HELP, I can't stop!

[cx]

How's about one of you Windows geniuses help here right quick. :)

Running WindowsME, can't do a normal shut down. Try to shut down as usual, screen goes immediately to the mode where it looks like you laid a sunscreen over it (don't know the correct term, just looks like you are seeing maybe one out of four pixels), plays the "I'm shutting down" music, screen goes dark with only the arrow cursor on the screen, then changes to a flashing cursor (just the little minus sign cursor) near the lower right hand corner.

And that's it. It'll stay like that for at least 15 minutes if you let it. Never goes off. Hafta do a hard stop to make it quit. Then, of course, when I start up again it has to go through its disk scan and all that, plus reminding me one more time that I have been a dumbass and shut down incorrectly again.

Suggestions?

I will be in a situation for the next three months where the machine must be shut down frequently (several times a day sometimes) because its power source must be shut down and I don't want to screw things up even worse pressing the off switch every time.

Oh, woe, oh, woe is me! :(

[Sponsored Links]

[JC]

I would not worry too much about shutting it off without shutting down windows..Just make sure to delete out the Windows/temp folder so it don't biult up to big.

That problem you speak of can be caused by many things..way to many to pin-point.
I suggest either do a internet search and include the name of the brand of your computer and the operation system and the symptoms.

Many times this problem could be motherboard or propreitory related..Check there first.


And alway remember sometimes it is easier(and better) to format and start over then it is to fix things..if the task of fixing it appears to hard and complicated and is not Hardware related consider a format.
If you don't have a really good understanding of computers something like what you discribed could consume alot of hours just to troubleshoot..been there.

If you want give me the name and model of your pC and any other info you have on it...including if you can the action that first caused this and I will investigate..But chances are I will probably not guess it right cause off the bat and you would have to try each fix one by one till we get a winner.

[cx]

OK, JC, I think I have demonstrated that it is a software problem. Near genius that I am, I managed to send my computer's little pea brain back to March the first (randomly selected date because going back a few days didn't help), and now it will shut down on command.

So riddle me this: Now it says on start up, in a big red box, "UNABLE TO INITILIZE THE VIRUS SCANNING ENGINE DATABASE FILES", and demands that I tell it "OK" (which it ain't even) before it will proceed. And my Norton icon has a big red X over it. I right click the icon and tell it to enable itsownself, but it don't do no such. Back on March one, it worked fine. An hour ago, when it thought it was March 28, it worked fine.

This tells us___________________________?

[JC]

Get rid of those DAMN virus programs!! Goto add/remove in the control panel and uninstall it..then delete the florders from explorer.

That is exactly why I don't use those things they CAUSE more trouble then they fix.

Just don't open strange mail and chances are you will never see a virus..and if you do it will be harmless...It is not like a real virus where your gonna get sick and die or something..If you really have sensitive data and need something use a firewall or a anti-sniffing program and study security techniques.
Hell if you have sensitive data ..back stuff up..if your data is that sensitive get it the hell off your computer and don't run directly to the internet because without a system security team if someone wants it they will find it.

Do you guys realize that by running IE and Netscape,ICQ and expecially <b>Outlook Express</b> that the odds of you getting a virus are tremendously increased!

If you all are at all worried about viruses then DO NOT use the most suseptable virus programs OF ALL TIME!

The effectiveness of those programs against any real security threat is very limited and almost humorous.
Not many viruses actually can access any private data other then a couple passwords if that. Any data that is not in a pre-programed path is hard to get.
Just surfing the web you can have data stolen from you and someone can get your passwords!! Without any virus program ever knowing.

No sir I say forget ever trying to keep your PC protected
It is an absolute impossibilty and a false sense of security. Like my mother used to say "if you don't want it stolen don't leave your toys in the yard!". The internet is a very big yard.

Everyone can be hacked and compromised and with our fragile little buggy Microsoft(the most vulnerable operating system on the face of the earth) we aint gonna stop someone with a cheesy DIY virus program that is ussually out-dated anyways.

Back up your data keep personal data at a minumum, quit using weak software and don't open funny mail and you will be better off...common sense.

