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Nici

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I doubt it Michelle, as it's just over a year old. :D Do these things have an expiry built in or something? Although I did hear that you could make a fuss if things don't last a reasonable time, and I'd expect a PC to last longer than 1 year. He paid quite a lot for it - Dual Core etc.

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I've just chatted to Coop, who takes care of the real technical stuff on here...

[21:09] Coop: OK, that depends on how long they waited.

[21:10] Coop: It could be a damaged disk, but that particular check can take several hours to complete.

[21:10] Michelle: so even if it seems like it's sticking, it may not be?

[21:10] Coop: I would advise to let it run overnight (ie. for 8 hours or more).

[21:11] Coop: yes, exactly

[21:11] Coop: If it doesn't complete overnight, then it will need reformatting and a re install from the recovery disks.

[21:11] Coop: But the disk itself might be OK.

[21:12] Coop: To test the disk, you need to use special software provided by the disk manufacturer, but the test will destroy everything on the disk.

[21:12] Michelle: thank you

[21:12] Coop: Also, you need to know the make and model of the hard drive.

[21:13] Coop: The test software can be found on the manufacturers website and is typically a low level format utility.

[21:13] Michelle: so the software from the website will destroy everything on the disk?

[21:14] Coop: yes, but return it to a blank disk.

[21:14] Coop: It will also say if the disk is faulty or not.

[21:14] Coop: MNormally, disks don't fail in that way completely.

[21:14] Coop: Normally, only one or two segments of data will fail.

[21:15] Coop: The manufacturers utilitie will allow them to mark those segments as bad, so they won't be used.

[21:15] Coop: then after formatting, the disk can be reused.

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Thank you very much for that, Michelle! (and thank Coop too for me). :D I will tell my brother to try leaving it to run overnight (he has tried leaving it for a couple of hours, I think).

 

I'm a bit unsure about getting the test software from the website - he can't get online or do anything at the moment.

 

But we'll try the overnight thing first.

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Throughout my wanderings through blogland I keep getting a little Internet Explorer box coming up saying 'Out of memory at line 1'. Now I have no idea what this means or why it keeps popping up but I have figured out that it only comes up when my cursor is either hovering over an image that somones posted or when it's hovering over a link. And it only happens on those blogs that their owners have allowed those graphic previews of external site things ... it's really weird and annoying. Although as it's not affecting my internet or computer (other than the box popping up) I'm not all that worried about it. I'm just curious what it means and why it's happening. Any ideas?

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He tried leaving it for over 8 hours, but it didn't advance at all, just remained stuck. :) Does he have to use the recovery disk then? I'm not sure what to do as this bloomin' black screen with text comes on as soon as the PC is switched on, and you can't do anything. Even Ctrl + Alt + Delete does not work...

 

once its working - for the love of god remove norton.

 

good luck!

 

Is Norton bad then? I told him to get AVG, but he thought he was doing the right thing by buying a proper program... Looks like it's :) everything up. :(

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Norton doesn't have a very good reputation these days, but I can't see that it would cause hard drive damage!

 

I would think that the only available next step would be to do a reformat. Generally computers come with a 'recovery disc'.. he will need to put it in the CD drive, then turn the pc off and on again.. and it should start the reformat as it starts. It's a rather scary process, but I've managed it a few times!

 

He will also lose everything.. if the reformat works, the pc will be returned to it's factory settings.

 

However, if it was me, I think I'd be trying a local repair shop first.. or a recommendation for someone to come in and look.

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Many, many thanks Michelle! :) I'm okay with computers as long as they're working - if they go wrong I haven't a clue (nor has my brother). Er... (stupid question ahoy)... when you say "factory settings"... you mean it will be as it was when he first got it? I don't think he's really added much since he got it, he usually just goes online...

 

Why oh why do PCs not come with manuals for if you have a problem? They put them all online, but when you have a problem you can't get online to look at them... Aaarghh!

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He will also lose everything.. if the reformat works, the pc will be returned to it's factory settings.

 

However, if it was me, I think I'd be trying a local repair shop first.. or a recommendation for someone to come in and look.

 

I definitely agree with that... He should go and see a professional Mia, before erasing all his documents. A profesional might be able to get a copy of the content of your brother's computer before doing the reformatting process. Otherwise he will lose everything.

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Why oh why do PCs not come with manuals for if you have a problem? They put them all online, but when you have a problem you can't get online to look at them... Aaarghh!

because they would make the phone book look like a pamphlet :)

 

Norton wont have caused this - but its about as useful as..er..mashing potatoes with a paper clip.

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Good news! :( I don't know how or why, but today my brother was able to get to his password screen, which said his password was disabled (Norton's fault?). He put it in a couple of times, then it started to go to the whole checking thing again, but this time he was able to press a key and stop it continuing. He had to do this a few times, and then his PC booted up normally, he has been online and it is currently working fine (touch wood).

 

I tell you, I will never understand computers. :)

 

Thanks for the advice! :)

 

PS: I told him to ditch the Norton but he won't listen.

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Norton wont have caused this - but its about as useful as..er..mashing potatoes with a paper clip.

My harddrive crashed on Sunday and I got a new computer yesterday. It has a free trial of Norton installed on it and which I'm currently using until I get McAfee. Is Norton really that bad?!

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My harddrive crashed on Sunday and I got a new computer yesterday. It has a free trial of Norton installed on it and which I'm currently using until I get McAfee. Is Norton really that bad?!

yeah, often the problem with norton is 1. IF it manages to find a problem, rather than fix it, it just tells you about it, so you *think* its solved but in fact you have merely been informed. 2. often the norton definitions seem to be days or weeks sometimes behind those of the competition*

 

(*this was the case as of 2007, I would hope it has changed but I doubt it.)

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yeah, often the problem with norton is 1. IF it manages to find a problem, rather than fix it, it just tells you about it, so you *think* its solved but in fact you have merely been informed. 2. often the norton definitions seem to be days or weeks sometimes behind those of the competition*

 

(*this was the case as of 2007, I would hope it has changed but I doubt it.)

Okay, thanks. I'm going to order McAfee tonight as it's the one I've used for the past few years and have never had any problems with it.

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  • 1 month later...

Help! Please someone! Un-beknownst to me my OH un-installed Kaspersky (I know, I know!) It was always making the computer freeze when he would log onto BBC iplayer, no matter what we would do. So he took it upon himself to un-install Kaspersky & I now think I have a virus! I got Kaspersky re-loaded, but my computer won't recognise it - keeps telling me that the programme doesn't exist, even though it is in my list of programmes when I click on the add/remove programmes. Also, it keps throwing up the following message:

 

"Windows Security Center

Windows Security Center reports that 'Spyware Guard 2009' is inactive. Antivirus software helpe to protect your computer against viruses and other security threats. Click here for the suggested actions. You system might be at risk now."

 

I also get the following popping up on the computer fairly frequently (along with two other messages).

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I also seem to have a problem with one of my drivers. I keep having to uninstall then re-install it (though that said, the last time I had this problem, funny enough, was when I was initially installing Kaspersky). It's the Infineon Trusted Platform Module. Is this fake av programme causing this?

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