heartache
asked on
Newbie is as newbie does(newbies do as newbies are?)
How does one reset profiles once one finds that one has screwed them up? 8 months ago I was even "newbier" than now.
I am using netscape communicator 4.06 and I.E. 4.?. I can't logon either one to receive messages. ICQ is also disfunctional and though I have Windows messaging microsoft
exchange is missing. I asked gateway why-was told I have a (Gateway2000) megaphon "thing" for sending fax. It tells me it's unable to initialize DAO/jet db engine when I try to create address book. (I've had dll bugs (I think) and during the initial start up we could have corrupted a file by shutting down (YIKES!) because we had no idea why asterisks appeared in the box when prompted to enter a password.)If I could log on, maybe I could reach tech support at microsoft!
I am using netscape communicator 4.06 and I.E. 4.?. I can't logon either one to receive messages. ICQ is also disfunctional and though I have Windows messaging microsoft
exchange is missing. I asked gateway why-was told I have a (Gateway2000) megaphon "thing" for sending fax. It tells me it's unable to initialize DAO/jet db engine when I try to create address book. (I've had dll bugs (I think) and during the initial start up we could have corrupted a file by shutting down (YIKES!) because we had no idea why asterisks appeared in the box when prompted to enter a password.)If I could log on, maybe I could reach tech support at microsoft!
relen
Have you thought about reinstalling Windows altogether? This should reset most drivers and corrupted files. I cannot assure it will fix all your problems, though. Besides, doing it is pretty frigthening even for not-so-newbies. Considering all the past bad experiences that you mention, maybe it would be better to let someone else do it for you.
At this point, things are such a mess that you might as well reformat your computer. Backup all your data, first, though.
You should have received a package of Gateway material, including a disk/CD-ROM that boots the computer to fix, format, etc. it. Use it to restore your computer to its original configuration. If you don't have one and you're using Windows 98, create a boot disk. THAT has everything you need. If you're using 95, you will have to create the boot disk, then MANUALLY install the CD-ROM driver onto the boot disk.
Then, one step at a time (slowly), reinstall your other software. Make sure that you check to see that each thing you install works correctly before moving on to the next installation.
Since this answer would be too long, if I went into detail about everything, just ask me to be specific on anything you have questions on.
I hope this helps.
--MikroData (jkjung)
P.S. It's not as freightening as it may seem. Just don't look, when you issue the format command.
You should have received a package of Gateway material, including a disk/CD-ROM that boots the computer to fix, format, etc. it. Use it to restore your computer to its original configuration. If you don't have one and you're using Windows 98, create a boot disk. THAT has everything you need. If you're using 95, you will have to create the boot disk, then MANUALLY install the CD-ROM driver onto the boot disk.
Then, one step at a time (slowly), reinstall your other software. Make sure that you check to see that each thing you install works correctly before moving on to the next installation.
Since this answer would be too long, if I went into detail about everything, just ask me to be specific on anything you have questions on.
I hope this helps.
--MikroData (jkjung)
P.S. It's not as freightening as it may seem. Just don't look, when you issue the format command.
ASKER
I think I should opt to take a less drastic and radical route- as relen suggests, so unlike my previous actions- reinstalling windows(95 by the way) has been suggested by my ISP. I'm waiting to hear from gateway about the exchange problem-They can be helpful when they feel like it. I've also been told I shouldn't need to reformat unless the thing is really crashed-which isn't the case here. Although I'm not that frightened, there's my marriage to consider-all my husband's literary work is at stake-and he does not like changes. He does the word processing, I do the maintenence. If things get really screwy I'll reconsider.
Heartache,
Hang tough. I had spent about four hours this afternoon composing a detailed solution for you, when we lost power. UGH! This time, I'm going to do it in a text file I can save and then cut/paste the answer here.
I am a software instructor and probably will give you more detailed instructions than you need (I never give one statement answers and assume a user knows how to do that).
I will give you a quick list of what I'm proposing, then sign off to go and write up instructions (which I think I'll keep handy for other users).
1. User Profiles
A. Copy anything you want to keep from the user folders
B. Disable User Profiles
C. Remove Profiles from Registry
D. Clean up hard drive
2. Software Problems
A. Download patches and fixes from Microsoft
B. Install patches and fixes, check to see if this alone will fix the problem
C. Back up Windows folder and Registry
D. Reinstall Windows, if necessary (don't worry, it's not really that drastic and no data will be lost).
E. Restore any personalization, if necessary
As for changes, there shouldn't be any other than the fact that everything will work.
I, too, have a husband who is not a technician. His only concern is that his files are safe, Word runs, and he can access the Internet.
Back to you before the evening is over....
Colleen Kayter
Hang tough. I had spent about four hours this afternoon composing a detailed solution for you, when we lost power. UGH! This time, I'm going to do it in a text file I can save and then cut/paste the answer here.
I am a software instructor and probably will give you more detailed instructions than you need (I never give one statement answers and assume a user knows how to do that).
I will give you a quick list of what I'm proposing, then sign off to go and write up instructions (which I think I'll keep handy for other users).
1. User Profiles
A. Copy anything you want to keep from the user folders
B. Disable User Profiles
C. Remove Profiles from Registry
D. Clean up hard drive
2. Software Problems
A. Download patches and fixes from Microsoft
B. Install patches and fixes, check to see if this alone will fix the problem
C. Back up Windows folder and Registry
D. Reinstall Windows, if necessary (don't worry, it's not really that drastic and no data will be lost).
E. Restore any personalization, if necessary
As for changes, there shouldn't be any other than the fact that everything will work.
I, too, have a husband who is not a technician. His only concern is that his files are safe, Word runs, and he can access the Internet.
Back to you before the evening is over....
Colleen Kayter
ASKER
Wow! I'm impressed!
You sound as diligent as I am, (my husband says I fix everything till it breaks) and I will take your advice. Since posting my last comment I have been trying to:
1. contact microsoft-to no avail
2. locate exchange-it's not in add/remove-can't get to microsoft to download anyway. Gate way says it may still be available through them, and to specify that I've got 95B.
3. Come to the conclusion that my profiles must be damaged, and am wondering what else is. I run scan disk and defrag , then use regclean. I used to run nuts and bolts but bomb shelter was a bomb-that was a ways back.
I'm in a rural area where the farmers, touristas and hunters out-number the more electronically inclined folk. On-line help becomes essential in these situations-thank you! I own a home bakery. Wouldn't it be great if I could fax you a loaf of bread!?
My husband won't even use the internet. Can barely email! Later, Heartache
You sound as diligent as I am, (my husband says I fix everything till it breaks) and I will take your advice. Since posting my last comment I have been trying to:
1. contact microsoft-to no avail
2. locate exchange-it's not in add/remove-can't get to microsoft to download anyway. Gate way says it may still be available through them, and to specify that I've got 95B.
3. Come to the conclusion that my profiles must be damaged, and am wondering what else is. I run scan disk and defrag , then use regclean. I used to run nuts and bolts but bomb shelter was a bomb-that was a ways back.
I'm in a rural area where the farmers, touristas and hunters out-number the more electronically inclined folk. On-line help becomes essential in these situations-thank you! I own a home bakery. Wouldn't it be great if I could fax you a loaf of bread!?
My husband won't even use the internet. Can barely email! Later, Heartache
My husband would love some virtual sourdough... I haven't baked since before we got married. (pretty sad, huh?)
You don't need Exchange... Windows Messaging is Exchange, only updated. MS renamed the e-mail client to prevent confusion with their server product, Exchange.
Give me more info... You've got 95B (that helps... there are some downloads you won't need). When you say "profiles," are we talking about user profiles when you log on to the PC, or Exchange profiles when you try to set up e-mail capability? I assumed user profiles... Hmmmm.
Where are you located? I'd probably trade places. I'm in Orange County, California. One husband with 20 bookcases. One 20-month old daughter with one bookcase. Me? Two PCs to maintain, tech references strewn about, one toolbox with power drill (zzzz. zzzz.) I'll have to tell my husband about fixing it til it breaks. He can definitely relate.
Working on your instructions.... My biggest problem is I can never tell someone what to do without telling them why...
Colleen
http://notofthisworld.com (my home bakery these days)
You don't need Exchange... Windows Messaging is Exchange, only updated. MS renamed the e-mail client to prevent confusion with their server product, Exchange.
Give me more info... You've got 95B (that helps... there are some downloads you won't need). When you say "profiles," are we talking about user profiles when you log on to the PC, or Exchange profiles when you try to set up e-mail capability? I assumed user profiles... Hmmmm.
Where are you located? I'd probably trade places. I'm in Orange County, California. One husband with 20 bookcases. One 20-month old daughter with one bookcase. Me? Two PCs to maintain, tech references strewn about, one toolbox with power drill (zzzz. zzzz.) I'll have to tell my husband about fixing it til it breaks. He can definitely relate.
Working on your instructions.... My biggest problem is I can never tell someone what to do without telling them why...
Colleen
http://notofthisworld.com (my home bakery these days)
Okay, Heartache. I just found out something that makes this a less appealing solution (although there may be no other).
You cannot reinstall Win95 with IE4 installed. You'll have to uninstall IE4 before doing the reinstall. Now, I know that doesn't sound too bad, but...
When you reinstall IE4 after reinstalling Win95, IE4 disables all the Netscape plug-ins. In other words, after reinstalling IE4, you'll need to reinstall Netscape.
Are you game??? Or shall we try something else first...
Teaching all day Friday (Advanced Windows 98), so I won't be able to get back to you until tomorrow evening...
Have an idea... If you are using Office 97, Windows messaging is built in there. Run Add/Remove Programs, select Office 97 from the list (don't worry, you're not removing it, just reinstalling components). From the setup dialog box, choose Reinstall.
Next, when did these problems start happening? At some point in the not-too-distant past were you able to get e-mail? In what applcation?
Lastly, ICQ and NetMeeting are both the same type of application and may be incompatible. I went to http://www.mirabilis.com/ and looked over their software list. They have an ICQ add-in available for NetMeeting. Have you tried that???
Now, one last bit of bad news... Microsoft won't help you with Win95. Gateway and other computer companies that ship PCs with Windows installed agree to support the software so MS won't have to. If your product number (RightClick MY COMPUTER and select PROPERTIES to see it) contains the letters OEM, Gateway is your only support (besides all of us at E-E).
After this is all over, we'll have to find a cozy corner in cyberspace and chat...
Colleen
You cannot reinstall Win95 with IE4 installed. You'll have to uninstall IE4 before doing the reinstall. Now, I know that doesn't sound too bad, but...
When you reinstall IE4 after reinstalling Win95, IE4 disables all the Netscape plug-ins. In other words, after reinstalling IE4, you'll need to reinstall Netscape.
Are you game??? Or shall we try something else first...
Teaching all day Friday (Advanced Windows 98), so I won't be able to get back to you until tomorrow evening...
Have an idea... If you are using Office 97, Windows messaging is built in there. Run Add/Remove Programs, select Office 97 from the list (don't worry, you're not removing it, just reinstalling components). From the setup dialog box, choose Reinstall.
Next, when did these problems start happening? At some point in the not-too-distant past were you able to get e-mail? In what applcation?
Lastly, ICQ and NetMeeting are both the same type of application and may be incompatible. I went to http://www.mirabilis.com/ and looked over their software list. They have an ICQ add-in available for NetMeeting. Have you tried that???
Now, one last bit of bad news... Microsoft won't help you with Win95. Gateway and other computer companies that ship PCs with Windows installed agree to support the software so MS won't have to. If your product number (RightClick MY COMPUTER and select PROPERTIES to see it) contains the letters OEM, Gateway is your only support (besides all of us at E-E).
After this is all over, we'll have to find a cozy corner in cyberspace and chat...
Colleen
ASKER
Colleen, Hi "Cybercoach"! Don't worry about getting back quickly, I'm digesting. I do have windows messaging, leave it to me to get confused. Somehow I got the idea that I was missing it.I thought it had been deleted. I am in touch with Gateway, they tell me I should be able to download exchange-strange?- from microsoft.Haven't tried the ICQ/netmeeting will consider it at some point-it's not a priority. Just trying to describe symptoms. I am getting internet mail and am able to use some of netscape (comm. 4.06) I had reinstalled I.E.4 a few days ago... I still don't really like it, that's why I had uninstalled it months ago and was running some other version with netscape-which I've upgraded a few times. I originally used a different ISP, had a commercial account so had 2 addresses, and 2 passwords ...now I use only one address, one password (we need multiple again for our businesses, but I'm not worrying about that now.) I got into all this because we are beginning to fax. Originally had canon printer and visioneer scanner shipped with system.
Husband and his long distance partner decided they each needed to have the Hewlett P.
4-way office jet "octopus" so that we could fax. Well after installing a new port to accomodate everything I still had problems and only then did I find that it's possible to fax without a fax machine, I was really feeling pretty dumb by that point. I've been humbly digging around and asking questions, but -when I try to enter the microsoft site It tells me they have me on file; gives me the password by email, then when I use it it sends back the same on file business.I guess I could call them. I will try uninstalling IE this afternoon and reinstalling netscape . First I'm going to try the old ISP addresses and passwords, I hadn't used IE in ages and now am unsure how I logged on.The reinstall I just did, as well as previously- would explain netscape saying I was using invalid id- I think. Just the hummm part of your message explains how I feel about "profiles"...
Why, you should come here to northern lower Michigan and teach at NCMC-my current school-I obviously could use the classes (for now I'm enrolled for Bus. Mgmt classes.)
Thanks for all your help, I already have a pretty good gut feeling that this will work. Oh-one more possible problem-shouldn't there be an entry for windows in Add/ Remove? or is it initiated during start up?
Husband and his long distance partner decided they each needed to have the Hewlett P.
4-way office jet "octopus" so that we could fax. Well after installing a new port to accomodate everything I still had problems and only then did I find that it's possible to fax without a fax machine, I was really feeling pretty dumb by that point. I've been humbly digging around and asking questions, but -when I try to enter the microsoft site It tells me they have me on file; gives me the password by email, then when I use it it sends back the same on file business.I guess I could call them. I will try uninstalling IE this afternoon and reinstalling netscape . First I'm going to try the old ISP addresses and passwords, I hadn't used IE in ages and now am unsure how I logged on.The reinstall I just did, as well as previously- would explain netscape saying I was using invalid id- I think. Just the hummm part of your message explains how I feel about "profiles"...
Why, you should come here to northern lower Michigan and teach at NCMC-my current school-I obviously could use the classes (for now I'm enrolled for Bus. Mgmt classes.)
Thanks for all your help, I already have a pretty good gut feeling that this will work. Oh-one more possible problem-shouldn't there be an entry for windows in Add/ Remove? or is it initiated during start up?
Concerning the ability to download Exchange from MS: Gateway is probably not explaining this as well as they could. You can download the Exchange Update (dated May 96, I believe), which installs Windows Messaging. It is very easy to get confused on this one. By the way, you aren't going to be using Exchange Profiles at all by the time you're done... Windows Messaging and Exchange Profiles are purposed to send e-mail across your LAN or Intranet in your office (house?), not to access an Internet e-mail account. Don't worry. It's gonna be okay.
--------------------------
All the uninstalls and reinstalls are probably making matters worse, not better. When you uninstall software, it doesn't undo everything it's done, particularly IE, because only about 3% of IE is browser and the rest is updates and changes to the Windows operating system. And your system keeps track of each uninstall and each reinstall. In some instances, you end up with several duplicate (more or less) entries in the Registry.
Now, whatever logons, passwords, ISP addresses, etc. you use with Netscape, the same work with IE.
If you think of your ISP as an onramp to the freeway, and the browser (Netscape or IE) as a car... They give you a car, but you can drive whatever you like. You can even keep two different cars and drive different cars on different trips or (here's where the analogy breaks down) you can drive both cars at the same time. In other words, you can have both IE and Netscape installed at the same time and use both at the same time.
The information you provide to the ISP should be the same for both. When you log on, your ISP (who uses neither Netscape nor IE -- they've got "on ramp" software) asks you to identify yourself. You do that with your logon name or ID, and you verify that you really are yourself with your password. You do not input the user information into the browser, but into the Dial-Up Networking "connectoid" (Open My Computer, open Dial-Up Networking -- each of the icons that you can double-click to connect to the outside world is called a connectoid -- must've been named by men). Right-click on the connectoid for your ISP and select Properties. Here is where you tell it the phone number you call (on the General Tab), specific information about the ISP's server and how you connect to it (on the Server Tab), and the IP addresses you use (under the TCP/IP Settings... button on the Server Tab).
Many ISPs do "server assigned" IP addresses (which means you don't need to know specific IP addresses). Those that don't do "server assigned" IP addresses will give you one or two 12-digit numbers broken down into what they call "octets" (there are 4 octets in an IP address and they are separated by decimal points). In essence, an IP address is the identification of a particular computer on the internet. When you dial in to your ISP, you either a) request a connection to a particular computer or b) your ISP assigns you to one of several computers and tells your computer the IP address for that particular machine. At the same time, your ISP assigns you a temporary IP address (you need one too while you are connected). When you type a website into the browser address bar or click on a bookmark, your computer sends a message to the ISP's computer requesting that information. The ISP's computer is connected to a GIANT address book called a DNS (domain name server) which looks up the IP address for the domain name you've requested, then sends a request to that IP address for the page to be delivered to your IP address. The information is received in the form of a web page.