Wanna see?

Browse around this place for awhile. You'll see why I use Opera and only web based E-mail?

http://209.100.212.5/cgi-bin/search/search.cgi?searchvalue=outlook+&%5Bsearch%5D.x=0&%5Bsearch%5D.y=0


Now I want you guys to see how a common program like Norton , a program that has automatic un supervised connections to the internet and utilizes TSR (terminate and stay residences which basically means it runs when ever it wants to). Is actually a just another third party software program that can be manipulated to make your system more vulnerable..More programs(expecially common ones) means more loop holes!!

http://209.100.212.5/cgi-bin/search/search.cgi?searchvalue=norton&%5Bsearch%5D.x=0&%5Bsearch%5D.y=0

These viruses here are perhaps the most serious ones you could posibly ever get. What they do is allow someone to have remote access to your machine..That means they can do just about anything you can do from there computer..It is the worst possible thing you could hope for with computer...total comprimise.NetBus,Back Orifice,SubSeven and a couple more poplular varients.(ussually only used for a focused attack)

And yet they can easily slip right by most all virus programs!!! Before the virus programs find a way to patch them 4 million wannabe hackers can go to this site and get the updated trogens!!!!


want proof?

http://209.100.212.5/cgi-bin/search/search.cgi?searchvalue=Drweb&%5Bsearch%5D.x=0&%5Bsearch%5D.y=0


http://www.lopht.com/

http://www.nmrc.org/faqs/hackfaq/hackfaq-32.html

So you see why I say just throw away those sissy little antivirus programs.

[Edited by JC on 03-30-2002 at 12:49 AM]

[JC]

Cx sorry don't want you to think I am yelling at you..Just ranting is all nothing personal. Now where was we?

[Sonnie Layne]

Uuuuhhh, I think we was bangin' Symantec and laughin' cause windows is still launched off a DOS batch file based on 64K, right? yuk yuk yuk. Ahh well, Li'l Billy's the Richy Rich of the 21st. Hair-do and all...

You're right about easily/readily available generally accessible transfer progs. I'm looking for a good email, I'll check out what you suggested. Also, what about a good ISP that don't boss you around and rip your right arm off for cost?

ALSO... as a 'friend'
AND IF friend were honest
THEN lie=T
smile=F
suggested I try Aye Oh Well

ELSE JC=T
SL=F
ELSEIF JC=NOCONTACT
THEN JC=FRIEND
G Darned it... I got drunk and loaded the MF up.
Now I'm married and on honeymoon.
What's the absolute best way to erase all references of this memory f'ing hog and boss to all you love off my c:\???

That means how the sh do I get rid of AOL... d'oh...

Speaking of that, what's the best "sweeper" prog you know of to clean up my master hard drive? Shareware is my pref. I love to pay the little guys, because they have a tendency to pay me, which allows me to pay the neighbors which allows them to pay me. hahaha... just a twist on the old line.

Serially about the sweeper, shareware, whatcha got?

I'll paint your living room the wildest Chinese Red youve ever seen, I use six different colours to acheive the effect of velvet curtains. gotta be worth sumthin...?? eh???

Thanks bunches
S

[JC]

E-mail..right now I am using http://www.mail.com ..so far I have yet to get any spam...this is very odd for a online web mail service that is FREE. Maybe something is broke?

Sweeper programs are usually limited untill you pay.. they let you view the stuff and delete small files but not big ones unless you pay. Now I am talking about data that has already been deleted out of the recycle bin that is still on your harddrive. Unless your trying to hide it from someone who is very computer literate then I would'nt worry so much.These are also known as file wipers.

Formating the drive will clean it out the most thourly for the avreage computer person.

Now if you want a cleaning program to clean the normal viewable parts of your harddrive..I do not know any good programs for that..I just manually do it my self. I have tried a few years ago but they got easily confused with unknown files and would then prompt you with cryptic questions. "this file may or may not be important to your system, it's attribites are not reconized..do you want to permanently remove this file..etc.." c'mon help a brother out here, if you knew if the file was important then why would you use the program?

