Greetings to my cyberspace pals--just a note to let you know I am going to be out of touch for a few days (maybe a week). My poor computer is getting sicker and sicker and it's finally time to take it to the hospital (Best Buy) to get fixed. I hope they don't charge me a fortune and I hope they don't take too long to fix it. It is so slow--no kidding--sometakes as long as 5 minutes to download or for e-mails to come up. And, no, it has plenty of memory. Sheez. I can handle most anything but when the computer goes down, I'm totally lost. Sigh.
I'll be in touch when I get it back. Until then--take it easy and relax. I just read that note on stress. Just wonderful.
Mawzy, there is a free software called anti-malware that got rid of the garbage that was slowing down my computer. It worked like a charm. It took about 30 minutes and found about 1,200 things! Try this before taking it in...
I hope it's good news about the computer - that it's cheap to fix. Mine's also in the shop. Fortunately my husband also has a laptop. I don't think I could stand to be without one.
Don't mention the computers going down....it'll happen to ME! I want a laptop so I can take it anywhere. I could go anywhere with it! Just think......under a tree, out on the porch, IN BED....watch movies on it under the sheets like a little kid and not disturb my husband. I'd want all the bells and whistles, though, so I know a new computer is out of the question for now......maybe when I start school again (hopefully in the Fall). Going outside to clean out my little fishy pond. I hope the fix is no big deal ($$$$$ wise). AND hope you get it back REAL soon! We'll miss you and think of you while you're out sick......let us know IMMEDIATELY when the "patient" arrives back home!
Most computer repair shops have used but very very good computers for sale for a fraction of the original price. ... check them out...We bought our grandchildren's computers from this source and they've never had a problem with them. Jen, if you are enrolled in a college or university, there are great deals for computers at the registration sites. Low prices, no interest, pay out plans.. You might want to check on that source. My daughter bought one for her son at registration and saved a bundle as compared to the same product at a big box store.
Never have known Best Buy to not charge a lot. I bought my computer there and got the extended service which I was glad for. But, that only includes the hardware. IF software is messing up something they charge you. Unfortunately for laptops they send them out. Have no idea why they don't fix them there.
My Mac laptop was diagnosed today. It was the logic board. I don't know what that is, but a new one costs $600 and having it installed costs $179. So I'm getting a new computer. I want a new one, but I sure don't want to pay for it. They are expensive!
Janet, is the logic board the same as the "mother board"? I'm also having computer problems and have this one borrowed. My friend, who knows computers says my problem is either the power source or the mother board. He says if it's the mother board, I'll need to buy a new computer. I'm taking it in next week.
Dazed, I don't know if they are the same or not. Probably. Mine got slower and slower. Finally, when I tried to boot it up, it would start, but almost immediately shut down. That's when I took it to the repair stop.
Mine just wouldn't turn on. It would flash when I tried to turn it on but go right back off. I would really like to have a laptop but, like you, I sure don't want to spend the money for a new one. Can't do without one though.
Dazed, That's what mine did really. The screen would light up and the little thing in the center would start going around, but almost immediately it would go off. I hope your's isn't in as bad shape as mine.
Sounds like we're both going to have to shut our eyes and shell out the money for a new computer, Janet. Is your new one going to be a laptop? The reason I want a laptop is so I can stay in the room with DH when I'm on line and not back here in my office. Sometimes I feel like I'm neglecting him by staying here where the computer is.
Office Depot had some for under $500 after rebates according to last weekend's newpaper ads... For just emailing, and looking subjects up, they'd probably be just fine. These were laptops, which I prefer. I have a desktop in the study that I never use.
IF it is JUST the internet and e-mails that are slow, there is a lot of malware out there that will slow the Internet Explorer down to a crawl. I had more than enough memory and speed, but the Internet was crawling. I was ready to get a new one, when someone told me about the free download that got rid of it. It worked. My Internet speed went back up to what it was supposed to be. The website is http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php Just click on the FREE DOWNLOAD.
It did wonders for my computer!
As to sales, all places are having sales these days, so check them all out and then go for it!
Argh!!! The guy who is transferring stuff from my old computer to the new one. He just called to say he's having trouble getting data off the old hard drive. I sure don't want to loose it all. This will teach me to back up. I rarely do.
Well, I'm back--a sadder but wiser woman. I had two viruses and then they discovered the hard drive was shot. It wouldhave cost $200 + to fix the viruses and another $160 to install a new hard drive + whatever else was wrong with it. And, wouldn'tyou know my extended warranty ended last January. I figured I would still have an old computer so I bit the bullet and bought a new computer. Love it!! I spent all afternon hooking it up and figuring out all the bells and whistles.
I read all your posts and it seems as if having a computer on the fritz is not uncommon. Hope you all have as easy a time as I did. But, I will have to admit, I did cheat. :)
I also have a new computer (a Mac laptop). The people at the store did all the work of transferring data, etc. I just brought it home, and it worked. I was lucky. My old one was about 5 years old. It does seem that given what they cost they should last longer.
Folks, if you are using a laptop you need to invest another 19.99 into getting one of those "cooling pads" for it. It's a little metal rectangular thing with at least one fan if not 2 or 3, that you put your laptop on. The reason the hard drives fail is that they get really hot, and that fries them.
I have mine propped up an inch and a fan runs on it almost all the time - except when my hand gets cold from the wind blowing on it. This seems to help. I have to remember to not let the papers pile up next to it.
