| Author |
Message |
    
margotsc
Citizen
Username: Margotsc
Post Number: 37
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 8, 2004 - 8:07 pm: |     |
I posted this on the please help board but here goes again: I am looking to hire a computer wizard who can help me restore this 4-year-old Dell (Windows ME) to her former glory. After a nasty bout with Spyware my computer is a mess. I can't even run a simple virus scan or install an updated Norton program off the CD Rom. I suspect I have a virus as well. (Also, I am getting a Microsoft error message about my security settings being too high, something about ActiveX controls, to run the Symantec virus scan...) Anyone know someone who could help with this? What is the going rate for this? While they're here, I'd like to back up my hard drive/programs, something I should have done ages ago! TIA. |
Albatross
Citizen
Username: Albatross
Post Number: 274
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Monday, November 8, 2004 - 10:43 pm: | |
Do you have Norton already installed? If so, there might be some sort of conflict between the new and old software. Does it give you an error message? Can you install other software? Have you been able to update other software?
What does it tell you about ActiveX? (ActiveX is a controller that allows your computer to display certain Internet pages, etc.) If it tells you that ActiveX controls have been detected on your computer, you should get rid of them. I don't know what software is good for that; it's never been a problem for me. If it tells you that you need to have an ActiveX control to view a page or something, and your 'security too high' message comes in conjunction with that, then your security is exactly where it should be. |
margotsc
Citizen
Username: Margotsc
Post Number: 38
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 9, 2004 - 10:24 am: | |
Thanks, Albatross, for responding. I did fully uninstall the old version -- I checked with Norton's help people last night and they helped me do it. That doesn't help me install the new one though. Basically, when I click on the install button, the hour glass comes up and then goes away and NOTHING happens. I haven't tried to install other software from a CD Rom recently but I did download and install spybot successfully. As for the Active X, it's telling me that my security is too high to download the page. If that is where I should be, then I'm not sure how I can get around that to run the free Norton scan... |
argon_smythe
Citizen
Username: Argon_smythe
Post Number: 407
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 9, 2004 - 12:03 pm: | |
Just wipe the HD and start from scratch with a fresh install of the OS. Or if you have documents on that drive you want to keep, buy a new HD and install a fresh clean OS onto it. You can then mount your old drive as D: or whatever. You should have OS install disks that came with your PC or if you want to upgrade your OS you could buy a copy of Windows XP.
IMHO you're wasting your time trying to 'fix' this operating system. A clean install is the way to go.
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Flatbush
Citizen
Username: Flatbush
Post Number: 4
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, November 13, 2004 - 3:06 pm: | |
A clean install may not be necessary. It will wipe out all data on your hard drive. It may be possible to "clean out" the gargage first and get the OS working.
There are numerous easy steps you can try yourself. First, go to the follwing link. It is an excellent FREE online virus scanner. It will only work with IE and not with Netscape or mozilla. Make sure that you select All of the scan options.
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/
Before activating the free Panda virus scan, make sure that you clean out all of the IE garbage. Open up Internet explorer and click Tools, then Internet options. Then click "delete cookies" and then click "delete files". If you have never done this, you may have dozens if not hundred of MB of useles data in the hard drive. This can also be done by clicking "my computer" on your desktop. Next, right click on "local disk C", then click "properties: on the window that opens and click "disk Cleanup"and follow the instructions.
After you have done this, the next step will be to do additional scanning for spyware.
Additionally, There are two excellent FREE antivirus program which are highly rated by many experts: Avast anti virus, and AVG antivirus. They can be downloaded from: www.download.com
If you want any additional information before you wipe out all of your hard drive data or buy uneccessary equipment, reply to this message and I'll continue.
It is possible that as other responders have stated , you may have to do a clean re-install. The damage caused by some viruses may require that drastic measure. First, let's try the clean up first } |
Jerry Tuttle
Citizen
Username: Jerrytuttle
Post Number: 5
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 7:38 am: | |
Your post began, "I am looking to hire a computer wizard ..."
Why not do just that?
I have been happy with Gio Tech Computers, 67 South Orange Avenue, S.O. |
susan
Citizen
Username: Ssstitcher
Post Number: 15
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, November 27, 2004 - 1:37 am: | |
I have found comp USA cheap and reliable for cleaning my machine.If you can get the V-Cleaner thru AVG(grisoft.com) it can clear out the major virus that have been floating around.But you dont need to wipe the whole hard drive... PS comp fee for cleaning 40.00 |
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