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Wow, it would have almost been faster to backup the data, reformat the hard drive, and reinstall everything from scratch. The long install was of the grossly over programmed Norton Internet Security Suite. Here's the breakdown of my appointment:
| 8:26am | Arrive at customer's house. He tells me that his computer is running extremely slow. |
| 8:32am | I sit down and hit the power button on the computer. |
| 8:36am |
Still staring at the Windows XP startup logo, I ask the customer to bring in the laptop since he wants me to look at it also. |
| 8:40am |
The laptop is booted up and I'm already looking it over. |
| 8:41am |
Desktop is finally up…9 minutes!! Yikes! |
| 8:46am |
Add/Remove programs is finally up and the list populated. I find Norton Internet Security and click the Remove button. |
| 9:41am |
55 minutes later, I can finally work on the computer. The actual uninstall procedure took about 50 minutes and then another five for it to reboot after removal of Norton. |
| 10:07am |
I installed and updated both AVG Anti-virus and anti-spyware, tested the Internet connect, tested MS Word (which wasn't working at all an hour earlier) and started the AVG scans all in this past half hour. |
The moral of the story is that Norton products slow down even the fastest computers significantly more than any other security product. The installs are long, the updates are long, the uninstalls are long, and the protection is mediocre. Please, save yourself money, time and grief and don't buy or install Norton products on yours or other people's computers.
The calls are starting to ramp up wondering about AVG's messages regarding the discontinuation of their anti-virus. The message is a little alarming, but rest assured that AVG (Grisoft) is NOT going out-of-business and for home users the product will remain free. Although Grisoft is discontinuing support and updates for their current version, they have released a new version of… Read More »AVG AntiVirus Upgrade
I have helped several people buy new computers lately. I don't sell computers or any other hardware so I am more of a personal shopper than a salesman when it comes to guiding people through their purchase.
I think it's funny how gadgets always seem to yield more gadgets. Here is a short flowchart of how this process works.
1. A client calls and says that they need a new computer. They ask my advice on what they should get for just basic stuff like email and word processing. "I don't need anything fancy."
2. I suggest a basic system that will handle all of their needs and a little more.
I had a brief epiphany today as I helped two of my customers. When I'm setting up a computer or troubleshooting one, I am constantly in an out of the Options or Preferences of many programs. Almost all programs, from Quicken to Word to image editing software and of course Internet and email software, contain a section that allows you to customize the experience. For example, in Internet Explorer, I always click Tools –> Options, then the Settings button to lower the amount of saved temporary files to 4 or 5 megabytes. Sometimes this setting is set as high as 3000 megabytes! That's a lot of temporary files.
No, not really, but some people wonder… I think the wondering is actually a mixture of bewilderment, awe, and a slight hint of envy. I think the same thoughts when I watch Rachel Ray cook, an electrician wire, my Dad build stuff, Eric Clapton play his guitar, and a gear head work on a car. All these people are good at what they do because of two reasons: it's what they do, and they enjoy doing it. It amazes me that people look at the work I do and are amazed at how swiftly I can work through a problem or hunt something down on the Internet…it's what I do, and I enjoy doing it.
You have heard Adam and I talk about it often that for some reason computer users feel like they need to know everything about their computer including the troubleshooting and securing of it. The reality is that computers are as specialized a piece of machinery as you can buy today. Anyone can sit down and use a computer, but few have the knowledge to know how to make it work and act the way it should and there is nothing wrong with that. I can't fix and keep my cars running the way they should, so I have to resort to repair shops…I don't necessarily like it, but I don't have a choice either. My aptitude for fixing cars is low, and my time to learn that skill is nil.
Internet Explorer 7 finally became final last week and is starting to be deployed as a Windows Update. While I believe that IE 7 is a huge step in the right direction, the changes in the look and feel of the browser will throw many for a loop. Even after working with IE 7 for the past five or so months as it made its way through the beta stages of development, I don't think it holds a candle next to the Firefox browser . If you aren't afraid to learn the new nuances of IE 7 and don't want to change to Firefox, I say go for the upgrade. However, if you are perfectly comfortable where you are right now with Internet Explorer 6, then you might want to download and install this tool , made available through Microsoft, that prevents the automatic installation of the new Internet Explorer 7.
Cutting edge technology is great. I love to see the newest trends in technology.
Cutting edge is one thing, bleeding edge is a totally different story. Bleeding edge is a term used for techno test pilots, those who adopt a new technology before it is ever around long enough to be considered a new trend or standard.
For example, cutting edge people are just now adopting HD TVs, hybrid cars and websites like YouTube. Bleeding edge people are buying BluRay DVD players, computers with two dual core processors and buy their groceries on the Internet.
Some technology that I consider bleeding edge has been around for a long time.
Picking out an Internet provider in the good ol' days of the Internet was easy. All you had to do was pick a company that wasn't owned by AOL and you'd be OK.
Today the choice is much tougher because you must choose between dial-up and broadband. And if you choose broadband, you must choose which type of broadband is best for you.
Here is a handy guide to help you decide.
Dial-up – Dial-up Internet the slowest way to connect to the Internet, but it is usually the least expensive if you are comparing actual costs of service. However, there are other disadvantages besides lack of speed.