Think Twice before switching to Windows!

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Frisco

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Original poster
Sep 24, 2002
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My experience today using Win Xp Home Service Pack 2.

It has only been for about an hour, so I am sure there is more to come.

I startup a brand new eMachines with AMD 64 Athlon for the first time. I get a few CMOS errors. Finally it reboots a few times and loads XP. Everything is good.

Next: Internet Explorer freezes on some webpage: Control Alt Delete

I try to setup my gmail account through pop3. Outlook 2003 is unresponding.

McAfee antirus plays this obnoxious sound with an error message. I would tell you what it was, but I don't even want to remember.

I get some message box popping up that my registry is corrupted, to go to some website pachit or something to repair it. I knew it was obviously adware, but it pops up like every 5 minutes.

I setup 2 accounts on this new computer. I deleted a shortcut from my desktop, but it deleted a shortcut from my girlfriend's desktop too. Is that normal?

I uninstalled several programs, but they are still in the Add/Remove program list. Some are gone from there, but they are still in my startup menu. 2 other programs that I uninstalled are no longer in Add/Remove programs, nor the Startup Menu, but when I start up my computer THEY STARTUP.

I plug in my headphones to try to listen to some iTunes. This message pops up, "A Jack Has Been Plugged In". I am like thanks, but that is obvious! But it still plays through the external speakers. Some strange program opens "RealTek" asking me which device I want to plug in?'

Okay I am tired. I need a Macbook Pro 17"

Night all!
 
mkrishnan

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
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Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Mmmm, wow, that's quite a lot of problems to have, doing something that ought to be self-explanatory.... :(

I setup 2 accounts on this new computer. I deleted a shortcut from my desktop, but it deleted a shortcut from my girlfriend's desktop too. Is that normal?
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As far as this is concerned, there are two "desktops" that are combined, as I understand it, for any given user -- a default one, and then any modifications the individual user makes. I think that when you install apps as an administrator, the icon is placed on the desktop for all users. And if you delete such an icon from any account that has the capability, it disappears for everyone.

There are a few things like this in the Windows architecture that are designed in a surprising way. I just found out inadvertently that Trillian is designed so that all users are available regardless of who is logged into the Windows account. If your user is set to be the default login, then someone who logs into the same computer with a different Windows account will instantly have access to your IM contact lists and accounts without having to password into it. And maybe even your chat history.... Ugh. I'm glad I found it out while the someone else was logging into the computer and asking for my help. :eek:
 
DaveP

DaveP

macrumors 6502
Mar 18, 2005
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How are you getting adware if you just turned it on for the first time? Either you quickly installed some programs (you mention McAfee as well as uninstalling programs?), or you have some very good questions for whoever imaged it... Your scenario sounds like a computer with viruses/spyware/adware?
 
F

Frisco

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 24, 2002
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DaveP said:
How are you getting adware if you just turned it on for the first time? Either you quickly installed some programs (you mention McAfee as well as uninstalling programs?), or you have some very good questions for whoever imaged it... Your scenario sounds like a computer with viruses/spyware/adware?
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I installed iTunes/Quicktime and then Firefox.

I uninstalled AOL and some other garbage.

This thing is junk, I stll can't get my music to play through the headphones.

Even though I unplug and replug the phone, "Information A jack has been plugged In," or "A Jack Has been Unplugged."
 
iJawn108

iJawn108

macrumors 65816
Apr 15, 2006
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I hate how none of the major brands give you a full install disks for your machines. For the most part they partition your HD.

You know what gets to me about SP2 is the damn mouse scroll. Other than that Xp isn't that bad, but highly overpriced.
 
DaveP

DaveP

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Mar 18, 2005
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Frisco said:
I installed iTunes/Quicktime and then Firefox.

I uninstalled AOL and some other garbage.
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Well if I was you I would have a serious beef with whoever did the Windows install and software setup, as they obviously screwed something up. I would try a restore install of Windows (or a completely fresh install if you don't mind that hassle).
 
F

Frisco

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Original poster
Sep 24, 2002
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DaveP said:
Well if I was you I would have a serious beef with whoever did the Windows install and software setup, as they obviously screwed something up. I would try a restore install of Windows (or a completely fresh install if you don't mind that hassle).
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Good advice, but I don't think a fresh install is possible with the recovery CD? I mean a clean copy of XP, without all the 3rd party software.

I still regret not being on 5th Avenue last night :-(
 
celebrian23

celebrian23

macrumors 65816
Mar 12, 2006
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Under the sun
On XP, sometimes icons disappear from both, or are added to both and sometimes not. It depends on if it is specifically for that user account or if the program affects all accounts. You shouldn't have that many problems. I'm using a 4.5ish year old XP without any of these problems. Of course, I have service pack 1.
 
Nermal

Nermal

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Dec 7, 2002
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About 2 1/2 years ago my mum got a Dell laptop. I turned it on, went through the setup wizard, put in a DVD, and got a bluescreen. Tried to reboot, and it'd bluescreen on boot. I can't remember what I did, but it took me a good hour to get it to boot again. I was simply amazed that a brand-new computer couldn't play a DVD! :eek:
 
F

Frisco

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Sep 24, 2002
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Thanks for all your replies!

