Can anyone replace Bill Gates and his Microsucks Systems?

This morning Automatic Update indicated there were files to load. Fool that I am, I clicked to load. The updates disabled my Norton Antivirus requiring me to uninstall and reinstall. Simple? After reinstalling there was a notice that a file was unable to load properly and to go to the Symantec Site for help. Well guess what, I can only access the site through IE. Remember my post about the FGIeMemo (nobody seems to know what the heck it is, to this day), well I can't use IE because as soon as a second window opens it gets an error and closes. This has been a problem since loading the Sp2 update. To access the net I have to use MSN. I can't use the Symantec Site through MSN.

I tried to get help through the Microsoft Site. I can pay $45.00 US to send an email, or, $385.00 US to phone for help. Oh, and since Windows was installed by the manufacturer of my pc, it tells me to return to the manufacturer for resolution of any problems that the site can't resolve. I'm at the end of my rope and the knot is slipping. I sent a note to Microsoft venting my frustration, nothing will come of it but it was good to vent.

I will download all the files that my kids and I have saved, lug the pc to the manufacturer and keep my fingers crossed that my warranty covers this. When required to install any future updates from Windows, I'll have to be sure my kids aren't around because I'll be singing the praises of Gates in a manner that won't be fit for them to hear. Any further problems, well I'm not sure what I'll do. I will, however, install Mozilla and use it and any other system that will keep me from using IE, Outlook, etc.

I apologize, in advance for the following comment as it is pretty crass but Bill Gates has us all by the short and curlies, I wish I could shave.

Ahhh, I feel your pain. The last time I downloaded an update it disabled my McAfee. Painstaking hours later I changed to Norton and so far have not had a problem. Of course it will be cold, cold day before I do another update of Microsoft. Wish there was something I could say to help, but I was never able to resolve my conflict either.

Are such problems common with Automatic Update? I update when I'm prompted to and I've never had that problem. Also, I don't understand how Windows Update could lead to problems with Norton Antivirus.

Tellywellies, what are ad-aware and spybot? I've heard of them before, but all these computer programs confuse me!

I can't believe that MicroSoft would charge you (and at such ridiculous prices) to e-mail or ring them. As far as I know, a company legally has to be contactable for problems with its products, right?

Thanks tellywellies,
I have another question, which is probably very silly and obvious. What is SP2, exactly? I presume its a version of xp, is it? If so, how can I tell if I have this version already or if I need to download it?

Also, what are the anti-virus programs other than Norton and how are they better?

And one more unrelated question. I've been speaking to lots of people lately who say they get all kinds of viruses through their e-mail. I've never had a virus, but I was wondering how these people get their viruses. Is it through opening attachments or could I obtain a virus just through opening a spam e-mail?

Thank you, Telly, I will follow your advice and do this on Saturday, when I won't be pressed for time. Windows works great for all my other programmes, it's just the working on the net that is messed up. Part of my frustration is that I feel like I'm trying to drive a Ferrari when I'm used to walking .

I think I became so piqued because of the inability to get help from Microsoft with my original IE problem, then yesterday morning it was the last straw. I still think that the Microsoft monopoly is terrible, I'd try Linux but I have an extended warranty and I'm not sure if it would be affected. MDG is pretty good but it is still a business and out to sell pc's. Also, my computerese is so bad I better stick with what little I know and that is Windows. I will however download Mozilla once everything is set right.

Thanks, again, Telly. My kids were horror struck when I told them the pc would have to go to the shop. They will definitely be happy and grateful to you. Let's just hope I don't botch things up worse. No, I'll keep happy thoughts and do this. Starting to feel more empowered already.

Good luck with it all. A couple of questions:

Does your extended warranty cover sorting these problems out? If it does, I'd let the company do it.

Would trying to fix the problems yourself affect the warranty?

One of the options with Firefox is having a particular page opened in a different window in IE format. I wonder if that might work for jonimacaroni?

I suppose that could work Roos. Anything is worth a try. If so, it would perhaps only be skirting around a basic problem though. It sort of depends on whether a way around it is good enough, or if getting the entire system ship-shape is more the goal.

Surprise, I've received an email from Microsoft in response to my complaint. Within the next 24 hours, I'm to be contacted by a tech to help resolve my problem. Apparently there is free support for anyone who has problems subsequent to downloading SP2. There isn't any mention of this on their site, unless I missed it, but since I scrutinized everything I somehow doubt that. One of my first questions will be about that FGIe Memo Window since nobody seems to know what that is. I'll keep you posted.

