Monday, March 30, 2009

Spyware Protect 2009, Windows Installer problems

neighbor Jeannie asked if I can fix computer

error loading
c:\windows\system32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\LXBStime.dll
(I recall that was a lexmark driver which was no longer needed)

Spyware Protect 2009
Windows Security Alert
Windows reports that computer is infected
Antivirus software helps to protect your computer against
viruses and other security threats. Click her for the
scan you computer. Your system might be at risk now

end task

2-spyware.com had instructions to remove it

remove registry entries

Windows update

install Windows Defender

still starts up

delete spyguard.exe

install/update spybot

Windows Installer
Microsoft Office Basic Edition 2003
Installation Error: file not found
A required installation file SKU113.CAB could not be found

try Windows Installer Cleanup Utility

Windows Installer runs
when INternet Explorer starts

system restore to 3/20

Spyware Protect seems to be gone
but Windows Installer still runs when starting Internet Explorer

Windows Update
not enough room for SP3
documents and settings 8.57GB
program files 1.63 GB
Windows 5.03 GB

Windows Installer Cleanup
remove Office 2003
Office 2003 doesn't run, but Installer doesn't pop up on IE

system restore
installer still runs, but doesn't ask for CD now

try uninstall Installer
nope, Windows Installer still runs

try Office Service Pack 3, already installed

avast
move music to D: (to free up space)

try Windows XP SP3 again
errored out

other updates
unable to remove Office 2003

Windows Installer Cleanup
remove Office 2003

IE starts w/ no problem now

Windows Defender

double-clicking doesn't open Word document
re-register Word (regserv)

run avast

Windows\softwaredistribution\download OK to delete (to make more room)

[3/30] return computer

[3/28-3/30, posted 5/10/09]

Thursday, March 26, 2009

tips from Bill Husted

This week, Bill addresses these common questions

My computer is slow. How can I speed it up?
I’ve just installed a new computer with Vista on my home network, but it can’t find my other computers.
Should I turn off my computer at night or leave it on 24/7?
Other common problems

Friday, March 20, 2009

CyberLife PC

CyberLife PC partner Danny Lawson says his company offers free diagnosis for computer problems.

“We are really pushing the tech services,” Lawson explains. “In other computer-repair businesses, because of some corporate policies in place, a repair person is not allowed to do certain repairs. Because we are a small business, we do what it takes to make customers happy.”

For example, some companies don’t deal with AC/DC jacks, but CyberLife PC does. The shop offers a variety of services for both Macs and PCs, including computer rentals, selling used computers and on-site service. Data retrieval, data backup, and installation of hardware and software are among the services offered. For customers who have warranties on their computers, CyberLife PC can handle details so customers don’t have to go to the manufacturer.

“Instead of buying a new computer, let us check it out,” says Lawson. “If it is not worth it, I’ll tell you to just buy a new one and the reason why. Just give us a chance to look at it. If we don’t do the legwork, we do not charge you for it.”

***

[11/22/09] I found this quite disturbing.

It took only four minutes for thieves to crash a Jeep Wrangler into the glass doors of the Cyberlife PC store on Liliha Street and grab 20 laptop computers.

Owner Danny Lawson said security camera video showed the Jeep smashing through the door at about 2:40 a.m. on Sept. 14, and two men with flashlights on their foreheads scooping up the laptops.

"I was beyond shocked that they would use a truck," he said.

Last week, thieves used a similar tactic to break into the Moanalua 99 shops in Mapunapuna, the second time within four months, the property's management said.

Police say there's been an alarming increase in these types of crimes and are investigating if some of them may be connected.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Woz can dance?

The new season of “Dancing Season with the Stars” will feature three couples and — with the show’s touch for the improbable — one computer guru. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is among 13 celebrities who will compete on the ABC series’ eighth season that begins March 9, the network said Sunday.

Romantic relationships may be put to the test this time around, with couples taking to the dance floor with and against each other. Pop star Jewel and her husband, rodeo champion Ty Murray, will compete for bragging rights, ABC said, while country singer Chuck Wicks will take the floor with his girlfriend, two-time “Dancing with the Stars” champion Julianne Hough.

Last November, Hough had said she planned to focus on her newly launched country music career and didn’t plan to return to the show.

Professional dancers and series regulars Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff, who are newly engaged, will be waltzing in the arms of others.

Olympic gold-medal gymnast Shawn Johnson gets to make her mark just by showing up: At 17, she’s the youngest competitor to date, ABC said. Another star athlete in the field is Lawrence Taylor, the former New York Giant and Hall of Famer.

The other celebrity hoofers are Go-Go’s lead singer Belinda Carlisle; rapper Lil’ Kim; actress Denise Richards; actor-comedian David Alan Grier (Comedy Central’s “Chocolate News”); Gilles Marini, who played the neighbor ogled by Kim Cattrall’s Samantha in the “Sex and the City” film; Steve-O (MTV’s “Wildboyz”) and TV host Nancy O’Dell of “Access Hollywood.”

“Dancing with the Stars” is hosted by Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris, with Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba judging the contestants.

* * *

Posted: 03/30/2009 12:00:00 AM PDT

America has questions about the mystery that is Steve Wozniak and "Dancing with the Stars." We have the answers — sort of.

To recap: Over the past two weeks, Wozniak — Woz to one and all — has managed to survive on "Dancing" even though his footwork is more reminiscent of Fred Flintstone than Fred Astaire. The Woz has emerged as a fan favorite who finished at the top of the leader board last week even after being eviscerated by the judges. The trio awarded him a 10 following his worm move that was more Squirm than Worm. That's 10 combined — not 10, a perfect score, from each.

