"Last Known Good Configuration"--XP Hell

[asianflava]

And I can't believe that PC users here can actually blame the BRAND, that it's an HP.

It's WINDOWS which is the problem.

Since you're an Apple guy, I'll forgive you for not knowing this. Every brand of computer installs their own suite of software on their computers. Most are crap, some are really bad. They will eat up resources like crazy if left alone.

There was something in the software suite that caused my co-wroker's HP computer to be vulnerable to some kind of malware. Tech support was able to fix it but he said that some things atill aren't right. Since not all computers have this suite of software, not all computers will have the problem.

When my sister-in-law got her HP desktop, I uninstalled everything that was not needed for standard use. Stuff like HP photo album, HP books, etc. were zapped into cyberspace. Then I installed the latest windows updates, did a disk clean, then a defrag. This whole operation took a few hours but, she hasn't had any problems ever since she bought it.

My fix-all is a fresh install, install everything that you want/need and leave it. That way you exactly what is installed, what is running, and what could be giving you problems.

[Podunkfla]

Once you get it fixed:
get
Adaware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware
Crap cleaner http://www.ccleaner.com/

Mark

Yep Ira... I was a Mac person for many years as a graphic designer... from the first Mac Plus that had a hard drive to a Power Mac 9500. Yeah, it's an antique now; but it cost a bundle in 1995. I gave up on Macs about 1998. Back then just to upgrade the 9500 to a G3 was 2 grand or so. A faster Windows PC was about $600. and I wasn't doing it for a living any more. It took me about 6 months to get in the PC mode and Windows 95 was horrible back then. 98 SE was much better. XP was the answer... I still have no regrets. Of course, it could be because I just like to play around and upgrade/build PCs... and it was much harder to do that with Macs. It's true, Windows OS has been much more vulnerable to the idiots out there creating viruses/adware and other malicious problems; but once you learn how to handle them it's no biggie. My PC runs 24/7 online and often doesn't get turned off or rebooted for months at a time. I could never do that with a Mac without problems or crashes. My PC hasn't crashed in years. I can buy a very fast dual core PC for $500. and build one even cheaper. I still can't see paying twice as much for a similar Mac... But, that is just my experience with them. Who knows, Vista may send me back to Macs before it's over?

Mark's suggestions are very good... plus, get Norton or another good antivirus program. MajorGeeks.com is a good trouble shooting site & forum... Check it out.

[Ira]

The reason I get so frustrated is I just don't have the inclination or the time to learn the PC side of things just for his computer. Also, since OSX, Apple has improved DRAMATICALLY. It's just a rock solid OS that doesn't bomb, crash or freeze.

Yeah, I remember the old days of the "bomb," but the thing is, before OSX, I knew how to go into all of the system resources to putter and fix things. Now with OSX, not only don't you have to, you really CAN'T. It installs a lot of invisible files and is heading towards making the OS idiot-proof.

Sure, things can always go wrong, but I'm in an office with 25 people running Macs, and aside from a web site problem now and then (compatability with Safari or Firefox), not one of these machines has crashed or frozen since they were bought when OS X FIRST came out.

Not one.

[Laredo]

Which brings me back to the other thing I hate about Mac.
No command line.
Anywhere.
Same is true of Vista, I'm told.
Good thing I don't have it.


Hey, Brick? What store do you go to?

[Podunkfla]

Which brings me back to the other thing I hate about Mac.
No command line.
Anywhere.
Same is true of Vista, I'm told.
Good thing I don't have it.


Hey, Brick? What store do you go to?

The Lowe's in Live Oak, FL usually... sometimes the one in Lake City or Gainesville. Why you ask?

[George Kraus]

The people who create software that is harmful to computers concentrate on the type of computer operating system most people use, which is Windows. If the tables were turned and Mac was the OS everyone was using and Windows was the small player which system would they target then? Many of the experts say Mac is no more secure than Windows, it is simply code that takes a devious mind to circumvent and due to the dominance of Windows that is where these people are putting there efforts. I have had recent experience with database programs, Filemaker vs. Access. They can both do things common to each other and they can each do things the other can't. But when I look at price, what a difference. They are doing more cross platforming (which Filemaker is) but it seems as though the original Mac based programs are pricey.

Just IMHO.

George

[caseydog]

Got my fresh popcorn, now I'm watchin' the fireworks.

I always get a chuckle out of the Mac/PC wars. I use mac, but don't care what anyone else uses. I just toss out barbs to get a little fight brewing.

In my line of work, you use mac, or you don't work. I create an entire 120 magazine with a Mac and Adobe Creative Suite. Our video guy uses a Mac and Final Cut Pro, which is the industry standard for film/video editing.

My family all uses Mac, because they know that if they buy a windoze pc, I will laugh at them if they ask me for help. That, Ira, is you solution. Tell the kid that he can have a Mac AND your support, or he can go PC and go it alone. My friends who own pc's ocasionally ask me for help with problems, and I tell them to get a Mac -- that's my one-size-fits-all PC problem solver.

There is a place for Windoze -- it's just not in my home or office.

Besides, it has been scientifically proven that Mac users have 17-perent higher IQs than Windows users.

CD

[caseydog]

Which brings me back to the other thing I hate about Mac.
No command line.
Anywhere.

Yes there is. There is a real live Unix terminal built into OSX. It is called, "Terminal," and can be found in the "Applications" folder where the Utilities are.

[Bobgorilla]

Besides, it has been scientifically proven that Mac users have 17-perent higher IQs than Windows users.