On the mail side of things, your ISP gives you a SMTP server name and a POP3 server name for your outgoing and incoming mail. SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and POP3 is Post Office Protocol 3. Your ISP's SMTP server translates all the email addresses you give it into IP addresses and routes the mail to its destination. The POP3 server receives incoming mail and routes it to your mailbox (your account name). To retrieve your incoming mail, you must have a "key." Your key is 1) a POP3 client e-mail reader (Outlook Express or Netscape Mail) that tells the POP3 server, "Give me the mail, I can interpret what it says." and 2) your account name and password that tells the server which mailbox and authenticates that you are the owner of that e-mail box.
--------------------------
If you set up two separate e-mail addresses, then you need to set up your computer in such a way that your mail and your husband's mail don't get mixed up. It sounds like you've already tried to do this using Exchange Profiles. The problem is that if you use the same e-mail software to access both accounts, then e-mail from both accounts is still dumped into the same folder.
Sooooo, if right now, you have Netscape installed, leave it there. Don't do another uninstall/reinstall of anything until I get back to you. The answer lies with IE, but before you reinstall that, I have more research to do. I'm going to install Netscape on my PC (have to do it anyway for classes) and see if, working with multiple USER profiles (not the same as Exchange Profiles), I can configure multiple mail folders so that your mail and your husband's mail can peacefully coexist without getting mixed up in the same folder.
Northern Lower Michigan, huh? Isn't that an oxymoron? I love snow, but you folks get a bit too much... On the other hand, if you work at home and don't have to go out in really bad weather.... I'd be there in a heartbeat! Last couple of days, we've done triple digits on the thermometer. It's 1 am and it's about 800 out. UGH!
You'll hear from me by Sunday dawn. Either we'll have a solution for your problem or I'll be posting questions of my own <grin>
Colleen
webmaster@notofthisworld.c
--------------------------
All the uninstalls and reinstalls are probably making matters worse, not better. When you uninstall software, it doesn't undo everything it's done, particularly IE, because only about 3% of IE is browser and the rest is updates and changes to the Windows operating system. And your system keeps track of each uninstall and each reinstall. In some instances, you end up with several duplicate (more or less) entries in the Registry.
Now, whatever logons, passwords, ISP addresses, etc. you use with Netscape, the same work with IE.
If you think of your ISP as an onramp to the freeway, and the browser (Netscape or IE) as a car... They give you a car, but you can drive whatever you like. You can even keep two different cars and drive different cars on different trips or (here's where the analogy breaks down) you can drive both cars at the same time. In other words, you can have both IE and Netscape installed at the same time and use both at the same time.
The information you provide to the ISP should be the same for both. When you log on, your ISP (who uses neither Netscape nor IE -- they've got "on ramp" software) asks you to identify yourself. You do that with your logon name or ID, and you verify that you really are yourself with your password. You do not input the user information into the browser, but into the Dial-Up Networking "connectoid" (Open My Computer, open Dial-Up Networking -- each of the icons that you can double-click to connect to the outside world is called a connectoid -- must've been named by men). Right-click on the connectoid for your ISP and select Properties. Here is where you tell it the phone number you call (on the General Tab), specific information about the ISP's server and how you connect to it (on the Server Tab), and the IP addresses you use (under the TCP/IP Settings... button on the Server Tab).
Many ISPs do "server assigned" IP addresses (which means you don't need to know specific IP addresses). Those that don't do "server assigned" IP addresses will give you one or two 12-digit numbers broken down into what they call "octets" (there are 4 octets in an IP address and they are separated by decimal points). In essence, an IP address is the identification of a particular computer on the internet. When you dial in to your ISP, you either a) request a connection to a particular computer or b) your ISP assigns you to one of several computers and tells your computer the IP address for that particular machine. At the same time, your ISP assigns you a temporary IP address (you need one too while you are connected). When you type a website into the browser address bar or click on a bookmark, your computer sends a message to the ISP's computer requesting that information. The ISP's computer is connected to a GIANT address book called a DNS (domain name server) which looks up the IP address for the domain name you've requested, then sends a request to that IP address for the page to be delivered to your IP address. The information is received in the form of a web page.
On the mail side of things, your ISP gives you a SMTP server name and a POP3 server name for your outgoing and incoming mail. SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and POP3 is Post Office Protocol 3. Your ISP's SMTP server translates all the email addresses you give it into IP addresses and routes the mail to its destination. The POP3 server receives incoming mail and routes it to your mailbox (your account name). To retrieve your incoming mail, you must have a "key." Your key is 1) a POP3 client e-mail reader (Outlook Express or Netscape Mail) that tells the POP3 server, "Give me the mail, I can interpret what it says." and 2) your account name and password that tells the server which mailbox and authenticates that you are the owner of that e-mail box.
--------------------------
If you set up two separate e-mail addresses, then you need to set up your computer in such a way that your mail and your husband's mail don't get mixed up. It sounds like you've already tried to do this using Exchange Profiles. The problem is that if you use the same e-mail software to access both accounts, then e-mail from both accounts is still dumped into the same folder.
Sooooo, if right now, you have Netscape installed, leave it there. Don't do another uninstall/reinstall of anything until I get back to you. The answer lies with IE, but before you reinstall that, I have more research to do. I'm going to install Netscape on my PC (have to do it anyway for classes) and see if, working with multiple USER profiles (not the same as Exchange Profiles), I can configure multiple mail folders so that your mail and your husband's mail can peacefully coexist without getting mixed up in the same folder.
Northern Lower Michigan, huh? Isn't that an oxymoron? I love snow, but you folks get a bit too much... On the other hand, if you work at home and don't have to go out in really bad weather.... I'd be there in a heartbeat! Last couple of days, we've done triple digits on the thermometer. It's 1 am and it's about 800 out. UGH!
You'll hear from me by Sunday dawn. Either we'll have a solution for your problem or I'll be posting questions of my own <grin>
Colleen
webmaster@notofthisworld.c
OOPS! I forgot to address your last question re: Windows in the Add/Remove List. No, it shouldn't be there. That's like asking a loaf of bread to knead itself. Unless there is a prior operating system on the computer (i.e., Windows 3.11), you cannot "uninstall" Windows (what would your computer use instead?).
Reinstalling Windows is really a misnomer. Actually, what was originally suggested was a "Maintenance Installation" to fix corrupted files and install missing ones. But after some of the additional information you've given me, I don't think that will fix the problem, nor do I think it's necessary. Hang tough! Give me a day to test some things before I tell you to do them!
Colleen
Reinstalling Windows is really a misnomer. Actually, what was originally suggested was a "Maintenance Installation" to fix corrupted files and install missing ones. But after some of the additional information you've given me, I don't think that will fix the problem, nor do I think it's necessary. Hang tough! Give me a day to test some things before I tell you to do them!
Colleen
ASKER
I will wait to do anything else. I did uninstall NS Com 4.06, the downloaded again and reinstalled -had a few problems along the way but got it going, however where I was previously able to send pages in email but no way to send new messages or get mail, now I can't send pages-feels like I now might have a way to re-establish the correct configuration, but will hang in and see what you think of this. By the way IE 3.2 is still in there-that's how I was able to download Netscape...At least I still get internet mail!
This must be a classic scenario!
I had downloaded the update for Exchange, it's still sitting there-I couldn't install-can't remember why.
When I look at the components for windows, then properties for windows messaging one says requires exchange and a modem-I believe it was either fax or one of the mail things. Also, when in net. browser-edit-preferences when I try to poke around in the identity and mail stuff I got a message aboutcontacting ISP- think I'll need to talk to them? I usually connect to "access on line" that's my ISP, but I also sometimes get "triton" which is their tech address (I hope that makes sense)
I hate to think of all the hours-days you have invested in helping me, and hope this is helping a few people like me. Every time I learn a little I realize how much more there is and it can be a lttle overwhelming. It sure helps having real guidance-not faqs or hints and tips that never seem to quite apply to the particular issue at hand.
Upper and lower Michigan are known as the U.P.(upper peninsula) and L.P.(lower peninsula) I'm between Traverse City and Petoskey in the, L.P.-that makes me a "looper".. if I were from the upper peninsula I'd be known as a Yooper. I'm not a native though- Ma. is home and spent 10 yrs. in Nashville, TN. before coming here to look after ailing in-laws. Enough chit-chat- Later!
This must be a classic scenario!
I had downloaded the update for Exchange, it's still sitting there-I couldn't install-can't remember why.
When I look at the components for windows, then properties for windows messaging one says requires exchange and a modem-I believe it was either fax or one of the mail things. Also, when in net. browser-edit-preferences when I try to poke around in the identity and mail stuff I got a message aboutcontacting ISP- think I'll need to talk to them? I usually connect to "access on line" that's my ISP, but I also sometimes get "triton" which is their tech address (I hope that makes sense)
I hate to think of all the hours-days you have invested in helping me, and hope this is helping a few people like me. Every time I learn a little I realize how much more there is and it can be a lttle overwhelming. It sure helps having real guidance-not faqs or hints and tips that never seem to quite apply to the particular issue at hand.
Upper and lower Michigan are known as the U.P.(upper peninsula) and L.P.(lower peninsula) I'm between Traverse City and Petoskey in the, L.P.-that makes me a "looper".. if I were from the upper peninsula I'd be known as a Yooper. I'm not a native though- Ma. is home and spent 10 yrs. in Nashville, TN. before coming here to look after ailing in-laws. Enough chit-chat- Later!
hey I really dont think this question belongs in newbies, hell it has me wondering about whats going on, but i will try to keep up with you two and help if I can but I think ckayter has more of an answer than I could come up with.....good luck heartache
Glad you're along for the ride, ironheardt! This is a newbie question because it was posted by a relatively new computer user... Although, heartache, I think you know more than you think you do.
One of the reasons why I go into such lengthy details and explanations is not to benefit only the person asking the question, but others who might be reading along. As a software instructor, I sometimes see folks who are absolutely amazed the first time they take apart a mouse to clean it, and I see a lot of folks in Intro to Internet classes who think Netscape is their service provider.
So while I'm trying to get to the root of heartache's problem, I'm also trying to provide a little information that will help others to understand the whys and what fors of what I'm suggesting. And the answer is long coming because I'm testing the answers on my computer before I offer them here. That's how I found out that reinstalling Win95 was not such an easy fix (and found out from the information that heartache provided that it won't fix the problem, anyway).
Having read your bio, ironheardt, you're certainly not a newbie! So I hope you will continue to follow along and comment if I go sideways...
Colleen
One of the reasons why I go into such lengthy details and explanations is not to benefit only the person asking the question, but others who might be reading along. As a software instructor, I sometimes see folks who are absolutely amazed the first time they take apart a mouse to clean it, and I see a lot of folks in Intro to Internet classes who think Netscape is their service provider.
So while I'm trying to get to the root of heartache's problem, I'm also trying to provide a little information that will help others to understand the whys and what fors of what I'm suggesting. And the answer is long coming because I'm testing the answers on my computer before I offer them here. That's how I found out that reinstalling Win95 was not such an easy fix (and found out from the information that heartache provided that it won't fix the problem, anyway).
Having read your bio, ironheardt, you're certainly not a newbie! So I hope you will continue to follow along and comment if I go sideways...
Colleen
ASKER
Well guys- I'm flattered you think I'm not so dumb, I guess I'm an advanced beginner? I've been worried that I should have waited to see what this forum is all about, I jumped in before I'd even read the "rules"! If it's more appropriate to work this differently, I'm game, but I really hope it's not necessary; so much of this is, or will be, relevant to new users, and I hope by sharing it all we might be able to help them to avoid what I'm going through as well as actually fix this ailing PC! Presently I've been searching all kinds of references on the internet and reading up in an attempt to begin to best explain and define what's been happening -our public library has some helpful materials, but mostly woefully out of date! Best I could do is Windows95 Annoyances. Any suggestions? The less "geektalk" the better-but then I need to learn that if I want to ask reasonably intelligent questions.
-Allison er, heartache
-Allison er, heartache
I read all about reinstall windows etc.. But have you ever tried to remove and/or install only exchange again? by the control panel? So then you can get your exchange back.
ASKER
kessyclown,
exchange isn't in there. Al
exchange isn't in there. Al
HUH?
I'm lost.(And since I'm male,I won't ask for directions).
However,a speed-read through this thread suggests you guys are going down a path I find myself taking sometimes: micro-repair.At this point a viable alternative might be to upgrade to WIN98.All your static files - especially .DLLs - will be back in sync (at least for the software from BILL's company),and it has a nice feature called SYSTEM FILE CHECKER (SFC.EXE) that will inform you in the future should some 3rd party software 'un-sync' you.
I'm lost.(And since I'm male,I won't ask for directions).
However,a speed-read through this thread suggests you guys are going down a path I find myself taking sometimes: micro-repair.At this point a viable alternative might be to upgrade to WIN98.All your static files - especially .DLLs - will be back in sync (at least for the software from BILL's company),and it has a nice feature called SYSTEM FILE CHECKER (SFC.EXE) that will inform you in the future should some 3rd party software 'un-sync' you.
Hi Al!
I'm back! And my PC has survived the installation of Netscape. Now, before I send you detailed instructions, I need to know how you want to set this up.
I think a lot of the confusion comes from User Profiles. Windows can set up user profiles so that each user sees a different desktop and different start menu. Add IE and Favorites, My Documents, e-mail, etc. are added to that list. Exchange/Windows Messaging sets up exchange profiles so that multiple users can use the same computer for e-mail, keeping incoming/outgoing mail separate (providing they each have a separate e-mail account). Netscape adds to the fray by setting up user profiles of its own, allowing each user to have separate e-mail and browser settings. UGH! Which flavor would you like?
First, the exchange profiles are totally unnecessary for your purposes. The Exchange/Windows Messaging client is designed for using e-mail within your office, between coworkers. Not applicable to a standalone PC where the only e-mail is received from the Internet.
Now, here are descriptions of how you can set up your computer, tell me what you want and I will post detailed instructions for that particular configuration:
Door #1: Netscape Only. No IE on your computer, Netscape profiles are used to allow you and your husband to each have your own separate e-mail files and Netscape browser settings. All other features (desktop, start menu, my documents, etc.) would be shared (both of you use the same settings).
Door #2: Netscape plus Windows: No IE on your computer. Using Netscape profiles as in #1 above, but also setting up separate Windows user profiles. When you start up the computer, you log on using your user name. You can customize the desktop, start menu, etc. When your husband logs on, he uses his name, and he has his own version of the desktop, not seeing any changes you made. "My Documents" is a shared folder.
Door #3: IE only. No Netscape on your computer. Setting up separate Windows user profiles as in #2 above. Difference: My Documents and Favorites are not shared. Each of you would have your own document space, bookmarks, and personal address book, as well as e-mail, desktop, start menu, etc.
Door #4: IE and Netscape. Both browsers are installed. First, Windows user profiles are set up to give each of you your own desktop, start menu, My Documents, Favorites, Address Book, and Outlook Express e-mail. Then, Netscape user profiles are set up, but the individual folders are placed in the Windows user profile folders rather than the default location. Each of you would have your own browser settings and Netscape e-mail. Outlook Express can import all the messages from your Netscape e-mail, so the messages you've already got stored are not lost.
--------------------------
I know you prefer Netscape. So did my husband. Then one day he installed IE so that he could view some files on a CD that were designed for IE. IE moved all his Netscape plug-ins and was rendered useless (which is why IE must be installed FIRST when both browsers are going to be installed). I was so mad at him (I had told him to NOT install IE until I'd had a chance to clean up his hard drive and run a tape backup), I just removed Netscape from his computer. Two days later, he thanked me for it. Outlook Express manages e-mail sooooo much better than Netscape. The view is very similar to the Windows Explorer, which he is already familiar with. We're all more comfortable with what is familiar to us, and, as you said, your husband doesn't like changes (good reason for separate desktops, etc.).
My recommendation would be Door #4. You can continue using Netscape, but down the road, should you decide to upgrade to Windows 98 (another project worth doing) where IE will be installed anyway, you're already set.
The only thing I didn't like about installing Netscape on my PC is that Netscape is as wicked as IE when it comes to robbery. Every time I open the Netscape Browser, it makes itself the default browser, changing all my IE files to Netscape files. Not a problem if you prefer Netscape.
Let me know...
Colleen
I'm back! And my PC has survived the installation of Netscape. Now, before I send you detailed instructions, I need to know how you want to set this up.
I think a lot of the confusion comes from User Profiles. Windows can set up user profiles so that each user sees a different desktop and different start menu. Add IE and Favorites, My Documents, e-mail, etc. are added to that list. Exchange/Windows Messaging sets up exchange profiles so that multiple users can use the same computer for e-mail, keeping incoming/outgoing mail separate (providing they each have a separate e-mail account). Netscape adds to the fray by setting up user profiles of its own, allowing each user to have separate e-mail and browser settings. UGH! Which flavor would you like?
First, the exchange profiles are totally unnecessary for your purposes. The Exchange/Windows Messaging client is designed for using e-mail within your office, between coworkers. Not applicable to a standalone PC where the only e-mail is received from the Internet.
Now, here are descriptions of how you can set up your computer, tell me what you want and I will post detailed instructions for that particular configuration:
Door #1: Netscape Only. No IE on your computer, Netscape profiles are used to allow you and your husband to each have your own separate e-mail files and Netscape browser settings. All other features (desktop, start menu, my documents, etc.) would be shared (both of you use the same settings).
Door #2: Netscape plus Windows: No IE on your computer. Using Netscape profiles as in #1 above, but also setting up separate Windows user profiles. When you start up the computer, you log on using your user name. You can customize the desktop, start menu, etc. When your husband logs on, he uses his name, and he has his own version of the desktop, not seeing any changes you made. "My Documents" is a shared folder.
