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Post by silverlining on Jan 3, 2009 19:14:39 GMT
Man, I'm posting here a lot XD
Okay, problem 1) I have one of those wireless network cards that you put into the computer via a USB-thingy. It worked wonders from the start, but the past few days it's been acting a bit odd. Namely it has been disconnecting me at random. At first I thought it was the network as a general being odd, but I've noticed that a lot of the time when it does it, the computer seems to think the USB-thingy has dissappeared. It'll go "the disc unit has been removed" or somesuch and then "a disc unit has been added". My guess is that the USB-thing has simply been damaged, possibly I've bumped into it or something, and as such is slightly bent somehow which is causing a glitch. Does that seem plausable? If it is, the best thing is just to get a new USB-thing, right? Or is there another possible problem I haven't thought of?
Problem 2) I have viruses. For some reason, my virus program, AVG Free 8.0, doesn't seem to notice them. But when a trail-thing for Norton scaned my drive, it found several viruses. However, as it was a trial version, it wouldn't remove them without a purchase. So I'm wondering if anyone knows any anti-virus software I could use? Free, of course. Either to download or one of those online scanners (I remember being linked to one a while back but I've forgotten what it was called).
All in all my computer is just wierd. I think it really needs that reformating, but I just haven't had time to make all the preparations for that...I hope I manage before it falls apart completely.
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Nina
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Post by Nina on Jan 3, 2009 20:22:31 GMT
Emma, which internet-company do you have? Some of the companies has a security package for a cheap price... I have one from Bredbandsbolaget, which costs me 49 Swedish Kronor (for both my computers). I haven't seen any free antivirus-programmes online, you have to pay for them... I got ZoneAlarm for my laptop, but it didn't include the antivirus-programme, just the firewall. So that's why I got F-Secure for the laptop as well.
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Post by silverlining on Jan 4, 2009 10:47:13 GMT
I'm only looking for free programs at the moment, but thanks for the tips. ^^
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xmasqueen
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Post by xmasqueen on Jan 4, 2009 15:35:58 GMT
I have the same problem with my PC Emma. Sometimes it connects really well, like right now, and others like last night it wouldn't stay connected. No one else in the house has this problem and my laptop seems to work fine, so I don't know why it's doing that either. I hope you find a solution and share it. As for free anti-virus programs I've never seen one that's free but it's well worth getting a good one and paying for it just to keep your PC safe. I have PANDA right now and it seems to work really well.
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Nina
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Post by Nina on Jan 4, 2009 16:34:19 GMT
I've never seen one that's free but it's well worth getting a good one and paying for it just to keep your PC safe. I agree with you on that, Carol! I think it's worth paying a monthly fee for the programme to keep the computer safe. I pay $6 every month, and F-Secure works really great.
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Post by silverlining on Jan 4, 2009 17:04:22 GMT
Well, if I don't want to buy one right now that's my perogative, no? As I have had a lot of success with free programs so far. I have the same problem with my PC Emma. Sometimes it connects really well, like right now, and others like last night it wouldn't stay connected. No one else in the house has this problem and my laptop seems to work fine, so I don't know why it's doing that either. I hope you find a solution and share it. As for free anti-virus programs I've never seen one that's free but it's well worth getting a good one and paying for it just to keep your PC safe. I have PANDA right now and it seems to work really well. Well, like I said I think my connection problems are due to my USB-thing (that being, one of those wireless cards that connect to the computer via a USB-port) being damanged, so if you aren't using one of those then my sollution probably won't help you.
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CountessCrazy
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Post by CountessCrazy on Jan 4, 2009 17:36:06 GMT
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Post by silverlining on Jan 4, 2009 19:05:37 GMT
Thanks for the tip CC, will try it!
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andavri
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Post by andavri on Jan 4, 2009 21:42:28 GMT
I use Avast and it's one of the better free programs. At least according to my mom and the tech people she works with. Also I'm not going to say that this is always the case, especially if your computer is working oddly. But sometimes you can get basically scareware from trial programs. They find a "problem" that isn't really there so you'll buy their product. It's something to keep in mind. ~Steph
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CharlieChomper
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Post by CharlieChomper on Jan 18, 2009 0:25:44 GMT
It's actually not that easy to damage a USB stick of that nature--nor to bend pins inside them that easily to where they should be causing that type of problem. I've literally had some (including wireless cards) that were put through quite a bit of abuse during a trip and did not notice any adverse affects upon them as a result. However, without knowing which wireless card this is, I'm not certain as to what may be causing this problem.
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Post by silverlining on Jan 18, 2009 14:07:21 GMT
It's a Netgear card, not sure what exactly it's called. Lately it's been acting nicely but I've also been extra careful not to disturb it. I didn't think it would be so easy to damange myself but after a number of occassions of me hitting my foot on the harddrive and the net dissconnecting just after without warning I do think it's more than a coincidence.
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CharlieChomper
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Post by CharlieChomper on Jan 19, 2009 7:52:23 GMT
Does it become dislodged from the USB port? I can see how that may potentially cause that sort of problem.
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Post by silverlining on Jan 19, 2009 13:00:01 GMT
It doesn't become visibly dislodged but the computer seems to think that it does which was why i guessed maybe it's just become dented enough to cause some sort of little glitch. Usually it starts itself back up if you wait a bit, or if you pull the USB out and put it back in.
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CharlieChomper
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Post by CharlieChomper on Jan 20, 2009 4:18:27 GMT
With most USB devices, they don't even really have to be visibly dislodged to be a bit fickle--sometimes all it may take is a little "nudge" to do that.
I've periodically had that happen to where I've plugged even something into a desktop, accidentally moved something or went to unplug something else and suddenly found a device misbehaving--it isn't because there was any physical damage to the USB device (again, it is very difficult to actually damage the USB pins unless you forcibly do something to them), it was because the port may think the device isn't properly "seated" enough to cause the problems if that makes any sense?
It can also take an operating system a bit of time to go "searching" for a particular device and adjust itself accordingly when this happens--moreso with anything that is what's known as "hot-pluggable" (which is essentially what all USB devices really are--you can plug/unplug them while the computer is still running, albeit you may have to "umount" them).
That's also why unplugging/plugging back in seems to allow for it to proceed to start working again.
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