CD

It's also true that lefthanders are smarter than righthanders, I'd rather be lefthanded with an HP, than right handed for any reason!

[Laredo]

'cause you're getting a better bargain than me:
I could never do that with a Mac without problems or crashes. My PC hasn't crashed in years. I can buy a very fast dual core PC for $500. and build one even cheaper.

[pgwilli]

Brick probably gets the same deal I get on Dells.
The one I'm looking at right now cost $499 I bought it to take on vacations. Duo core Centrino, XP, 80 or so Gigs, WiFI card, CD/DVD burner - but I did add on some extra memory (makes up for what I've lost in my younger years).
Oh yeah, no crashes ever here either...

[Podunkfla]

Brick probably gets the same deal I get on Dells.
The one I'm looking at right now cost $499 I bought it to take on vacations. Duo core Centrino, XP, 80 or so Gigs, WiFI card, CD/DVD burner - but I did add on some extra memory (makes up for what I've lost in my younger years).
Oh yeah, no crashes ever here either...

Actually, I usually buy computers and most parts from Newegg.com;
But, I got this one a Walmart, of all places! Amazing deal...
I can't come close to buying the parts and building one for what I paid...

HP Pavilion Desktop PC w/ AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 4400+

Compaq 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor, WF1907
2.3 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core processor 4400+
Delivers fast 64-bit processing power for multi-tasking along with enhanced virus protection
2 GB of PC2-5300 DDR2 memory
Offers better performance along with the option of expanding up to 8 GB
320 GB SATA hard disk drive, 7200 rpm
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium
Provides plenty of space for your files, photos, music and videos
SuperMulti DVD burner with double-layer capability
Plays and burns CDs and DVDs in the most popular formats with ease
15-in-1 memory card reader
Reads all major memory card formats and Memory Sticks for convenient uploads of data, music or photos
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition
Latest operating system enhances your computing experience
Additional software
Be productive and have fun with Microsoft Works 8, Roxio Creator 9 Basic and more useful applications

Additional Features:
Processor cache: 512 KB + 512 KB L2
Chipset: NVIDIA nForce 430
Bus speed: 2000 MHz system
Memory: 2 x 1024 MB
Memory slots: four DIMM (240-pin, DDR2), occupied
Optical drive: SuperMulti DVD burner with LightScribe technology; 16x DVD-R, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+R DL, 8x DVD-R DL, 12x DVD-RAM, 16x DVD-ROM, 40x CD-R, 32x CD-RW, 40x CD-ROM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 6150 SE with TurboCache including 128 MB of dedicated graphics memory; up to 319 MB total available graphics memory as allocated by Windows Vista
Sound: high-definition audio, 8-speaker configurable
Fax/modem: 56k modem
Keyboard and mouse: HP multimedia keyboard, HP ball mouse
Available expansion slots: PCI, PCI-Ex16, PCI-Ex1
Available expansion bays: 5.25", and two 3.5"
Front panel 15-in-1 memory card reader supports SmartMedia, xD, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital (SD), Compact Flash I, Compact Flash II, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro Duo, RSMMC, MMC Mobile, MMC+, Mini Secure Digital, IBM Microdrive
Six USB 2.0 ports (2 front, 4 back)
Two FireWire (IEEE 1394) ports (front, back)
Headphone/microphone/line-in (front)
SP/DIF digital audio port - coaxial (back)
Rear speaker out/side speaker out/center out/center (subwoofer)
LAN and VGA ports
Software included: Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium, HP Photosmart Essential 2, Roxio Creator 9 Basic, RealPlayer, Microsoft Works 8, Adobe Reader 7.0, HP Total Care Advisor, HP Hardware Diagnostic Tools, HP Recovery Manager, muvee autoProducer 6, Roxio MyDVD 9 Basic, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 (60-day trial version)
For $630. out the door! (That monitor is sells for $208.72... So I paid about $406. for the PC!)

[Ira]

There's no doubt that Apple's ridiculously high pricing has hurt its devotees big time, but we just ain't going anywhere:

PC users often switch to Macs, but Mac users NEVER switch to PCs.

Also, and Apple has been doing this FOREVER, is that they announce price reductions on certain models:

And then announce the discontinuation of those models and the arrival of new ones--for a few hundred bucks more. So Mac users worldwide slap their heads and say, "Why didn't I just WAIT!?"

All I can say is thank God for the iPod, because if it wasn't for that one product, I WOULD have to learn and work in Windows, because Apple would have been out of business otherwise.

[switterstx]

I've got to bring a couple of points up here. I've used all types of computers for the last 20 years or so. Unix, Mainframe (anyone heard of a VAX?) Apple, Mac (there is a difference), PC, etc.

Your $600 dell will last a couple of years, tops, before you'll need to replace it or fix a piece of hardware (I have one at the house that the fan has died, can't replace the fan cause it is a dell only part) My macs last 5 years, easily, and typically never crash. The software out of the box doesn't need to be removed, reconfigured, tweeked or added to, it just works. I have yet to install or pay for any type of virus protection.


I had a mac powerbook in the islands for about 2 years, constantly in use in the humidity, on roofs, outside, etc. Only thing wrong with it is the battery. It's 5 years old and my wife uses it for managing her website. I've used a dell notebook for the last 2 years here in texas doing essentially the same job... the first one had problems with the ethernet port, then the pci slot. The last one is about to drop the hinges for the display. So you get what you pay for.

my .02 in Ira's defense