So, as Woz prepares to dance again tonight, you might ask, what's going on here?

Q Is Woz the worst dancer ever on "Dancing"?

A NOT. EVEN. CLOSE. Master P., the rapper without rhythm, holds that dubious distinction after his "performance" in season two. He set two records: the lowest total score (8) and, the lowest score from a single judge (2) for a Paso Doble that was Paso Doughboy.

Q Still, how can Woz still be around entering week three of the competition?

A Let's start with the scoring, not quite as Byzantine as figure skating, but close. The judges — Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno (the Woz Wacker) Tonioli — can each award up to 10 points on each dance. But the key is the judges' "shares," which are calculated as the percentage of the total number of points awarded for all the dancers that evening. So if Woz and his partner, Karina Smirnoff, should miraculously score a 20 and if all the teams had a combined score of 200, they get a 10 percent. This is then combined with the percentage of the viewer votes scored by the team to get the final score.

Q The Woz secret?

A Woz, a god among geeks, must have scored really big numbers with the folks at home. We will never know how well the Woz did on that front. Reality competition shows — "Dancing," "American Idol" — have long-standing policies of keeping the vote totals secret. A source with "Dancing" did reveal, however, that the gap between the judges and the viewers on Woz's performance was the biggest anyone on the show's staff could remember.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

delete item in firefox history

I remember I found this on the internet somewhere, but now I can't remember.

If you want to delete a particular item saved in the drop down box of the address box, press control-delete and the item will be erased. Doesn't work in internet explorer though.

One day I'll find it again.

Actually, now I see you can just press delete. I still don't think that's the link though.

Monday, March 09, 2009

My Deskjet 812C

I tried hooking up my old Deskjet 812C and it kept printing garbage though the printer was supposedly supported by XP.

Then I changed to a new printer cable (it supports the old parallel cables as well as USB) and XP auto-detected the printer and it printed fine. I think the new cable was bi-directional but the old one wasn't.

I suppose this is one way to test whether the printer cable is bidirectional or not.

[2/26, posted 3/9]

R.I.P. Cable TV

[3/9/09] A growing list of places to find free or cheap TV shows and movies has more people than ever cutting the cord on premium cable and satellite services.

Only one in four people age 18 to 29 says cable or satellite TV is a necessity, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. (Americans age 50 and older, incidentally, are much more attached.)

Members of the YouTube generation are open to getting entertainment in nontraditional ways. And thanks to the Internet and other resources, it's easier than ever to get what you want without a hefty price tag.

Since ditching cable, I've discovered plenty of places to get free or supercheap TV shows and movies -- many of the same ones I had watched before -- but for a fraction of the cost.

[3/21/13] Cable TV is feeling the heat.

ST. LOUIS (AP) - A TV antenna maker wanted to use the competition's own medium - cable TV - for its anti-cable message. Now, officials at Antennas Direct say Charter Communications' refusal to air the ads is evidence of the cable industry's growing concern over antennas.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Opera

I'm trying out Opera because I read a review and the columnist liked it. Yeah, it's pretty responsive. But it's not like the others are that slow. Or even measurably slower to my brain.

Here it is. It was Bill Husted's column which was printed in the starbulletin.

Friday, March 06, 2009

connecting Jeff & Florida's laptop

A few weeks ago, Florida called me saying they couldn't get into their laptop because their password didn't work. I referred her to a web site. And she called some tech guys, but it didn't work. They had Edgar (or Raymond - I always forget who's who) reformat their computer.

But now they couldn't connect to their shared printer.

When I got there, I saw they couldn't connect to anything (including the internet) because they weren't connected to wireless network. I saw several signals and fortunately their router signal was strong.

It needed a WEP key. Jeff wisely had stored it in a file and printed it out. But it still wouldn't connect. I tried different keys to see what would happen. And all of sudden it connected! I guess it took a while for the router to adjust??

I suppose if it didn't work, I could have reset the router from one of the other PCs which are wired to it.

Then time to connect the printer. I couldn't see it on the network. Maybe it was the firewall. But what I did was set up IPX on the laptop and I connected the printer using IPX.

I think before I might have tried using TCP/IP in the past, but it didn't work so well.

Then I went through the standard installs. Uninstalled MacAfee (out of date anyway). Install Avast. Install IE7. Install Firefox. Install Windows Defender.

Time to eat at Bravo. Quite good.

Then I went over to Circuit City, but it had already closed down. Evidently they sold everything ahead of schedule.

[3/6, posted 3/25]

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

secret photos

This sounds like a pretty neat application.

Secret Photos will allow you to turn your photos into puzzles and create gifts for your friends using e-mail. Your friends will be thrilled with the gift - to see your photo they need to first solve the puzzle! Be careful - your friends can send you the same kind of puzzle of their photo and you will have to become a detective!

[via frwr-news]

setting up a new Dell

Got to work on a new Dell which Cliff Hedani bought.

2/27/09 - computer dropped off

2/28/09 - start setting up computer

I was suprised it had Windows XP on it. I guess he heard how crappy Vista is and requested XP.

run Windows update
install avast
install Firefox
Windows Defender
MacAfee setup
Google Desktop installed
Dell Support Center

xfer files from flash drive (copied from old computer)
activate MacAfee Security

[3/3] computer seemed OK last time
but now having problems connecting to internet
Realtec RLT8/68C(P)/8111C(P) PCI-E Gigabyte Ethernet NIC (built-in)
ping error code 5

kept having problems. wound up putting in an old network card
uninstall MacAfee

[2/28/09, 3/3/09; posted 5/10/09]