Also they have a tendancy to not clean very well so that they do not adversly affect your computer by deleting something important..if they don't know what it is they simply leave it..lotta good that does.

AOL.....................

Can you get cable?

If not the my advise is to go to the seediest local internet provider in town...two rules..seedy and local.

Try to avoid the cheapest place. most times the service of those little 10.00 a month places leaves too much to be desired with busy signals and all. I have had good luck with 20-25 a month places.

These guys are in choking distance also which is nice also they don't censor the net like the big boys and give you more services that the big guys don't allow for security reasons..ie. telneting and shell accounts.

[Sonnie Layne]

Thanks so much for the response. I'm currently signed up to two other locals in about the price range you spec'd. My AOHell trial expires soon. one thing I've noticed...naw, I'll move this over to the computer forum...gimme a minute.

[Sonnie Layne]

Oh, wait... this IS the computer forum, d'oh!!!

anyway, I've noticed that graphics load much faster using AOL as ISP. I remember the days when the opposite was true, but as much photography as I'm viewing now, seems maybe possibly perhaps worth all the BS involved in having it on my machine.

This is Dallas, of course cable is available as is DSL and wireless. I send my money to my daughter for now, school's expensive. Actually I send her money for her kitchen now she's on her own, but that's another story... Kids, they spend it how they want at this age. At least when she was younger I had an idea where the money was going :).

I have considered however, that for an extra $30 I could get DSL. How's that compared to cable for connectivity, etc?

thanks

[JC]

I know some guys like DSL, but to me Cable is much better and cheaper.


hehe maybe AOL is getting faster? Perhaps since everyone is getting rid of them now they still have that expensive equipment and less customers...hmmmm I can see it.

[John Bridge]

I'm in a situation where DSL is the only way to go. Well, I could go with Dish (got my TV on Dish), but everytime it rains, the satelite is interrupted.

Warner Cable hasn't gotten the lines in out here. So I'm stuck with Ma Bell, or I can go back to my dial-up. And there's no way I'll ever settle for dial-up again.

[Sonnie Layne]

I have a rainy day problem with my dial up even! Called Bell out twice to check things out, they claim everything's clean, but odd that when it rains heavily I can't stay connected for a few days.

I'd hesitate to sign up for cable. Seems when we moved in here, the cable had never been shut down, so we've had cable for free. Sure enough if I wanted to sign up for that service they'd wanna collect some money. I called once to find out about service interruption or something and they don't even have our condo in the system. Go figure.

[JC]

I was in the same situation Sonny, The guy hooked it up anyways..the guy knew and did'nt care..I guess it depends who hooks it up.

[John Bridge]

It's noise in the phone line, Sonnie. Moisture in the line makes very light static. Modems mis-interpret it and disconnect. It's the phone company's problem, but they won't admit it. They're the phone company. ;)

[Cami A]

Sonnie, pics load faster on AOL because they're compressed. (really- I swear) (http://www.virgilelliott.com/aol/aol.htm) It's obvious when you're on someone else's 'puter.

[JC]

oh my...thats horrible but I don't doubt that with AOHell.Heard worse stuff about them.

Great link....Sonny get rid of AOL would you...if this keeps up we are gonna have to pretend we don't know you..

[Sonnie Layne]

Yeah, about the compression thingy... I've got a tool downloaded right now that compresses images. Really cool, when I stop spending money coming up with new recipes (and the accompanying wines :) ) I'll spring for it with my website. I've tried it on my site before, just horsing around with photos and images and such, and it really does cut the load time 'bout in half, no matter the browser.

John, a few years back, before JJ and I were an item, I lived in a house. Had probs, phone guy came out, ran new line from alley to attic. Fixed it right up. Problem is with these damned condos, I think. It's too easy for them to blow it off or blame it on something else because of the number of junctions and outlets etc. etc. etc.

And the Hey! Oh, well thing is a result of my daughter's being brainwashed by them. Says it's easier for her. I'm payin' for it, shouldn't I have some say in the matter?? Anyway, we stay in touch via that service. Until I get something set aside on my site for her, I'll probably have to keep it. Hard enough to stay in touch with daughters that age without putting hurdles in the highway.