Door #3: IE only. No Netscape on your computer. Setting up separate Windows user profiles as in #2 above. Difference: My Documents and Favorites are not shared. Each of you would have your own document space, bookmarks, and personal address book, as well as e-mail, desktop, start menu, etc.
Door #4: IE and Netscape. Both browsers are installed. First, Windows user profiles are set up to give each of you your own desktop, start menu, My Documents, Favorites, Address Book, and Outlook Express e-mail. Then, Netscape user profiles are set up, but the individual folders are placed in the Windows user profile folders rather than the default location. Each of you would have your own browser settings and Netscape e-mail. Outlook Express can import all the messages from your Netscape e-mail, so the messages you've already got stored are not lost.
--------------------------
I know you prefer Netscape. So did my husband. Then one day he installed IE so that he could view some files on a CD that were designed for IE. IE moved all his Netscape plug-ins and was rendered useless (which is why IE must be installed FIRST when both browsers are going to be installed). I was so mad at him (I had told him to NOT install IE until I'd had a chance to clean up his hard drive and run a tape backup), I just removed Netscape from his computer. Two days later, he thanked me for it. Outlook Express manages e-mail sooooo much better than Netscape. The view is very similar to the Windows Explorer, which he is already familiar with. We're all more comfortable with what is familiar to us, and, as you said, your husband doesn't like changes (good reason for separate desktops, etc.).
My recommendation would be Door #4. You can continue using Netscape, but down the road, should you decide to upgrade to Windows 98 (another project worth doing) where IE will be installed anyway, you're already set.
The only thing I didn't like about installing Netscape on my PC is that Netscape is as wicked as IE when it comes to robbery. Every time I open the Netscape Browser, it makes itself the default browser, changing all my IE files to Netscape files. Not a problem if you prefer Netscape.
Let me know...
Colleen
ASKER
ckater and MATTCEI, I'm going to go through all this with Mitch and see what he'd like to do. He most likely will prefer separate desk tops and mail boxes.We had already been discussing that .He says he has no use for the internet-( ha I say!) As for me, after trying out Netscapes profiles, It gets confusing but I sort of like having one for general use and one for business-he needs to be able to easily fax and email. I will be handling a lot,if not all of the technical end,and still have a lot to learn just about windows95. Then there's also
the bakery...
Mitch is a totaI dinosaur. Used a typewriter till last year. I really had zero PC experience until December, just some on-line stuff from the very early years of OCLC when I worked at interlibrary loan during college (in the 70's!) but that's prehistoric. For instance, we have to put together a disk for Amazon books that will help promote his new book (I need to do a good job-they already kind of goofed up the simple entry for his book in their catalogue). I don't know how to do that yet, but want to be able to feel confident that I can count on our computer to do what it's supposed to do.-We are eventually planning on building a website for his literary service as well, another major undertaking-we apparently have excellent support available from our ISP from what I hear around town.
Anyway, I feel I need to really get this system in optimal condition before I get into any new endeavors; that's why I'm here. I think you have helped me define my question beyond What Should I Do Now, now that I have an idea what it was -it comes down to "should I fix and patch things and reinstall windows or reformat and possibly miss out by not learning how to deal with the problems at hand, why they happened and so on. To summarize:We probably hurt the thing the very first time we plugged it in. Incidently, "Johnny Heartache" was the login name we used, then shut down improperly when asterisks appeared in the password box-can't remember the password. Johnny Heartache is the name of a novel Mitch wrote but hasn't published yet. Since then there seems to be a Johnny Heartache ghost; files by that name that lead nowhere and show up all over the place-spooky! Then, I deleted what seemed to be unimportant stuff -boy was I Dumb.
-everyone kept telling me there was too much stuff that I'd never need, to get rid of it to make more room. I think that may have really messed up Windows messaging and probably other stuff too. Then- an amateur tech installed Nuts and Bolts, without mentioning that an uninstalled component in it called bomb shelter was a troublemaker. Of course I installed it and all hell broke loose-though some one else thinks it was fastfind that created the havoc. The tech then advised me to keep cleaning out history, cookie, netscape history and one other file-wish I could think of it, warning me not to delete a fat file-well, guess what... That all happened back in spring or actually late winter.Tech guy had disappeared, probably in over his head? I finally took out Nuts and bolts and did whatever I did to disable find fast. I then downloaded and installed regclean( I think it's a microsoft product) and things seemed to be doing fairly well except I keep noticing a lot of junk hanging around from old files and the nagging netscape mail problem that recently I've been anxiously hoping to staighten out for the mailbox situation, but I don't, or didn't know where to begin.I tried reinstalling IE and you know the rest. Originally I installed IE way way back in the beginning.
Since last I wrote, I have been able to send pages from netscape again, why I don't understand. My mouse is responding a lot better without IE.I thought it was breaking down! (I hated the active desktop!) The two log- in windows for internet mail and news-(microsoft I assume) are becoming more bothersome. I log in on "'access on line", then here comes the "triton"right after-I think triton might be the news window. -I don't use that at all.
Mitch says My Documents isn't remembering recent stuff. I'm sorry I'm going on and on but I hope to better clarify the specific problems in the sequence that I recall. Colleen, I will follow your lead. Not too sure we need 98- but then if it will fix dll BS....hmmm. Let me get the details straight in my mind and talk to the bossman-I'll probably have a clearer plan by tomorrow afternoon. Goodnight! Allison
the bakery...
Mitch is a totaI dinosaur. Used a typewriter till last year. I really had zero PC experience until December, just some on-line stuff from the very early years of OCLC when I worked at interlibrary loan during college (in the 70's!) but that's prehistoric. For instance, we have to put together a disk for Amazon books that will help promote his new book (I need to do a good job-they already kind of goofed up the simple entry for his book in their catalogue). I don't know how to do that yet, but want to be able to feel confident that I can count on our computer to do what it's supposed to do.-We are eventually planning on building a website for his literary service as well, another major undertaking-we apparently have excellent support available from our ISP from what I hear around town.
Anyway, I feel I need to really get this system in optimal condition before I get into any new endeavors; that's why I'm here. I think you have helped me define my question beyond What Should I Do Now, now that I have an idea what it was -it comes down to "should I fix and patch things and reinstall windows or reformat and possibly miss out by not learning how to deal with the problems at hand, why they happened and so on. To summarize:We probably hurt the thing the very first time we plugged it in. Incidently, "Johnny Heartache" was the login name we used, then shut down improperly when asterisks appeared in the password box-can't remember the password. Johnny Heartache is the name of a novel Mitch wrote but hasn't published yet. Since then there seems to be a Johnny Heartache ghost; files by that name that lead nowhere and show up all over the place-spooky! Then, I deleted what seemed to be unimportant stuff -boy was I Dumb.
-everyone kept telling me there was too much stuff that I'd never need, to get rid of it to make more room. I think that may have really messed up Windows messaging and probably other stuff too. Then- an amateur tech installed Nuts and Bolts, without mentioning that an uninstalled component in it called bomb shelter was a troublemaker. Of course I installed it and all hell broke loose-though some one else thinks it was fastfind that created the havoc. The tech then advised me to keep cleaning out history, cookie, netscape history and one other file-wish I could think of it, warning me not to delete a fat file-well, guess what... That all happened back in spring or actually late winter.Tech guy had disappeared, probably in over his head? I finally took out Nuts and bolts and did whatever I did to disable find fast. I then downloaded and installed regclean( I think it's a microsoft product) and things seemed to be doing fairly well except I keep noticing a lot of junk hanging around from old files and the nagging netscape mail problem that recently I've been anxiously hoping to staighten out for the mailbox situation, but I don't, or didn't know where to begin.I tried reinstalling IE and you know the rest. Originally I installed IE way way back in the beginning.
Since last I wrote, I have been able to send pages from netscape again, why I don't understand. My mouse is responding a lot better without IE.I thought it was breaking down! (I hated the active desktop!) The two log- in windows for internet mail and news-(microsoft I assume) are becoming more bothersome. I log in on "'access on line", then here comes the "triton"right after-I think triton might be the news window. -I don't use that at all.
Mitch says My Documents isn't remembering recent stuff. I'm sorry I'm going on and on but I hope to better clarify the specific problems in the sequence that I recall. Colleen, I will follow your lead. Not too sure we need 98- but then if it will fix dll BS....hmmm. Let me get the details straight in my mind and talk to the bossman-I'll probably have a clearer plan by tomorrow afternoon. Goodnight! Allison
Allison!
DO NOT UPGRADE TO WIN98 until we get you stabilized to some extent. From what you've said, I think you've already got separate profiles set up w/separate My Documents folders. And if you installed Active Desktop (which apparently you had), then you've got separate profiles for Windows. If you hate Active Desktop, you'll hate Windows 98... Tell me what you don't like, I'll tell you how to turn it off.
As for My Documents losing things...tell Mitch it's okay. The files are in there. Try this: open Windows Explorer, go to the View Menu and select Folder Options, View Tab. Not too far down, you'll see a folder named "Hidden Files." Set it to "Show All Files." Click OK.
Navigate to the Windows Folder and click the + sign to the left. Scroll down until you see the Profiles Folder. Click the + sign to the left of it. Click the + sign to the left of Mitch's profile. Is there a My Documents folder in it? If so, click on the name "My Documents." The contents will appear on the right. Are his missing files there?
If there are no user profiles listed in the Windows\Profiles folder, they were deleted when you uninstalled IE4. Most uninstall procedures leave on the PC any user-created files. But the Windows user profile tools delete all user-related files when the user is deleted. This is intentional so that the PC's owner doesn't have to go through the whole system and manually remove files left by a second user or guest who is no longer using the PC.
Of course, I'm set up for e-mail notification on this thread, so feel free to ask questions about your options before you make a decision. You're more than welcome to e-mail me directly, but I agree that that would defeat the purpose of E-E--creating a knowledge base which will benefit others as well.
I don't think you blew up vital files when you shut it down the first time. You can reinstall Win95 AFTER you get all the user settings where they should be...
Colleen
DO NOT UPGRADE TO WIN98 until we get you stabilized to some extent. From what you've said, I think you've already got separate profiles set up w/separate My Documents folders. And if you installed Active Desktop (which apparently you had), then you've got separate profiles for Windows. If you hate Active Desktop, you'll hate Windows 98... Tell me what you don't like, I'll tell you how to turn it off.
As for My Documents losing things...tell Mitch it's okay. The files are in there. Try this: open Windows Explorer, go to the View Menu and select Folder Options, View Tab. Not too far down, you'll see a folder named "Hidden Files." Set it to "Show All Files." Click OK.
Navigate to the Windows Folder and click the + sign to the left. Scroll down until you see the Profiles Folder. Click the + sign to the left of it. Click the + sign to the left of Mitch's profile. Is there a My Documents folder in it? If so, click on the name "My Documents." The contents will appear on the right. Are his missing files there?
If there are no user profiles listed in the Windows\Profiles folder, they were deleted when you uninstalled IE4. Most uninstall procedures leave on the PC any user-created files. But the Windows user profile tools delete all user-related files when the user is deleted. This is intentional so that the PC's owner doesn't have to go through the whole system and manually remove files left by a second user or guest who is no longer using the PC.
Of course, I'm set up for e-mail notification on this thread, so feel free to ask questions about your options before you make a decision. You're more than welcome to e-mail me directly, but I agree that that would defeat the purpose of E-E--creating a knowledge base which will benefit others as well.
I don't think you blew up vital files when you shut it down the first time. You can reinstall Win95 AFTER you get all the user settings where they should be...
Colleen
ASKER
Hi, I completely agree about 98. I did deactivate the active desktop but scrolling was still weird and the mouse was almost unusable.That seems to have corrected itself when I uninstalled.
It occurred to me( I must have had amnesia) that I hadn't mentioned a BIG problem that came on about three weeks ago.Prior to that, we had a port added to enable hooking up the 4-way H.P. After we brought the console home, Mitch hooked up the system. We had no sound, the snap two wouldn;t work and other little annoyances became apparent. After about a week, we had the person who installed the port, and we seemed to be on our way;faxing, scanning(almost emailing scans text is a problem I havn't figured out-text bridge makes gibberish of documents and other stuff, but that has got to be my lack of knowhow., copying, printing on all the various peripherals, (also wondering why we (she owns a small repair/sales/training shop here)come in to look it over because we had a screen lock up situation I dared to call it a crash, not sure if that's accurate;the Icons wouldn't load on the desktop, no start menu-nothing. I tried to stay calm and got out the troubleshooting section of the 95 users manual and managed to figure out how to use safe mode. I tried all the options, and one was to do a boot log that indicated that there was a font failure(or a number of them) THAT'S when I called in the troops. She spent an hour and a half on it concluding that a(one-time?) program had loaded that caused a conflict-DOS was mentioned as well as bios, and that is scary to me-I don't know beans about dos or bios.She thinks that the hard drive could have been damaged if we hadn't called and it probably won't happen again -BUT if we have problems again to isolate and disable or uninstall the offending program,(yeah, OK, Right) I don't feel too confident about it. Oh well.
Now the embarrassing part of her visit is that the sound didn't work because the speakers weren't plugged in.I should have checked .
I called this morning to get specifics about what she actually did,and to inquire about training!! but won't be in till later...
NOW.As of this morning, Mitch lost some work. He had opened a new file to write a short 2-3 page piece into the second page, he needed to go back and change the heading. When he tried to use font, a illegal operation message popped up, he tried to exit and IT insisted on saving a second document. He says everything went wacko at that point..then a message that "closest (whatever)
is ~wrl766.tmp-would you like a shortcut to this..." -or something like that . He had rebooted by then. I looked around in explorer but I can't find it and I am less experienced in the WP part of things.( I do bakery labels and letters. He writes volumes...)
Just thought reporting these events could help-Do you need more details? Is this related to IE4 integration in windows? Should I give up and buy an Imac? (just kidding, but we've been thinking that we'd like to get a second system, as though $$ were no object!) Al
It occurred to me( I must have had amnesia) that I hadn't mentioned a BIG problem that came on about three weeks ago.Prior to that, we had a port added to enable hooking up the 4-way H.P. After we brought the console home, Mitch hooked up the system. We had no sound, the snap two wouldn;t work and other little annoyances became apparent. After about a week, we had the person who installed the port, and we seemed to be on our way;faxing, scanning(almost emailing scans text is a problem I havn't figured out-text bridge makes gibberish of documents and other stuff, but that has got to be my lack of knowhow., copying, printing on all the various peripherals, (also wondering why we (she owns a small repair/sales/training shop here)come in to look it over because we had a screen lock up situation I dared to call it a crash, not sure if that's accurate;the Icons wouldn't load on the desktop, no start menu-nothing. I tried to stay calm and got out the troubleshooting section of the 95 users manual and managed to figure out how to use safe mode. I tried all the options, and one was to do a boot log that indicated that there was a font failure(or a number of them) THAT'S when I called in the troops. She spent an hour and a half on it concluding that a(one-time?) program had loaded that caused a conflict-DOS was mentioned as well as bios, and that is scary to me-I don't know beans about dos or bios.She thinks that the hard drive could have been damaged if we hadn't called and it probably won't happen again -BUT if we have problems again to isolate and disable or uninstall the offending program,(yeah, OK, Right) I don't feel too confident about it. Oh well.
Now the embarrassing part of her visit is that the sound didn't work because the speakers weren't plugged in.I should have checked .
I called this morning to get specifics about what she actually did,and to inquire about training!! but won't be in till later...
NOW.As of this morning, Mitch lost some work. He had opened a new file to write a short 2-3 page piece into the second page, he needed to go back and change the heading. When he tried to use font, a illegal operation message popped up, he tried to exit and IT insisted on saving a second document. He says everything went wacko at that point..then a message that "closest (whatever)
is ~wrl766.tmp-would you like a shortcut to this..." -or something like that . He had rebooted by then. I looked around in explorer but I can't find it and I am less experienced in the WP part of things.( I do bakery labels and letters. He writes volumes...)
Just thought reporting these events could help-Do you need more details? Is this related to IE4 integration in windows? Should I give up and buy an Imac? (just kidding, but we've been thinking that we'd like to get a second system, as though $$ were no object!) Al
ASKER
OOPS! Not a bios problem.(I must have been reading about it ) Spoke to Sandy, the problem that caused the screen to lockup was "ansi.sys being called in auto exec." Says IE4.0, in particular is the (most likely) cause. She suggested a patch, but that's down the road. Also is concerned about RAM memory handling all this, netscape's being such a hog.-Just checked; it's 32 So that's ok. Looks like I'll be taking a basic class next month that covers a little of everything. 4 sessions 2 hrs each for $50.00. I told her all about E.E. too.
Mitch's greatest concern is a VERY important one . We MUST be able to use our current E-mail address and fax# -It's being $ published $ in an $ ad in (upcoming) Writer's Digest!$$ (can you say big bucks?) He also needs word to function dependably. I don't want to be blamed for moving things around anymore- Logins and passwords are a pain-but we'll deal with it. so give us independence!
I choose: (drum roll)
Door # 4-TADAA! (Whew!)
The next choice would be # 1( no IE), but we knew that.
Allison
Mitch's greatest concern is a VERY important one . We MUST be able to use our current E-mail address and fax# -It's being $ published $ in an $ ad in (upcoming) Writer's Digest!$$ (can you say big bucks?) He also needs word to function dependably. I don't want to be blamed for moving things around anymore- Logins and passwords are a pain-but we'll deal with it. so give us independence!
