Not good-bye . . . just so long for a while (I hope)

Self | 1/23/'17 | Zionist Conspirator

[Zionist Conspirator]

I was so looking forward to the inauguration, after refusing to watch the two preceding ones. Unfortunately, fate intervened.

Our little family has had some rough luck the past month, and last week was especially so. Fortunately I could kick back and do anything on my trusty used computer, and had been watching a great deal of old movies. Thursday night while surfing I saw a couple of junk tabs open with Firefox allegedly wanting me to download something or other for safety. I've seen these before and have always just closed them. However, it's possible that this time I just sort of reflexively clicked on one of them.

Too bad I didn't have the presence of mind to run a virus scan before going to bed. The next morning I turned on my faithful old computer and a file had been removed or corrupted, preventing Windows from loading. I missed the inauguration to run the computer to the shop, but returned in time to hear the latter part of Trump's speech.

I basically abandoned the computer for the weekend, hoping against hope that they would somehow be able to restore it. I knew better, but I told myself it was a possibility. Because I knew what would happen: Windows had to be uninstalled and reinstalled, which means a week of scouring the Net for all the programs I now must download all over again, of logging back in to all my accounts, and downloading my personal files (this last is the easiest because I have them on disk).

Well, now I have my computer back. But you must understand that in the twenty years I've owned my own PC, I have only once in all that time bought a brand-spanking new one out of the office supply store (and it didn't last as long as any of the others). The others have all been custom-built/second hand/used jobs. That is what this one is. And there's another little wrinkle in the plot: it's operating system is still Windows XP (which is what the repair guy installed back on it). Now I know that XP has been unsupported for some three years or so, but I already had everything on my computer and everything worked fine. Now there's a problem. Since I no longer have all the stuff on it and have made several attempts to download them, I find that many of them will no longer install on XP at all. What I have here is a bare-bones job that will allow me to read sites like FR and my beloved pony fics and listen to music on YouTube (thanks to html5), but I'm not going to be able to do anything else. I can't even get Flash to install on this thing now! This cannot stand.

So it appears I must screw up all my courage and actually buy a brand new computer. This is extremely difficult for me at any time as I am disabled and on a fixed income. But it is especially so at this time of year when so many annual and semi-annual bills are coming due. But it's either that or continue to pay a monthly DSL subscription and not be able to get my money's worth out of it.

This is going to be a hairy thing to try to do. And I don't at this moment know how long it will take. I can only say that until I have a new computer and get it up and running, you aren't going to hear a great deal from me. As I said, I'll do a little reading, but that's about all.

It's really too bad when you consider that until that stupid virus on Thursday night, I had an outdated computer that did it all. I had no complaints whatsoever. I enjoyed every form of media online. But one little tab that wasn't closed correctly and one failure to do a virus scan sealed my fate.

I hope I'll be back soon, but for now it's day-to-day. I just wanted those of you who are on my ping lists to know what happened.

In the immortal words of Derpy Hooves, "I just don't know what went wrong!"

[CtBigPat]

I bought a Core2/Win 7 HP from WallyWorld last spring and I've had good luck with it so far.

Hope you're back soon!

[catnipman]

your best bet is to buy one of these as a replacement if you want a desktop:

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/optiplex-3040-desktop/pd?3x_nav=PROC_BRAND%3DCORE_I5_6%26OS_BRAND%3DW7&3x_page=1&filterCollapsed=true

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA24G3SW1221

if you want a laptop:

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/latitude-e5570-laptop/pd

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/latitude-e5470-laptop/pd

weirdly enough, the 15” ones are less expensive than the 14” inch ones right now.

these are fine laptops and desktops, btw. I’ve bought many for clients.

[Arthur McGowan]

www.avast.com

FREE!

[AFreeBird]

Okay: Old Gateway and XP could be a problem. I don’t think MS has updated XP, for us average Joes in a while. And the Gateway is probably out of date and unable to keep up.

If your hardware is still doing okay, a fresh install of XP is probably in order. You’ll have to back up your data, but go with a fresh install and reload programs as needed. And only needs programs. You’ve probably accumulated a lot of stuff over the years, that out of date. also only go with what you need.

[onedoug]

Likewise.

[NYCslicker]

Just buy Windows 10 and you probably won’t have to buy a new computer. If you can buy Windows 7 you can probably use the handicapped upgrade to Windows 10. That should help things.

