I have recently subscribed to my anti-virus software provider for another year and now I have downloaded it, it's a new version which is as user-friendly as a cornered rat. The scan ran today - it now takes three times as long as the old version - and it has indicated a problem. When I press buttons to deal with it, I get all kinds of warning messages up including notifications that I don't have permissions/access. It's MY computer and nobody else goes near it!! Cue technical support. They have sent me a totally incomprehensible set of instructions which don't work, or I have misunderstood the instruction. I emailed them again to say I can't get it to work. I get a standard email back saying they can't help unless I provide them with the information which involves downloading and extracting files and doing who-knows-what to get data to them. Do nerds think we all understand computer-speak? Now I am completely stuck with no chance of getting help and I am tempted to tell them to shove it where the sun don't shine and give me my money back. Argh!!!!!!!! I'm off to walk the dogs and cool down.
I hate most tech help for this very reason. I wasted an hour at PayPal the other week trying to figure out why something wasn't working the way they said it should be working, so e-mailed them to ask why not. I get a reply from eBay (not PayPal) giving me an answer which does not answer my question at all. Sometimes I feel people really don't even read the stuff we send them. And don't even get me started on the "tech support" for Google Sites...it's practically nonexistent! I couldn't even post in the help forum yesterday because the JavaScript was acting up and wouldn't let me post, and there's no contact information anywhere else! Really nice. I could go on forever.
Are you running Vista? I had this same problem for a time and it's the result of one of the OS's problems. Even if you're the only user, it automatically creates a second hidden profile for administration of your system (defaulting your user account to a standard one). What you need to do is go to user permissions and turn your user account into an administrator. If you do have Vista, PM me and I can try to guide you through the process. If it's not a Vista I can't help you, but I do know that some Macs have a similar problem but resulting from a different cause. No idea if Linux or XP had it though.
Yes, I am running Vista and despite not understanding a word of the explanation, it sounds right to me! I'll PM you later, when I am calm enough to listen properly! Thanks!
Alright I had that tingling in the back of my mind saying "I've seen this stench before..." I won't make promises that I can help you fix it but if it's the same problem I had I can guide you through the solution (I have two actually, one is easier than the other but doesn't always work), granted it's slightly complicated but luckily step by step instructions are usually better than the generic email they send out . I'm going to lunch now but I'll be back in about 30 minutes (Sorry but I have to make it before the Cafeteria closes cause then I'm without food for two hours and I haven't eaten today XD).
It's not really a good idea to run as administrator all the time in Vista, as it makes it ten times easier for any potential viruses to get complete access to your system. The User Account Control (the box that comes up and asks your permission to do stuff) is annoying as hell in vista, but should be left on for the same reason. Paid Antivirus applications such as Norton and McAfee are awful, evil things, and almost as bad as the viruses they're designed to catch. In my opinion, freely distributed software is much better than paid-for stuff, because it doesn't try to sell more stuff to you, and they invariably work better, because if they don't work, and nobody likes them, there are no donations and the distributors get a bad reputation. I use one antivirus called Avast! which runs in the background and is constantly on the lookout for infections, not just when you run a scan. You don't even notice it's there until it lets you know that it's just killed a trojan for you. MalwareBytes is a different, also free antivirus that has never let me down, it's the simplest one I've seen, too. I don't use it very often, but when something suspicious happens, and Avast doesn't seem to catch it, I run the MalwareBytes software. The homepages for those two are www.avast.com and www.malwarebytes.org, if you're interested in checking them out.
Not really a big deal. In Vista, even the Administrator is blocked from accessing files vital to the OS' operation (this is true of most operating systems), and it's not like a virus is that much more of a threat when it has more space to hide in. Any virus designed to infect an entire system will do so whether you're an administrator account or not. A virus designed to infect specific programs or operations will do so administrator or not. A virus that just goes in and does whatever isn't going to be any more threatening administrator or not. On a single PC running in Administrator all the time is not much different from running standard all the time (different story for networks). What status your account on a single PC has in relation to attacks from the outside is mostly irrelevant. Having administrator power actually makes managing security easier, because you are given more control over programs having internet and network access, some of which you won't have access to in standard accounts (as well as the ability to limit the access some programs have to each other). It also makes moding your favorite video games so much easier cause Vista hoses everyone on that front XD by blocking all access to program files unless your an administrator. I can't tell you how pissed I got when i found out I couldn't move my UT and Rome mods back into my game files. I haven't noticed much a difference between the various virus scan software's I've used myself. I have McAfee free because of my AOL account and it works well enough for me and well, AOL already spams me 24/7 any who XD. As long as you have a firewall and some proper securities put in place your reasonably safe from generic spyware and virus attacks (it also helps to be careful what you click on. Adobe = viruses galore XD).
i just went to the "Help Topics" section of my windows messenger, and I found my problem (how to keep it from starting automatically.) and these were my instructions: 1. Go to "Help" click "help topics" 2. Follow the instructions on the screen. So, I do, thinking it'll bring up a different page. The instructions on the screen were: 1. Go to "Help" click "help topics" 2. Follow the instructions on the screen. Seriously???
The situation has now worsened, if that could be possible. I gave up last night and went to bed. I fired up the computer this morning, to find two messages - one, that my protection was to expire in 59 days (eh? I've just renewed it for a year) and the other, to tell me that it HAS expired (eh? I've just renewed it for a year). It's AVG, in case anyone is interrested. I used to get the free version but you now have to pay for it. *sigh* I'd better send an email off to their sales department. emily... I feel your pain!
AVG is giving you issues. I'm using their free version and haven't experienced any issues thus far *knocks on wood* Though I still use XP...stubbornly refuse to Vista. Seriously, think of switching to Linux altogether. I use open source applications for just about everything. Even writing. Just wish I could an open source PDF reader and creator.
I'm ok with Vista. It's not the greatest OS ever made but it's at the very least functional (frustratingly...). I'll probably snag a Windows Seven upgrade soon as I can get my hands on it. A buddy has the beta and it is very nice so far (granted I haven't had the time to test everything about it. First impressions are very positive though). I have to say though I currently hate Linux with a passion. My university switched every computer in the CSC department from XP to Ubuntu and now nothing works. The PC's freeze a lot, don't recognize passwords or usernames anymore, and we've had five system crashes in the last 16 days. Maybe it's just the new OS jitters but I can't say I'm all that impressed. The system can't run half the programs we used to use, so we have to get new ones, all of which I'm finding inferior to our previous applications that did the same thing (Thank god we still have Eclipse though XD).
I have two sets of solutions. First set - Step 1: Download Avast Free edition (google search for it) Step 2: Uninstall AVG Step 3: Install Avast Problem solved. Yeah you threw away some money on AVG but it doesn't do you any good if you can't use it. Second set - Step 1: Call AVG instant support line (Find the number on their web page) Step 2: Follow agents direction or (and much more preferably) ask them to remotely access your machine and fix whatever the problem might be. Step 3: Cry when you get your credit card bill showing the extra fee for the support.