[flatfloor]

Sonnie, consider that with cable your phone bill will go down. {maybe)

[JC]

And consider you don't need two lines to enjoy both of them at the same time.

[Sonnie Layne]

naw... my phone bills are pretty much on my cell phones. the home phone rarely gets calls.

Yeah, guess I could drop one of the cell phones and pay for the cable. Good thought. Don't know why I have two anymore, I only answer one anyway! By god, I think you've caught on to a way for me to save $20 a month more to spend in the kitchen!!!!! Thanks! :)

[JC]

Nah get rid of the home phone..Those home phones are pretty expensive these days .

cell phones are actually alot cheaper if you do alot of long distance calling with the right plan.

Before I got married I lived for three years without a home phone and just a cell phone(ATT one rate..1600 minutes anytime anyplace)

[Sonnie Layne]

Gotcha on that one. Home phone is JJ's. Well, actually we have two, both forwarded. I do get the drift, tho'. She's got reasons to keep her own number as do I. I'm thinking... yeah, I could forward mine tomy second cell for a month or so, then cancel and forward to my primary cell. Then she'd have her home and her cell, and I'd be uhhhh, where.. oh,, yeah, I could have cable, right? Hmmm, Sat night is coming up, I'll see what comes up.

Thanks

[brandonksmith]

CJ, Here is my advise for you on W/ME. Get rid of it.
It is not a multitasking operating system. It blows up every time you have more than one application going at once. And if you?re running any type of virus software it hates it. We just got W/XP for home. Great!!! no problems with it, and I can run multiple apps, and have no problems. The upgrade at Bust Buy runs about $99.00. Not a bad deal at all.


Now my advise on ISP.

If you have a dial up through AOL, and an extra phone line so that your not tying up your regular line its most likely costing you 20.00-30.00 for the line, and 20.00-25.00 for the ISP. That?s 40.00 - 55.00 a month to get a connection speed slower than Aunt Jane's "Invacare Zoom" scooter.

If you go with Cable or DSL you pay about $50.00 a month. Your Cable or DSL provider is your ISP. No AOL or MSN. When you get your account set up you can us MS Outlook or Outlook Express to send
and receive e-mail giving you more space to send attachments. If you still want to have an e-mail account with AOL or MNS,
You can still set those up for FREE with limited space for e-mails and sending attachments.

I?m with John in that I will never go back to dial-up. My Warner Cable digital connection is the bomb. I have connection speeds sometimes just under T-1. This I think has to do with my location.

[flatfloor]

Funny, Windows 98 does all that without paying for upgrades.

[Sonnie Layne]

I'm not necessarily in a position I have to use AOL or MSN or anyone else for mail. I choose to use my currently favorite local dial-up for mail. Of course everything gets bounced through my own site, and if I wanted to push it gently, I could use my own sites space as an ISP. I'm on good terms with the host site.

Still cable makes sense. I'll ask my daughter when she's next most likely to need text books or lab fees or a new Gucci perfume or a new Louis Vuitton bag or a "week away" from everything. I think she gets the last two from her dad. :)

Or better yet, I'll have to decide how many tools I can buy for $50 a month.

Speaking of which... all you tile guys... I've mentioned before that I rent tile saws from HD. They're clean, oiled, good belts and otherwise maintained. I also know the fellas behind the counter at all local stores. And am known by first name. Was just told today that sometime next week, this particular store will be selling all their MK101 saws for $232 plus tax to equal $250. This saw retails for about 1200 plus freight, so sounds like a good entry level machine for me. I even know which saws in this store are in the best shape. Can I go wrong? Oh, BTW I think the model number (101) refers to it's weight. At sundown it weighs a lot more of course, probably due to some lack of gravitational pull from the sun, right?

Please advise if I'll regret the purchase. My daughter will have to get by for a week or so...

thanks

[brandonksmith]

Sonny,

Saw sounds like a good deal.
Make sure that the wiring is good.
Also make sure its cutting square.

$250.00 should pay for itself within the next four jobs maybe less depending on how much tile work you do.

