Ugh!!! I had to run system restore!!!

[always quiet]

I had been connected to the internet most of the day yesterday (one of the perks from dsl! ). Last evening, after dinner, I tried to get back onto the DIS.....I couldn't get in! I kept receiving an error message saying 'Server not found'. Each and every site I tried to go on, the same thing happened!! I tried to open up my msn email, and I received a message that "This page is not available offline" I WAS connected!! I spent an hour with verizon tech support and all we could determine was yes, I was connected but there was something blocking web pages from getting in! Since I was connected, it wasn't their problem. Since it was already getting late by this time, I ran virus scan before I went to bed and just let it go. Nope, no viruses to be found when I got up!! OK...now onto the computer's tech support. Another hour, and still can't connect!! I tried to run restore to an earlier point and the problem had followed me there!! I had no choice....I saved everything I could onto disk and brought me computer "back to out of the box"!! I have been trying all day to get this thing up and running....do you know that there have been 49 critical updates to Windows XP!! Got the virus protection up and running....made sure the firewalls are back in place (all those lovely pop ups started popping almost immediately!! )...Next stop is getting rid of that icky XP desktop! I need to go find the disk with some of Dan's photos to fix that!! Probably the easiest fix I'll have!

If you have any favorite Disney sites, please link them here if you can....all my favorites are gone! Also that free version of ad-aware too!!

Thanks for listening to me rant!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

UGH!!! Was it not possible to go back to a restore point, Colleen? If I can be of help, holler. Glad you are back.

 

[always quiet]

I tried going back to a restore point earlier this week. Same problem happened there. That's what led them to tell me I had to do a complete restore. They thought maybe something happened with the registery???

Without all the games the kids had installed, it is really moving fast!!

Dan, I happily have one of your nightime shots of Epcot as my desktop!!

 

[trishy]

Make sure you enable your firewall!!! It's not automatic. For some reason when we hooked up with Verizon DSL our firewall was disabled and we weren't aware of the change. Lots of crud got in and we had to do almost what you did - we went to an earlier restore point, though. Double check the firewall.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

One thing I reccomend is to install spybot, adaware and hijackthis on your computer prior to having a problem and keep them updated. That way if you can't get to the internet you have a chance of cleaining it up.
Too late now Dan, once she does that.. it's over

 

[WebmasterAlex]

and speaking of firewalls.. the one built in to XP is not great, causes problems on it's own and slows your computer down. You are much better off with one of the Linksys, Dlink or belkin external firewalls that go in between your DSL or cable modem and your computer, they are not expensive and then leaving the XP firewall off

 

[missyc]

Oh how I wish you all could come spend an afternoon at my house! We could call it a cook out......and while I'm grilling you could fix all my computer problems!
LOL

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Alkex you are the coaster wiz and computer wiz all in one!! Our computer was having so many problems. I just ran the spybot s and d 1.3. They found like 178 problems and then another 6. I dont know if that is alot or not. I hope things are better now. I read what to do from all the disers here. I am one of those technically inept people.

 

[missyc]

Originally posted by luvmarypoppins
Alkex you are the coaster wiz and computer wiz all in one!! Our computer was having so many problems. I just ran the spybot s and d 1.3. They found like 178 problems and then another 6. I dont know if that is alot or not. I hope things are better now. I read what to do from all the disers here. I am one of those technically inept people.

I tried this too. Had over 260 problems. Unfortunately, after "cleaning" I couldn't connect to the internet or e-mail at all. I un-installed the software and am now back to normal....sort of. I'm just back to having my original problems! I sent the company an e-mail for help but haven't received a reply yet. Just hoping I didn't throw away $40.

I HATE my computer!

 

[always quiet]

Got the ad aware reinstalled. My MSN Premium has free McAffee Firewall with it...that's my next step! MAYBE if you guys send me some of my lost sites, things won't seem so bad!!

HINT HINT!!

 

[WebmasterAlex]

Spybot and adaware are both FREE.. wondering what you spent 40 dollars on!!!

 

[always quiet]

OK...I don't want to call verizon back and look like a total fool (I'd rather do it here! ) I have both msn email and verizon on this computer (they teamed up recently). Anyway, I can easily get into the msn mail, but I can't find my verizon email!! I opened up Outlook Express where I normally find it, but it seems to think I am a new client! Any clue where the email might be hiding??

 

[always quiet]

Ah...never mind! Not only did I find it, I discovered that msn had saved all my favorites!! That makes things a lot easier!!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

The same thing happened to our pc two weeks ago, only we weren't able to save anything. I run Ad-Aware every night before I log off because I do rewarding, I had no unusual files to delete and logged off. Some weird .dll error popped up, not one that I'd seen before. I jotted it down and performed a broad search quick and learned that it was related to the "Send error report" messages that pop up when programs aren't working. I restarted, logged back on to make sure all was working as it should be. restarted again and went to bed. The next morning the PC has some strange screen and couldn't log on myself. DH tried logging on overnight (he works 2nd shift) and couldn't access his files or the internet. He called HP tech support after not being able to restore on his own and had to wipe everything out as you did always quiet. He spent the day getting the pc up and running and I came home to set up OE and fiddle with other nonsense programs, plugins, etc. Oh the files, photos and favorites that were not saved. I feel so lost without some of them.

 

[missyc]

Originally posted by WebmasterAlex
Spybot and adaware are both FREE.. wondering what you spent 40 dollars on!!!

Uh oh....I think I messed up! I bought SPYKILLER.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

Yup...you did...there are a bunch of "fakes" out there some of which are located at very similar addresses. The real ones are free

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Always Quiet, you didn't happen to update Zone Alarm before your troubles started, did you?

 

[always quiet]

Alex,
What the heck is "zone alarm"?? I seriously doubt I did that since I have no clue what you are talking about!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Zone Alarm is a free firewall program, pretty good one at that. However, the last update (Zone Alarm 5) left many with internet problems and crashed computers.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

In other words you get what you pay for
I don't honestly believe most people need a software firewall. If you have a good updated cable or DSL router such as a linksys, Dlink, belkin or buffalo I have never heard of a residential user having problems that could be traced back to a firewall problem. A business with security issues does require a higher level of security. It's just my opinion but I believe in most cases a software firewall slows down the computer, causes issues and confuses people.