Reinstall XP in 147 easy steps!

[Chicane]

http://diveintomark.org/archives/2003/08/04/xp

Funny..... yet true.

- Rob

[Landshark]

i don't get it. i've had XP for over a year and its never crashed. except for the time i deleted something i shouldn't have, but XP's System Restore fixed that. ;)

here's a real 'funny, but true.' :D
http://webdev.o1.com/rvb/movies/switch/RvB_switch.mov

[mohrds]

Anyone can make a story like that if they don't know what they are doing. That is what makes it so funny.

Why he doesn't have his licenses, OS discs and Driver discs in one file is incomprehensible to me.

It takes me less than two hours to flatline a PC, Load XP, Service packs and tweak the interface the way I want it.

It takes me about an hour and a half to flatline a Mac, Load X, updates, and tweak the user interface the way I want it.

BTW: The new X Beta Freaking Rocks!!!

Doug

[JLittell]

I had it. It crashed on me and gave me tons of Kernell errors. It's now in the trash (where it belongs in the first place!) and I'm running Windows 2000. XP was the most unstable OS I've ever worked on! I might consider going back to it as soon as they release a second or an improved edition. I loved all the bells and whistles that XP had though!

[Phast SVX]

Originally posted by JLittell
I had it. It crashed on me and gave me tons of Kernell errors. It's now in the trash (where it belongs in the first place!) and I'm running Windows 2000. XP was the most unstable OS I've ever worked on! I might consider going back to it as soon as they release a second or an improved edition. I loved all the bells and whistles that XP had though!
i think you are reffering to windows ME, millenium edition. it was HORRIBLE and you did have to reformat your computer every couple months if you use it alot, none of the updates helped and it ran horribly. BTW i have encounted the WORST spyware ever. Not ad=aware, or bulletproof will find it at all! I dont know what to do but i get popups every couple minuts and they accumualte if i leave it. Does anyone have alot lof experience with computers?
phil

[lee]

Phil,

Do you have any software that will look at the Windows startup processes? If you're getting popups without visiting a site it means something is running in the background. It might be a program like Kazaa or one of the instant messenger flavors.

In XP, as a start, you can try the 3-finger salute and then look at the processes. Kill off anything strange that has your user name attached and maybe you can narrow it down. Ad-aware and like programs are looking for a dll or similar that lurks in the background to report on you when you visit a specific site. It sounds to me like you have an active process going on all the time and that may be the reason you aren't finding it thru ad-aware.

If you don't have anything specific that will look at your processes, you can use a program called XPTuneup. Price is right - free for personal use, find at www.xptuneup.com

hope this helps

[DavieGravy]

Originally posted by Phast SVX

i think you are reffering to windows ME, millenium edition. it was HORRIBLE and you did have to reformat your computer every couple months if you use it alot, none of the updates helped and it ran horribly. BTW i have encounted the WORST spyware ever. Not ad=aware, or bulletproof will find it at all! I dont know what to do but i get popups every couple minuts and they accumualte if i leave it. Does anyone have alot lof experience with computers?
phil

Phast SVX, Get HijackThis from here (http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt/).
Unzip the file, double click on the HijackThis.exe file.
Then press the "Scan" button.
When the scan is finished, the "Scan" button will change into a "Save Log" button.
Press that, save the log. Then copy/paste the log here.
Don't fix anything yet !!

[CigarJohnny]

Originally posted by Phast SVX

i think you are reffering to windows ME, millenium edition. it was HORRIBLE and you did have to reformat your computer every couple months if you use it alot, none of the updates helped and it ran horribly. BTW i have encounted the WORST spyware ever. Not ad=aware, or bulletproof will find it at all! I dont know what to do but i get popups every couple minuts and they accumualte if i leave it. Does anyone have alot lof experience with computers?
phil Funny, I run ME since my hardware does not like XP (tried it but had nothing but problems). I have had ME on it for over a year without any issues whatsoever and I work the piss out of it. It also stays up days at a time without reboots. I know a few others as well that run ME without issues and love it!. It's fast and stable for them and is an excellent gaming platform. Like everything, I suppose, your results may vary.

As far as your pop-up issues, make sure you are running the latest version of Ad-Aware like version 6. There are updates to it everyweek, just like with antivirus software, to protect against the latest spyware. You need to make sure it is current and you will likely find the source of your problems.