[Sonnie Layne]

thanks Brandon. As I mentioned I'm familiar with the better units at this store, one in particular. Any way aside from using a stethoscope for checking bearings? As for the square, I haven't looked for any adjustment but I'd like to think there would be. Maybe I'll visit MK's website. And yes, it would pay for itself in one or two jobs. Last rental was $190. I'd love to get out from under that. Now I've just got to come up with a hole in my warehouse to fit it in!! :)

[Paul D.]

JC,

What is it about Opera that you like so much? That it isn't a MS or Netscape product? Just curious. I downloaded a version and have been using it here at work for a couple of days now. I too, have gone to the web-based mail, just for the convenience during travel, if nothing else.

You know I just bought Norton 2002. Are you suggesting I should trade it for store credit? :D

[JC]

I am not going to suggest that you trade it back to the store for the simple reason if something happens everyone will blame me..if ya know what I mean.

But lets say I would diffenetly trade it back in and get credit.

Opera ..reasons I like it...it is fast,small,loads of features.(good useful features not just extra junk), It is just in my opinion technically a far superior cleaner programed product.Also it does not have all the commercial garbage that the big guys try to shove down your throat.

The new netscape sucks..it has a buggy feel to it.I try to cut and paste into the address bar and it takes me three tries for some reason..poor programing!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Also you open the program and gues what..2 seconds later it cancels your request and up come a pop-window from netscape..this happens everytime..what a POS browser that is.I have always use netscape since version 2.0 but ever since ? AOL brought themout it has now become my most hated browser.
IE is well it has to much extra crap in it for me..I do like the smooth scrolling but I also like knowing what the hell is going on in my system and IE is just too sneaky and secretive and throws garbage all threw my system every time I use it.

Mozillz under Linux is like the way Netscape used to be it is not bad...yet.

Opera is the shiznet hands down...Goto the Opera site and learn some of the tricks..very useful stuff. I like it becuase it is simply the better browser...no political convictions

[Sonnie Layne]

JC, thanks for getting me straight on all the right stuff. I used Netsc just because it wasn't married to Billy.

Then with 6.0 I ran into problems with my secure sites (banking, etc.) so I had to load up the latest MIE. So damned slow I take a shower before my bank statements load up, but at least the sites recognize it (do I smell monopolY or monopolova?) I'm up for anything better and that will deprive the gatesway of one of my bucks.

Nice thing about standards... there's so many to pick from.

[JC]

Heres the link..it's free

http://www.opera.com/download/

[Sonnie Layne]

Well, y'know I've sung barrooms and taverns
'midst flying glasses and all
Then I'm sung midst tourists in
more fashionable places.
I've never sung Opera
until now... here goes...

[Paul D.]

Opera really does have some cool features. F11 deal to get the full screen, for example. Maybe the other browsers had that too, but I'd never have found them mucking around in the menus.

Here's a question though, JC. Since I started using it, the little thread page numbers on John's site here don't have the underlines to show me where I am. Is this a cookie thing? :confused:

[Cami A]

Paul, I just run the cursor over the numbers- if the arrow doesn't turn into a hand, then I'm on that page.

Have you enabled the mouse gestures? That's my favorite feature, although the ability to set and quickly open the active folder of sites is a close second.

[flatfloor]

Mouse gestures? Is that an Opera thing? Or are you telling me this site is infested by mice making obscene gestures and why would you enable them to do it? http://www.hallo-spass.de/gif/maeuse/maus020.gif

[Cami A]

Watch it--- I'll make sure that your mouse (http://www.opera.com/windows/mouse.html) brings you some more pooka!

http://neptune.spaceports.com/~queen/Gif/mice.gif


Hey JC (and Paul, too)...press your + or - keys a few times. Learn something new everyday...

[JC]

Thats zoom right?

I love the hold left button then hit right button to go forward or backwards..It absolutly kills me to have to right click and then hit the back button with other browsers now.

What that one where a menu pops up in the middle of the screen and lets you chose which window you want to see..I do it by accident a few times but forget how I did it.

Hey Paul high light some text and right click..and you can talk like this.

