TheShortOne
Well-Known Member
Mebbe you have a virus? might be worth checking out...
Help from computer wiz
- Thread starter sbav8r
- Start date
pscraig
Well-Known Member
It sounds like you have some software that may be serving ads to you, even with IE closed. This is often packaged with applications such as Kazaa, and the multitude of add-on toolbars for IE, utilites to place a weather or time icon in the taskbar, etc. Kazaa is especially nasty, installing the notorious Bonzi Buddy. The end user is often unaware of what is actually being installed by these "extra" applications.
The grey pop-up ads are from the Windows Messaging Service and are difficult to eliminate unless you run XP, in which case you can enable the Internet Connection Firewall.
My suggestions are:
1. Uninstall any "extra" software as described above.
2. Get a good popup blocking software package.
3. Get an ISP such as Earthlink that blocks popups themselves, and gives subscribers popup blocking software
4. Get Windows XP Professional, and use the Internet Connection Firewall.
5. Only install applications from known, reputable companies. The "extra" helper applications seem useful, but usually contain more than they advertise. Where I used to work I enforced this policy, earning the nickname Network Nazi, but the number of problems decreased dramatically.
The grey pop-up ads are from the Windows Messaging Service and are difficult to eliminate unless you run XP, in which case you can enable the Internet Connection Firewall.
My suggestions are:
1. Uninstall any "extra" software as described above.
2. Get a good popup blocking software package.
3. Get an ISP such as Earthlink that blocks popups themselves, and gives subscribers popup blocking software
4. Get Windows XP Professional, and use the Internet Connection Firewall.
5. Only install applications from known, reputable companies. The "extra" helper applications seem useful, but usually contain more than they advertise. Where I used to work I enforced this policy, earning the nickname Network Nazi, but the number of problems decreased dramatically.
WillNotFly4Food
Well-Known Member
Posted on this before. Do NOT install Kazaa, this is the B.S. you can expect. DOWNLOAD KAZAA LITE from their homepage.
You will get the exact same thing as Kazaa, but without any spyware, pop-ups, etc.
It does sound like your problem is more involved than just that, but file it away for future reference...
You will get the exact same thing as Kazaa, but without any spyware, pop-ups, etc.
It does sound like your problem is more involved than just that, but file it away for future reference...
Sprint100
Well-Known Member
To clarify and re-iterate even further......
Do Not Format Your Hard Drive unless you are assuming you have a virus.
FYI - Pop-ups are not the signal of a virus!!!
I won't post anymore since a mountain is being made out of a mole hill, plus with work, I have to deal with the same issue almost everyday.
Do Not Format Your Hard Drive unless you are assuming you have a virus.
FYI - Pop-ups are not the signal of a virus!!!
I won't post anymore since a mountain is being made out of a mole hill, plus with work, I have to deal with the same issue almost everyday.
sbav8r
New Member
Thanks for the replies, all of your advice has been working to a degree. One of the major problems with this system is that it is very old, but the operating system was upgraded to 2000. The computer is way to old and slow to handle it and I have my doubts that it was even installed properly. I will be buying a new system in the very near future and I will read these posts again and make sure that I follow all of your advice with the new one.
I have thought about Linux however, I'm not sure I have the time to dedicate to learning how to operating it. My impression is that it requires some experience to get good with. Maybe when I have a little more time.
I have thought about Linux however, I'm not sure I have the time to dedicate to learning how to operating it. My impression is that it requires some experience to get good with. Maybe when I have a little more time.
pscraig
Well-Known Member
Linux can be good, but seems to be best for those at opposite ends of the spectrum of computer knowledge. I use and like Linux, and have also seen success with complete novices to computer technology. I gave my grandparents a Linux system to use just the internet, and its simplicity was appealing to them. Since they will never install software or add peripherals (without calling me at least) it works for them, and I love the reliability (zero issues in 18 months).
For most people however, migrating to Linux can be more pain than it is worth. If you're considering another platform and are willing to buy new software for it, take a look at the new Macs. If I had the money, I would have a new G4 Powerbook.
For most people however, migrating to Linux can be more pain than it is worth. If you're considering another platform and are willing to buy new software for it, take a look at the new Macs. If I had the money, I would have a new G4 Powerbook.