Well I received my "help". An email from a tech outlining the steps to take to reset IE. Telly they weren't to dissimilar to your instructions. He suggested and provided a link to download Ad-Aware. I do have Spyblaster and Spy-bot Search and Destroy, but followed his instructions so that I couldn't be faulted if the fix didn't work. Needless to say it located quite a few problems, but still hasn't rid me of a "tool bar" that is courtesy of lop.com. It still shows up on IE and I still can't get rid of it unless I log off. By the way, Spy-bot and Spywareblaster don't get rid of it either. IE now seems to allow me to open more than 1 window, without crashing.
Now I get a new error message when I log on to my user file. It is Greek to me, but I have replied to the tech and informed him of the results of following his advice.

This method of emailing back and forth isn't very satisfactory, actually talking to the tech while trying to work this out would be. In my email to the tech, I mentioned that perhaps his boss couldn't afford telephone support. I did tell him that my sarcasm is in no way a reflection on him, or, his personal performance. Poor guy probably gets it all the time from other users.

Anyway, waiting to find out what's next in line for me and my pc.

Have you got an entry in 'Add or Remove Programs' to get rid of the lop toolbar?

Hi Telly, no there isn't anything on Add/Remove, even if you click on the little X-box it doesn't remove. I can disconnect the net and close everything off and it stays. As I said, I have to log completely off to get rid of it. I'd ignore it but its at the bottom of the page and blocks out everything for about 2 cms above the bottom bar.

1:13pm and I haven't got a reply from the tech. I'm worried about my security settings and Norton, if I end up with a virus I'll pack it in and take the pc to MDG. Needless to say I won't be too happy.

Hello jonimacaroni

You might want to take a look at the bottom of this page http://tinyurl.com/5s63f . There's a link to a removal tool for the Accessory Toolbar, although I'm not sure if that's the correct description for the one you have.

I can't say what will happen if you decide to click the link. Using Firefox, I get the option to download the lop remover tool to the Desktop. Clicking it with Internet Explorer might lead to something being installed and used automatically. I'm not so sure I'd chance that happening. I suppose I would try the tool if desperate enough to uninstall lop and all else had failed. Type lop remover into Google for other removal methods.

Did you actually opt to install the lop toolbar, or did it just install itself when you visited some site or other?

Regarding your antivirus difficulties. You could just uninstall Norton and install another antivirus program and firewall. Avast! and ZoneAlarm free versions are good. This might solve the immediate problem and give you a chance to see what the programs are like.

It seems the computer might need a fresh start anyway, so you perhaps have nothing to lose by having a go ...unless that affects the warranty of course.

Say, a couple of things: First off, I use AVG and highly recommend it, and as of January 31, 2005, they're coming out with a new free version, which is very exciting.

Also, I've used Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy in concert for quite a while now, and while I've never had a problem with spyware, another computer in my office had a serious infestation. (Um, system performance after being booted up and left on for about 15 minutes without opening any new applications was at 23%...) Ad-Aware and Spybot both found but could not completely erradicate at least one pesky bug, and I found the forums at
http://www.spywareinfo.com
to be extremely useful. Read the FAQs and other initial reference pages to get info on a couple of VERY useful tools available for free download (virus free, I promise) and then browse the forums to see if anyone has already posted instructions for removal of the Iop toolbar. (Which is likely, and you may have to do nothing but follow someone else's instructions.) But if it hasn't been covered, you can run the little free utility, post a log to the forums, and within an hour or so probably have comprehensive instructions on removal. While I'm fairly computer savvy and have no problems opening up and mucking about in my system registery and so-forth, I was having real trouble with this one, and the friendly geeks at Spywareinfo had me up and running in a matter of hours. (After I'd already spent close to two full working days cleaning up the rest of the stuff on the system, this last little, rotten bug was about to do me in, I swear.)

Also, don't be too afraid of a little reformating. Our home systems get reformated with a fair amount of regularity just to keep them clean and running smoothly. It's a bit like an oil change. So long as you aren't too dependant on your hard drive for storage and keep track of ALL your hard-copies of software, you can reformat regularly without much difficulty. (Understand, regularly is perhaps once or twice a year unless Windows has some sort of extreme difficulty, which it does on occasion.) I still use Windows 98SE, but my hubby has finally gulped down his pride and switched to XP Professional. (We'd be using Linux if my husband weren't such a PC Games addict.)

