tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21414028.post7162210464705790127..comments2022-11-12T08:10:02.525-05:00Comments on Juggling Scarves: Technical difficulties--Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11551207516174210115noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21414028.post-86226207599478020982008-01-07T18:15:00.000-05:002008-01-07T18:15:00.000-05:00I haven't done these things myself, but I have the...I haven't done these things myself, but I have them on very good authority:<BR/>1. Press F1 to get the Help and Support Center and search for "clean environment". Go to the page that says "To create a clean environment for troubleshooting" and follow the instructions.<BR/>2. If that doesn't isolate the problem, run a memory test (memtest.org) and a drive checker such as HDD Health (panterasoft.com).<BR/>3. Also, try the free quick check at PCPitstop.com by clicking only the Full Tests link on the left-hand side.<BR/><BR/>All this comes from the Ask Jack blog in the Guardian - usually very reliable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21414028.post-47831340068179071692008-01-07T10:18:00.000-05:002008-01-07T10:18:00.000-05:00The anti-virus software is anti-spyware software t...The anti-virus software is anti-spyware software too. And AOL also gave me some anti-spyware software back when I joined, which I ran as well. No spyware. No viruses. I talked to someone at Circuit City who said a) he thought it might be the hard drive or the processor; and b) don't call the 1-800 number, just bring it in. Apparently I only have to call in about cameras and iPods and things like that.<BR/><BR/>Image? I'm not terribly tech savvy, I don't know from imaging. I was going to back everything up on DVD discs before I hand it on over to Firedog (that's Circuit City's tech support group. Their version of Geek Squad, if you will). Is that the same thing as imaging?--Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11551207516174210115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21414028.post-16037742235203387482008-01-06T18:44:00.000-05:002008-01-06T18:44:00.000-05:00I second the spyware suggestion, V. Try AVG (or se...I second the spyware suggestion, V. Try AVG (or several other sites) for a free spyware scan - but be wary of Googling for one, because some of the hits you'll get will be spyware vehicles masquerading as spyware removers, and others will scan, report, then make you pay for fixing what they find. Try spywarewarrior.com for lists of good and bad anti-spyware software.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21414028.post-14346767377339807082008-01-06T15:22:00.000-05:002008-01-06T15:22:00.000-05:00Oh, I hate computer woes. Just a couple quick not...Oh, I hate computer woes. <BR/><BR/>Just a couple quick notes. First, are you running an anti-spyware program? Spyware can really bog down your system, although I can't say that would explain the modem problem. <BR/><BR/>Depending on your warranty, sending it away isn't so bad. I had to have this laptop's motherboard replaced by Dell a year or so ago. Dell sent DSL to pick up my machine, the guy brought an empty padded box for it and sealed it there in front of me. Dell sent it back, signature required, five days later. <BR/><BR/>To be on the safe side, I took my laptop to my favorite geek in town and had them image my hard drive before I sent it off. I had been told that Dell "wipes" your hard drive as a matter of course, so I wanted to make sure I didn't lose anything. It turns out that my laptop came home with its memory intact. <BR/><BR/>Either way, imaging your hard drive is something you should do if you find you have to ship your machine anywhere. A&A didn't charge me much, maybe $30 for the service, saving my data on an external drive until I knew my machine was intact.Just Mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10275183297341205710noreply@blogger.com