Computer problems --STILL - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

**jimvw57** · 03-15-2010, 04:29 PM

A few months ago I was fighting with the old computer, it seems Windows Internet Explorer did not want to work anymore. I tried all the usual tricks, no deal.. I then installed Firefox. It has been working good until last week.. Now it's the same thing. I have tried anti-malware and virus software, and cleaning out the registry, but nothing seems to help. Now here is the strange part, Microsoft Outlook still works, I can send and recieve Emails just fine. That makes me think the computer and cable network are OK. I run a wireless laptop off the same line and it works fine.

I have close to 5 years of data in this computer and I hate to think of wiping out the hard drive but I don't think I have any other alternative.

Anybody got any ideas????

Thanks. Wish it was a SMART computer...

forestacademy · 03-15-2010, 04:44 PM

Well back up your files anyway Jim but be somewhat selective. The problem may not be in those areas. This sounds more like an opportunity to upgrade than a problem to me.

Your outlook and internet browsers are two different animals accessing the internet in their own ways, just like I-Tuens does.

stevet47 · 03-15-2010, 04:45 PM

I dont know how to help you, but once you figure it out, get a Mac :-)

brian r · 03-15-2010, 04:51 PM

I'm a Mac user so I may be way off on this, but maybe you need to upgrade your version of Windows.

The desktop I use most of the time has Mac OS 10.3.9. A few months ago my provider (Comcast) would show me a page when I went on their site to pay my bill that said it was time to upgrade my browser to a new version of Safari, Firefox, or Google Chrome. And a couple of weeks ago YouTube started alerting me to do the same, because after some date this week, they would no longer support the versions of Safari and Firefox that I use.

I thought, no big deal, just download them. Wrong. Mac 10.3.9 (the highest evolution of my version) is not able to run the upgraded browsers. I need to buy a 10.4 or 10.5 version. So I'm getting the highest version that non-Intel Macs can run, 10.5 Leopard.

Kind of strange; in 20+ years of using Macs, I've never had to buy an upgrade. But this computer is 6 years old, a relative dinosaur.

Suze · 03-15-2010, 05:00 PM

My guess is that you've been practicing unsafe computing and have acquired a little virus, worm, trojan or some kind of nasty bug.

You said you scanned it, but is your software up to date? Anti virus companies release new patterns daily and you can bet that your computer is exposed to new gunk multiple times a day.

Part of my job at work is to fight the good fight against infections and even though we're a large organization and have a competent IT team, some days we still lose the battle.

Also, I agree with others, back up your data and think about a hardware upgrade. Chances are your 5 year old PC isn't adequate for the newest OS release. (Windows 7!!)

cheers!

GeekGirl · 03-15-2010, 05:45 PM

buy a mac!

**jimvw57** · 03-15-2010, 05:54 PM

I have heard from 3 guys now at work that installed Windows 7 only to find that the drivers for their systems are not windows 7 comatable. These computers are less than 6 months old.

I have anti-virus software that gets updated every night, and I have found Malwarebytes Anti-malware to be the best stuff so far. It even finds that windows anti-vuirus stuff that is not really from Windows. Been fighting the computer fight since before 1990, when we went with OS/2 as it was the onlything that could do multi-tasking (waaaay before windows) The computer is a bit long in the tooth, but it was one of the top of the line Dells and it has always done it's share until recently.

It has probably picked up something as I can't be around all the time and I do have two boys that.... well, you know... I just don't have the funds to upgrade the computer and all the software I use on it. Not even sure I can find all the software to do a clean install.

**rfernatt** · 03-15-2010, 06:02 PM

These things are nearly impossible to diagnose remotely, but if you have current, up-to-date antivirus software and have scanned for spyware/malware, you may be down to rebuilding. Although, a machine that old, I would seriously consider replacing (and not necessarily with a Mac

) before rebuilding. One other thought, have you run a Scandisk to check for a slowly failing drive? It's not likely that it would only affect the browser (bad sectors?), but it's worth checking at that age.

I installed Windows 7 on my Dell laptop recently and the new hard drive I ordered was flaky (stay away from WD Scorpio Black

). I noticed the problems first in Chrome since browsers are always writing lots of small files to the drive. I replaced the bad WD drive with a Hitachi which is running well.

Speaking of old PCs, I just put in a new Dell Vostro "all in one" running Windows 7 for my mom to replace her 5 year old computer running XP. I'm rebuilding the old XP machine and it's going to be relegated to the kids for their games.

jetfuel · 03-15-2010, 06:04 PM

...thanks a lot bud...for a moment there I read the title and thought...oh no...not again....FIRE...

jetfuel...covered in smoke...the good kind...

**jimvw57** · 03-15-2010, 06:15 PM

Hahahahahah Sorry, didn't mean to give you a scare... I'm afraid switching to a stinkin MAC might finally fry my memory banks... I'm too old to switch now.

I think I still have some DOS 5.2 software on some 5 1/4 floppy disks... maybe that would fix things up...

Did a defrag on the hard drive, no problems also a diskcheck.. I'm thinking it is something buried in the registry. A selective startup didn't help either.