some of you are more tech savvy than others...I know how to point and click just fine, I can usually figure out how to get my pos hp printer to work again after I accidentally let it run out of paper (no, it's not as easy as just loading more paper...) and I know better than to delete system 32...but I run into problems sometimes and I thought maybe it would be nice to get help from fellow plus613 users instead of pouring over the forums on so called computer help websites. I have had alot of success with the other forums but it can take literally hours of reading to find what I need to know...there's got to be an easier way and hopefully this is it
I know I'm not the only regular user here that has limited understanding of what's going on inside the magic box, and my hope is we can post questions here and woberto, err I mean other 613 users that know computers, can give us the answers and some good advice to make our machines work better...
thanks in advance!

currently with just the desktop up, my computer sounds like a jet engine running under my desk, the CPU usage meter jumps from 10% to 40% to 20% to 10% to 30% and the RAM usage is around 23%...if I get on the internet the numbers go even higher and my computer lags...
to me that spells virus or malware..I read an article recently about how to install and run anti-malware in safe mode and it listed 4 or 5 different anti-malware programs to try. I use McAfee and so some are not compatible with it..I use Malwarebytes and it seems to do a pretty good job usually just takes Forever and a day to run the scan...

if I do have a problem, Malwarebytes isnt catching it so I'm trying to figure out what is another good program that is compatible with McAfee...any advice would be greatly appreciated!!


does anyone know about speccy? I have it downloaded but I'm not sure how safe it is to share the results...

Macafee is evil. first thing i'd say is if you run firefox, click "tools" then click clear recent history and check all but "site preferences", then click clear everything. then we can go further.

Use SuperAntispyware free edition.

i like AVG for Winblows

If you must use windoze then forget free products. Visit the CA website and buy the most expensive suite you can afford.

I've had AVG for about 3 years and had no problems.

I have firefox set to delete cookies and clear history when I close it..
I tried the super anti-virus and it found a surprisingly high number of tracking cookies, a trojan and some other crap...it helped but there's still something making the cpu work too hard...

it's possible I have too many processes running but I don't see any that I know for certain aren't necessary..

no one uses speccy?

In theory, all your "data" should be backed up so that you can trash and burn your OS, reinstall all your applications, then restore your data without missing an email or bookmarked webpage.
When in doubt I say "trash & burn baby"!

considering doing just that berto, thanks

ubuntu

yeah may give linux another go too...fed up with microsoft bullshit for awhile now

Setup a dual boot Ubuntu 11point whatever.
Then make sure you can import your emails etc.
If it goes alright and the new OS doesn't freak you out, trash & burn and install Ubuntu stand alone.
Get Kims phone number for tech support because sometimes you can't get the monitor up or things like webcams need tweaking.

You should be able to go start/run/taskmgr, go to the (second?) tab with all the processes listed in it, then select the CPU column and sort by what application is using the most CPU.

Start there perhaps?

Also McAfee is alright. I used to work for them in the UK. The product I was on was actually really good, and their desktop stuff FOR ENTERPRISE has always been up there at the top.

It's the home user stuff that's rubbish, with a billion useless features and bloatware you'll never need or use.

If you're feeling adventurous you can run something HijackThis and read up on what it finds. there are some other tools that will show you start up processes and dependencies but between what Pulse said and HJT you could probably narrow it down. Sometimes I like to dig into such problems just to learn more about them but if it's fast results you're after then nuke and rebuild. That always works.

I've been using AVG for a few years with no complaints but as good as it may be it does not protect against everything. No one product does. I do like the browser add-in with AVG. It has warned me a few times about some sites. Just keep it up to date.

Use and do what works for you.

If you wanna try Ubuntu and prefer a Mac like experience then 11.04, 11.10 or the forthcoming 12.04 distros are for you Pro.

If you prefer an interface more "Windozelike" then I'd install 11.04 as this is the last distro allowing the Gnome desktop option (unless 12.04 again allows that option).

After installation of 11.04 in the start-up process after you input your username, when the screen comes up to input your password you'll see some options at the bottom edge of the screen. I "think" if you click on "interface" you'll have the option of using "Ubuntu Classic Desktop", which is the Gnome GUI/interface.

