Computer Problems and\or Advice 2008 to 2011

[maggiepie]

David, as far as I know, IE8 is still beta, I would never install an MS beta program.
Too many bugs etc.
I rarely use IE anymore, have been using Firefox since it first became available.

[Michael J Campbell]

David download Firefox and forget about IE altogether. It is much more friendly.
You will get it here.  http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/

[johnw]

I agree, I use Firefox on the laptop at work without any problems, it did take a bit of time to get used to. Updates are frequent but very fast.

Safari at home on the Apple as I got disgusted with Windows.

johnw

[David Shaw]

David, after both my first (and then second) visit to my local PC doctor I was advised very strongly NEVER to download any updates etc that pop up on my screen. This even applies to the most official looking IE or microsoft updates.
If you are one of our Forum experts then you would know what to touch and what to leave well alone. My computer man knows an illiterate when he sees one.

[mark smyth]

In all my years of computer ownership I have never used anything other than IE. I've never had problems.

[David Pilling]

I was advised very strongly NEVER to download any updates etc that pop up on my screen. This even applies to the most official looking IE or microsoft updates.

Windows is not safe unless you have automatic updates turned on.

The reason is that every few days someone works out a new way to use web pages to infect Windows with a virus, if you don't have the updates that fix that particular route loaded, then sooner or later your computer will be compromised.

Using a browser other than IE probably makes the risks less.

[David Nicholson]

Well, I have now managed to get rid of Internet Explorer version 8, and yes Helen, it was a beta version and had I read that properly I would not have downloaded it. Buried away in the Microsoft Web Site was the remedy to uninstall IE Version 8 and at the same time re-install the previous version of IE. In case others have the same problem here is the action taken but note that this particular action only works on Windows XP, there are other remedies for other operating systems.

1. Close all programs except Windows.
2. Click 'Start', click 'Run'
3. type appwiz.cpl and then click OK
4. this takes you to the 'Uninstall programmes page' in My Computer
5. Select 'Windows Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2' from the list presented and then click 'Remove'

I shall continue to play around with Opera, and indeed Mozilla Firefox (thanks for the Link Michael) with a view to eventually replacing Internet Explorer with one or other of them.

Just a word on general computer protection. I rarely am troubled by Spam etc and use AVG Free Edition as a general protector (updated every day); Mailwasher free version for Email protection as this allows me to check Emails and to delete any doubtful ones before they hit my In Box; Spybot, also free for Ad Ware etc protection. I can recommend them all. I also have Windows Update switched on.

[Gerry Webster]

Just a word on general computer protection. I rarely am troubled by Spam etc and use AVG Free Edition as a general protector (updated every day); Mailwasher free version for Email protection as this allows me to check Emails and to delete any doubtful ones before they hit my In Box; Spybot, also free for Ad Ware etc protection. I can recommend them all. I also have Windows Update switched on.

David, forget all this. Buy a Mac, install Firefox & relax.

[David Nicholson]

Gerry, my son has a Mac and swares by it. But, the more I spend on computer tackle the less I have to spend on the garden, so I'll just struggle on

[TC]

Just a word on general computer protection. I rarely am troubled by Spam etc and use AVG Free Edition as a general protector (updated every day); Mailwasher free version for Email protection as this allows me to check Emails and to delete any doubtful ones before they hit my In Box; Spybot, also free for Ad Ware etc protection. I can recommend them all. I also have Windows Update switched on.

I have disabled windows SP3 update for XP as it knocked out my sound cards.  I tried everything I could think of to get it working again to no avail so I called in a computer specialist.  After 2 hours he could not get it running again and suggested the only way forward was to reinstall XP.  System restore was no use as it had wiped out all previous dates before SP3.
Two days ago, AVG told me I had a serious security risk with Flash Player and should install the latest updates.  This I did and the sound went off on Vista.  I consulted some newsletters to which I subscribe and discovered that AVG can be the cause of this so I have now uninstalled it, used system restore and have my sound back on Vista.

Can't these people get their act together and let us use the computers without wondering what will fail next !!

[Diane Clement]

I have disabled windows update as SP3 for XP knocked out my sound cards.  I tried everything I could think of to get it working again to no avail so I called in a computer specialist.  After 2 hours he could not get it running again and suggested the only way forward was to reinstall XP.  System restore was no use as it had wiped out all previous dates before SP3.
Two days ago, AVG told me I had a serious security risk with Flash Player and should install the latest updates.  This I did and the sound went off on Vista.  I consulted some newsletters to which I subscribe and discovered that AVG can be the cause of this so I have now uninstalled it, used system restore and have my sound back on Vista.
Can't these people get their act together and let us use the computers without wondering what will fail next !!

This is interesting, I hadn't come across anyone else with this problem before.  I also have problems with AVG and sound.  Every so often (after an update?) the sound stops working.  What I then have to do is uninstall the sound card, then reinstall it, which seems to work.  Don't know why, but there it is (as someone used to say)

[Michael J Campbell]

There is obviously some other setting on the computer that are not correct, because AVG is listed by most of the computer magazines as one of the best on the market. I have been using it for as long as long as I can remember. As a matter of fact I always remove  the whatever virus checker that is loaded whenever I get a new computer and load AVG. I do the same for all the neighbours and friends that are not familiar with the workings of a computer and I have never had a problem. I did one yesterday on a laptop that a friend had got for Christmas. There is something not correct on the sound card and AVG thinks it is a threat.

[Maggi Young]

My knowledge of computers would take up very little space if written on the tip of a pin.......we use I.E and AVG: so far without much difficulty.... I say so far because I'm superstitious and do not want to tempt Fate! 
 I wouldn't recognise a sound card if it jumped out and bit me, though I do know that such things exist, along with graphics cards and birthday cards...... I'm learning 

[David Nicholson]

I have to say I have never had a sound card problem and I have been using AVG for at least five years now. Are those of you having the sound card problem using Windows Vista?? I use XP.

[Michael J Campbell]

And Credit cards ,Maggi