Ce qui celui-là où un menu saute vers le haut au milieu de l'écran et laisse vous choisir que la fenêtre vous veulent à see..I le font par accident plusieurs fois mais oubliez comment je l'ai fait.

You can even translate whole sites.

right click on form boxes and use the auto insert stuff..nice for remembering long passwords.

There is a new beta Opera out now that fixes a couple bugs in this one..should be even nicer.


Jim(I no longer suffer from pop-ups)Cordes





[Edited by JC on 04-15-2002 at 08:20 PM]

[flatfloor]

Can you get the mice to sing something from La Traviata?
http://www.hallo-spass.de/gif/maeuse/maus029.gif



[Edited by flatfloor on 04-15-2002 at 10:59 PM]

[Cami A]

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:H7nruwakRpIC:www.lauranumeroff.com/images/art/karioke_mouse.jpg

Couldn't we do Of Mice and Men?


It was something I could stroke, something I could pet and it belonged to me...
It was small and soft and grey, its eyes were sharp and bright.
It was what I want most in the world,
something small, not growed up yet,
something warm and soft with fur...

It's what I dream about all night, and what I think about all day.
Something small, not growed up yet, something soft with fur
that I could tend and love, that I could call my own.

[flatfloor]

:) :)

[Sonnie Layne]

Boy, it can really blow 'em all up when you're changing ISP's and downloading files at the same time, eh? I tried downloading Opera, didn't get all the files. Still from what I saw I decided to buy it. But I also decided to change ISP's midstream. Things are getting pretty hairy around here. (I'm sure Cami has a humorous iconistic reply to THAT one, too hehehe). Any way I'm working nights of late and I'll stick around to monitor the download.

Thanks a bunch for the Opera thingy. I notice they even are supported by OS2, my long lost high school sweetheart that went the way of major banking institutes, sniff sniff...

Thanks again, these guys earned their money and I've got a pocketfull of clients for them.

[Cami A]

Your new IT guy...

http://www.innocence.com/transmet/images/spider-hairy.gif


Dang it, Sonnie's making the rest of us look cheap!

[Paul D.]

Wow, these radical rodent gestures are too cool. :D Just gotta watch out for...


http://www.innocence.com/transmet/images/cat.gif


(Cami, Gotta work on this picture thing. How do you paste a picture without all the gyrations? How did you find the ftp site link to these pictures?)

I have a new client in Puerto Rico, so I think I'll check out the translation feature in a quick email. We'll see how that goes. I'll get back with you if I get fired from the job.

[Edited by Paul D. on 04-16-2002 at 09:28 AM]

[Cami A]

Here's the tricks to the pictures, Paul.

Finding images in Opera- if you have your default browser set to Google, type in your search term (mouse, mice opera, whatever), then click on the image tab at the top of your page.

Click on the image that you like, and it will open up two versions of the pic- Google's and the image in it's original context. Pick either one, and right click on the image. In Opera, choose the copy image address option. Paste your pic (control v is the shortcut) and surround with the img and /img code as described here. (http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/index.php?action=bbcode)

Here's a few links where you can simply paste the pics directly here, because they already have the img codes in place.

http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/
http://www.clicksmilies.com/

What was the question again?

[Sonnie Layne]

Awww geez... this is greater than kraut on a weiner! Opera is so cool (jus cuz I hate Billy G and Netscape 6 has swallowed some lead somewhere). Can't wait to have the time to wallow around. I've already sold 5 more copies since last night, you think they'd hire me?

Thanks again. Oh, and the new ISP (dial-up, yawn) is just as good at half the price. Cable has a sale on right now, sign for two years and get first six months for $25 per, whatcha think? I know the prices will drop, but I'm really getting itchy waiting for the extra speed.

[flatfloor]

Sonnie, I don't know that prices will drop, around here Cablevision started me at $29.95/mo for two years, then it will go up to $39.95. I'll pay it, once you'r on you'r hooked. The tel. co., Verizon @ $49.95/mo for DSL is the only thing keeping them honest.

[jlbos83]

once you'r on you'r hooked

You got that right!