I choose: (drum roll)
Door # 4-TADAA! (Whew!)
The next choice would be # 1( no IE), but we knew that.
Allison
Whew! Sounds like you have been through baptism by fire.!
First things first... a lot of your systems sound like an IRQ conflict. IRQ means interrupt request. Everything on your PC (from the mouse to the printer) has a number assigned to it. Kind of like going to the meat market and taking a number. The same customer always gets the same number (on a PC, this determines the order in which requests are addressed by the CPU [the pentium chip which carries out the instructions]). And the butcher will only serve 16 customers. If any additional customers come in, they try to steal a number from another customer (on a PC, this means that two devices are both holding the same IRQ, which is called an IRQ conflict).
Since you had a second parallel port installed, let's verify that this addition has not caused an IRQ conflict...
Right click on My Computer, then select Properties from the menu. Go to the Device Manager tab. Are any of the icons covered by a yellow circle with an exclamation point in it (this is called a "splat")? If so, make a note of the device that is splatted. Now, click on "Computer" at the top of the window. Now click the Properties button at the bottom of the dialog box. By default, the IRQ list comes up first. Are any numbers duplicated? The duplication of 14 and 15 is normal. The Primary Bus and Secondary Bus Masters and the Hard Drive Controllers should be holding these numbers. Are there any others? Let's deal with the lockups and crashes before we add software.
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As far as Mitch's problem with Word crashing... when this happens, Word will attempt to recover the document if you let it. Does he start Word and then open documents from within Word? Or does he go to the Start Menu and to Documents? or to My Computer and navigate his way to the document then double-click it? When an illegal operation (yes, the technical term is CRASH) occurs, restart the computer and then open WORD first! If there was a file open when Word was shut down by Windows, Word will attempt to recover it. In Word, go to the Tools Menu, to Options, to the Save Tab. Make sure AutoSave is selected and set the time to 5 minutes. What this will do is save to a temp file (the one Word tried to point him to) every five minutes so if Word does crash, he should be able to recover everything up to the last AutoSave (losing 0-4 minutes worth of work).
By opening the document from the document menu or an explorer window, he opened a second copy of it. That's why Word wanted to save it as something else...
I don't think all your problems are caused by IE or by Active Desktop. Some of them may be due to a really, really trashed registry from MULTIPLE INSTALLS AND UNINSTALLS.
Using your current e-mail address and fax number is not a problem. In fact, there's absolutely no reason why that would change. The phone company controls the fax number, not the computer. And your ISP controls the e-mail address, not the computer....
With as many problems as you've described, I may recommend reinstalling Windows before this is all over. But then I will walk you through setting it up right on the other side. RELAX! Tell Mitch to relax! By this time next month, you'll be creating a website...
By the way, you mentioned stuff for Amazon... Is this the Amazon.com Advantage program? The reason I ask is that I'm working on a website and Amazon material for a client of mine. Haven't done the Amazon thing before. Let me know how it goes...
Let me know about the IRQs and the splats... Also, give me some details about your system. I know you've got Win95b, 32mb RAM... Is this a P5-166? 200? How large is the hard disk? How much free space do you have?
Colleen
First things first... a lot of your systems sound like an IRQ conflict. IRQ means interrupt request. Everything on your PC (from the mouse to the printer) has a number assigned to it. Kind of like going to the meat market and taking a number. The same customer always gets the same number (on a PC, this determines the order in which requests are addressed by the CPU [the pentium chip which carries out the instructions]). And the butcher will only serve 16 customers. If any additional customers come in, they try to steal a number from another customer (on a PC, this means that two devices are both holding the same IRQ, which is called an IRQ conflict).
Since you had a second parallel port installed, let's verify that this addition has not caused an IRQ conflict...
Right click on My Computer, then select Properties from the menu. Go to the Device Manager tab. Are any of the icons covered by a yellow circle with an exclamation point in it (this is called a "splat")? If so, make a note of the device that is splatted. Now, click on "Computer" at the top of the window. Now click the Properties button at the bottom of the dialog box. By default, the IRQ list comes up first. Are any numbers duplicated? The duplication of 14 and 15 is normal. The Primary Bus and Secondary Bus Masters and the Hard Drive Controllers should be holding these numbers. Are there any others? Let's deal with the lockups and crashes before we add software.
--------------------------
As far as Mitch's problem with Word crashing... when this happens, Word will attempt to recover the document if you let it. Does he start Word and then open documents from within Word? Or does he go to the Start Menu and to Documents? or to My Computer and navigate his way to the document then double-click it? When an illegal operation (yes, the technical term is CRASH) occurs, restart the computer and then open WORD first! If there was a file open when Word was shut down by Windows, Word will attempt to recover it. In Word, go to the Tools Menu, to Options, to the Save Tab. Make sure AutoSave is selected and set the time to 5 minutes. What this will do is save to a temp file (the one Word tried to point him to) every five minutes so if Word does crash, he should be able to recover everything up to the last AutoSave (losing 0-4 minutes worth of work).
By opening the document from the document menu or an explorer window, he opened a second copy of it. That's why Word wanted to save it as something else...
I don't think all your problems are caused by IE or by Active Desktop. Some of them may be due to a really, really trashed registry from MULTIPLE INSTALLS AND UNINSTALLS.
Using your current e-mail address and fax number is not a problem. In fact, there's absolutely no reason why that would change. The phone company controls the fax number, not the computer. And your ISP controls the e-mail address, not the computer....
With as many problems as you've described, I may recommend reinstalling Windows before this is all over. But then I will walk you through setting it up right on the other side. RELAX! Tell Mitch to relax! By this time next month, you'll be creating a website...
By the way, you mentioned stuff for Amazon... Is this the Amazon.com Advantage program? The reason I ask is that I'm working on a website and Amazon material for a client of mine. Haven't done the Amazon thing before. Let me know how it goes...
Let me know about the IRQs and the splats... Also, give me some details about your system. I know you've got Win95b, 32mb RAM... Is this a P5-166? 200? How large is the hard disk? How much free space do you have?
Colleen
Not related to the question but I got to say it is great to hear some fellow females out there talking tech talk. Better still you have husbands like mine - non technical! Mine is only concerned that everything works and that is all.
Gee, paddyq, we all oughta start a club! My dear husband leaves me at my PC for hours, bringing me food when I forget to eat. On his machine, he's only concerned that Word, the Internet, and Baseball work, and that I don't disconnect him from the laser printer...<grin>
As soon as we get heartache over this headache, I intend to find out some background on her husband's books and start shooting links to great research sites to him <wink, wink>. Even novels need to be historically verisimilar...
Colleen
As soon as we get heartache over this headache, I intend to find out some background on her husband's books and start shooting links to great research sites to him <wink, wink>. Even novels need to be historically verisimilar...
Colleen
ASKER
IRQ-now that sounds very familiar Before she came in-Sandy had me looking for #5-isn't there. (Neither is 3.) Thanks for explaining about IRQ. It helps a little.
No splats!
There are 3 #10s and 2 # 11s there are also 2 #14s and #15s as you said there would be.
As far as I can tell this is a G5-200 Mitch had some extras installed at the factory, but I don't know what other than extra large moniter, I doubt he remembers either. There's 53% free space; 32-bit file system and memory; disk comp. not installed, and no pcmcia installed. Is this the information you were seeking? By the way we have a "home essentials 98 disk that installed what we do have for office.It has Word 97, Works 95, internet explorer(not 4-that's on another disk) and a puzzle pack.(to address an earlier issue you raised). Also, I think we have microsoft internet mail and news. So, is outlook express it's big brother?.Somehow, I'm able to send new messages in netscape mail, but I get stopped when I try to get messages-wants a password-I think that's because of the installation miasma. On another topic-when in explorer (or winfile-new one I just discovered), what is that window "open with" all about? It's beyond me. Quick view doesn't seem to tell me anything I can use either.
I'm still trying to absorb all the info from you. please bear with me.
My Mom is very interested in all this by the way, she's at about the same level of ineptitude as me, and is now having intermittant problems not unlike mine. I'd try to help,(She's in Philly) but she's not OEM and uses AOL. I told her to post her questions on her own! She figured out how to call me from her computer, but I have no idea how.
Colleen-(meant to greet you earlier, but I got over exuberant and jumped into IRQ bs.please excuse me. I read thru my last comments and am appalled at how sloppily I edited parts of it as well)
I think I'd get in trouble if I mention the book's title here.But to answer your question, yes we are supposed to put togther something for advantage. I don't think it would be fair to advertise. How may I contact you? I sent a message via feedback last night, it includes my e-address. I think it's a great idea to get in touch and spare the rest of our "audience"!
By the way, I'm sure your aware there's a 4 hour time difference-9 AM now here-causes some concern about timing if we do any BIG stuff...Let me know how I can make myself
available most conveniently to your needs...I have few time commitments until school begins the 8th.
paddyq, you make me smile! We EEers are all getting Mitch's attention though. He's realizing things, even now admits he learns a lot from me! Maybe there's hope for him. Do we dare hope some more notech guys may take notice too?(HA) Allison
No splats!
There are 3 #10s and 2 # 11s there are also 2 #14s and #15s as you said there would be.
As far as I can tell this is a G5-200 Mitch had some extras installed at the factory, but I don't know what other than extra large moniter, I doubt he remembers either. There's 53% free space; 32-bit file system and memory; disk comp. not installed, and no pcmcia installed. Is this the information you were seeking? By the way we have a "home essentials 98 disk that installed what we do have for office.It has Word 97, Works 95, internet explorer(not 4-that's on another disk) and a puzzle pack.(to address an earlier issue you raised). Also, I think we have microsoft internet mail and news. So, is outlook express it's big brother?.Somehow, I'm able to send new messages in netscape mail, but I get stopped when I try to get messages-wants a password-I think that's because of the installation miasma. On another topic-when in explorer (or winfile-new one I just discovered), what is that window "open with" all about? It's beyond me. Quick view doesn't seem to tell me anything I can use either.
I'm still trying to absorb all the info from you. please bear with me.
My Mom is very interested in all this by the way, she's at about the same level of ineptitude as me, and is now having intermittant problems not unlike mine. I'd try to help,(She's in Philly) but she's not OEM and uses AOL. I told her to post her questions on her own! She figured out how to call me from her computer, but I have no idea how.
Colleen-(meant to greet you earlier, but I got over exuberant and jumped into IRQ bs.please excuse me. I read thru my last comments and am appalled at how sloppily I edited parts of it as well)
I think I'd get in trouble if I mention the book's title here.But to answer your question, yes we are supposed to put togther something for advantage. I don't think it would be fair to advertise. How may I contact you? I sent a message via feedback last night, it includes my e-address. I think it's a great idea to get in touch and spare the rest of our "audience"!
By the way, I'm sure your aware there's a 4 hour time difference-9 AM now here-causes some concern about timing if we do any BIG stuff...Let me know how I can make myself
available most conveniently to your needs...I have few time commitments until school begins the 8th.
paddyq, you make me smile! We EEers are all getting Mitch's attention though. He's realizing things, even now admits he learns a lot from me! Maybe there's hope for him. Do we dare hope some more notech guys may take notice too?(HA) Allison
Hi Allison!
I've got a G6-200 myself. We're probably running very similar configurations...
First, we need to address the IRQs again. Go back to Device manager (right click My PC, select Properties, Device Mgr. Tab). Click once on Computer in Window, then on Properties button at bottom. What devices does it list at IRQ 10? at IRQ 11?
As far as receiving e-mail, enter the password you used to access your ISP. It should be the same password.
--------------------------
I have to laugh when you say you found a "new" program, Winfile.exe. That is for the folks who've never been able to cut the cord from the prior version of Windows, 3.11. It predates Explorer by at least 5 years.... That's okay. But didn't you notice that all your file and folder names are truncated to 8 characters???
Surf over to my website. You'll find my name at the bottom of every page. Click once on my name and it will put you into a new e-mail message.
Don't worry about the time difference. I don't keep regular hours anyway.
Colleen
I've got a G6-200 myself. We're probably running very similar configurations...
First, we need to address the IRQs again. Go back to Device manager (right click My PC, select Properties, Device Mgr. Tab). Click once on Computer in Window, then on Properties button at bottom. What devices does it list at IRQ 10? at IRQ 11?
As far as receiving e-mail, enter the password you used to access your ISP. It should be the same password.
--------------------------
I have to laugh when you say you found a "new" program, Winfile.exe. That is for the folks who've never been able to cut the cord from the prior version of Windows, 3.11. It predates Explorer by at least 5 years.... That's okay. But didn't you notice that all your file and folder names are truncated to 8 characters???
Surf over to my website. You'll find my name at the bottom of every page. Click once on my name and it will put you into a new e-mail message.
Don't worry about the time difference. I don't keep regular hours anyway.
Colleen
ASKER
Hi, I can understand why you laugh about winfile, glad to be able to amuse you. I'd heard that there was a older file manager from the old days, This was the first time I dared to open it and see what it was! I wonder about a lot of the stuff in there, but I get stupid real fast when weird things happen and I don't know if I did something wrong,if it was supposed to go that way, and then what to do if something happens-It's not so bad when the effect is immediate, but boy, when it's later on and I don't recall a related event- I start thinking in losing it. I should wear mittens!
I found the following in device manager:
10: Ensoniq Audio PCI
10: IRQ holder for PCI steering
10: intel 82371ABPCI to USB Universal host controller
11: IRQ holder for PCI steering
11: All-in-Wonder (Direct Draw)
Will it live, or is it terminal?
I just told Mitch that you had sent instructions about AutoSave. I'll have to go through all that with him, he'll never get it till I do the process with him. We both are deficient in the area of saving work. I don't really know how to use floppies confidently either, which is also something I need to do the Amazon Advantage disk. There were instructions in the publishers area, but frankly I'm waiting to get what you and I are doing done first so I haven't done anything yet.I hope that makes sense. Don't worry though, rushing this is probably a bad idea. We are in the catalogue, that's required. Now we have to submit more to be added, they will scan the cover, we supply any press releases, reviews and all that-Mitch needs to get all that together and then we'll figure out the presentation and send them the disk. If you're game I could use your help and maybe help you too for a change!
Now I'm going surfing!
Allison
I found the following in device manager:
10: Ensoniq Audio PCI
10: IRQ holder for PCI steering
10: intel 82371ABPCI to USB Universal host controller
11: IRQ holder for PCI steering
11: All-in-Wonder (Direct Draw)
Will it live, or is it terminal?
I just told Mitch that you had sent instructions about AutoSave. I'll have to go through all that with him, he'll never get it till I do the process with him. We both are deficient in the area of saving work. I don't really know how to use floppies confidently either, which is also something I need to do the Amazon Advantage disk. There were instructions in the publishers area, but frankly I'm waiting to get what you and I are doing done first so I haven't done anything yet.I hope that makes sense. Don't worry though, rushing this is probably a bad idea. We are in the catalogue, that's required. Now we have to submit more to be added, they will scan the cover, we supply any press releases, reviews and all that-Mitch needs to get all that together and then we'll figure out the presentation and send them the disk. If you're game I could use your help and maybe help you too for a change!
Now I'm going surfing!
Allison
RE: IRQs...
No, it's not terminal. It's never terminal. Some devices can share IRQs without any problem. Some don't play well with others. Need to be locked in a room of their own.
IRQ 11 is fine. I'm not overly fond of the PCI Steering, but we really have to live with it more or less. What this part of Windows does is reserve IRQ numbers for certain devices on your computer. In the case of IRQ 11, PCI Steering is reserving it for your graphics card (required to display anything on your monitor).
IRQ 10 might be another story. I don't have USB and because it's relatively new, I don't have a lot of documentation on it. I don't know if it can share an IRQ with your sound card (Ensoniq Audio) or not. Since there are some numbers that do not appear in your IRQ list at all, that means that some numbers are vacant and available. So, we should be able to relocate one device or the other. Unfortunately, that is not as simple as it sounds. Some devices (like sound cards) always want the same number. On every PC, they take the same spot in line.
Sooooo, before we delve into the software issues, we need to get the IRQs straight. Can you call Gateway, give them your customer no., tell them you have available IRQs and that your sound card and USB controller are sharing IRQ 10. Ask them to walk you through relocating one of the two devices to an available IRQ. With the PCI Steering setup, this really needs to be a "real time" (aka "live") walkthru rather than a list of instructions for you to follow. The darn steering limits what you can change and never behaves as it should the first time around. Make a pot of coffee before you make that call...
You mentioned that Mitch had some other stuff put on the system when you bought it. Did the other stuff by any chance include a tape backup unit or a zip drive??? If you have a large capacity device of some sort, it's time to run a backup of Mitch's files...
Got the article about Lisa. Thank you. It sounds really intriguing. Looking forward to the movie...er, ah, I mean book! And if you're ever in Southern California <wink, wink>...
Have you ever surfed over to http://www.mastercook.com/ ?? Go there and click the recipe library link in the left column. Then choose a category. I don't know, say, ah, bread. Yeah, how 'bout the bread category?
The MasterCook software is a relatively cheap date. About $40. Very cool way to create, organize, view, use cookbooks. All the recipes you find at the site can be downloaded and opened in MasterCook. My favorite feature is the shopping list. Create a list of recipes, click Shopping List and voila! It creates a list of all ingredients organized by store category (i.e., produce, dairy, canned goods, etc.). Then you can edit the list to remove stuff you already have. Print what's left and go shopping! Anyway, that's a bit off-topic...
Let me know when/if you get the IRQ problem resolved and we'll continue Software Fix 101.
