[Rhodes22-list] Todd's Computer Problems

[Kroposki]

Todd:
	I see where Michael recommended MacAfee and that you use some of
their other products.  I have to use Microsoft Office and Express for
university access.  About two months ago, I had a crash, a virus, or a
hacker attack.  It did not completely shut my computer down, but did
disable the internet access.  Both DSL and my backup dial up were
disabled.  I was back up shortly with the DSL, but it took a few days to
get the dial up functioning.  However, my MacAfee products were all
quirky.  I tried to reinstall and went to their web site for problem
fixes or help.  You cannot get direct help without paying to a high
dollar help desk.  Therefore, I threw out all the MacAfee products and
got Norton System Works.  It helped but once you have installed MacAfee
products under Windows XP, you cannot get rid of them without formatting
the hard drive.  Since my wife needed to continue using the computer to
communicate with her students, I did not format.  Instead, I went in the
old way, edited the registry, and manually cleaned other areas.  Due to
the Windows XP program, I did not get rid of them, but stopped them from
continually saying "error xyz".  I no longer recommend MacAfee products
after using them from day one.
	In addition, if my wife did not need to use Microsoft Office, I
would certainly try Linux.  
            Ed K 

-----Original Message-----
From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Steve Alm
Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2003 3:12 AM
To: Rhodes
Subject: Re: [ham] [Rhodes22-list] Dummy with computer needs help--badly

Or...........You could just get a Mac!  Problem solved!  Todd, you seem
to
have a propensity for doing things the hard way.   8-)  8-)  8-)

Slim

On 11/27/03 12:20 AM, "Todd Tavares" <sprocket80 at mail.com> wrote:

> Michael,
> 
>  Yeah,  this computer has probably exceeded its useful life.  It is 3+
years
> old.  I have Norton systems works 2001, McAfee firewall, virus scan
> professional, and a group of other McAfee products, ie instant
updater,
> guardian, clean sweep,shreader, safe & sound, and visual trace.
> 
>  The problem is that I have not enough time or knowledge to configure
them
> efficiently.  The firewall for instance, if I use it to block much at
all, I
> cannot get pages like msn.com to load even.  If I set it to filter, I
get 20
> windows a second asking do you want to allow this program access, and
I cant
> even read my e-mails.
> 
> I will probably take the dumb guy approach with the next computer and
save all
> of my personal files to cd.  So when it gets too bad, I can reformat
the hard
> drive and go from there.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Michael Meltzer <mjm at michaelmeltzer.com>
> Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2003 00:30:28 -0500
> To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Subject: Re: [ham] [Rhodes22-list] Dummy with computer needs
help--badly
> 
>> you got hit by a porn dialer(that what they call it, they started the
trick),
>> what is does is highjack your modem line and call
>> 1-900 number or a oversea call, it is called fraud.
>> 
>> 1)call the phone company, they will take it off the bill, you might
have to
>> ask to speck to a supervisor, SOP is they will let you
>> off the hook for the first time(check the current bill while you at
it), if
>> nice is not working get pushy, you might have to remind
>> them that this is a fraud, from other complaints they should have
know it was
>> a fraud, you did not knowingly make the call, by them
>> billing you they are a party to the fraud, willing to go to the state
>> attorney general. ask them to place the "blocks" on your line.
>> If you need help with the scream job, I do it for a living,
conference call
>> :-)
>> 
>> 2)now for the computer, the problem you have is that any Microsoft
product
>> that is not absolutely current is not fit to be connected
>> to the internet, frankly I think bill gates should loss a class
action law
>> suit, their is really no reason for it.
>> 
>> Hopefully http://www.safer-networking.org has removed the dialer by
now.
>> 
>> the problem you have window98Se, is End of life, MS is no longer
suporting
>> it, then next step for you is upgrading to windows98me,
>> but ms is going to EOL that soon also, you could upgrade to windowsXP
but
>> most like any computer that started out with windows SE
>> does not have the power to run XP (skip win2000 in your case), for
about 400$
>> you can upgrade to alot better assuming you can reuse
>> the monitor, witch will include 100$ your would have to pay to
upgrade the
>> OS, might want to think about it.
>> 
>> For DSL or Cable modem you beed a hardware firewall, they will also
allow you
>> to share the line with outer computers in the house,
>> linksys, dlink, smc, etc, thay cost about 100-150$, look for the
words
>> "statefull packet filtering fallwall", zone-alarm will alway
>> be second best to a real firewall(the virus disable zone-alarm but
donot
>> touch the hardware firewall)
>> 
>> zone is ok for dialup, if no other resion that thier is nothing else.
>> 
>> I like Mcaffe for my anit-virus on the decktop pc, Norton has been
slipping
>> over the years(my option).
>> 
>> bottom line, must be always up to date on the OS, must be running
antivirus,
>> have a firewall. should be sueing MS or get linux :-)
>> 
>> MJM
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Todd Tavares" <sprocket80 at mail.com>
>> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 2:39 PM
>> Subject: [ham] [Rhodes22-list] Dummy with computer needs help--badly
>> 
>> 
>>> HELP MJM, Mark, Will, Steve, Rik, or any of you smart computer guys,
HELP!
>>> 
>>>    I am ready to trash my computer and start over and do not want
this
>>> particular problem to reoccur with a new computer.
>>> 
>>> I have been having problems with my computer for about a month now.
I use
>>> win98SE and have slow dial-up service.
>>> 
>>>    About a month ago I started getting pop-up ads trying to connect
to the
>>> internet, even when I was sitting down watching TV and
>> not near the computer.  I had no idea where they were coming from.
Deleting
>> the history, cookies, changing my security settings
>> didn't stop them.  I brought the task window and viewed the
properties for
>> the files running, but when I did a search in the
>> directies named...these files did not exist...not hidden,
archive..nothing.
>>> 
>>>    I have a Norton 2000 maintenance software package (Norton Works
2000?)
>>> that monitors, cleans, defrags etc.  Half or more of the
>> Norton items wouldn't run.
>>> 
>>>    I deleted all unfamiliar downloaded programs and items.....still
the
>>> pop-ups came.   They only stopped after I went through
>> windows explorer and deleted or uninstalled unfamiliar
files/directories.
>>> 
>>>    I thought I was a genius until I opened my telephone bill and
today found
>>> a $398.00 internet charge.  It seems that I had
>> picked some sort of downloaded software that dialed up and connected
to the
>> internet at 2:00 AM while I was sleeping and went to a
>> pay site somewhere in the Camoros Islands off the coast of West
Africa.  I
>> know it wasn't wifey or the kids.
>>> 
>>>    This charge was an add on from ATT.  I do not use ATT.  ATT CSR
said this
>>> is happening with increasing frequency, but refused
>> to remove the charges from my bill.
>>> 
>>>    So my questions are  (yes there is a question in here somewhere)
what can
>>> I do to stop this from happening again?  How can I be
>> sure this software is not still in my computer hiding? Is there
software that
>> I can buy to prevent this?  Can my McAfee Virus or
>> Norton firewall software be configured to catch it?   Short of
trashing the
>> computer and getting a non-telephone internet
>> service...what should I do.
>>> 
>>>     And a second subject,  my windows defrag keeps restarting
because a file
>>> is trying to write to disk.  How can I stop this?
>> Are these two problems related? (hopefully this is an easy fix)
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Todd
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -- 
>>> ___________________________________________________________
>>> Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com
>>> http://promo.mail.com/adsfreejump.htm
>>> 
>>> __________________________________________________
>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>> 
>> 
>> __________________________________________________
>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>> 

__________________________________________________
Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list