The Digital Surgery

buksida · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:57 pm Post subject: The Digital Surgery

Since we get a fair few posters on here with various computer problems I have decided to start this as a sticky thread to try and offer some kind of online helpdesk.

With the assistance of other knowledgeable members on HHAD we should be able to provide answers for most day to day computer problems, or at least put you in the right direction without you having to get a technician called out or take the machine to a local shop.

So if your machine isnt playing the way it should post as many details as you can here and we'll see what we can do!
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I've got a bad feeling about this

Jaime · Ace Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1898 Location: Sh*t Creek

A fine idea - I can see you being very busy!
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"The man who never made a mistake never did bugger all" - Old Welsh proverb

"Why limit yourself to the death of a crummy celery stalk when you can eat a giraffe?" - PWEETA

caller · Ace Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 1959 Location: Londonistan

And its not surprising I'm the first to take advantage of this kind offer!

I've no idea how or why what happened did. But something went wrong. I use a Dell Inspiron 6000.

The bottom line is this, I did a restore back a couple of days on XP latest version. I couldn't access IKTS and other "secure" sites. Something wasn't right and it seemed the easiest way to make a fix.

But after restarting I lost virusscan from the security centre which according to the message didn't re-install properly. I also checked if the original problem had been fixed and it hadn't. So now I had two problems!!!

Clever, eh? Shoot em up

So I eventually found my way to the MacAfee security centre and then the virusscan page and went into "virusscan help", then troubleshooting, not that it would get me VS back, but it might help my connection problem, I followed all that advice, went back into IKTS but still no joy. Cussing

Anyway, followed the guidance that came up in the page you get instead of the site you are after and much to my surprise, there were a few things to add on, did that and lo and behold all was well. But what made the fix from all I had done?

In the meantime, and I've no idea how, I got an automatic upgrade for virusscan.

So, both problems appeared sorted. I updated my scores and switched off with a "job well done smile"!! Even though I wasn't sure of what actually fixed either problem? Confused

Anyway, it was all short lived, I logged on later and I'm back to square one with accessing IKTS! I checked everything was set as before, it was, but no joy. So I went back to default settings on everything and undid other changes I made. Still don't work, cannot access the site and a coupe of others where a pass seems needed - is the login on IKTS different to HHAD and other "secure" sites?

Any ideas?

I think my best bet is get a USB key, save everything and then restore right back to the factory settings, I have never been able to view the web as I should.

Any help gratefully received. Cheers

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buksida · Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:04 am Post subject:

Ok caller theres a lot to get through ...

Firstly the XP "restore" very rarely works properly so don't have too much faith in it.

It sounds like your problems are browser security related so the first think I would do is try a different one such as Firefox. Make sure you have cookies enabled and security settings on the medium level. Do you have a firewall running? Do you have problems with any other sites?
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I've got a bad feeling about this

Norseman · Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:31 am Post subject:

This could have something to do with your internet properties settings.

1. You must check that your pc is able to install on demand.
(Specifies to automatically download and install Internet Explorer components if a Web page needs them in order to display the page properly or perform a particular task).

2. You must allow active content to run in files on your computer.

3. You also have to check that you allow cookies in the privacy settings.
(Medium is the most used).

You have to start to look somewhere, and this should be the first place to have a look if you're access to internet is somewhat strange.

Access this by rightclick on your explorer icon and find properties, then leftclick.

Maybe you find something odd there.
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I intend to live forever -- so far, so good.

caller · Ace Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 1959 Location: Londonistan

Thanks for the quick replies - I'm away this weekend but will have a go at this asap.

With the cookies and other things - are the settings all on the internet options facility?

Thanks

Caller.
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I know nothing

Norseman · Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 6:39 pm Post subject:

Yes that's right Caller.
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I intend to live forever -- so far, so good.

caller · Ace Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 1959 Location: Londonistan

Well, touch wood, it seems to have been fixed?! Still not sure of the logic though? I deleted all cookies in temp files, overrode automatic cookie handling, allowed 1st party cookies, prompted 3rd party (is that the right way around?), allowed session cookies, whatever they are and on settings and LAN settings, checked automatically detect settings.

Any idea which of the above made the difference?

I tried firefox, its all loaded up in any case, but it seems easier to go with Dells preferences?

