Moaning and Groaning

[Mimi]

Is it appropriate to have a Moaning and Groaning topic?    Computers can be so frustrating that I have been tempted to throw mine over the side of the roof and gleefully watch it explode when it hits the ground! ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday the White Estate software was hanging up - not functioning. Neither was Ad-Aware 2008. That has never happened before. So I ran System Works - had a few errors in Adobe Acrobat - a few were not fixable. Next to run was Stopzilla for a possible virus. Nothing. Ran Ad-Aware again. It hung up - would not run. During all this time I was listening to sermons on Audioverse. That was the only pleasant thing happening. It was late and I didn't want to deal with it, so to bed.

This morning there was no Network connection to the new wireless. It was 6:30 A.M. so I had to wait to contact the network people. Finally it dawned on me I could use the old dialup to e-mail him, so that was done. In the meantime, I rebooted. Network connection was still missing - nowhere to be found under Settings/Network Connections. What a strange thing. So, I went to the sewing machine and finished a project, came back to the computer, stared at it for quite a while and decided to reboot again - and there it was. Of course, by this time I was fit to be tied so it was an incredible mixture of joy and frustration that I was experiencing. By the way, staring at the computer is a valuable action. Never discount the minutes spent staring. 

So, I had to go back to the network people and tell them the new wireless connection showed up afterall and "never mind." I am sure he blames the operator. 

After everything was "back to normal," I ran another Stopzilla scan and it found two hijackers to disable registry files. Great.  After those were removed I reinstalled Adobe 9 to repair the System Works problems, Ad-Aware in case it did not have a smooth install before and to catch what Stopzilla doesn't grab and now AVG just to have my bases covered.

What a nightmare!   

Thanks for letting me vent! 

[Immanuel]

Is it appropriate to have a Moaning and Groaning topic?    Computers can be so frustrating that I have been tempted to throw mine over the side of the roof and gleefully watch it explode when it hits the ground! ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday the White Estate software was hanging up - not functioning. Neither was Ad-Aware 2008. That has never happened before. So I ran System Works - had a few errors in Adobe Acrobat - a few were not fixable. Next to run was Stopzilla for a possible virus. Nothing. Ran Ad-Aware again. It hung up - would not run. During all this time I was listening to sermons on Audioverse. That was the only pleasant thing happening. It was late and I didn't want to deal with it, so to bed.

This morning there was no Network connection to the new wireless. It was 6:30 A.M. so I had to wait to contact the network people. Finally it dawned on me I could use the old dialup to e-mail him, so that was done. In the meantime, I rebooted. Network connection was still missing. What a strange thing. So, I went to the sewing machine and finished a project, came back to the computer, stared at it for quite a while and decided to reboot again - and there it was. Of course, by this time I was fit to be tied so it was an incredible mixture of joy and frustration that I was experiencing.

So, I had to go back to the network people and tell them the new wireless connection showed up afterall and "never mind." I am sure he blames the operator. 

After everything was "back to normal," I ran another Stopzilla scan and it found two hijackers to disable registry files. Great.  After those were removed I reinstalled Adobe 9 to repair the System Works problems, Ad-Aware in case it did not have a smooth install before and to catch what Stopzilla doesn't grab and now AVG just to have my bases covered.

What a nightmare!   

Thanks for letting me vent! 

Computers are such a wonderful tool!!! (When they work properly    )

It sounds like one of your problems might be too many Antivirus/Spyware programs. From what I read you have Norton Systemworks, Ad-Aware, Stopzilla, and now AVG. These programs can conflict with each other and cause you problems. The best thing to do is have only one Antivirus and one Spyware program. Today many of these are one and the same. Also, personally, I would never use a Norton product. When I had Norton Systemworks it caused more problems than it fixed. Norton software also takes hold of you computer and it is almost impossible to fully get rid of it. But if it works for you...

[Brian M]

I get frustrated just thinking about sewing

[Mimi]

  I can sew blindfolded! You techie guys know about computers and what the current needs are, so advise away, if you would!

I just added AVG. Yesterday when the difficulties were occurring I had only two: Stopzilla and Adaware. So, tell me - which two should I keep? Stopzilla seems to catch a lot and I have a one-year subscription with them.

As for Norton - I hate it but cannot get it uninstalled, as you noted. So I only use System Works to find errors. If there is a safe removal tool for Norton, I would be very interested in getting hold of it!

[Mimi]

Symantec now offers a removal tool. I got it and removed "Everything Norton." So that part is done!

[Immanuel]

Symantec now offers a removal tool. I got it and removed "Everything Norton." So that part is done!

Well that is good. Years ago I tried to remove Norton and it would not go. It was still there even after I reformatted the hard drive (it had installed things in the boot sector)

I have never used stopzilla but if it does the same thing as Ad-Aware and you have a subscription to it I would remove Ad-Aware.

Personally I use Bullguard which incorporates Anti-Virus, Spyware, and Firewall. It does cost $60 per year, but I have never had a virus or spyware problem with it installed. The main reason I use it is because of the real-time scanning engine - it scans files before I open them so it prevents infections before they can happen. Most of the major anti-virus have this functionality now.

