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Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Cream cheese...she comforts me...

My desktop computer is dead. And this time I can't blame Dell. I have no one to blame but myself.

Last spring, when I bought my laptop, the sales associate recommended Norton for virus protection so I dutifully purchased it.

Over the summer when my McAfee subscription expired on my desktop I purchased Norton. After all, it came at the recommendation of the kind sales associate from Circuit City and I didn't have any problems with it on my laptop.

I installed it and began to use it without problem. However I started to notice that my computer seemed to be running slow. And the problem was gradually getting worse day by day.

Finally, around the beginning of December, I could take it no longer and decided to Google "Norton". And then I googled "Norton is making my computer slow". And a couple of days later I Googled "I'm going to shoot my computer if I don't get Norton off of it right away!"

It seems as if I am not the only person who has experienced problems with Norton. And it seems as if most of the geeks on the computer chat boards recommended removing Norton right away.

So, I took their advice and removed Norton right away. And low and behold, my computer started running like she used to run. I could zip between files, websites and applications without pause.

Cue the Angels singing.

The whole time I was enjoying my new found computer speed, I kept thinking in the back of my head that I really need to get McAfee or another virus protector back on the computer.

But I was busy and never got around to it. It was December after all. Christmas, vacation, travel, gifts, etc. I was busy!

Cut to the audience rolling their eyes, shaking their heads and murmuring, "we can see where this is headed."

Yesterday I pulled up the Internet and a bunch of pop up ads assaulted my screen. And then I tried to type in a web address and even though it was typed in correctly, I was sent to a different website.

And then I got the dreaded blue screen.

I almost started to cry when I saw the blue screen.

I turned off the computer, turned it back on and after many pop up ads and many reboots later, I finally got McAffee installed.

And after many more reboots I started running the virus scan.

I definitely have viruses and I think I removed a few of them from the computer. Unfortunately the dreaded blue screen keeps coming up before I can get the whole virus scan completed.

I made a few more attempts this morning but finally threw up my hands in despair.

I shut her down and will be taking her to my friends at the Geek Squad on Thursday morning.

Thank goodness for my trusty laptop. And thank goodness for cream cheese. I think I'm going to drown my sorrows in some right now.

And no. I will not be adding feta to it. I've learned my lesson.

I have it narrowed down to salsa or Harry and David's Sweet Red and Ancho Pepper Chili Sauce.

Ahhh...cream cheese...she comforts me.

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23 comments:

Cynthia said...

You just described the reason I switched to MAC...never looked back. Good luck to you:)

Lisa said...

Beth I know what you mean about running slow, I had that problem but I just yell for Tito, he is my computer geek, my husband. Apparently when the kids are playing their toon town and things like that I pick up spyware or something and then Tito has to fix it. Before he met me he never bothered with computers, I am so glad he started : )
Maybe next time I'll sprinkle on some feta......lol
That's what happens when we have a "hankerin" for something to eat and we can't figure out what.

Badness Jones said...

Poor baby! I'm lusting after a Mac...which is what I grew up with.

I hope geek squad gets you all sorted out. And enjoy your cream cheese!

Rebekah said...

I have Norton and yes, my computer does run slower than it should. I dont think I will renew this year- but I will indeed replace it with something else.

(I google everything, Im surprised I never thought to google that) Thanks for the tip

Not Your Regular Mini Van Mom said...

Oh that sucks :( I hate the dreaded blue screen. Maybe you should make yourself some creamy mashed potatoes too...that is my comfort food :(

Brittany said...

Sigh. The blue screen of death. Sigh. I've had that bad boy pop up on me before. LUCKILY- I married a geek and he has always (so far) been able to fix my sickly computers. GOOD luck!

Mari said...

oh no! I'm glad you have your laptop to keep you going. Thanks for the tip on McAffee. I'll have to look for that too. I've got Norton and it is slow.

Kimberly said...

I've actually had no problems with Norton, although we recently had to get a new computer. We had let Norton expire and within a day or two, I got the dreaded "Trojan detected" notice. We tried to remove it, and even had to "crash" it ourselves with that startup disk that comes with all computers. Still didn't work, so now we have a brand new laptop, with Norton on it, and no problems.

Hope you get this fixed soon. Computers drive me crazy, but we can't live without them these days.

PS...I find it hilarious that this post about a computer has the label "food"!! :-)

Jaina said...

Norton Internet Security is a pain. The Symantec Corporate Edition is awesome. It hurt my heart to hear that you were without antivirus for so long (I work in Tech Support) If I were closer I'd offer to help. I hope the Geek Squad is able to help you. Let me know if there is anything I can do.

Annikke said...

I hate computer problems! They make me want to pull my hair out! Good luck!

Alicia The Snowflake said...

Been there! Done that! Have the computer repair bill to prove it!

Hope they can get it figured out for you! In the meantime, have some chocolate. That always makes me feel better!

He & Me + 3 said...

Sorry about your computer...we went through that about 3 months ago and I made hubby run to Best Buy and buy a laptop for emergencies such as these. I was devasted.
I agree...cream cheese does comfort though. Yum Spread ontop of an everything bagel...it is heaven.
Hope the computer is up soon.

Andrea said...

I have solved my computer speed problem...I'm just going to keep buying computers to store my and more junk on them!!

Hope "she" gets fixed...soon!

Merrily Down the Stream said...

Is this your way of saying 'I have a computerly-transmitted virus and now you do too'?

Anonymous said...

Sorry for your computer woes! Amazing how dependent we are on these things. Hopefully the Geek Squad doesn't charge you too much.

Corey~living and loving said...

oh man...I get jitters just reading about it. eeekkkk...I hope your computer is well again soon.

Denise said...

Sorry Sweetie.

Debra Kaye said...

Oh Beth....I feel your pain! I've been there. Feels just awful, huh?

So sorry, my friend....and yes, more cream cheese!

Hugs to you!

jennwa said...

I hate that for you. Seeing the blue screen is the worst.
I sure hope Geek Squad can help.

Mandy said...

I actually just finished wiping the hard drive from ours and starting ALL over for the same reason. I haven't found an anti-virus I am happy with yet. I like living dangerously, apparently!

Jewel said...

Hmmmm.... I have Norton and haven't had any problems and it also keeps my computer free of adware and all. Let's pray that I don't have any problems in the future, k? *grin*

Jewel said...

I can't think of hardly anything else that I dread more than computer problems. Yuck.

Pam said...

If the Geek squad can't fix your Blue Screen of Death, or makes it worse, call my husband. I can't tell you how many times he has been called to fix that problem!