How about using the registry editor? Maybe if it's not on Add and Remove programs, you might be able to see it manually from Start/Run/ type regedit, then once in regedit HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Yes, if it's installed it'll show up in the registry, but there are a couple problems. First, if you aren't very aware and/or very careful you can seriously screw up your system by messing with the registry. Second, some tool bars and other pesky malware can even hide themselves within the registry. That is to say, if you delete one bit in the registry but don't look for the other bit, it won't help and can sometimes even make it more difficult to remove the rest in the future. They hide themselves in folders and reinstall themselves after being removed, they rename themselves in the registry so it doesn't look like a tool bar, etc. They're sneaky suckers and they make their money off being the best hidden and most difficult to remove. The best thing really is to find more specific removal information on that particular piece of malware and THEN go edit your registry only AFTER you know exactly what to look for and where to find it.

A way of finding dubious entries in the Registry is by using the program called 'Hijackthis'. Even then, analysing its findings and being able to advise on what entries and files to delete is quite a specialist job. It might be OK to search for all instances of lop in the Registry and delete them but whether this would be enough to get rid of the toolbar is difficult to say.

If this were my computer, I would probably have formatted all these problems away some time ago and gone down the 'clean installation' route. This is untrodden ground for most people and there is a reluctance to have a go. However, it isn't that bad once you get into it. It's often quicker than spending hours/days trying to track down obscure glitches.

Why we are dissing Microsoft I might as well add this

Quote:

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Many Microsoft Windows users who downloaded the recently released AntiSpyware program from Microsoft, or had it installed through an automatic Windows update, woke up to a surprise. Unintentionally, the heuristics of the software detected Internet Explorer as spyware, and removed the program from their systems.

Microsoft has pulled the program from its website until the problem can be corrected. Elias Weatherbee, a Microsoft representative, said the program was "only in beta" and that "a fix was forthcoming."

"It shows how powerful our AntiSpyware program is," said Weatherbee. "Not only is it able to remove spyware from the system, but also the source of most spyware. Our competitors can't match that."

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Rest of the story here

web page

I had problems with Internet Explorer after my last Windows Update and now I am using Opera instead.

Can anyone tell me how to get rid of the little thing that pops up telling me that new Windows Updates are available as I don't want anymore updates.

Telly, I quite agree. The link I posted above, to the SpyWareInfo website uses almost exclusively the HijackThis log. They provide a link to where you can download this utility, then instructions on how to use it, and in the forum you are asked to pose the results of your log, where lovely, friendly, (and completely free of charge) geeks analize it and walk you through removal of any and all of your problems. I love HijackThis, and I am eternally in debt to the geeks at SpyWareInfo for my sanity.

Edited to add:
I love Opera. I stopped using IE at home over a year ago.

And Kuu:
If you are using XP SP2, go to control panel, then security center. On the left side, labeled "Resources", there are some things that look like links to web pages. One says "Change the way Security Center alerts me". From there you can choose to turn off "Automatic Updates". This all comes from my husband, who uses XP Professional, so it cannot be guaranteed that it is the same for Home editions or other Windows OS's. But I hope it helps.

Well for my comp the steps to disable Windows updates are

1: Control Panel

2: Automatic Updates (If in Classic view)

2: Security Center (With SP2 installed)

3: Automatic Updates (If you clicked Security Center)

4: Click the "Turn off Automatic Updates" option

I've been using Firefox for a month, mainly on the recommendation of people here and am absolutely loving it.

I like to test beta software so I installed the MS Antispyware beta program (on XP Pro SP2) as soon as it came out. Nothing bad has happened to the system so far.

This program does scheduled scans that run in the background. It has been doing these at frequent intervals since its installation. IE has been unaffected by them. I just did an update of the MS AntiSpyware program and let it carry out a full system scan and IE is still OK. I wonder what the difference is between my system and those who have had IE removed by it? I tried setting IE as the default browser and scanning but that doesn't affect it.

Kuu - If Automatic Update is turned off, it will be necessary to check with Windows Update once in a while to make sure your computer has the latest critical updates installed. In any case, I suspect the removal of Internet Explorer by MS AntiSpyware is one flaw that Microsoft will want to fix very quickly!

EDIT: BBspot is a satirical site. In the 'About' link at the top of their page:

Quote:

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Called "the world's greatest tech humour site" by The Register, BBspot creates entertainment for the geekier side of the world. BBspot produces a variety of features like fake news stories satirizing the tech and political worlds, the BBspot Mailbag which pokes fun at the Believers (people who believe our fake news) and much more. BBspot was started by Brian Briggs in April of 2000 as a hobby to bring some fun to the web, but grew to the point where Brian "quit his day job" and made the site his full-time occupation in January of 2003.

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Looks like we got caught