If however in the installation process you opted for the automatic login then when you fire up it will take you directly to the standard 11.04 (and newer distros) Unity interface, which I despise with a passion, but that's just my preference, so YMMV.

If you have enabled automatic login and wanna have the option of the Gnome desktop you'll have to go to System->Administration->Login Screen->Unlock, then enter your password and change the settings to allow logging in manually to then give you the option to switch to the Gnome desktop in the start up process.

If you prefer the Ubuntu Classic Desktop(Gnome) then once you have selected it during the start up process it will become the default desktop without any further action, same thing if you prefer the Unity desktop.

Though I've been onboard with Ubuntu since 6.06, unless they again offer the Gnome desktop option in the future, I'll problee just stick with 11.04

BTW, the best tech support is havin a 2nd mosheen to search for forum/troubleshooting help. It's saved my bacon on more than one occasion

all good advice, thanks everyone...I especially like the last sentence in your last post Kim, not having a second computer, as a backup, right now is really the only thing stopping me from trying Ubuntu

That's where the dual boot comes in as it effectively gives you a 2nd mosheen with only one

Oh, oh, oh .... and you have to install Winblows 1st if ya wanna do a dual boot. If you install Ubuntu 1st Windows will require you to reformat the partition to install it. If you install Windows 1st, then Ubuntu, Ubuntu will simply repartition the drive and appropriate the necessary space needed on it's own. During the install process it will ask if you wanna install it side-by-side with Windows and you just click yes.

And remember this too, you can DL ubuntu and burn it to a disc and run from that disc without installing it if ya wanna check it out 1st.

You could try that with Windows or Mac .... if they'd letcha, but they don't



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 13/04/2012 05:03PM by Mrkim.

you can also install ubuntu on a USB flash drive and boot from that, or take the flash drive with ya and boot into it from any machine.

[www.pendrivelinux.com]

Anyone else having problems with google earth? Even with dialup it worked great for years then a few months back I noticed I couldn't get a clear view of the area around where I was born though I could zoom right in to places near were I live with great clarity. Then a few weeks back that all went to a fuzzy green picture covered by countless icons for places and pictures people had linked. I was running an older version so I upgraded and now instead of the fuzzy green with all the icons I get a solid lavender screen with all the damned icons. This bums me out because I used it quite a bit to get an idea of where ther might be trails to hike in the area.

Should I also post this in the "first world problems" forum?

Bing maps is actually pretty damn good.

Does it have aerial photos or just maps? I'm lookin' for places to "run through the jungle" or at least walk, not roads.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 17/04/2012 04:53PM by quasi.

I've never had good results with Gargoyle Earth but I never tried it before a few months ago so maybe it's been borked for a while. Wouldn't be a shocker especially considering the source. I usually just go with the satellite images and sometimes the drive-by data collection view but they are flaky too.

P_J, did you get your shit figured out yet? Some of that malware is a bitch to completely get rid of but it can be done. I just cleaned up a friend's PC real good but it took 4 different tools and the better part of a day to do so. Knowing what to look for helps but all you really gotta do is pay attention and look some stuff up now and then. What I used was:

SuperAntiSpyware
Spybot Search & Destroy
Hijack This
Regcleaner 4.6 (apparently does not run on dual-core CPUs and no update beyond 4.6 without paying $ last I checked)

Bing has decent aerial photos but I didn't figure out how to save the image to view or print later like I could with google.

There is a print function in Bing maps. There are several ways to get a graphic off the screen; screen capture & paste into graphics app or print to .pdf file, to name two. For the .pdf you'll need something like CutePDF writer (free). For a simple graphics app to paste a screen cap in, crop, resize and save Irfanview works fine (also free).

just tried google earth for the first time in quite awhile and it worked great,I couldnt find your house though quasi..

I eliminated several tracking cookies and a trojan and my machine is working better...still having some issues but I can tolerate it for now. been too busy job hunting to worry about it..

Yeah, I printed it out on bing but I like to save the images for future use so I'll experiment with it.

Get CutePDF writer, it is really easy. It installs as a printer driver and when you "print" to it saves as .pdf to whatever location and name you choose.

I know the words to that song P_J. "Get a job Sha na na na, sha na na na na" Good luck.

actually I started my new job yesterday