fix it before it's broke

**optispares** · 04-21-2002, 12:24 PM

;) just found this site bigfix click. .
it's supposed to find problems on your computer before they do any harm.!!

tried it myself after having a few problems with ME . it found several errors and updates i was missing.:idea:
just download the basic file then add the fixits for your OS.

:cheers:

**John R** · 04-21-2002, 02:57 PM

Mmm, think i'll let your's run for a week to see if all is OK before i crash mine.......

**Joann Raytar** · 04-22-2002, 07:39 AM

Yeah, I used to run a program called Oil Change and I think it did more harm than good.

We'll let you be the test subject for now. ;)

**Sean** · 04-22-2002, 06:19 PM

Optispares,
So sorry to have to dissagree with you on this one:(.But hey as you know i'm alway's open to suggestions.:)Just wondering though.......does it attempt to correct the actual program that is giving you the go around (paths..shourtcuts..filenames.. etc)? Or does it start to access the systems registry?

**optispares** · 04-23-2002, 01:00 PM

Just wondering though.......does it attempt to correct the actual program that is giving you the go around (paths..shourtcuts..filenames.. etc)? Or does it start to access the systems registry?

sean.
so far it has found several missing or corrupted windows files, also missing windows updates that i did not find when i went to microsft update site. it just directs you to the latest available updates via microsoft ( the updates for some reason that are not available through the normal update chanel)
anyway it has sorted out a problem i was having with ie6 mainly on optiboard the browser just kept coming up with an error message and shutting down.:bbg: it seems ok at the moment:(

**Sean** · 04-23-2002, 05:26 PM

Have you given "Nortons System Works" a try? I'll swear buy that program. Although i believe i owe you an apology...........After viewing the site i took it as some hokey cure all for pc's with problems.It does not say.........nor did i realize it was a search engine for program updates.Just for that i'll give it a try (even though my computers are up and running ok)to see what it comes up with.:bbg:

:bbg:

**10 Pence Short** · 04-23-2002, 06:00 PM

Sean,

I've used Norton Utilities on several computers and found it too demanding on it's resources. I'd rather start from scratch than wait for all the 'nannyness' and delays that Norton brings.

**Sean** · 04-23-2002, 06:09 PM

10 Pence Short,
What do you run for a system? I have never run into a resource problem with "Nortons". Just curious.................

**10 Pence Short** · 04-25-2002, 08:35 AM

Sean,

Tried Norton SystemWorks on various computers (up to 1Ghz with 500MB RAM) and found that if you have everything switched on it just slows the job down.

The worst offender, to be fair, seems to be Roxio's GoBack which restores your system should Norton let something slip...

Is it not fair comment to say that if you treat your PC with a bit of common sense, problem solve logically and don't meddle if you don't know, then most PC's will give you good service without the need for all these programs.

Well, that how it's supposed to work...

**varmint** · 04-25-2002, 11:52 AM

I couldn't resist a post on this subject.
Years ago(during 486 days) I turned a friend onto Norton. He sweats by it & uses it faithfully, however I didn't keep up with it.
After much coaxing from him, I recently installed Norton Systemworks to help prevent problems I had created by installing Roxio's EZ-Cdcreator,(I had to reformat & reinstall everything to correct that one.)
I had no idea Roxio had anything to do with Go Back when I installed it, & low & behold, I had to reformat & reinstall everything again last week to be able to boot my system.
No more Systemworks or Roxio products will ever grace my system again!!!:angry:

**Sean** · 04-25-2002, 07:04 PM

10 Pence Short said:
Is it not fair comment to say that if you treat your PC with a bit of common sense, problem solve logically and don't meddle if you don't know, then most PC's will give you good service without the need for all these programs.

Well, that how it's supposed to work...

Yes i agree........that could not of been said any better. No truer words could have been spoken for that matter.BTW just switched to Easy CD Creator 5 Platinum a couple of weeks back. And at the very begining of setup....it warns you that it will remove "Go Back" from the original install files and that Roxio will not supporting it in the future.

**varmint** · 04-26-2002, 10:12 AM

Sean I also agree with 10 Pence Short's comment. I guess that was sorta my point too.
I didn't even know what Go Back was, nor was it on my system when I installed EasyCDCreator 5 Platinum. This pgm created serious issues with my operating system, but I think it is known to conflict with Windows 2000 Professional that I use. Of course I learned that while I was trying to fix the damage. I know others using it with Windows 98 w/o any problems. I use the HP Record Now software without any problems, so I guess that means, leave well enough alone!!!

**Sean** · 04-26-2002, 07:33 PM

Varmint,
Also from what i understand Roxio has another program that is called 'Take Two" or something like that is also being discontinued.......It also works as a hard drive compression backup.I believe alot of the problems with "Go Back" & "Take Two" that have come up are due to the increased size of newer and larger disk drives. And also the differences between NTFS,FAT & FAT32 File systems.Most notable problems seem to be with NTFS.Which is the file system for both Win2000 and XP.

