Computer Advice Requested (VANITY - I'm Done With Windows!)

5/20/2005 | Me

[Mr. K]

I know - I am just tweaking the Linux geeks- I am a programmer- I work on both Windows and Linus and I love them both for the things each is best at.

[xrp]

You shouldn't use a computer anymore. If you're too stupid to use Windows, then you definitely shouldn't try Linux.

[CFC__VRWC]

I just wanted to take a second and thank everyone who came onto this thread to offer me some very good advice. I admit I did what turned out to be a boneheaded thing - I guess I'd just gotten lucky for all these years by avoiding this kind of catastrophe earlier. One thing for sure - I will never again use any Symantec product, and will strongly encourage anyone thinking about them to look elsewhere.

In the end, I decided to go with a Mac Mini - I was looking at replacing my old PC within the next year or so anyway, so I just moved the retirement time up a bit. I've pretty much gotten all of my data files moved over to the Mac, and now am using my old hard drive in an external enclosure as a backup volume. Overall, I'd say I've gotten off pretty lightly.

So again, many thanks to everyone who came here to help. As for those of you who came on here to hurl insults, well, at least I know some more people I can safely ignore in the future.

[Swordmaker]

I decided to go with a Mac Mini

Welcome to the wonderful world of Mac... you won't regret it.

[Petronski]

As I understand it, there are TWO mac minis. I highly recommend the bigger one ($600 v. $500 for more of everything).

[CFC__VRWC]

That's the one I got. So far it's working great. My only gripe with it so far is that I wish it had more memory. But that's fixable - I've already found an article that tells me how to open the case and change out the DIMM. And it's not like I haven't done that task a bunch of times with my PCs.

[HAL9000]

Thanks for the update.

Here are three good web sites for Mac owners -

www.maccentral.com

www.macintouch.com

www.macrumors.com

[CFC__VRWC]

Thanks for the links - they've been bookmarked!

[streetpreacher]

I'm looking to make the Linux jump and it was a link you posted on another thread recently that finally pushed me over the edge. As I get closer to the move, I might FReepmail you with some questions if that's okay.

[streetpreacher]

I've been running Norton Internet Security and Anti-Virus 2004 since the release date and no problems, except this recent one:

I cannot "disable" or turn off any function: firewall for example.

Furthermore I cannot disable the Norton programs themselves.

I am logged on as Administrator and when I try to do this it is prompting me for a password. 'Cept I never set up a password for any user account on Norton.

There's also this interesting tidbit. Under "User Accounts" there is one entitled ASPNET which if for children. I don't remember that being there before and I didn't create it.

EDIT - Just looked at my User Accounts. I am logged on as Owner. I am "locked out" from logging on as Admin. as the "Log Off" button is disabled (greyed out) along with the "Change Password".

Have I been hacked or is this just the unfortunate by-product of a Norton update?

[this_ol_patriot]

Under "User Accounts" there is one entitled ASPNET

That's because you or some program installed the .NET framework or a new MS Visual product.

Microsoft ASP.NET

[this_ol_patriot]

A few other things if you have ATI video drivers you probably installed .NET (as post my above), it's needed to use the Catalyst control center.

You can't use that Admin account as you are already logged in as Admin, that's for the safe mode Admin account.

For Norton make sure you are in the same account that it was installed from. It was probably installed for "All Users" but it can only be modified from the installing account and should be.

[rdb3]

As I get closer to the move, I might FReepmail you with some questions if that's okay.

Feel free.