will be deleted and rewritten.

7. Click Yes to continue.

8. When the Toshiba Recovery Wizard opens select "Recovery of Factory Software" or the appropriate option for your needs.

9. Continue to follow the directions restarting as necessary.

Please note that the process may vary slightly from machine to machine, that you may be asked to insert disks (multi-disk packages) and that the process may take one to two hours to complete. The recovery process will require you to restart your computer several times.

As you use the recovery process you will have several options. One of these may be to create a custom size partition. Follow the directions on screen for this and other options as prompted. When in doubt, it's usually best to accept the default, or pre-selected option.

Here is for Dell:

I will give the step by step procedure to do Dell factory defaults:

Windows XP:

CTRL and F11 key simultaneously when you see the dell logo after turning on the computer and follow the on-screen instructions.

Power the computer on.

When the Dell screen appears press and hold the CTRL and F11 key simultaneously on the keyboard, then release them both at the same time.

The Dell PC Restore by Symantec window appears.

Click the Restore button or press the key to highlight Restore and press the key.

A caution message appears advising that all data will be lost.

Click the Confirm button or press the key to highlight Confirm and press the key.

The Progress window appears. Once the process is begun, Dell PC Restore usually takes only 8 to 10 minutes to complete.

When the restore is complete, the message The system recovery process was successful appears.

Click the Finish button or press the key to highlight Finish and press the key.

The computer will restart.

Windows VISTA / Win 7:

Tap the F8 key when you see the dell logo. It will take you to advanced boot menu options under which you will see Repair your Computer, Select that option and enter your password if it asked, then you will be seeing a list of options like system restore, command prompt, etc., In that the last option says Dell PC restore or something like that. Select that option and follow the on-screen instructions.

Start the computer.

As the computer starts, press the F8 key until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears on the screen.

Press the (Down Arrow) to select Repair Your Computer on the Advanced Boot Options menu, and then press Enter.

Specify the language settings that you want, and then click Next.

Log in as a user who has administrative credentials, and then click OK.

Click Dell Factory Image Restore.

In the Dell Factory Image Restore window, click Next.

Click to select the check box for Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition.

Click Next. The computer is restored to the default factory configuration.

When the restore operation is completed, click Finish to restart the computer.

** If in both case, the Factory default didn't work, then your laptop's factory image defaults partition have vanished (i.e. Corrupted / Deleted). So you have to do Operating System re installation with the Operating System CD / DVD **

In the end, it was joint property, just move on but get the machines back up and running.

Sounds like you knew he had set up remote access and file sharing so not much you can do now but learn from this and reinstall the operating system onto both computers set your self as administrator and do not give access to the administrator password to any one or access to the PC's to him. As for recovering the lost files the only way would be to remove the hard drives and send them to a file recovery company that specializes in this and it is expensive with no guarantee as to results.

I am sure you created the operating system recovery disc for your new Dell at set up of the laptop but it also has a built in system recovery to use to reinstall the operating system. This will not recovery any lost files but will get it back to working and write over the old operating system doing away with any settings or programs he installed or set up for remote access and file sharing.

The Toshiba also has a built in system recovery and recovery disc available if you did not create them.

How To Restore or Reinstall Microsoft Windows on a Dell Computer

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx...

Dell Recovery Discs Order form: http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx...

Recovery Media is available for Toshiba computers sold by Toshiba America.

https://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/j...

How to restore your Toshiba laptop PC to its factory fresh software condition

https://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/j...

Would also recommend you reset your home wireless networks password / phrase so he can not hack into it. Since all this has already happened there is no short cut to solve the problem.

It's a crime and your state has laws about it.

State/Territory Cyberstalking Cyberharassment Cyberbullying

Alabama

Ala. Code § 13A-11-8

Ala. Code § 16-28B-3(2)

Alaska

Alaska Stat. §§ 11.41.260, 11.41.270

Arizona

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-2921

Ariz. Rev. Stat. §

8-309

Arkansas

Ark. Code § 5-41-108

Ark. Code § 5-41-108 Ark. Code §§ 5-71-217, 6-18-514

California

Cal. Civil Code § 1708.7, Cal Penal Code § 646.9

Cal. Penal Code §§ 422, 653.2, 653m Cal. Ed. Code §§ 32261, 32265, 32270, 48900

You would need to take it to a forensic data recovery analyst/company to prove that this happened and get your data back. Odds are he just deleted the files and the data could be easily recovered. Possibly at his expense if you sue/etc as it won't be cheap.

What is he 13 years old? What an immature bastard. Father's don't take revenge on their daughters. Anyways don't get it recovered because they steal all your stuff and information. Give it to someone you trust not just anyone.

disable remore access

http://www.sevenforums.com/system-security/29503-h...