**10 Pence Short** · 04-27-2002, 05:03 AM

Don't get me started about Windows XP...

Got a new Dell Inspiron laptop in March with XP professional preloaded along with Office (or should that be Orifice?) XP. The system would hang and crash, especially with OrificeXP programs (like every time you try and drop down the typeface list, or print or change the Page Format, etc, etc, etc).

Anyway, after trying regressing to Office 97 nothing got solved and my face became steadily redder and redder at the prospect of using my new computer as an ornamental doorstop. Why not try phoning the Dell support line?

Fair play to Dell, they put me through to a technician pretty quickly and the guy at least had more personality than the usual 'Stormtrooper-on-a-phoneline' attitude. To cut a long story short (you've gotta eat shortly, right?) we couldn't find any hardware issues so he suggested I re-format and re-install. A true colonic irrigation of the hard disk.

This is the bit where my '10 Pence Short, Power Consumer' head whirred into action (albeit less noisily than my hard disk). Frankly I couldn't be ars*d to spend half a day to set up the computer again, specially after it's only like 53 days old damn it. So, I suggested that Dell take the unit back, flush it like a good 'un and return it to me like a sparkly new laptop that it should be. 'We can, but we're not able to re-install Windows XP onto laptops' was the technicians reply. Errr, why not? 'Something to do with XPs network settings?' he said. 'We CAN install '98 and ME if you want. But not XP. Oh, and if you have a desktop rather than a laptop we COULD put XP back on'. Now I'm no genious (stop nodding you lot!), but I didn't quite get the logic of this. Why should I waste half a day reconfiguring a laptop that's been faulty from day one, in my company's time, just because Dell are alledgedly employing people too stupid to install XP onto their own bleeding laptops?

After 10 minutes arguing the toss with this guy I realised my oral workout was going to be as successful as peace talks in the middle east. So I stopped, thanked him for his time and asked him to get the Dell rep to give me ring (so I could really kick off at someone who could grovel professionally to me). I'm still waiting, if anyone at Dell is listening...

I've subsequently re-installed XP and OrificeXP and it seems to be working at the moment. The truth is out there...

Now who's the daddy of complaining?

**optispares** · 04-27-2002, 05:25 AM

Don't get me started about Windows XP...

XP Must be short for exasperating!!!!!!!!
all it did for me was screw up everything. reformat try again. runs fine (duh) for a couple of days then will not even boot:hammer: XP professional glad I didn't buy the amatuer version

still it's in the best place now the trash can:o

**Sean** · 04-27-2002, 06:16 AM

I had the same problem with XP on a brand new Vaio super slim series laptop.The only way i could get it to run was to also do a clean install.But still......talk about compatability issues with drivers and networking(i have 2 other pc's running ME)that was a uphill battle all the way.Then just when i thought the lesson in frustration was over..........along came wireless networking for my laptop.:angry:Trying to get XP to work with wireless router and a different OS on the rest of the network......sits right up there with next to impossible

.It's easier to send a man to the moon.After days er um weeks i finally figured it out(something to do with XPs internet security and the firewall on the router).I never had problem of this magnitude with earlier versions of windows....ever.I'm still on the fence with using XP even though it is still on my laptop(so far,so good)i have come this far and i am not about to turn back now.But if i had to do it all over again,i would use ME.

**Steve Machol** · 04-27-2002, 10:09 AM

I've heard there's a lot of problems with XP on laptops. But I have to say that on my desktop it's performed almost flawlessly.

**10 Pence Short** · 04-27-2002, 02:23 PM

To be fair, our tech guys have been running XP for over a year now, from pre release betas to full retail and they think it's fantastic (mind you they think anything with a circuit board and flashing LEDs is fantastic). I get the impression that it either works flawlessly on your machine from day one or you're condemned to a life of pain and misery...

I have a stunning idea- if enough people get invloved, we could lobby Microsoft into releasing a product that actually works 99% percent of the time, is easy to use, integratable with many platorms, very undemanding on hardware and cheap to buy. We could call this product (wait for it) Windows For Workgroups 3.1.

Anyone up for it?

**Sean** · 04-27-2002, 03:55 PM

Steve Machol said:
I've heard there's a lot of problems with XP on laptops. But I have to say that on my desktop it's performed almost flawlessly.

Steve,
Although i got wrapped up about networking in my last post.....i've gotta say that after the clean install,i have not had any problem with XP on my laptop. But i must admit im in no big hurry to upgrade my desktops just yet.Im no green horn when it comes to working with computers to say the least(been messin with them since they were the bottom of the 80386 line and booted with a 5 1/4 floppy)But as 10 Pence stated in a latter post........im going to leave well enough alone for a bit.

**Sean** · 04-27-2002, 04:06 PM

10 Pence Short said:
I have a stunning idea- if enough people get invloved, we could lobby Microsoft into releasing a product that actually works 99% percent of the time, is easy to use, integratable with many platorms, very undemanding on hardware and cheap to buy. We could call this product (wait for it) Windows For Workgroups 3.1.

Anyone up for it?

Here....Here.