[Mimi]

Good - I removed Ad-Aware. Stopzilla is real time as well. What about AVG? Do I need it? Or is this another possible conflict?

[Wally]

I get frustrated just thinking about sewing

I've come to the conclusion that sewing (with a machine) and playing the piano are humanly impossible, so I'll stick to sawing and splitting wood--there is more margin for error (within reason--or the range of one's toes), and no one complains about "imperfectly split" wood.  And if I want to hear music, I'll slip in a CD, and my wife can listen to it while she sews (she can probably do it blindfolded, too).

[Mimi]

... and here while I am moaning and groaning, finishing up with the complexities of this computer, you crack jokes!

Job well done! You made me laugh! 

[Lewis]

I just got done cross-stitching  Bullguard into my computer system. It took me awhile of thimbleing  around before getting AVG and Windows Defender threads  out of the computer.  I seam  to like this new program, it works quite well.

Thanks Immanuel for saying something about this program. I installed it today and it works great! 

[Mimi]

Do you do "French Seams" while bulldogging? Does your garment look as good on the inside as the outside? 

Am getting over moaning and groaning. Thank each one of you.

Did you know Audioverse only lets you download 7 sermons at one time?    Am so afraid this wireless will go away that I am working - for the night is coming!

[Immanuel]

Do you do "French Seams" while bulldogging? Does your garment look as good on the inside as the outside? 

Am getting over moaning and groaning. Thank each one of you.

Did you know Audioverse only lets you download 7 sermons at one time?    Am so afraid this wireless will go away that I am working - for the night is coming!

A friend of mine has satellite internet. It went out last week and they said it would be 5 business days before a technician could come look at it. Hope that does not happen to you, Sybil!

As for AVG and Stopzilla they both scan for Spyware/Adware but AVG scans for viruses as well. What do you use for a firewall?

[Wally]

Did you know Audioverse only lets you download 7 sermons at one time? 

Why not?  It is the perfect number, after all.

[Richard Myers]

I understand that running more than one virus program is not good, but I have three anti-spyware programs I use. I did not know they conflict also. So far I have not experienced any difficulties.

[Immanuel]

I understand that running more than one virus program is not good, but I have three anti-spyware programs I use. I did not know they conflict also. So far I have not experienced any difficulties.

They will only conflict if they scan real-time. If they are programs that you have to tell to scan or schedule scan times and do not do real time scanning then there should not be a problem.

In all reality only one good and regularly updated program is necessary. You most likely will not get infected if you 1) don't open email attachments  without scanning first 2) don't download things from websites unless absolutely necessary (Audioverse and other SDA media are an exception) 4) Don't visit nefarious websites. 3) NEVER click on banner ads - especially the really cool and flashy ones. The real problem with 3 & 4 usually comes from kids or grandkids.

[LindaRS]

I've been using Panda since the first of the year and, with one exception, it has done well. It is anti everything in one package. Doesn't hog the system like Norton does. As for sewing, I finally got my sewing machine upstairs, that's as far as I've gotten. But when I start sewing, I'll probably be at it for awhile. 

[Mimi]

Do you do "French Seams" while bulldogging? Does your garment look as good on the inside as the outside? 

Am getting over moaning and groaning. Thank each one of you.

Did you know Audioverse only lets you download 7 sermons at one time?    Am so afraid this wireless will go away that I am working - for the night is coming!

A friend of mine has satellite internet. It went out last week and they said it would be 5 business days before a technician could come look at it. Hope that does not happen to you, Sybil!

As for AVG and Stopzilla they both scan for Spyware/Adware but AVG scans for viruses as well. What do you use for a firewall?

Before we finish with this very public conversation, everyone will know what my strengths and weaknesses are on my system! Should I keep divulging? 

Stopzilla gets viruses as well - that is why I got it. Firewall? Let's just say I have a very strong one. I had Norton for a while, but did not use it upon the advice of my geek daughter and today I finally removed all traces of Norton. 

Re: satellite technician/owner/installer/"get help" person ... he is my neighbor. He cannot hide! He has a lot invested in my service - many relay stations on roof tops to ignore me.

Tirza - a great dress is made one step at a time. You have made the first step! Now, as they say, "You go, girl!"

[Brian M]

If you can afford it, a physical firewall is much better as I understand it. Something by watchguard, etc. Our firewall is also a wireless router box we plug into the wall. They run about $70.00 (unless you get one free when you sign up for high-speed internet). 

[LindaRS]

I was doing my fair share of moaning and groaning this evening. My computer ate my homework!  That is, it lost two files that I had just saved. I searched, but they are complete missing. Fortunately, they were graphic files and I could easily redo them as I used scripts to do them.

[Mimi]

I was doing my fair share of moaning and groaning this evening. My computer ate my homework!  That is, it lost two files that I had just saved. I searched, but they are complete missing. Fortunately, they were graphic files and I could easily redo them as I used scripts to do them.

So this begs the question ... what on earth does your computer want with your homework that it would act as a "thief in the night"?