Vyse
BirchJet CA
Another great way to avoid popups when you surf is to use Mozilla instead of IE. Mozilla automatically blocks all pop-up ads, and has fewer security holes than IE. The email program that comes with it also has a decent spam filter included.
www.mozilla.org =)
www.mozilla.org =)
WillNotFly4Food
Well-Known Member
Ditto on the Linux, far superior. I have a buddy that has been running it for 5 months straight on one of his boxes, never rebooted. If it would support more games I would run it too.
pilot602
If specified, this will replace the title that
Macs crash just as much as PCs (believe me ... nothng sucks morethan watching your G3 server go down with different section of the newspaper you're puttingtogether trapped on 10 seperate machines).
I'll tell 'ya an OS I whish that had caught on ... BeOS. That was one slick, tight little GUI OS. Take the best parts of Mac and PC throw 'em together with Linuix-style robustness and that was Be.
I'll tell 'ya an OS I whish that had caught on ... BeOS. That was one slick, tight little GUI OS. Take the best parts of Mac and PC throw 'em together with Linuix-style robustness and that was Be.
tomek_vector
New Member
OS 9.x - yes, crap for the most part. OS X - not anymore.
if he buys a new Apple box, that thing won't even boot into 9 anymore. so that's not an issue anymore.
if he buys a new Apple box, that thing won't even boot into 9 anymore. so that's not an issue anymore.
pscraig
Well-Known Member
I remember Be, it had such potential and even convinced some software publishers to port to BeOS. Something just didn't happen though. Probably marketing-I never saw ads in the airport, in many magazines, or anywhere else other than the OS shelf at Best Buy.
I have heard of some horrific crashes from the Mac crowd, and the ensuing frustration as there don't seem to be as many imaging, recovery and installation tools as we have for the PC. Apple will eventually get into servers, but the hot-pluggable drive arrays make your described emergency a little less intense in PC land!
I have heard of some horrific crashes from the Mac crowd, and the ensuing frustration as there don't seem to be as many imaging, recovery and installation tools as we have for the PC. Apple will eventually get into servers, but the hot-pluggable drive arrays make your described emergency a little less intense in PC land!
I haven't had any of my Macs crash in about 2 or 3 years. Only downtime, is if power goes off, and the UPS doesn't last that long. I have an old PC I got from work when laid off. I run dead simple win98 on it, and it does what I would ever need it to; run a few win only programs, like some Jepp stuff. It does require a restart at least once a day though if trying to use it for much of anything else. Found that in real use, that is pretty normal of M$ systems, but home users may not see that always until installing extra junk. That's the big advantage of anything unix based, be it BeOS, Linux, MacOSX, Solaris, etc., as they are built to be stable.
Be is gone, but the system still hangs around. Kinda like Amiga does. http://www.bebits.com/whatisbeos if anyone wants to still play around with it.
Be is gone, but the system still hangs around. Kinda like Amiga does. http://www.bebits.com/whatisbeos if anyone wants to still play around with it.
tomek_vector
New Member
hm,... no offense but the new OS is unix based. right now it's up to .... 10.2.5 ? something like that? 10.3 expected this fall. i'm running it on an iBook G3 - 466 and it never quits.
i use a G3 350 at work and at least couple of times a day - just dies. but there i'm runnning OS 9.2.2
i use a G3 350 at work and at least couple of times a day - just dies. but there i'm runnning OS 9.2.2
602, if you have a g4, install osx. Simple easy fix for any problems you have. Or find a fix for whatever software you are running causing the crash. Would you run bad gas in a plane? Then why run bad software on a computer? The errors are coming from what program that you use now?
I still say, maintain the KISS principle if you want a Windows based system to be somewhat stable. Every time I have someone ask for help with their system, you wouldn't believe the crap installed on it. And that includes not installing everything that Microsoft provides, as their software is usually the buggy stuff no matter what platform it is on.
I still say, maintain the KISS principle if you want a Windows based system to be somewhat stable. Every time I have someone ask for help with their system, you wouldn't believe the crap installed on it. And that includes not installing everything that Microsoft provides, as their software is usually the buggy stuff no matter what platform it is on.
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