Computer Problems

[MikeF9]

Thursday April 22, 2010
Sigh.
I am having computer problems again. For some reason, I can not connect to the internet, have e-mail, or cut and paste anything. I can not copy folders to a CD, like pictures or documents.
I am writingthis with the iPhone, so the wireless and the modem are working fine, but not the computer.
If you need to e-mail me you can do it at:
unclemikevt@yahoo.com
That is the e-mail I have on the phone.
I shut the computer down for the night. Hopefully it just needs to re-boot itself or something.
Thanks to Margie for working on and trying to figure it out.

[Mike Raburn]

I would have asked if your desk top was plugged into the router but the copy paste thing is weird and nulls that question.

Are you using a wireless mouse and or keyboard?
If so, change batteries.

Usually if you reboot it all gets back to normal....hopefully.

[MikeF9]

I think it is related to thr McAfee problem that has hit everyone else. It did download an update yesterday. I haven't turned on the computer yet. We'll see what happens when I do.

[BCota]

Have you tried Last Known Good Configuration? ( hit f8 on bootup )

if that fails:

Run a File check - Start > Run ....sfc /scannow ( space after sfc )

Check the following to ensure that copy / paste is enabled:

Control Panel > Select Internet Options > click on the Security tab. Then click on Custom Setting, scroll down to find the option "Drag and copy or paste" and ensure that it is enabled.

[MikeF9]

Right now(9:45am) I am on hold waiting for McAfee tech support. Listening to the same Muzak songs over and over again. Sigh. I have plans to do other things, like go to the bathroom. Great. Woman with Indian (as from India) comes on and announces estimated time to next tech person is 20 minutes. Ihave already been on hold for 20 minutes. Then she comes on and says next technician will be avIlable in 15 minutes. Fine. Whatever. As long as they can fix this thing. And as I proofread what wrote and fix mistakes, she comes back as says it will STILL be 15 minutes until the next technician. Not a good day.

[Margie]

I went online and read the McAfee response to this "false start" issue.  Then I read the comments from their users.  Wow...this is HUGE!  And it is affecting hundreds of thousands of home users.  It removes the start bar, start button, and all access to internet - all local area connections are gone.  It also renders .exe commands useless.  Everything I tried to work on for Mike last night.  It looks like the entire operating system will have to be rebuilt.  And there were several comments on the website that said when they rebooted they got McAfee messages telling them to delete something so they did.  It deleted their entire operating system.

Good luck Mike! 

[MikeF9]

OK, I'm back. I guess.
The Internet Explorer was working funky early on and wouldn't load properly.
It seems to be working now.
I was on the phone for the better part of two hours, at least a good half hour on hold before talking to the tech guy.
I can't even explain what we went through, having to go through Safe Mode and reconfiguring things.
But I'm back. That's the main thing.

[Mike Raburn]

McAfee did cripple XP machines but they did do an update.

As for IE, I dumped that a while back.
I use CHROME and FIREFOX.
You do need to use IE for somethings, but not much.

I use the free version of AVAST on one machine and the free version of MS Essentials on the other two. AVAST is on the gamer as it has "gaming mode" I have on and it allows more ports open for the various games.

I play on line golf with one of the development team for the MS anti virus, so I have recourse if it fails.........

With years online I have NEVER gotten a virus or trogan using the free stuff. (knock on wood)
I avoid McAfee and Norton. They are system hogs. So is Trend Micro / PC Cillin.