I have looked at the 'cooling pads' and when I get a new one i probably will get the pad.
I replaced my sick computer with a laptop and also a little notebook Acer and did get cooling pads for both as recommended here. I love going wireless. I spend more time with DH instead of holed up in my office. On the Acer, I got a free trial for virus protection with McAfee. On the laptop, got a free trial with Norton. They have both expired. Does anyone know the best one to use. I've heard of a free one that's good but don't know what it is. What virus protection do most of you use?
I use McAfee. When I tried Norton, for some reason it seemed to mess up the software so there were things I could not do. My "computer guru" suggested I switch to McAfee and I have had no problem since. My computer is a Dell PC.
AVG is highly recommended by Cnet, which is and has been for many years, the most reliable source of advice and reviews and shareware/freeware. I used it for quite a few years. I love having the mac and not having to worry about viruses, but even on the Dell PC which I'm using now I don't use much. Would never go back to Norton or even MacAfee. THey're like overprotective nannies. Definitely useful if you're doing a lot of unprotected surfing of dubious places, but if you don't stray into porn sites or ones recommended in spam emails, you're not too liable to get hit..
I am using a desktop. There's a green power light on the tower- that's okay. There's a yellow light under that which constantly blinks on/off. it sounds like something is "working" and it just keeps blinking on/off all day long. What is that yellow light?
Vickie, I would guess that it's the hard disk working.. or if you have your internet connection on, it's checking it connection constantly - even if you're not on the internet. Nothing to worry about.
Thanks, you two. I had never really noticed it before a few days ago, but I had moved my tower - and I can see it better now. Glad it's nothing to worry about. I don't need computer problems right now!
This is going to be long. My husband has a Mac Laptop. He still uses email through the university where he used to teach. He got one of the fake emails saying that the Mail Administrator needed him to send his user name and password. He did. People from the university called and said his email account was "compromised". They had him change his password, but almost immediately they called back and said someone else was sending spam through his account. Now the account is totally shut down. The university staff told him that the email he responded to must have planted a virus (or something) in his computer allowing someone to access his account. They said they couldn't do anything from there (about 300 miles from where we now live) and suggested he take the computer to our local authorized Mac repair place.
We went to the Mac store. The repair person asked a bunch of questions and said that, since Bob was using web mail through Safari, nothing was being downloaded from the server at the university, that everything was stored on the server, so the virus, if there was one, would have to be on the server. The people at the university say nothing is wrong with the server.
After all that, we came home and ran a virus scan. The report didn't list any viruses, but it did list a lot of applications and other files that it wasn't able to scan. Also, I tried to update some software, and the computer won't update it. I don't know what else to do. Does anyone have any ideas? That is, other than not letting my husband use the computer anymore. His replying to one of those emails makes me concerned he might give out an account number or credit card number in response to something that, as he says, "looks official."
Set him up a gmail account and make sure he has no access to account numbers. I don't know anything about Mac's,but I thought they were not susceptible to the virus like PC's are. IF it were a PC, I would have a reputable repairman run their fancy software that scans for virus, spyware and adware.
I take a drastic measure if I suspect any virus or malicious program...I keep all original disks, programs, and documents and I usually will reformat all my drives, and reinstall all my software. It is time consuming, but after a few years, most registries will get corrupted and obsolete, and I feel that it is easier to just get it back to factory specifications, and reinstall only the software that I really need. You would be surprised how old programs never get used and take up space. Sometimes a fresh start is necessary, sort of cleaning out the closets or the garage....throw out what you no longer need and just keep what you use...
frank = I have done that many times. I am so glad my computer came with the software to reinstall windows. New ones I am told have it on your hard drive. Don't know how that works. I reformatted my computer last February cause the guy said that would solve the freezing, etc. It didn't and someday maybe I can get a newer, faster computer.
Charlotte- I recently bought a new laptop for $349, a toshiba sattelite, and as a promotion, you could buy windows 7 for $69. I grabbed it, because although the system restore is on the drive, I still prefer to have a "real and visible" copy if I need it. I have no qualms about throwing away my hard disk, buying a new one, and starting fresh. I feel more secure that way.
what keep me now from buying a new computer is that I need to be able to run my old software, especially Quickbooks. You can get the windows 7 upgrade that has a program that enables you to run xp software. It is just getting the money and then spending it.
I use quickbooks pro also, and still run it with windows 7. I bought the quickbooks 2009 at office depot, paying only $59.00 with a free quickbooks payroll, customer manager and quickbooks tutor program....they sometimes do promotionals, and in this case, I kept the quickbooks, and sold the other programs on ebay for $70, so in essence, it was free....
Janet, I think it is highly unlikely that your husband's mac is infected. The people at the university are almost certainly wrong that his own machine is causing the problems. The guys at the mac store are right. I would first of all create a gmail account for him, so nothing gets downloaded, and not worry about it any more. Universities are hotbeds of viruses and problems, so many people with varying degrees of ability use computers there. It's their problem not yours at this point, although if you want to try to get them to forward his mail from the university to him at a gmail account, go ahead and do it.
My desktop crashed (whatever that means) yesterday. Since it is kinda old (7yrs) and I have been wanting a new one anyhow, I think I will use this as an excuse (opportunity) to get one. Thought I would wait until after Christmas and see if they have better prices. Maybe some of the ones they don't sell during the Christmas buying season.
Anyhow, I subscribed to an automatic backup system several months ago and I will get to see if it works as advertised. If it does, it will be a breeze.