Colleen
No, it's not terminal. It's never terminal. Some devices can share IRQs without any problem. Some don't play well with others. Need to be locked in a room of their own.
IRQ 11 is fine. I'm not overly fond of the PCI Steering, but we really have to live with it more or less. What this part of Windows does is reserve IRQ numbers for certain devices on your computer. In the case of IRQ 11, PCI Steering is reserving it for your graphics card (required to display anything on your monitor).
IRQ 10 might be another story. I don't have USB and because it's relatively new, I don't have a lot of documentation on it. I don't know if it can share an IRQ with your sound card (Ensoniq Audio) or not. Since there are some numbers that do not appear in your IRQ list at all, that means that some numbers are vacant and available. So, we should be able to relocate one device or the other. Unfortunately, that is not as simple as it sounds. Some devices (like sound cards) always want the same number. On every PC, they take the same spot in line.
Sooooo, before we delve into the software issues, we need to get the IRQs straight. Can you call Gateway, give them your customer no., tell them you have available IRQs and that your sound card and USB controller are sharing IRQ 10. Ask them to walk you through relocating one of the two devices to an available IRQ. With the PCI Steering setup, this really needs to be a "real time" (aka "live") walkthru rather than a list of instructions for you to follow. The darn steering limits what you can change and never behaves as it should the first time around. Make a pot of coffee before you make that call...
You mentioned that Mitch had some other stuff put on the system when you bought it. Did the other stuff by any chance include a tape backup unit or a zip drive??? If you have a large capacity device of some sort, it's time to run a backup of Mitch's files...
Got the article about Lisa. Thank you. It sounds really intriguing. Looking forward to the movie...er, ah, I mean book! And if you're ever in Southern California <wink, wink>...
Have you ever surfed over to http://www.mastercook.com/ ?? Go there and click the recipe library link in the left column. Then choose a category. I don't know, say, ah, bread. Yeah, how 'bout the bread category?
The MasterCook software is a relatively cheap date. About $40. Very cool way to create, organize, view, use cookbooks. All the recipes you find at the site can be downloaded and opened in MasterCook. My favorite feature is the shopping list. Create a list of recipes, click Shopping List and voila! It creates a list of all ingredients organized by store category (i.e., produce, dairy, canned goods, etc.). Then you can edit the list to remove stuff you already have. Print what's left and go shopping! Anyway, that's a bit off-topic...
Let me know when/if you get the IRQ problem resolved and we'll continue Software Fix 101.
Colleen
ASKER
Colleen,
I just hope gateway isn't going to have a fit if this has something to do with the HP Office jet. Warranty problems...
When I reboot or startup, there is a message (command?) that's been nagging at me
I'll try to duplicate it-goes by so fast! C:\> Set Soundscape_ That's close, but not quite the identical "wording" Something tells me it involves the ensoniq?
Just curious, is there a reason that I can only print some pages of this? I am assuming it's EE editing out things, but it's got me hoping that I'll always be able to print instructions for when I can't view EE on my desktop. So far, so good. Allison
I just hope gateway isn't going to have a fit if this has something to do with the HP Office jet. Warranty problems...
When I reboot or startup, there is a message (command?) that's been nagging at me
I'll try to duplicate it-goes by so fast! C:\> Set Soundscape_ That's close, but not quite the identical "wording" Something tells me it involves the ensoniq?
Just curious, is there a reason that I can only print some pages of this? I am assuming it's EE editing out things, but it's got me hoping that I'll always be able to print instructions for when I can't view EE on my desktop. So far, so good. Allison
If you have available IRQ's (you told me there were some numbers missing from the IRQ list which indicates that you do), then the sound card (Ensoniq) and the USB controller should not be sharing a port. And Gateway is used to people having added things to their systems, they just don't support the additional devices...
It's got nothing to do with the octopus! BTW, I want one!
I got your e-mail and asked that you reply if you got mail up and running. Since I haven't heard back, I'm assuming not??
Colleen
It's got nothing to do with the octopus! BTW, I want one!
I got your e-mail and asked that you reply if you got mail up and running. Since I haven't heard back, I'm assuming not??
Colleen
I DID get your reply... it was just buried. Will be in touch after I read it and get some sleep...
Colleen
Colleen
ASKER
I sent a reply this morning. Haven't called gateway yet; I was thinking through how to present the problem.Last time using email support was discouraging, and the last time I called they treated me like an idiot. I hate to say negative things but I wish they could be a little less imperialistic! Maybe the gold card, one of Mitch's extras, will get better results. I'll mention that I'm getting EE's support too.Waiting for Marilee's visiting nurse to visit just about now, checked e mail to see if you had an encouraging comment about gateway and there it was! Here comes our Florence Nightengale now... Later, Allison
ASKER
Hi!
Just got off the phone with Keith at Gateway, no miracles occurred. I read from your comment a little of what we are trying to do, he had me checking the IRQ settings, like you had me do as well as some configuration settings. We got a splat that they are not able to be changed and so, he had me hold and went to double check in the lab, where they have a machine set the same way. He says that the lab tech hasn't had any problems due to this, but was curious about what issue we were trying to address. I told him we were working on undoing 8 months worth of my (and Mitch's, but I think I'm mostly to blame) inept handling, and I hope that with patient guidence to unravel the mess. I could get someone to fix everything, but I wouldn't have learned anything. He agreed.
I hope this makes sense to you, I'm a bit lost. I even explained about the trashed registry, the HP, details about Sandy's port installation,and the screen freeze event(s).
Although there was a moderate (15 min) wait, typical if one calls gateway at any time other than midnight to six AM, he was very pleasant! Even patient while I tried to describe what was plugged into the back of the console.(thank god for colorcoded plugs)
While I have all the paperwork out, here's what Mitch ordered (no zip or tape backup though, I wish I'd known what he was up to-not that I'd have known about much more than he did!)
G5-200 system with MMX
Canon BJC-250 Printer Kit
Personal Finance on CD with Quicken SE 6.0
Microsoft Home Essentials Software Bundle -other than what I mentioned prev. Encarta, Greetings Workshop and various other disks (also 3 floppies in brightly colored envelopes that look vital SYSTEM DISK-DO NOT THROW AWAY is printed on them.
Vivitron700 X2F Moniter (15.9" viewable)
Visioneer Strobe Scanner
Gateway Gold Premium Service and Support
FYI-The visioneer is a color scanner, not the case in the HP. The canon has truer color, but is "easily confused" It can get irritable if you ask it to do more than one thing at a time.
We like both of them, but the quality is slightly better with the original equipment. Mitch still wants a laser printer. He needs to be thinking backup. I have, but am as uninformed as usual. Just before we found EE, when I was upgrading NS 4.06, I downloaded a backup system Atrieva-have to look at it to tell you more, but is that a reliable kind of backup option? Allison
Just got off the phone with Keith at Gateway, no miracles occurred. I read from your comment a little of what we are trying to do, he had me checking the IRQ settings, like you had me do as well as some configuration settings. We got a splat that they are not able to be changed and so, he had me hold and went to double check in the lab, where they have a machine set the same way. He says that the lab tech hasn't had any problems due to this, but was curious about what issue we were trying to address. I told him we were working on undoing 8 months worth of my (and Mitch's, but I think I'm mostly to blame) inept handling, and I hope that with patient guidence to unravel the mess. I could get someone to fix everything, but I wouldn't have learned anything. He agreed.
I hope this makes sense to you, I'm a bit lost. I even explained about the trashed registry, the HP, details about Sandy's port installation,and the screen freeze event(s).
Although there was a moderate (15 min) wait, typical if one calls gateway at any time other than midnight to six AM, he was very pleasant! Even patient while I tried to describe what was plugged into the back of the console.(thank god for colorcoded plugs)
While I have all the paperwork out, here's what Mitch ordered (no zip or tape backup though, I wish I'd known what he was up to-not that I'd have known about much more than he did!)
G5-200 system with MMX
Canon BJC-250 Printer Kit
Personal Finance on CD with Quicken SE 6.0
Microsoft Home Essentials Software Bundle -other than what I mentioned prev. Encarta, Greetings Workshop and various other disks (also 3 floppies in brightly colored envelopes that look vital SYSTEM DISK-DO NOT THROW AWAY is printed on them.
Vivitron700 X2F Moniter (15.9" viewable)
Visioneer Strobe Scanner
Gateway Gold Premium Service and Support
FYI-The visioneer is a color scanner, not the case in the HP. The canon has truer color, but is "easily confused" It can get irritable if you ask it to do more than one thing at a time.
We like both of them, but the quality is slightly better with the original equipment. Mitch still wants a laser printer. He needs to be thinking backup. I have, but am as uninformed as usual. Just before we found EE, when I was upgrading NS 4.06, I downloaded a backup system Atrieva-have to look at it to tell you more, but is that a reliable kind of backup option? Allison
Find a good local consultant you can trust to help you with your system. Since you bought mailorder you are hooped for getting any good support serice anyway (You didn't need any help right? That's why you bought mail order...) Pay the guy to fix it and keep it running. For you it may be considered as the "cost" of owning a computer.
I am not trying to be demeaning but you can continue to struggle the way you have or you can find someone to fix the problems for you. If you want to actually USE your computer any time soon, I suggest to pay for the help.
I am not trying to be demeaning but you can continue to struggle the way you have or you can find someone to fix the problems for you. If you want to actually USE your computer any time soon, I suggest to pay for the help.
ASKER
patedem
I've tried that. Four different people have worked on it at various times. Unfortunately finding a reputable service person (in my area) is like finding a reputable used car salesman.
Haven't you ever been in a situation where" you just didn't know that you should or you would have asked?" I didn't know I was going to need help. I also didn't make the decision to buy mail order. Since I can't afford to keep wasting my time and money I have to try and make the best of things and do this myself. I hoped I might learn something along the way. The computer isn't unusable; I'm here!
It's awful being a newbie. Heartache
I've tried that. Four different people have worked on it at various times. Unfortunately finding a reputable service person (in my area) is like finding a reputable used car salesman.
Haven't you ever been in a situation where" you just didn't know that you should or you would have asked?" I didn't know I was going to need help. I also didn't make the decision to buy mail order. Since I can't afford to keep wasting my time and money I have to try and make the best of things and do this myself. I hoped I might learn something along the way. The computer isn't unusable; I'm here!
It's awful being a newbie. Heartache
I see your situation. Perhaps if you tried what some of my customers try on us! Call up Gateway and freak out on them and let them know you will be retruning it because "it never worked from day one!" Should get someone's attention.
You've got lots of helpful people above with suggestions galore too.
If you had 4 people work on it that is too bad that there is nobody able to help. I agree there must be some hardware problem. Your only way seems to be to scream loud enough at those who sold the stuff to you to get it reinstalled and verify proper operation. After that, don't add anything you absolutely don't need and continue to look for a smart person who can back you up when you need it.
Good luck.
You've got lots of helpful people above with suggestions galore too.
If you had 4 people work on it that is too bad that there is nobody able to help. I agree there must be some hardware problem. Your only way seems to be to scream loud enough at those who sold the stuff to you to get it reinstalled and verify proper operation. After that, don't add anything you absolutely don't need and continue to look for a smart person who can back you up when you need it.
Good luck.
ASKER
I'm relieved that you can see my predicament. Seriously, thank you.
Hardware problem though? Brother!
Part of the problem I guess is that I blame myself for everything that's happened, and then I get rattled when I have to talk(kowtow) to the techs. I can get "stupid" real fast when I'm upset.
When someone is as patient and non-judgemental such as ckayter has been, I begin to make headway, if nothing else I might be able to understand what's wrong and then be able to explain it to a "smart" person coherently, but maybe I need assertiveness training!
I do appreciate all the suggestions; thanks to all, and I apologize to everyone for not being "smarter". Actually, my (academic) grade average is higher than yours, patdem.
heartache
Hardware problem though? Brother!
Part of the problem I guess is that I blame myself for everything that's happened, and then I get rattled when I have to talk(kowtow) to the techs. I can get "stupid" real fast when I'm upset.
When someone is as patient and non-judgemental such as ckayter has been, I begin to make headway, if nothing else I might be able to understand what's wrong and then be able to explain it to a "smart" person coherently, but maybe I need assertiveness training!
I do appreciate all the suggestions; thanks to all, and I apologize to everyone for not being "smarter". Actually, my (academic) grade average is higher than yours, patdem.
heartache
ICQ:
When you are running your ICQ manager and netscape 4.0.5 is loading a javascript ..
Netscape crashes.. (it's a known ICQ bug..)
and for all the other problems:
(re)Install win98 , your system registery will be rebuild and all your programs
will still work ...
and.. get msie 5.0
When you are running your ICQ manager and netscape 4.0.5 is loading a javascript ..
Netscape crashes.. (it's a known ICQ bug..)
and for all the other problems:
(re)Install win98 , your system registery will be rebuild and all your programs
will still work ...
and.. get msie 5.0
ASKER
Skatan187
I wish it could be that easy, but I only loaded ICQ about two weeks ago, If anything it makes me wonder if it may be exacerbating a preexisting problem.(The first person who worked on it suggested the 95 disk could be corrupted, that was in January) I've been having problems for so long that I suspect something else must be wrong. I wonder if uninstalling it will cause the same kinds of problems as uninstalling IE4 or communicator? Haven't heard anything positive enough (yet) about 98 to convince either of us that it's worth it. I personally don't think I'll like it, but that's probably just me being negative about the circumstances. We want the 9 month old system we're still paying for to work the way it's supposed to, and never has. That really shouldn't cost us more. We've spent too much already. I'm tempted to give it a try, but.. nahhhh I think I will be contacting Gateway and letting them deal with it.(Maybe they'll do something if I scream this time?) I do have a warranty. I only hoped to avoid an unpleasant situation. Sorry, Heartache
I wish it could be that easy, but I only loaded ICQ about two weeks ago, If anything it makes me wonder if it may be exacerbating a preexisting problem.(The first person who worked on it suggested the 95 disk could be corrupted, that was in January) I've been having problems for so long that I suspect something else must be wrong. I wonder if uninstalling it will cause the same kinds of problems as uninstalling IE4 or communicator? Haven't heard anything positive enough (yet) about 98 to convince either of us that it's worth it. I personally don't think I'll like it, but that's probably just me being negative about the circumstances. We want the 9 month old system we're still paying for to work the way it's supposed to, and never has. That really shouldn't cost us more. We've spent too much already. I'm tempted to give it a try, but.. nahhhh I think I will be contacting Gateway and letting them deal with it.(Maybe they'll do something if I scream this time?) I do have a warranty. I only hoped to avoid an unpleasant situation. Sorry, Heartache
ASKER
I think it's hopeless. Time to withdraw if possible. Heartache
Hello Heartache (wasn't that a song a few years back?)
I'm back. Sorry I've been away for a couple of days. Been kind of insane. Yesterday, they begged me to cover a special class today for another instructor who was very sick... So last night was another late nighter... I'm getting too old for this.
I see you've had more than a little input while I was away. That's okay. Sounds like you got a nonanswer from GW2K, which, despite patedm's opinion, is usually very good with customer service. Oh well. Let's see if we can move forward on this...
--------------------------
Atrieva, and several others, are online backup services. You connect to the Internet and UPLOAD your data to the Internet to be stored on a computer somewhere else. I wouldn't buy it...
Reasons:
1) speed. If you downloaded NS 4.06, you know how long that took. It's 15mb. You need to back up your data. And really, should back up your windows folder at least every once in a while (probably around 150-200mb in itself). Not that local backups are any faster, but I don't have to worry about being disconnected in the middle of it...
2) control. I have no control over these services. Do they back up their computers frequently? They all say they do. Daily, they say. But I don't know that to be a fact (yes, people lie in advertising). What if their computers catch fire? or whatever? I have no control over their computers and cannot even verify their statements. Also, who runs these services? Where are they located?
3) security. Who has access to my data? Let's say I've backed up my Quicken files. All it takes is an unscrupulous employee who has access to the data to scan their computers for Quicken files. Now my credit card numbers, my account numbers, etc. are in someone else's hands. And I'd probably never suspect...
4) cost. My mother has the phone company provide voice mail services rather than getting an answering machine. She's paid in extra $5/month for the past 7 years. Do the math. How many answering machines has she paid for? No, tape backup units (TBUs) are not free. Yes, the tapes cost money. Yes, you need to buy new ones from time to time. But you can reuse them many, many times. And the TBU itself will pay for itself by reducing the amount of time you spend recovering data rather than creating it again.
Mitch is playing Russian Roulette and there are six bullets in the gun. His work is in that computer. What if the hard drive dies... (don't worry too much, they have a life expectancy of 5 years or so). What if, Lord forbid, something should happen to your house? Or what if the computer were stolen? How many hours would it take him to recreate (if he even could) all the information, the manuscripts, etc. that are stored in the computer? Not to mention the financial records kept in Quicken.... I don't know about you, but I don't think I'd have the heart to even begin rebuilding everything I'd lose...
All in all, it sounds like you've got a pretty good system set up. I agree that a laser printer is the way to go. My little HP 5P LaserJet works overtime. I probably go through 2 reams of paper per month -- and I print a lot of stuff double-sided! The newer 6P is faster, but this makes our little Canon BJC210 look like a colorful snail. And while the toner cartridges for the HP run about $80 (I usually buy one every other month), the black cartridges on the Canon cost $30 and don't give me the quality, quantity or speed of the laser printer. Anyway, I'm getting off-topic... Let's get down to business...
--------------------------
You said that you had downloaded the Exchange Update. Hang on to it. Windows messaging does some stuff in the background that we will use, so we're going to install it later. But first...
DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE WINDOWS USER PROFILES SET UP. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the Windows folder. Click the + sign to the left. Now scroll down to Profiles. Click the + sign to the left of that (if there is one). Do you have folders with your user names in the Profiles folder? If so, you've installed Windows user profiles and we want to create a backup copy of the Profiles folder if you have...
MINIMIZE THE EXPLORER WINDOW (click once on the first of the 3 buttons in the upper right corner -- the one with the _ on it). Open My Computer, then open C:. Now, click the File Menu, select New, then Folder. Type '0 Holding Tank' (no quotes, that's a zero, not the letter O) for the name of the folder (placing a zero in front of the name will cause it to appear at the top of the list in Windows Explorer, which files alphabetically with numbers first).
CLICK ON THE C:\WINDOWS BUTTON ON THE TASKBAR at the bottom of the screen. When it opens, RIGHT CLICK on the Profiles folder and select copy.
CLICK ON THE C:\ BUTTON ON THE TASKBAR. RIGHT CLICK on the 0 Holding Tank folder. Select Paste. The contents of the profiles folder, including the folder name, has now been copied to the Holding Tank folder.
--------------------------
I'm going to walk through this a piece at a time. Please give me some feedback as we go. If all this works, I'll post an answer so you can close the question.
Please let me know if you have Windows profiles mentioned and if you got them copied successfully. They need to be backed up before we delete profiles to prevent losing any individual information stored in them.
It's gonna be okay, Allison. If you're okay with it, let's continue this thread here so that the solution can be documented for another user in the same boat...
Colleen
I'm back. Sorry I've been away for a couple of days. Been kind of insane. Yesterday, they begged me to cover a special class today for another instructor who was very sick... So last night was another late nighter... I'm getting too old for this.
I see you've had more than a little input while I was away. That's okay. Sounds like you got a nonanswer from GW2K, which, despite patedm's opinion, is usually very good with customer service. Oh well. Let's see if we can move forward on this...
--------------------------
Atrieva, and several others, are online backup services. You connect to the Internet and UPLOAD your data to the Internet to be stored on a computer somewhere else. I wouldn't buy it...
Reasons:
1) speed. If you downloaded NS 4.06, you know how long that took. It's 15mb. You need to back up your data. And really, should back up your windows folder at least every once in a while (probably around 150-200mb in itself). Not that local backups are any faster, but I don't have to worry about being disconnected in the middle of it...
2) control. I have no control over these services. Do they back up their computers frequently? They all say they do. Daily, they say. But I don't know that to be a fact (yes, people lie in advertising). What if their computers catch fire? or whatever? I have no control over their computers and cannot even verify their statements. Also, who runs these services? Where are they located?
3) security. Who has access to my data? Let's say I've backed up my Quicken files. All it takes is an unscrupulous employee who has access to the data to scan their computers for Quicken files. Now my credit card numbers, my account numbers, etc. are in someone else's hands. And I'd probably never suspect...
4) cost. My mother has the phone company provide voice mail services rather than getting an answering machine. She's paid in extra $5/month for the past 7 years. Do the math. How many answering machines has she paid for? No, tape backup units (TBUs) are not free. Yes, the tapes cost money. Yes, you need to buy new ones from time to time. But you can reuse them many, many times. And the TBU itself will pay for itself by reducing the amount of time you spend recovering data rather than creating it again.
Mitch is playing Russian Roulette and there are six bullets in the gun. His work is in that computer. What if the hard drive dies... (don't worry too much, they have a life expectancy of 5 years or so). What if, Lord forbid, something should happen to your house? Or what if the computer were stolen? How many hours would it take him to recreate (if he even could) all the information, the manuscripts, etc. that are stored in the computer? Not to mention the financial records kept in Quicken.... I don't know about you, but I don't think I'd have the heart to even begin rebuilding everything I'd lose...
All in all, it sounds like you've got a pretty good system set up. I agree that a laser printer is the way to go. My little HP 5P LaserJet works overtime. I probably go through 2 reams of paper per month -- and I print a lot of stuff double-sided! The newer 6P is faster, but this makes our little Canon BJC210 look like a colorful snail. And while the toner cartridges for the HP run about $80 (I usually buy one every other month), the black cartridges on the Canon cost $30 and don't give me the quality, quantity or speed of the laser printer. Anyway, I'm getting off-topic... Let's get down to business...
--------------------------
You said that you had downloaded the Exchange Update. Hang on to it. Windows messaging does some stuff in the background that we will use, so we're going to install it later. But first...
DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE WINDOWS USER PROFILES SET UP. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the Windows folder. Click the + sign to the left. Now scroll down to Profiles. Click the + sign to the left of that (if there is one). Do you have folders with your user names in the Profiles folder? If so, you've installed Windows user profiles and we want to create a backup copy of the Profiles folder if you have...
MINIMIZE THE EXPLORER WINDOW (click once on the first of the 3 buttons in the upper right corner -- the one with the _ on it). Open My Computer, then open C:. Now, click the File Menu, select New, then Folder. Type '0 Holding Tank' (no quotes, that's a zero, not the letter O) for the name of the folder (placing a zero in front of the name will cause it to appear at the top of the list in Windows Explorer, which files alphabetically with numbers first).
CLICK ON THE C:\WINDOWS BUTTON ON THE TASKBAR at the bottom of the screen. When it opens, RIGHT CLICK on the Profiles folder and select copy.
CLICK ON THE C:\ BUTTON ON THE TASKBAR. RIGHT CLICK on the 0 Holding Tank folder. Select Paste. The contents of the profiles folder, including the folder name, has now been copied to the Holding Tank folder.
--------------------------
I'm going to walk through this a piece at a time. Please give me some feedback as we go. If all this works, I'll post an answer so you can close the question.
Please let me know if you have Windows profiles mentioned and if you got them copied successfully. They need to be backed up before we delete profiles to prevent losing any individual information stored in them.
It's gonna be okay, Allison. If you're okay with it, let's continue this thread here so that the solution can be documented for another user in the same boat...
Colleen
ASKER
All right!
Got the picture about the Atrieva. It's history. Been cleaning house anyway.
I printed out the instructions.
I'll get back by morning. Get some rest! ;-) Heartache (was it Marty Robbins?)
Got the picture about the Atrieva. It's history. Been cleaning house anyway.
I printed out the instructions.
I'll get back by morning. Get some rest! ;-) Heartache (was it Marty Robbins?)
ASKER
Done!
You're gonna laugh. "Johnny Heartache" is now filed in the Profiles folder. I'll bet you knew that, right? Heartache
You're gonna laugh. "Johnny Heartache" is now filed in the Profiles folder. I'll bet you knew that, right? Heartache
ASKER
Excuse me! That's the 0 holding tank folder. maybe it's me that needs to rest...Heartache
Comment to heartache/ckayter:
I'm glad you two were able "clic" together. I (a guy) don't fit too well into your conversation. I see that you two write PARAGRAPHS of things--I would have condensed it (with all the information).
If you REALLY want my input, you have to let me know here. Otherwise, this would be my last comment here.
--MikroData
I'm glad you two were able "clic" together. I (a guy) don't fit too well into your conversation. I see that you two write PARAGRAPHS of things--I would have condensed it (with all the information).
If you REALLY want my input, you have to let me know here. Otherwise, this would be my last comment here.
--MikroData
Thanks, JK! The problem is we can type as fast as we think (if what we do can be called thinking). Would you believe we can type as fast as we can talk?
Heartache... I think it was H. Williams, Sr... Anyway, glad to hear we found a Profiles folder and got that backed up... Here's a virtual cup of coffee for you. <\_/ to start your day.
Ready for step 2?
Go to Windows Explorer and navigate to
C:\0 Holding Tank. Create a subfolder in 0 Holding Tank (RIGHT CLICK in the RIGHT Window Pane where you can see the contents of 0 Holding Tank and select New... Folder.) Call this one NETSCAPE.
Now navigate to
C:\Program Files\Netscape\Profiles\Us
Your folders may vary somewhat... I was trying to remember the file path from the setup, because when I set mine up I put a Netscape folder under my Windows Profile folder so everything would be in one place... If you can't find the folder as indicated above, peek and poke around in the Netscape folder, looking under some of the other subfolders...
When you find the named folders for your Netscape Profiles, copy those to the 0 Holding Tank\Netscape Folder you just created.
--------------------------
Now, I need to know which browser you have installed at the moment so I can tell you what we need to do next...
I'll keep an eye out for e-mail notification. Back to you in a while.
Colleen
Heartache... I think it was H. Williams, Sr... Anyway, glad to hear we found a Profiles folder and got that backed up... Here's a virtual cup of coffee for you. <\_/ to start your day.
Ready for step 2?
Go to Windows Explorer and navigate to
C:\0 Holding Tank. Create a subfolder in 0 Holding Tank (RIGHT CLICK in the RIGHT Window Pane where you can see the contents of 0 Holding Tank and select New... Folder.) Call this one NETSCAPE.
Now navigate to
C:\Program Files\Netscape\Profiles\Us
Your folders may vary somewhat... I was trying to remember the file path from the setup, because when I set mine up I put a Netscape folder under my Windows Profile folder so everything would be in one place... If you can't find the folder as indicated above, peek and poke around in the Netscape folder, looking under some of the other subfolders...
When you find the named folders for your Netscape Profiles, copy those to the 0 Holding Tank\Netscape Folder you just created.
--------------------------
Now, I need to know which browser you have installed at the moment so I can tell you what we need to do next...
I'll keep an eye out for e-mail notification. Back to you in a while.
Colleen
ASKER
Good morning!
JK,
Although it may be regarded as against the rules, I've been trying to relate (to people) by writing more than just mechanical details. I'd hoped to relate to ckayter so that she could, like many of the best teachers, be able to pick up on how I think and react. If she can do that it follows that she can predict what mistakes I'm likely to make, especially given my level of computer illiteracy. I think it worked!
I don't type very fast, I need to learn to touch type in fact. It's also highly likely I have a learning disability in math called dyscalcula- computers are apparently all math- but I'm tenacious, resourceful and creative. I have always been a half-way decent writer, married to a very effective one and also have experience as a tutor and counselor. Sometimes learning can be an emotional experience.
Time to get to work on this- Heartache
JK,
Although it may be regarded as against the rules, I've been trying to relate (to people) by writing more than just mechanical details. I'd hoped to relate to ckayter so that she could, like many of the best teachers, be able to pick up on how I think and react. If she can do that it follows that she can predict what mistakes I'm likely to make, especially given my level of computer illiteracy. I think it worked!
I don't type very fast, I need to learn to touch type in fact. It's also highly likely I have a learning disability in math called dyscalcula- computers are apparently all math- but I'm tenacious, resourceful and creative. I have always been a half-way decent writer, married to a very effective one and also have experience as a tutor and counselor. Sometimes learning can be an emotional experience.
Time to get to work on this- Heartache
ASKER
Hi ckayter,
I pasted two user names in 0 holding tank; onewas default, the other; hummingbird.
I did this while in netscape navigator, using the hummingbird profile.
I pasted them each right on 0 holding tank.
Was that what you wanted me to do?
(Johnny Heartache is still in the profile file under those.)
In other words there are 3 subfolders 1.default 2.netscape 3. profiles
I pasted two user names in 0 holding tank; onewas default, the other; hummingbird.
I did this while in netscape navigator, using the hummingbird profile.
I pasted them each right on 0 holding tank.
Was that what you wanted me to do?
(Johnny Heartache is still in the profile file under those.)
In other words there are 3 subfolders 1.default 2.netscape 3. profiles
Comment to heartache/ckayter:
You two look like writers. I'd rather get to the point, though some of my answers on other posts may be lengthy. In fact, I am a computer teacher at an elementary school. I have over 650 students per week, plus our over 50 staffers.
--MikroData
You two look like writers. I'd rather get to the point, though some of my answers on other posts may be lengthy. In fact, I am a computer teacher at an elementary school. I have over 650 students per week, plus our over 50 staffers.
--MikroData
ASKER
I imagine with a load like that you have got to be to the point. I'm not trying to criticize that. Some people (like me, obviously) need more help than others. Everyone has a unique learning style and teachers have unique styles too. In this case, I lucked out and found a match. If only that were always the case!
It's off the subject, but there's an interesting article on "The Curse of Literacy" in the latest issue of The Utne reader, http://www.utne.com (my husband subscribes- I haven't been to the website) also one from the previous issue; "Disordered Brilliance". You might find these as interesting as I did.
It's off the subject, but there's an interesting article on "The Curse of Literacy" in the latest issue of The Utne reader, http://www.utne.com (my husband subscribes- I haven't been to the website) also one from the previous issue; "Disordered Brilliance". You might find these as interesting as I did.
Good afternoon... Sorry I've taken so long. I stayed up waaaaay too late and slept til past noon. YIKES! Not an insomniac, just on a different clock than the rest of the world...
I'm going to have to go and check out the articles you mentioned. I'm like the absent-minded professor, and just the title "Disordered Brilliance" struck a chord with me...
Anyway, back to work, right?
--------------------------
Next, we're going to back up the registry. The registry is a very long list of all the hardware and software on your computer. To back up the registry:
1. Start Menu, Run..., type "regedit" (no quotes), press ENTER
2. Open the "Registry" menu, select "Export registry file"
3. Navigate to the 0 Holding Tank folder
4. Type in a name for the registry backup, "Pre Delete" Press ENTER.
This will take just a little while (possibly as much as 5 minutes). Go get a cup of coffee :-)
Close the registry
--------------------------
Next, we're going to make some notes of things you'll need later, just in case you don't have them written down elsewhere.
NETSCAPE SETTINGS
1. Open Netscape. Open the Edit Menu and select Preferences...
2. Click the + to the left of Mail & Groups in the Explorer pane on the left. Select Identity. Write down the information you have here. You only need to make notes about the fields in which you've entered text.
3. Select Mail Server from the Mail & Groups category in the left pane. Make a note of the Mail Server User Name, and the Outgoing and Incoming Mail Servers.
4. Close Netscape
--------------------------
DIAL-UP NETWORKING SETTINGS
1. Open My Computer, Open Dial-Up Networking
2. RIGHT CLICK on the icon for your ISP (if there is more than one -- I suspect there is since you sometimes connect to Triton -- do this for each one) and select PROPERTIES.
3. Write down the phone number you use to connect. Go to the SERVER TYPES Tab. The Dial-Up Server is probably PPP, the options checked are Log on and Enable software compression. The Allowed Network Protocol is TCP/IP.
4. Click the TCP/IP Settings button. If there are specified IP addresses or specified server addresses, write these down!
5. Don't forget to repeat this for each icon in the Dial-Up Networking folder (we'll probably recreate only the one you use, but we might need the information contained in any other.)
--------------------------
Let me know when you've gotten this done. We're ready to start removing some things. We'll be reinstalling these things, but we want to remove them just in case there are corrupted files....
Once we start uninstalling, you will be incommunicado via the Internet for a while. I'm going to write out the instructions, but I'm also going to e-mail my phone number to you. I won't leave you without a lifeline!
Colleen
I'm going to have to go and check out the articles you mentioned. I'm like the absent-minded professor, and just the title "Disordered Brilliance" struck a chord with me...
Anyway, back to work, right?
--------------------------
Next, we're going to back up the registry. The registry is a very long list of all the hardware and software on your computer. To back up the registry:
1. Start Menu, Run..., type "regedit" (no quotes), press ENTER
2. Open the "Registry" menu, select "Export registry file"
3. Navigate to the 0 Holding Tank folder
4. Type in a name for the registry backup, "Pre Delete" Press ENTER.
This will take just a little while (possibly as much as 5 minutes). Go get a cup of coffee :-)
Close the registry
--------------------------
Next, we're going to make some notes of things you'll need later, just in case you don't have them written down elsewhere.
NETSCAPE SETTINGS
1. Open Netscape. Open the Edit Menu and select Preferences...
2. Click the + to the left of Mail & Groups in the Explorer pane on the left. Select Identity. Write down the information you have here. You only need to make notes about the fields in which you've entered text.
3. Select Mail Server from the Mail & Groups category in the left pane. Make a note of the Mail Server User Name, and the Outgoing and Incoming Mail Servers.
4. Close Netscape
--------------------------
DIAL-UP NETWORKING SETTINGS
1. Open My Computer, Open Dial-Up Networking
2. RIGHT CLICK on the icon for your ISP (if there is more than one -- I suspect there is since you sometimes connect to Triton -- do this for each one) and select PROPERTIES.
3. Write down the phone number you use to connect. Go to the SERVER TYPES Tab. The Dial-Up Server is probably PPP, the options checked are Log on and Enable software compression. The Allowed Network Protocol is TCP/IP.
4. Click the TCP/IP Settings button. If there are specified IP addresses or specified server addresses, write these down!
5. Don't forget to repeat this for each icon in the Dial-Up Networking folder (we'll probably recreate only the one you use, but we might need the information contained in any other.)
--------------------------
Let me know when you've gotten this done. We're ready to start removing some things. We'll be reinstalling these things, but we want to remove them just in case there are corrupted files....
Once we start uninstalling, you will be incommunicado via the Internet for a while. I'm going to write out the instructions, but I'm also going to e-mail my phone number to you. I won't leave you without a lifeline!
Colleen
ASKER
Colleen,
Hi! I'm sure you'll enjoy those articles, but I was responding to Jk! How were you to know-I forgot to say I was.
