Did you ever want to throw your machine out a window?

[yy4me]

You know me folks. I no not what I do. Just got this gizmo back from the repair shop. The tech is very knowledgeable and I have confidence in what he does. Hwe thinks, I'm sure, that I am hopeless but is very nice about it.

Both my CD and DVD drives were shot. Not repairable. He put a used CD drive in. I never use either of then for years and then only to install my printer and my Camera. Cannot figure out how this would have happened or how long ago.

Operating system had to be re-installed. removed SP-3(which he told me not to install anyway and I did)
Had conflicting software packages which he straightened out. Also removed AVG, which had let the Virtumonde virus in about a month or two ago.

I now have Avast. He said it is better that the new version of AVG.

I am under quarantine. To keep out of trouble, he told me not to download anything. Call him first. OK.

Bottom line, I now cannot stand this computer any longer. It has given me so much grief that I'd like to heave it. Money is a factor. I saw a Compaq advertised on (sorry) Walmart.com for $400.00. I think that is in my price range and it has XP{3}. I don't want Vista. I'll screw that up for sure.

I notified the Computer guy that I am still having problems and he told me not to touch a thing and he'd come over and see if he can figure out that is going on. I keep getting error messages from M/S (IE has encountered a problem etc.) plus a Dr. Watson message. I am thrown off any site where I click from one category to another.

To send a link or page via e-mail is all garbled. I tried to post this info yesterday and it through me out. If I go from the Computer Group to Home Improvement here on DU, I end up staring at my desktop again. It will probably do it now when I hit send. I just hope this thing hangs on a few more days. My family is taking a trip to Greece starting Thursday and will be e-mailing me pictures. I don't want to miss that.

What say you to the Walmart Compaq? Any other thoughts?

I would have the Computer guru take any new machine I might get and remove stuff like the anti-virus it comes with and any other programs unnecessary to me.

Geeze, what next?

[hobbit709]

1. Compaqs are fair machines

once you decrapify them.
SP3 is best installed on a clean Windows install. I add SP3 after I install Windows and the hardware drivers but before I install any apps. Haven't had any problems doing it that way.
AVG and any other antivirus only app don't do well with trojans-which aren't viruses per se.
That's why you need a good antivirus and an antimalware program. I use Spybot Search and Destroy in conjunction with Malwarebytes Antimalware. You can run more than one antispy/malware program at once but not more than one antivirus app at the same time.
You couldn't pay me to use Internet Exploder. Firefox, SeaMonkey, Opera, Safari, tin can on a string would be better.

[Why Syzygy]

2. Do you know if SeaMonkey

has autofill? Does it use standard right-click menus? That's one I haven't tried.

You sound like a browser expert, so I'll ask something else. Do you know of a way to make Opera work with the Amazon reader (book previews)? From what I can tell, Opera doesn't use regular Java. It has to be the stand alone blah blah blah Java or something. I've downloaded those files but have not been in a mood to deal with it. Or really even if I got the right ones. I don't know if that's what Amazon uses for its reader.

[hobbit709]

10. I'm not a browser expert

I just won't use IE because every security hole in the universe goes through IE.

[Why Syzygy]

3. eeks!

Wow. Sorry about all that. Let us know how it works out?

[yy4me]

4. What say you? Will you look at the spec's on this and tell me

what you think? My needs are simple and the price of his is affordable. All I'd have to do is download my printer and camera and I'd be set to go. I think this old HP has had it. All thoughts appreciated.


http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=11049966

[Why Syzygy]

5. Weeel ..

You know I'm not much of a hardware guy. The customer reviews are good. I'm not sure what having the power supply on the outside amounts to? Another box? Part of the plug wiring? According to the reviews, you might also want to stick with your current full size/standard keyboard.

I also don't know what the Atom processor is. Next time I shop, I will be looking for at least "2 Quad". Also, as an extremely satisfied Gateway user, it would take a lot to get me to buy an a different brand. Assuming I had a suitable monitor, in the same price range, I would be more likely to go for something like:
http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/gateway-sx2800-01/4505-3118_7-33699400.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody
It is one of the top three CNET rated budget pcs. It's $50 more. The hard drive is 5x larger.

Processor Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor3 Q8200 (2.33GHz, 1333MHz FSB, 4MB L2 cache)
Operating System Genuine Microsoft® Windows Vista® Home Premium (64-bit) with SP11
Memory 4096MB 800MHz DDR3 Memory (2 x 2048MB Modules)9
Chassis Modern and Sophisticated Small Form Factor Design
Hard Drive 640GB 7200RPM SATA hard drive5

I would ask someone if I could wipe it and install my copy of XP. I guess you have that available since yours was recently reinstalled. If not, I guess I would even consider using Vista, again after asking questions. Usually Gateway gives a lot of options, but I didn't find one for the OS on this model.

You know HP makes Compaq. They have been around for a long time. I always hated tech'ing HPs because they had so many gizmos and OEM modifications; and seemed to have more issues with "Windows" in general. We probably referred more HP users to Microsoft than any other brand. (I tech'd Internet.) But the one you show here doesn't come with any application software, so it may be pretty bare bones on those issues. OTOH, I had a roommate who was a serial Compaq owner (purchasing a new one to replace her old one).