[JLittell]

Popups? try Spybot (works well on my machine). Windows ME is below XP in my trash can. I use ME on my machine here at work due to the support it has with our Property Management System (PMS) (hotel software). ME always kicks me out of running applications.

[Chicane]

Yeah, its an exxageration, but so is all the anti mac crap you guys post here. :P

My iMac has been fine since I got it...

- Rob

[SVXdriver_007]

I know I posted the first mac thing but it really wasn't meant to be anti-Mac on my part i just thought the guy was funny, hell he could have been talking about his vcr and I would have been amused.

Everyones windows experience seems to be different I had most my problems at home with 2000 Believe it or not, it was nothing i couldn't fix but it was just a constant hassle. no problems at all with XP. but alot of the guys I work with hate XP and love 2000. of course at work we all use 200 no problems here. Must have been me with the 2000 problems

[DavieGravy]

The only problem I've been having with my computer lately is a reoccurring parity error (2 beeps from the BIOS then it freezes.) This is a result of me breaking a ram clip on the motherboard and now my memory doesn't stay in as securely as it used to. Before this, it was perfect!

[RSVX]

Originally posted by Phast SVX

i think you are reffering to windows ME, millenium edition. it was HORRIBLE and you did have to reformat your computer every couple months if you use it alot, none of the updates helped and it ran horribly. BTW i have encounted the WORST spyware ever. Not ad=aware, or bulletproof will find it at all! I dont know what to do but i get popups every couple minuts and they accumualte if i leave it. Does anyone have alot lof experience with computers?
phil

It sounds to me like your Messenger Service is on. And NO I am not talking about MSN Messenger, or YIM or AIM.

Here is how to fix this:

Start--->Programs---> Administrative Tools--->Services

Scroll down find the Messenger Service, Right click on it--->Stop

Then right click again--->Properties--->Startup Type dropdown box--->Disable--->Apply--->OK---> Finished!!

(The Above is assuming that you are running Win XP)

=====================

On the topic of System Stability, if you arent going to Windows Update WEEKLY, or have XP setup to do it for you Automatically. Its a wonder you guys arent having more issues than you are.

Start--->Windows Update--->Follow Prompts.

[DavieGravy]

Originally posted by RSVX


It sounds to me like your Messenger Service is on. And NO I am not talking about MSN Messenger, or YIM or AIM.

Here is how to fix this:

Start--->Programs---> Administrative Tools--->Services

Scroll down find the Messenger Service, Right click on it--->Stop

Then right click again--->Properties--->Startup Type dropdown box--->Disable--->Apply--->OK---> Finished!!

(The Above is assuming that you are running Win XP)

=====================

On the topic of System Stability, if you arent going to Windows Update WEEKLY, or have XP setup to do it for you Automatically. Its a wonder you guys arent having more issues than you are.

Start--->Windows Update--->Follow Prompts.
I doubt this is the cause. If he follows the advice I have him, he could solve the problem.

BTW, shoot the messenger (http://grc.com/stm/ShootTheMessenger.htm) is an easier way to disable windows messenger service, which everybody should do.

[RSVX]

Originally posted by DavieGravy

I doubt this is the cause. If he follows the advice I have him, he could solve the problem.

BTW, shoot the messenger (http://grc.com/stm/ShootTheMessenger.htm) is an easier way to disable windows messenger service, which everybody should do.

Sometime the easiest soloution is the soloution.

My only thoughts on going this route were the fact that he is getting popups with out going to web pages. Although he never did specify if those popups were webpages popping up or windows messages popping up. I figure why leave something so easy to fix out of the loop.

And yes, the route you sent him on will tell you and all of us for that matter what his problem is. I just figured I would throw the easy soloution in there as it seemed to be overlooked :)

[DavieGravy]

RSVX, you were right to have him start by disabling messenger service as it does cause problems as you say. Although in this case, my hunch tells me it's a spyware problem. I just recently had the same issue as he and Hijack this was the only way I could solve it.

[SVX26517]

yep mines giving me crap too. it says it cant find the system32, but it still works. I think my antivirus deleted it. Oh well :rolleyes:

[Chicane]

my mac still works fine. :P'`'`'`'`''` heheheh