Got your email. I had a "crash and freeze" while trying to read mail this morning-so that's definitely helping me breath a bit easier. Maybe I CAN avoid getting an ulcer over all this! While you were gone covering classes(was it Thurs?not sure) I called Triton-explained I'd been having connection problems and was trying to see if the settings were correct. They did have me enter my email ina return address field in advanced properties or settings-don't quote me on that.Something was "corrected", but now can't "send pages" again. I hope it doesn't matter anymore.
I also uninstalled ICQ, and post it notes (useless to me anyway-Mitch looked at me sideways when I downloaded it.) Though I never actually subscribed to atreiva-I still have an icon on the desktop-should I just delete it? There's files in explorer, but I see nothing in add/remove. After clearing that out I did a virus scan, scan disk, defrag routine.
I thought I'd better catch you up on my activities. I see other files from older(dead?) downloads, but I'm not sure of what may happen if I fool with them.
When I do the registry, should I be on or offline? How 'bout the Dial up? Something tells me it doesn't matter
First I have a chore to do. I'll "be back" in 1/2 hour Allison
REGEDIT-one of the files that sends chills down my spine! Allison
Now I'll go through your ins
Hi! I'm sure you'll enjoy those articles, but I was responding to Jk! How were you to know-I forgot to say I was.
Got your email. I had a "crash and freeze" while trying to read mail this morning-so that's definitely helping me breath a bit easier. Maybe I CAN avoid getting an ulcer over all this! While you were gone covering classes(was it Thurs?not sure) I called Triton-explained I'd been having connection problems and was trying to see if the settings were correct. They did have me enter my email ina return address field in advanced properties or settings-don't quote me on that.Something was "corrected", but now can't "send pages" again. I hope it doesn't matter anymore.
I also uninstalled ICQ, and post it notes (useless to me anyway-Mitch looked at me sideways when I downloaded it.) Though I never actually subscribed to atreiva-I still have an icon on the desktop-should I just delete it? There's files in explorer, but I see nothing in add/remove. After clearing that out I did a virus scan, scan disk, defrag routine.
I thought I'd better catch you up on my activities. I see other files from older(dead?) downloads, but I'm not sure of what may happen if I fool with them.
When I do the registry, should I be on or offline? How 'bout the Dial up? Something tells me it doesn't matter
First I have a chore to do. I'll "be back" in 1/2 hour Allison
REGEDIT-one of the files that sends chills down my spine! Allison
Now I'll go through your ins
Back in a while, Allison. Got to run to the store for milk for Libby. Hold tight. Next step....
Colleen
Colleen
ASKER
Colleen,
Okay.
I've located the pre-delete. Dragged it to a new folder I made in 0 holding file. (I opened it-blue cubes?)
I opened netscape-it's empty. Am I opening the file I'm supposed to?
I won't do a thing till I hear from you :-o Allison
Okay.
I've located the pre-delete. Dragged it to a new folder I made in 0 holding file. (I opened it-blue cubes?)
I opened netscape-it's empty. Am I opening the file I'm supposed to?
I won't do a thing till I hear from you :-o Allison
ASKER
Colleen, I take that back.
I got my nerve back and opened the BROWSER edit menu, then preferences.
I got a splat message. Says, "Unable to load the preference DLL (files) Please re-install Netscape Communicator."
Scheesh!
Or maybe that's good news? Al :-7
I got my nerve back and opened the BROWSER edit menu, then preferences.
I got a splat message. Says, "Unable to load the preference DLL (files) Please re-install Netscape Communicator."
Scheesh!
Or maybe that's good news? Al :-7
Sounds like you moved the contents of the Netscape folder rather than copying them (it?) Did you drag the files from Netscape to the Holding Tank folder? If so, then you probably moved the files.
Open the Holding Tank folder. Click once on the Right click on the DEFAULT folder. Select COPY. Open My Computer, then C:, then Program Files, then Netscape. Right click in an empty area of Netscape and paste the default folder back in there. Now try opening Netscape Preferences...
Looks like it's going to be another two hours or so... PLEEEEEZE, turn off the computer and go to bed! When you wake up, there will be presents under the tree. <grin>
Colleen
Open the Holding Tank folder. Click once on the Right click on the DEFAULT folder. Select COPY. Open My Computer, then C:, then Program Files, then Netscape. Right click in an empty area of Netscape and paste the default folder back in there. Now try opening Netscape Preferences...
Looks like it's going to be another two hours or so... PLEEEEEZE, turn off the computer and go to bed! When you wake up, there will be presents under the tree. <grin>
Colleen
ASKER
Hi!
Before I do anything...
I've gotten that (Splat) before. I suspect it's when I've been in a user profile in Netscape that I hadn't set up with "full" preferences. I had 3 profiles. Originally there was just one, hummingbird. Then a few weeks ago I got curious and discovered I could create more. I added MJM for business and Crowbar man for Mitch to use. I tried to use "Mitch", but it told me I couldn't-he's apparently "behind" hummingbird? I also didn't enter any email address, not being sure what to do, meaning to get back to it later when I understood. That's just about when I found EE, and you... A few days ago I deleted crowbarman and I haven't been able to access the preferences or send pages! By Jove! was thinking it could have been the Triton "adjustment" but ...Not long ago I remember seeing the mail& groups etc in there somewhere...
I wanted to write this while I have the sequence of events clear in my head. Documentation!
I just followed through your directions. Got another splat about dll files %-(
I'm going to bed. (it's 1:45 AM) I'll call tomorrow, unless you'd rather I didn't-'gnight all
Al
Before I do anything...
I've gotten that (Splat) before. I suspect it's when I've been in a user profile in Netscape that I hadn't set up with "full" preferences. I had 3 profiles. Originally there was just one, hummingbird. Then a few weeks ago I got curious and discovered I could create more. I added MJM for business and Crowbar man for Mitch to use. I tried to use "Mitch", but it told me I couldn't-he's apparently "behind" hummingbird? I also didn't enter any email address, not being sure what to do, meaning to get back to it later when I understood. That's just about when I found EE, and you... A few days ago I deleted crowbarman and I haven't been able to access the preferences or send pages! By Jove! was thinking it could have been the Triton "adjustment" but ...Not long ago I remember seeing the mail& groups etc in there somewhere...
I wanted to write this while I have the sequence of events clear in my head. Documentation!
I just followed through your directions. Got another splat about dll files %-(
I'm going to bed. (it's 1:45 AM) I'll call tomorrow, unless you'd rather I didn't-'gnight all
Al
Here we go....
RESTART YOUR COMPUTER and press ESC when asked for your name and password. We want to do all of this stuff under the default user profile...
STEP ONE -- Close applications
1. Make sure all applications are closed. Close anything that you can see (such as applications that have a button on the taskbar to the right of the Start button)
2. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE ONCE. This opens the "Close Program" window (aka the task list). We want to "end task" on everything except EXPLORER (that must remain open, or you won't see anything except wallpaper on the screen). End a task by clicking on it's name and then clicking on the End Task button.
3. You'll need to repeat the CTRL+ALT+DELETE process for each task you want to remove. Some tasks may have a "delayed reaction." You'll still see them after you've ended that task. Wait a few seconds and a dialog box will appear in the upper left corner indicating that the program is busy and asking if you want to wait until it's finished. Press End Task on this button. (The program isn't really "busy," it's just got its "hooks" into the operating system and doesn't want to let go.) It's okay to End Task on these.
--------------------------
STEP TWO -- Remove applications
You mentioned that you had deleted ICQ, so we can go straight for the rest...
1. Start Menu, Settings..., Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs (sounds like you already know where to find this one):
2. Remove: Netscape, Windows Messaging Update 1, and Megaphon (may be listed under a company name). Also remove Internet Mail and News and Internet Explorer if they're in the list.
3. RESTART YOUR COMPUTER. Although this is not absolutely essential at this point, I prefer to reboot often during mega delete operations so that the Windows registry is updated as I go. I fear the poor operating system sometimes gets as confused as we do when multiple edits are pending... Don't forget to use the default user profile.
--------------------------
STEP THREE -- Create a Startup Disk
Although GW2K supplied you with a system disk, we want to make a Windows startup disk. I'm 99% sure you won't need to use it. Creating one covers the other 1%. You'll need one floppy disk which can be reformatted (nothing on it you want to save) and your WINDOWS 95 CD.
1. Open Add/Remove Programs as in Step Two, #1 above. Navigate to Startup Disk tab. Put the Windows CD in the CD Drive, the floppy in A: drive. Click CREATE DISK... button. This will take a few minutes. When it's finished, leave the disk in the drive, we're not quite done with it...
2. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\. In the contents pane on the right side of the screen, scroll to the files below the folders and find AUTOEXEC.BAT. Right Click on AUTOEXEC.BAT and select Send To..., then select A:
3. Scroll to CONFIG.SYS and repeat the Send To... operation.
Later, if we find that reinstalling Windows is necessary, we might copy some additional files onto this disk and modify the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files, but for now, this will be fine...
Close all windows.
--------------------------
STEP FOUR -- Remove Windows Components
The Windows CD must be in the drive while we do this stuff...
REPEAT STEP ONE, closing all applications.
1. Go to the Windows Setup Tab in Add/Remove Programs (Step Two, #1).
2. Clear the checkboxes to the left of Communications, Microsoft Exchange, and Microsoft Fax. Click OK. This will remove DIAL-UP NETWORKING, WINDOWS MESSAGING, MS FAX, ETC. It's OK to restart the computer if it suggests you do so...
3. Close Add/Remove Programs.
--------------------------
STEP FIVE -- Remove Profiles
1. Start Menu, Settings..., Control Panel, Passwords, User Profiles Tab.
2. Select "All users of this PC use the same preferences and desktop settings.
3. Click OK.
4. Restart the computer. You shouldn't be asked for your user name and password..., if you are, press ESC.
--------------------------
STEP SIX -- Remove folders and other leftovers
1. Start Menu, Find, Files or Folders, type exupdusa.exe in name field. Click FIND NOW. With your RIGHT mouse button, drag it from the Find Window to the desktop. You'll get a shortcut menu with three choices + cancel: copy, move, or create shortcut. Choose MOVE.
2. Find *.pab. This would be a personal address book file. You may or may not have info stored in this, so let's copy it to the 0 Holding Tank.
3. Find *.wab. Same as #2.
4. Open Windows Explorer. Navigate to Windows\Profiles Folder. Delete anything in this folder, but not the Profiles folder itself.
5. In c:\program files, find the Netscape folder. Delete the whole thing.
6. Find the Exchange folder. This one can be in one of several different places (or you may have several copies. Delete all of these. To find, go to Start Menu, Find, Files or Folders, in the name field, type "*exchange*" (with asterisks, but no quotes). Click FIND NOW. Delete FOLDERS ONLY (files within those folders will also be deleted).
7. Find the Windows Messaging Folder. By default, it would be in the Program Files Folder. Delete it.
--------------------------
STEP SEVEN -- Load 'er up!
I believe we are ready to start rebuilding your system....
1. Start Menu, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Setup Tab.
2. Select Communications from list, click on DETAILS... button in lower part of dialog box. This will open a subdirectory of Communications options.
3. Select Dial-Up Networking. Click OK ONCE.
4. Select Microsoft Exchange from list, click on DETAILS... Select Microsoft Exchange, but NOT Microsoft Mail Services (this mail client is for inhouse e-mail, not Internet e-mail). Click OK ONCE.
5. We're not going to reinstall MS FAX at this point. You either a) probably use megaphon a supplied by GW2K or b) use a faxing software that came with the octopus. MS FAX was an "Oh yeah, we should include that feature" application which doesn't do its job very well.
6. Click OK in the main Add/Remove Programs window. And away we go.....
--------------------------
STEP EIGHT -- Set up Dial-Up Networking
We're going to set up and test a few features before setting up user profiles so that everything will be available to the individual users...
1. Set up Dial-Up Networking. Open My Computer, Dial-Up Networking. Double-click on Make New Connection. Give it a name. Something like "ISP-Triton." It should automatically select your modem. Click Next.
2. Type in the area code and phone number you call to connect to the Internet. Click Next. Then click FINISH.
3. Right click on the new icon for your ISP connection. Select Properties.
4. On the Server Types Tab, "PPP: Windows 95..." should be the Dial-up Server Type; Log on to network and Enable software compression should be selected; Require encrypted password should NOT be selected. In the Allowed Protocols section, uncheck NETBEUI and IPX if they are selected. Make sure there's a check in the box for TCP/IP.
5. Click the TCP/IP Settings button. Match the settings as you jotted the down. In the first section, this should probably be "Server assigned IP address." In the second section, this may be "Server assigned name server addresses" or Triton may have given you specific IP addresses (probably two). If so, click specify... then type in the numbers. Make sure you place the numeric parts properly between the decimals... For instance:
209.172.0.5 and
205.137.48.5
Click OK.
--------------------------
STEP NINE -- Install Windows Messaging Update
1. Locate the EXUPDUSA.EXE file on your computer. Double-click on the icon.
2. Restart your computer.
--------------------------
STEP TEN -- Install TweakUI
1. Create a folder on your desktop called "power"
2. Find the powertoys you downloaded last night and copy that file into this folder.
3. Double-click on the file... If asked where you want it to extract the files (as I recall it does and then it gives you a little explorer tree to select the destination), navigate to desktop and then to the power folder. If desktop is not an option, we'll navigate to it... C: drive, Windows folder, Desktop folder, power folder. Make sure the power folder is open before you click OK. If it just gives you a field and then a Browse button, you can type in c:\windows\desktop\power
4. Find the TweakUI.inf file. If you can't see the extensions (the three characters after the period) open the View menu, Options..., View Tab, deselect "Hide MS-DOS extensions..." (I think we've already done this).
5. RIGHT CLICK the tweakui.inf file and select INSTALL. When the TweakUI Help window opens, close it and let it finish installing.
--------------------------
STEP ELEVEN -- Install Internet Explorer
We install this first, then after we get it set up properly, we'll do Netscape. IE must be set up before Netscape because it "steals" the Netscape plug-ins and associates web pages with itself. Netscape will do that, too. Since you want NS to be your default browser, we install it last.
1. Insert the IE CD in the CD drive. When the screen comes up, select Install Internet Explorer. Tell it you want the minimum (or standard?) installation when prompted to choose between that and full.
2. When asked if you want to install Active Desktop, select NO. We may end up coming back to this and adding the Active Desktop, but turning off most of the stuff... I'm hoping IE4's enhancements to the User Profiles capabilities will be installed without it. The IE documentation discusses everything as if you were installing the whole shootin' match, not indicating what gets installed if you don't do Active Desktop... Sooooo, we'll see.
I'm working from memory, but can't think of any other options that will confuse or leave you with major decisions to make. Go ahead and finish the installation for this.
RESTART THE COMPUTER WHEN TOLD TO DO SO.
--------------------------
STEP TWELVE -- Set up User Profiles
This is where we find out if IE installed the User Profile Enhancements...
1. Start Menu, Settings..., Control Panel, Users (there should be a new icon in Control Panel called Users). If the USERS icon isn't there, don't panic. See the end of this STEP for instructions on how to get it.
2. The first user to be set up is automatically the administrator, so set up your profile first. Skip the cute names and call it 'Allison' or use your pet names for each other. No one will see these but you and it makes it easier when it comes to file management.... CLICK NEXT.
3. We don't use any passwords at our house. Less to remember that way. If you leave the password fields blank, then when you log on, all you need to do is press ENTER. And it doesn't sound like Mitch is the kind of guy who'd be worried you might peek at his work.... CLICK NEXT.
4. Now we come to the screen where you get to choose what each of you will see differently when you start up the computer and enter your name... I suggest you select everything EXCEPT downloaded Web Pages.
Downloaded Web Pages refers to the Temporary Internet Files (NS calls it cache). When you open a web page, the information to display that page is downloaded to your PC and stored in the Temp I'net Files. It's only allowed so much space on your hard drive and when it gets full, it starts deleting the oldest stuff first. The only advantage to even having it store pages is so that when you click the "Back" button on the browser, the page you're going back to loads quicker because it gets the info from your PC rather than downloading from the I'net again. So it's okay if you share Downloaded Web pages...
5. The two radio buttons (the round ones at the bottom of the list -- called radio buttons because you can only select one at a time)... Select the first option, "Create copies...." CLICK NEXT.
6. CLICK FINISH.
7. Set up Mitch's user profile with the same settings as your own.
When you log on under your individual user names, you can each add/delete files from My Documents, Favorites, the Desktop, the Start Menu, etc. without affecting the other user at all. In other words, when you log on, you can delete all of Mitch's work from My Documents. When he logs on, he can delete all your work from My Documents. You'll each have a separate My Documents folder. Bill Gates is very big on domestic tranquility.
**************************
If the Users Icon doesn't appear in the Control Panel, open Add/Remove Programs. Scroll through the list and select Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0. Click Add/Remove button. A dialog box will appear. Select Add Active Desktop.
RESTART THE COMPUTER WHEN TOLD TO DO SO AFTER INSTALLING ACTIVE DESKTOP
**************************
--------------------------
STEP THIRTEEN --
Restart the computer and log on using your user name.
At this point, you should be able to connect to the Internet. But I can't remember if it's going to throw you into the Internet Connection Wizard or not. The majority of the work is done, so CALL ME and we'll walk through the next part. I'll document as we go, and then e-mail it to you so you can set up Mitch's user profile...
Colleen
RESTART YOUR COMPUTER and press ESC when asked for your name and password. We want to do all of this stuff under the default user profile...