Here's the review site for CNET if you want to take a look around.
http://reviews.cnet.com/desktop-computers/?tag=leftColumnArea.0

Did your tech come by? Does he have an opinion about the Compaq? He knows you personally.

edit: After thinking, installing HP XP on a Gateway might not be wise. I DID use a Dell Windows '98 on a generic computer, replacing '95. Again, a question to run by someone more knowledgeable than I (research).

[hobbit709]

11. Atom 230 is a low power 1.6GHz CPU

Too slow to do anything like video processing like for home movies.
Here's an Emachines from newegg.com with much better specs for $329 on sale. It's a dual core 2.1 GH and 320Gb hard drive.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883114067
It doesn't come with a monitor but you can use your old one.

[Duer 157099]

6. Now, take this with a grain of salt, but...

I'm very suspicious of your computer guy finding two drives that are "completely shot." The odds of one going, well maybe, but both?

Is it even possible to get a 2nd opinion, or something along those lines?

And saying to not install SP3, I just don't understand!

[Why Syzygy]

7. Now that you mention it ..

I was wondering what it was about replacing a CD drive that required an OS reinstall? :eyebrows:

[RoyGBiv]

8. Red flag here as well ...

... especially the SP3 thing.

I suppose there are reasons he could be suggesting this, e.g. waiting for him to do it because he suspects there's some problem that might cause issues during the update process, but if the advice is not to install it at all, well ... that's weird.

[canetoad]

9. And a fourth vote

for suspicion.

As the others have said, something doesn't sound right. As well as the comments by the others here, what were the 'conflicting software packages'?

And yep, two drives going on the blink at the same time.....not likely.

[Why Syzygy]

12. Personally..

I greatly appreciate seeing all the advisement re: SP3. I actually facilitated yy4me's upgrade to SP3. If I understand correctly, she was running fine before the CD/DVD replacement.

I was chewing my nails on that one after reading the OP. :blush:
:BIG SIGH:

Not allowing a customer to upgrade to SP3 is a strangeness I cannot comprehend.

[yy4me]

13. Big sigh. I'm OK today. Coping with this mess is something I

don't want to be doing. The computer guy had told me he is happy to come over and try and figure what is still wrong with this machine but I've about had it. I keep thinking about the CD/DVD thing too. Since I never used them and no-one else uses this machine, what happened? Some big trojan attack it? Possible?

I have no idea what the reasoning is on the SP3 thing is except he told me it causes conflicts with some software and I would be better off staying w/2. He reinstalled that as I said. Why the operating system would need to be reinstalled is beyond me. He said it happened after removing some conflicting software and un-installing SP3.

I am going to Best Buy tomorrow to look at what they offer and price them out. I can't buy anything without seeing it. I was wondering today, if he had to reinstall the entire operating system, why did I not lose any information? Still have all my Docs, Photo's, email stuff. There are some strange Icons in the folder with my Doc's. I think they are left over from prior CCleaner, or later, RegCure. I'd like to get rid of the strange icons but don't dare. Of all the anti-Virus and anti-malware stuff I had before is gone, I am now set up with only Avast. Hope that is enough. AVG had let the Virtumonde thing in before. Hope Avast is better.

You know how it is, enough trouble with something and you get to the point you don't even want to touch it again. Today I have had far fewer error messages. Yesterday I was thrown off the internet constantly. Error messages constantly. Today not as many.

I will not be doing anything until my family returns from their trip on Aug 14th. Don't want to be out of contact. Will be going through everything I can read to find a new machine without all kinds of bells and whistles. Don't need anything too fancy. This HP Pavilion 526X that I have now was great for its 5 or 6 years. I think it has had enough of the operator and has given up. It also seems funny to me to be using a computer with the CD drive in the DVD tray and an empty former CD tray. Sort of like only having 3 wheels on your car. I'm not going to bother reinstalling my printer or my new camera.

You are all great for following this scenario. Today I am laughing, yesterday was a different story.

I'll keep you all posted as to what I am looking at and get the OK or thumbs down. I trust all of you far more than my very nice computer guy.

[Why Syzygy]

14. Glad to hear you're feeling better.

yy4me . you know we looked at everything you had installed after you upgraded to SP3. You had just the right amount of protection, nothing extra, nothing that should have been "conflicting". I'm wondering if he just has some software prejudices and doesn't want you to use things he himself doesn't "approve" of. Uninstalling SP3 could very well have fried the OS. I'm so sorry he has put you through this. Do you know if Best Buy still has an in house tech support team? While you're there, maybe you can talk to someone? If you still want to see if your current machine can be redeemed .... At least with a new machine, you will be starting off with at least a one year factory warranty, so you shouldn't have to depend on any freelancers.

We all recommend anti-malware as well as anti-virus. But you don't need to concern yourself with any of that right now. Just take deep breaths and do your good juju. :hug:

[canetoad]

16. Glad you're feeling better about it

If you end up getting another computer, and if you feel up for it......why not do something you haven't done and clean the old one, format, maybe partition the drive - all with the help of this group.

You will have nothing to lose, assuming you get a new machine and get it up and running on the net. As long as you have the Windows disc for the current one you are good to go!

It would be a fascinating thread and I'm sure we would all get a lot out of it.

[BlueJazz]

15. Yep....as a Tech, I was suspicious of that right from the start.