This will be primarily my girlfriends computer. I will only be using it until I can afford a new Intel Mac.

Yes I care about my girlfriend and tried to "switch" her many times, but she views this as normal as is hooked on "solitaire!"
 
WildCowboy

WildCowboy

Administrator/Editor
Staff member
Jan 20, 2005
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Frisco said:
Yes I care about my girlfriend and tried to "switch" her many times, but she views this as normal as is hooked on "solitaire!"
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She knows you can get solitaire for Macs, right?
 
F

Frisco

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 24, 2002
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Okay I finally got my headphones to work by playing with options in the 3rd party program "RealTek"
 
JDOG_

JDOG_

macrumors 6502a
Nov 19, 2003
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Well you do realize you guys are comparing Apples to Oranges right? (sorry had to go for it)

A "clean" install of Windows on a properly configured box with the correct drivers runs just fine. Also knowingly using Internet Explorer when there's Firefox is like passing out in a frat house wearing a wig and a dress.
 
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Bsresponsive1

macrumors newbie
Apr 19, 2006
6
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Westborough, MA
JDOG_ said:
Well you do realize you guys are comparing Apples to Oranges right? (sorry had to go for it)

A "clean" install of Windows on a properly configured box with the correct drivers runs just fine. Also knowingly using Internet Explorer when there's Firefox is like passing out in a frat house wearing a wig and a dress.
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I agree, I find this thread slanderous. I have both pc's and a mac. If you know even a little you should not have any problem.

Try a fresh install. Use windows update to get all the updates.

Install newest versions of all the drivers.

Enjoy.
 
Nermal

Nermal

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Bsresponsive1 said:
Try a fresh install. Use windows update to get all the updates.

Install newest versions of all the drivers.
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And therein lies a crucial difference. Apple systems are already a "fresh install" whereas Dell etc. throw in a mish-mash of critical components and absolute rubbish. The end-user shouldn't have to clean up after the OEM!
 
E

emaja

macrumors 68000
May 3, 2005
1,706
10
Chicago, IL
Bsresponsive1 said:
Try a fresh install. Use windows update to get all the updates.
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A small problem with that. Most PCs come with no restore CDs and the backup image that they put on a partition on the HD is an exact copy of what was installed on the computer from the factory image. You cannot pick and choose what to install. It is either all or nothing.

Now, it has been a while since I bought a PC. I build my own and install only the software I want on it. There very well might be a program like Pacifist that allows you to extract what you want from the restore CDs, but I do not know that for sure.
 
Nermal

Nermal

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emaja said:
A small problem with that. Most PCs come with no restore CDs
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Still?! I remember several OEMs getting in trouble here in NZ for not including Windows CDs with their computers, that was a few years ago now. The Dell I mentioned before (2 1/2 years old) came with a proper XP CD.
 
S

SuperSnake2012

macrumors 6502a
Oct 11, 2005
810
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NY
Bsresponsive1 said:
I agree, I find this thread slanderous. I have both pc's and a mac. If you know even a little you should not have any problem.

Try a fresh install. Use windows update to get all the updates.

Install newest versions of all the drivers.

Enjoy.
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The problem is that the OEMs don't even give you the install disc for Windows anymore. They create a partition on your hard drive with Windows on it and they make you to burn a CD of it, with the crapware. Cutting corners :rolleyes:
 
plinden

plinden

macrumors 68040
Apr 8, 2004
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Frisco said:
Good advice, but I don't think a fresh install is possible with the recovery CD? I mean a clean copy of XP, without all the 3rd party software.

I still regret not being on 5th Avenue last night :-(
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Hmm, if you can get your PC up long enough, can you make a disk image of the recovery CD and use something like use http://www.nliteos.com/nlite.html to slipstream a clean SP2 disk?

I did that with the reinstall CD I got with my last Dell, but that was from four years ago and things have maybe changed since then.

Anyway, you did get an emachines after all. You get what you pay for.

Edit:
emaja said:
A small problem with that. Most PCs come with no restore CDs and the backup image that they put on a partition on the HD is an exact copy of what was installed on the computer from the factory image. You cannot pick and choose what to install. It is either all or nothing.
Click to expand...
If you have access to a copy of the XP install, you can do what I suggested above.
 
T

Timepass

macrumors 65816
Jan 4, 2005
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well a lot of your problems look hardware related. The CMOS problems you had raise a lot of red flags that something hardware wise is wrong so not all the problems are windows fault. Yeah windows is bad but it looks very hardware related and maybe just a bad install
 
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imacintel

macrumors 68000
Mar 12, 2006
1,581
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FF_productions said:
I love Windows Xp...only if Bill Gates gave me a billion dollars.
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you love winblows XP? GET OUT

j/k, you can stay, I am just screwing around with ya!
 
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