STEP ONE -- Close applications
1. Make sure all applications are closed. Close anything that you can see (such as applications that have a button on the taskbar to the right of the Start button)
2. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE ONCE. This opens the "Close Program" window (aka the task list). We want to "end task" on everything except EXPLORER (that must remain open, or you won't see anything except wallpaper on the screen). End a task by clicking on it's name and then clicking on the End Task button.
3. You'll need to repeat the CTRL+ALT+DELETE process for each task you want to remove. Some tasks may have a "delayed reaction." You'll still see them after you've ended that task. Wait a few seconds and a dialog box will appear in the upper left corner indicating that the program is busy and asking if you want to wait until it's finished. Press End Task on this button. (The program isn't really "busy," it's just got its "hooks" into the operating system and doesn't want to let go.) It's okay to End Task on these.
--------------------------
STEP TWO -- Remove applications
You mentioned that you had deleted ICQ, so we can go straight for the rest...
1. Start Menu, Settings..., Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs (sounds like you already know where to find this one):
2. Remove: Netscape, Windows Messaging Update 1, and Megaphon (may be listed under a company name). Also remove Internet Mail and News and Internet Explorer if they're in the list.
3. RESTART YOUR COMPUTER. Although this is not absolutely essential at this point, I prefer to reboot often during mega delete operations so that the Windows registry is updated as I go. I fear the poor operating system sometimes gets as confused as we do when multiple edits are pending... Don't forget to use the default user profile.
--------------------------
STEP THREE -- Create a Startup Disk
Although GW2K supplied you with a system disk, we want to make a Windows startup disk. I'm 99% sure you won't need to use it. Creating one covers the other 1%. You'll need one floppy disk which can be reformatted (nothing on it you want to save) and your WINDOWS 95 CD.
1. Open Add/Remove Programs as in Step Two, #1 above. Navigate to Startup Disk tab. Put the Windows CD in the CD Drive, the floppy in A: drive. Click CREATE DISK... button. This will take a few minutes. When it's finished, leave the disk in the drive, we're not quite done with it...
2. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\. In the contents pane on the right side of the screen, scroll to the files below the folders and find AUTOEXEC.BAT. Right Click on AUTOEXEC.BAT and select Send To..., then select A:
3. Scroll to CONFIG.SYS and repeat the Send To... operation.
Later, if we find that reinstalling Windows is necessary, we might copy some additional files onto this disk and modify the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files, but for now, this will be fine...
Close all windows.
--------------------------
STEP FOUR -- Remove Windows Components
The Windows CD must be in the drive while we do this stuff...
REPEAT STEP ONE, closing all applications.
1. Go to the Windows Setup Tab in Add/Remove Programs (Step Two, #1).
2. Clear the checkboxes to the left of Communications, Microsoft Exchange, and Microsoft Fax. Click OK. This will remove DIAL-UP NETWORKING, WINDOWS MESSAGING, MS FAX, ETC. It's OK to restart the computer if it suggests you do so...
3. Close Add/Remove Programs.
--------------------------
STEP FIVE -- Remove Profiles
1. Start Menu, Settings..., Control Panel, Passwords, User Profiles Tab.
2. Select "All users of this PC use the same preferences and desktop settings.
3. Click OK.
4. Restart the computer. You shouldn't be asked for your user name and password..., if you are, press ESC.
--------------------------
STEP SIX -- Remove folders and other leftovers
1. Start Menu, Find, Files or Folders, type exupdusa.exe in name field. Click FIND NOW. With your RIGHT mouse button, drag it from the Find Window to the desktop. You'll get a shortcut menu with three choices + cancel: copy, move, or create shortcut. Choose MOVE.
2. Find *.pab. This would be a personal address book file. You may or may not have info stored in this, so let's copy it to the 0 Holding Tank.
3. Find *.wab. Same as #2.
4. Open Windows Explorer. Navigate to Windows\Profiles Folder. Delete anything in this folder, but not the Profiles folder itself.
5. In c:\program files, find the Netscape folder. Delete the whole thing.
6. Find the Exchange folder. This one can be in one of several different places (or you may have several copies. Delete all of these. To find, go to Start Menu, Find, Files or Folders, in the name field, type "*exchange*" (with asterisks, but no quotes). Click FIND NOW. Delete FOLDERS ONLY (files within those folders will also be deleted).
7. Find the Windows Messaging Folder. By default, it would be in the Program Files Folder. Delete it.
--------------------------
STEP SEVEN -- Load 'er up!
I believe we are ready to start rebuilding your system....
1. Start Menu, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Setup Tab.
2. Select Communications from list, click on DETAILS... button in lower part of dialog box. This will open a subdirectory of Communications options.
3. Select Dial-Up Networking. Click OK ONCE.
4. Select Microsoft Exchange from list, click on DETAILS... Select Microsoft Exchange, but NOT Microsoft Mail Services (this mail client is for inhouse e-mail, not Internet e-mail). Click OK ONCE.
5. We're not going to reinstall MS FAX at this point. You either a) probably use megaphon a supplied by GW2K or b) use a faxing software that came with the octopus. MS FAX was an "Oh yeah, we should include that feature" application which doesn't do its job very well.
6. Click OK in the main Add/Remove Programs window. And away we go.....
--------------------------
STEP EIGHT -- Set up Dial-Up Networking
We're going to set up and test a few features before setting up user profiles so that everything will be available to the individual users...
1. Set up Dial-Up Networking. Open My Computer, Dial-Up Networking. Double-click on Make New Connection. Give it a name. Something like "ISP-Triton." It should automatically select your modem. Click Next.
2. Type in the area code and phone number you call to connect to the Internet. Click Next. Then click FINISH.
3. Right click on the new icon for your ISP connection. Select Properties.
4. On the Server Types Tab, "PPP: Windows 95..." should be the Dial-up Server Type; Log on to network and Enable software compression should be selected; Require encrypted password should NOT be selected. In the Allowed Protocols section, uncheck NETBEUI and IPX if they are selected. Make sure there's a check in the box for TCP/IP.
5. Click the TCP/IP Settings button. Match the settings as you jotted the down. In the first section, this should probably be "Server assigned IP address." In the second section, this may be "Server assigned name server addresses" or Triton may have given you specific IP addresses (probably two). If so, click specify... then type in the numbers. Make sure you place the numeric parts properly between the decimals... For instance:
209.172.0.5 and
205.137.48.5
Click OK.
--------------------------
STEP NINE -- Install Windows Messaging Update
1. Locate the EXUPDUSA.EXE file on your computer. Double-click on the icon.
2. Restart your computer.
--------------------------
STEP TEN -- Install TweakUI
1. Create a folder on your desktop called "power"
2. Find the powertoys you downloaded last night and copy that file into this folder.
3. Double-click on the file... If asked where you want it to extract the files (as I recall it does and then it gives you a little explorer tree to select the destination), navigate to desktop and then to the power folder. If desktop is not an option, we'll navigate to it... C: drive, Windows folder, Desktop folder, power folder. Make sure the power folder is open before you click OK. If it just gives you a field and then a Browse button, you can type in c:\windows\desktop\power
4. Find the TweakUI.inf file. If you can't see the extensions (the three characters after the period) open the View menu, Options..., View Tab, deselect "Hide MS-DOS extensions..." (I think we've already done this).
5. RIGHT CLICK the tweakui.inf file and select INSTALL. When the TweakUI Help window opens, close it and let it finish installing.
--------------------------
STEP ELEVEN -- Install Internet Explorer
We install this first, then after we get it set up properly, we'll do Netscape. IE must be set up before Netscape because it "steals" the Netscape plug-ins and associates web pages with itself. Netscape will do that, too. Since you want NS to be your default browser, we install it last.
1. Insert the IE CD in the CD drive. When the screen comes up, select Install Internet Explorer. Tell it you want the minimum (or standard?) installation when prompted to choose between that and full.
2. When asked if you want to install Active Desktop, select NO. We may end up coming back to this and adding the Active Desktop, but turning off most of the stuff... I'm hoping IE4's enhancements to the User Profiles capabilities will be installed without it. The IE documentation discusses everything as if you were installing the whole shootin' match, not indicating what gets installed if you don't do Active Desktop... Sooooo, we'll see.
I'm working from memory, but can't think of any other options that will confuse or leave you with major decisions to make. Go ahead and finish the installation for this.
RESTART THE COMPUTER WHEN TOLD TO DO SO.
--------------------------
STEP TWELVE -- Set up User Profiles
This is where we find out if IE installed the User Profile Enhancements...
1. Start Menu, Settings..., Control Panel, Users (there should be a new icon in Control Panel called Users). If the USERS icon isn't there, don't panic. See the end of this STEP for instructions on how to get it.
2. The first user to be set up is automatically the administrator, so set up your profile first. Skip the cute names and call it 'Allison' or use your pet names for each other. No one will see these but you and it makes it easier when it comes to file management.... CLICK NEXT.
3. We don't use any passwords at our house. Less to remember that way. If you leave the password fields blank, then when you log on, all you need to do is press ENTER. And it doesn't sound like Mitch is the kind of guy who'd be worried you might peek at his work.... CLICK NEXT.
4. Now we come to the screen where you get to choose what each of you will see differently when you start up the computer and enter your name... I suggest you select everything EXCEPT downloaded Web Pages.
Downloaded Web Pages refers to the Temporary Internet Files (NS calls it cache). When you open a web page, the information to display that page is downloaded to your PC and stored in the Temp I'net Files. It's only allowed so much space on your hard drive and when it gets full, it starts deleting the oldest stuff first. The only advantage to even having it store pages is so that when you click the "Back" button on the browser, the page you're going back to loads quicker because it gets the info from your PC rather than downloading from the I'net again. So it's okay if you share Downloaded Web pages...
5. The two radio buttons (the round ones at the bottom of the list -- called radio buttons because you can only select one at a time)... Select the first option, "Create copies...." CLICK NEXT.
6. CLICK FINISH.
7. Set up Mitch's user profile with the same settings as your own.
When you log on under your individual user names, you can each add/delete files from My Documents, Favorites, the Desktop, the Start Menu, etc. without affecting the other user at all. In other words, when you log on, you can delete all of Mitch's work from My Documents. When he logs on, he can delete all your work from My Documents. You'll each have a separate My Documents folder. Bill Gates is very big on domestic tranquility.
**************************
If the Users Icon doesn't appear in the Control Panel, open Add/Remove Programs. Scroll through the list and select Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0. Click Add/Remove button. A dialog box will appear. Select Add Active Desktop.
RESTART THE COMPUTER WHEN TOLD TO DO SO AFTER INSTALLING ACTIVE DESKTOP
**************************
--------------------------
STEP THIRTEEN --
Restart the computer and log on using your user name.
At this point, you should be able to connect to the Internet. But I can't remember if it's going to throw you into the Internet Connection Wizard or not. The majority of the work is done, so CALL ME and we'll walk through the next part. I'll document as we go, and then e-mail it to you so you can set up Mitch's user profile...
Colleen
ASKER
Colleen,
I printed all your instructions, now I can check off each step and make notes. I'm trying to be really organized. I also saved the text from your email as you explained to, it's there!
It's 4:20 my time, thanks for working it out that way. Hopefully I won't be interrupted, and I won't have to wait till later when I'm likely to be going braindead.
We need to create a title for the latest chapter of the E-Files, and I know a publisher...
Seriously, Thanks! ::'-) Heartache Al
I printed all your instructions, now I can check off each step and make notes. I'm trying to be really organized. I also saved the text from your email as you explained to, it's there!
It's 4:20 my time, thanks for working it out that way. Hopefully I won't be interrupted, and I won't have to wait till later when I'm likely to be going braindead.
We need to create a title for the latest chapter of the E-Files, and I know a publisher...
Seriously, Thanks! ::'-) Heartache Al
Hi,
Oh my (insert your choice of Diety)!! This thread reads like a short novel.
Oh my (insert your choice of Diety)!! This thread reads like a short novel.
Hey, dankh!
Whadaya get whenya cross two females and a means of communication?
Colleen
Whadaya get whenya cross two females and a means of communication?
Colleen
Ear ache ??????
"Denial of Service"?? You two need your own ROUTER;-)
<SIGH, tylox chanting to himself, "RE-INSTALL, RE-INSTALL!!!>
<SIGH, tylox chanting to himself, "RE-INSTALL, RE-INSTALL!!!>
That's about right, Penfold. Heartache and I have spent probably ten hours on the phone over the weekend (U.S. right coast to left coast)... Think we finally got it to a functional state although her HP octapus (that's an OfficeJet all-in-one) is not ready for primetime. Had a few seizures when we installed some other things...
The biggest problem was getting all the blankety-blank user profiles straight! Netscape 4.06 sets up its own UPs, while Windows w/IE4 gives you separate EVERYTHING (well, almost). Sooo, to use Netscape for a browser, and have separate My Docs and Outlook Express (a much, much better mail client than NS Messenger), you set up separate Windows UPs, then separate NS UPs, keeping all the mailboxes and start menus and desktops straight, of course.
Hey, Heartache, hope you don't mind this running commentary. Wanted to add the finale to the instructions since all the comments are stored with the Q&A in the PAQs.
By the way, gang, the answer to the riddle? You get a thread that looks like this and a phone bill that looks like this.
Now, Allison, remember to reduce the points to 50 and give me an A. If you don't hang on to some points, I'll be ticked. You just might need them before you can accumulate another 150 (that'll take you a whole month). And 50 w/an A will put me over the top for another T-shirt... :-D.
--------------------------
By the way, there are a few more things you need to do:
1. In the NS Profile Manager, delete MJM so Mitch doesn't get confused about which profile to use.
2. Log on as Mitch, open Outlook Express. Go to the file menu, to import, to messages... Select Netscape Communicator, Profile: Allison, click NEXT. BROWSE to the 0 Holding Tank folder and to the mail folder in it (did you put it in a Netscape subfolder there? I can't remember). Select the files to import.
3. Repeat #2 for the default user (remember you copied hummingbird and default to the holding tank).
4. Delete any mail that doesn't belong to him...
5. Open My Documents (while you are still logged on as Mitch) and delete any documents that don't belong to him (if you're chicken, open Windows Explorer and navigate to Windows\Profiles. Expand your profiles and click on My Documents in each one. You'll see that you have duplicates...)
6. Open Netscape Communicator and Bookmarks. Delete any bookmarks that don't belong to Mitch.
Now, log on to Windows as yourself and repeat #2-6, deleting what doesn't belong to you.
Make an e-mail folder for "Friends I've Never Met!"
Talk to you soon (well, as soon as you recover)
Colleen
The biggest problem was getting all the blankety-blank user profiles straight! Netscape 4.06 sets up its own UPs, while Windows w/IE4 gives you separate EVERYTHING (well, almost). Sooo, to use Netscape for a browser, and have separate My Docs and Outlook Express (a much, much better mail client than NS Messenger), you set up separate Windows UPs, then separate NS UPs, keeping all the mailboxes and start menus and desktops straight, of course.
Hey, Heartache, hope you don't mind this running commentary. Wanted to add the finale to the instructions since all the comments are stored with the Q&A in the PAQs.
By the way, gang, the answer to the riddle? You get a thread that looks like this and a phone bill that looks like this.
Now, Allison, remember to reduce the points to 50 and give me an A. If you don't hang on to some points, I'll be ticked. You just might need them before you can accumulate another 150 (that'll take you a whole month). And 50 w/an A will put me over the top for another T-shirt... :-D.
--------------------------
By the way, there are a few more things you need to do:
1. In the NS Profile Manager, delete MJM so Mitch doesn't get confused about which profile to use.
2. Log on as Mitch, open Outlook Express. Go to the file menu, to import, to messages... Select Netscape Communicator, Profile: Allison, click NEXT. BROWSE to the 0 Holding Tank folder and to the mail folder in it (did you put it in a Netscape subfolder there? I can't remember). Select the files to import.
3. Repeat #2 for the default user (remember you copied hummingbird and default to the holding tank).
4. Delete any mail that doesn't belong to him...
5. Open My Documents (while you are still logged on as Mitch) and delete any documents that don't belong to him (if you're chicken, open Windows Explorer and navigate to Windows\Profiles. Expand your profiles and click on My Documents in each one. You'll see that you have duplicates...)
6. Open Netscape Communicator and Bookmarks. Delete any bookmarks that don't belong to Mitch.
Now, log on to Windows as yourself and repeat #2-6, deleting what doesn't belong to you.
Make an e-mail folder for "Friends I've Never Met!"
Talk to you soon (well, as soon as you recover)
Colleen
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Hey, tylox! Did it without a reinstall and it's better than it was before! Half the problem was umpteen ISPs and User Profiles crisscrossing the Windows landscape...
And I'd vote heartache "newbie of the year." She did a fantastic job! And it probably didn't take much longer than if I was doing it myself...
Colleen
And I'd vote heartache "newbie of the year." She did a fantastic job! And it probably didn't take much longer than if I was doing it myself...
Colleen
ASKER
Since Colleen insists...I agree, I'll definitely need the points.
I'd recommend ckayter to anyone who needs help, not just us newbies- she's got the patience of a saint, has the true call to teach, and a great sense of humor to boot. I don't think I'd ever have gotten so far toward getting this mess worked out without her. She's the best! Allison/heartache
I wasn't able to print her final instructions....?
I'd recommend ckayter to anyone who needs help, not just us newbies- she's got the patience of a saint, has the true call to teach, and a great sense of humor to boot. I don't think I'd ever have gotten so far toward getting this mess worked out without her. She's the best! Allison/heartache
I wasn't able to print her final instructions....?
ASKER
OKAY
Take the points! I'd wanted to give her 250!
Take the points! I'd wanted to give her 250!