I'm grateful for your help, B & N, but will wait till logging on tomorrow to learn if I'm cured! If no news, can we treat it as good news? I'm very grateful for the clinic!!!

Caller.
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I know nothing

Mongo Slade · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:43 pm Post subject: reply to caller professional

[quote

There might be a easy solution to your problem. If you have two virus scans working at the same time, it will create problems. You should totally uninstall one in order for the other one to work properly. I hope this useful to you.

By the way, hello to everyone. This is my first posting, I've been checking out this forum for about a year and half. Great website![/quote]
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One must always revisit the past in order to move ahead to the future.

buksida · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:33 pm Post subject:

caller · Ace Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 1959 Location: Londonistan

Buksida - thats an interesting comment about Dells tinkering.

I have never been able to view the internet as it really should look. Its only become an issue recently when I couldn't find the send button to ask for a quote for some work I needed doing and then needed to check flight times at heathrow and was confronted with text about the equivalent of a mile high!!!

Thats why I made reference about going back to the Dell factory settings after saving all my docs on a back up key/disk/whatever.

But whats an OS?

Caller
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MartinJ · Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2006 4:28 am Post subject:

OS is better known as operating system. EG Window XP, Unix etc
And yes Dell do play with it

On my IBM i can get more done than with my Newer Dell

thumbs up

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"Do you expect me to talk", No Mr. Bond I expect you to die!

Jaime · Ace Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1898 Location: Sh*t Creek

Having problems with accessing mail with Outlook Express on XP (still on SP1 I think).

I keep having to manually change the pop3 incoming mail server address because every time I shut down/restart it keeps changing to 127.0.0.1. This is really frustrating. I am also running McAfee Virus Scan & Firewall. I tried including the pop3 port in the list of open ports within the Firewall utilities but no joy.

Help please?
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"The man who never made a mistake never did bugger all" - Old Welsh proverb

"Why limit yourself to the death of a crummy celery stalk when you can eat a giraffe?" - PWEETA

Guess · Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 10:10 pm Post subject:

Windows IP addresses are usually assigned by DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, I think or something like that). It had some serious flaws introduced when XP was released. If you upgrade to SP2 you should solve most of these problems. SP2 is quite a lot more stable than SP1 which was released early due to public demand because of the vast number of of problems with SP0.

I would ditch Outlook Express altogether unless there is some reason you need to use it.

I have read the earlier postings and agree. here are some general tips.

Use XP2, one virus checker only, (I am currently using the CA product which is free for one year and after one month has proved to be OK.

Delete any "tinkering software" that companies like HP and Dell release with the intention that they can somehow improve windows. If the extras were of any use they would be marketed by the companies that write them. It is purely a marketing ploy.

The bottom line is that you have processor, a motherboard, a bus, a CD drive and a hard disk. These are all standard pieces of kit and it makes no difference whatsoever what label is stuck on the front of the box.

Dell, HP/Compaq, Gateway etc. etc. make nothing. At most they just assemble the components in a third world country. IBM is an exception. They do manufacture.

Avoid McAfee, it is shortly to become extinct. Windows Firewall is crap but to get better you need to spend money.

Always keep your data separate from your programs and if all else fails re-install XP.

Use Clean Up every time you access the Internet and configure you browser to delete cookies and temp files which are a breeding ground for viruses.

BTW just to keep you all on your toes. The current IP addressing scheme has run out of numbers and a new sytem is to be adopted so that anybody in the universe (even people with Swedish keyboards) can communicate with each other.

I was Bill Gates I would resign now while the going is good.
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G

caller · Ace Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 1959 Location: Londonistan

I hate jumping in on others problems - and Jaime gets the butt of these (no pun intended) but what is the "tinkering" software that Dell use and how do I delete it?

I can't view the web properly on my Dell laptop. So on the main HHAD site (not forum), I can't view the names of hotels in the hotel guide, but no probs with sawadee, in the car rental page, I cannot see - or find - the button needed to request more info. On the maps intro page, the titles of each area are missing - but a knowing gap where they should be - and the appearance of the forum isn't the same as on other systems I have used?

Any ideas? Or shall I bring the thing with me - I arrive in HH on 22 May fingers crossed (and maybe legs too after staying up country) after arriving in LOS on the 13th - and give to Buksidas Co. to fix?
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