Or just buy an android tablet for $200 and surf the net that way. AT&T will practically give you a tablet if you have an account with them.

[FreshStart 2016]

Several months ago I purchased 40 Dell Optiplex 380 desktop computers and installed Windows 10 on them when it was free.
I sold a bunch of them but I have some left that I want to donate.
If you would like one you can have it for the shipping cost.

[free_life]

I bought a Samsung 10.5” Tablet from one of those refurbished Ebay sellers. The tablet was a retail store display tablet, they made sure it was set back to factory and everything worked fine. I bid on it and won it 35% the cost of a new one retail. Works great, fast, and I hardly use my laptop now.

There are a bunch of sellers on ebay that sell refurbished and open box desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones etc.

Look at the ones who put up lots items for sale daily with good feedback. Bid low on top brand units that fit your needs. Samsung, Apple, Ms Surface Pro, MSI laptop and other such brands. Get someone who knows their stuff to sort through auctions to get a good one. Watch the ones you are interested in in the last few minutes of the auction and bid on the ones that are still priced low.

I have also seen people selling refurbished computers on Kijiji.

[lysie]

That where I buy my computers...eBay. I've been doing it for years and have always had good luck. The average price I pay is $150.00.

In fact, I thinking of getting one just to hook up to our TV for online streaming.

[Neidermeyer]

Time to upgrade , anything Gateway is old enough where anything could go wrong ,, a motherboard component or the power supply.. I wouldn’t put time or money into it..

Here’s what I’d do.. buy a used server or workstation on eBay from a reputable refurbisher that is Microsoft Authorized , nothing more than 4 years old ,, i3 or better processor (xeon is better) with windows 7 or 10 installed ... then enjoy it for the next 10 years.. AND RUN A GOOD ANTI-VIRUS

[Mr. Douglas]

My main computer runs Windows 10. I have a backup that uses XP as well as a desktop and laptop that run Win 2k. But those are mainly dedicated to music recording and playback. They never touch the internet.

[FreshStart 2016]

I have one connected to every tv in the house.
Originally just for streaming but the one in the living room has turned into my main browsing machine.
I like to mess with them as a hobby but I couldn’t resist the free OS.
In my area you can get a solid machine that will run any available OS for less than $60 if you know what to look for.

I get all of mine from Craigslist.

[Zionist Conspirator]

If your hardware is still doing okay, a fresh install of XP is probably in order.

That's what the guy did. He re-installed XP and now nothing will install on it. I can't even install Adobe flash player. My anti-virus program can't even update!

Until thursday night this computer was perfect.

You never know when something like this is going to happen, do you?

[lysie]

We bought one listed on Craigslist a few years ago.

[Phinneous]

“Zionist Conspirator” ey?? He’s probably run off to Israel to build homes in the “west bank.” Hmmmmm.... “Bank” Perhaps the Jooooos names the side of a river a “bank?” Very plausible....

G-d Speed ZC!!!!!! :)

[free_life]

I bought a Android TV box and have it hooked to net and TV. Use a minature Bluetooth /WiFi touch pad / backlit keyboard. Installed a few browsers, YouTube and Kodi app. Octa core and quad core processors and 3g ram. Under $100 including cables. .. works great.

[rmlew]

You can't call the Rothschild clan to give you a new system?
Your best bet is probably to run linux, but there may be other options. What is your model number for this turn of the millennium Gateway machine? If we have this, we can look up the specs.
What programs did you use other than Firefox?
Did you back up your data?

[Zionist Conspirator]

Wow, so many questions.

I could go into the specs for this computer but it would take me forever going from this window to the pop up window to put everything down.

Right now everything is working again except for two problems: 1)iTunes (the format in which I keep my music) will no longer install, and 2)for some reason this computer now takes about five minutes after I click on "turn off computer" to power down.

My sister works with three "computer prodigies" at her place of employment, one of whom built her very own computer when she was about eight years old. Next week (be`ezrat HaShem) I will take this computer up there for them to look at. I hope to at least get the power down working again.

Right now several things are on the table: linux or lubuntu, updating Windows, or getting a new computer (the latter to be avoided if at all possible, though it may not be). Right now everything else is back to almost normal, and I'm going to try and relax for the weekend.

Thank you for the post!