Another MS rant

Yeah sure, there is lots of criticism of Microsoft and the crappiness
of their products; but through vigilance or whatever, I've managed to
use both OE and IE to my general satisfaction. Until last night. Add
me to the list of people who now hate that f*@#$ng software.

It seemed innocuous enough. The little Windows update icon popped up,
telling me there was an automatic update for IE, and that I could
continue what I was doing while it installed. Sure. Fine. These
things have always been benign enough in the past, go ahead. So the
install program chugs along, downloading and installing the latest
version of IE. Then it finishes; rather, it tells me that the
installation could not be completed, and I need to restart.
Inconvenient, but okay. Restarting is one of the things Windows users
get used to.

On getting my desktop back, I wanted to access a website, so I click on
my IE icon in the Quick Launch toolbar. IE flashes on the screen, then
it's gone. WTH? I try again; same thing. Okay, this blows. Now I
have no browser, and no way to get it back without opening my browser.
Did I mention this blows? Fortunately (and I doubt many typical IE
users would have this option at hand), I had my laptop handy, hooked
into the DSL modem, and downloaded a new copy of the install program
onto a flash drive. I plug it into the PC and run through the install
again. Same ****.

As a part of this miserable failure of a program, it gives me a handy
dandy troubleshooting guide that tells me a half dozen reasons why the
install failed, and several methods for how to modify my system to fix
their problem, one of which involves disabling my antivirus software
and three of which involve manual editing of the registry. Are they
f*cking kidding me? So I shut off Norton & try the reinstall again.
No dice. I've had it. I get out the laptop again & download
Firefox.

When I restart the desktop to install Firefox, I find that IE is now
magically working. I'm so confused. Unfortunately, my Norton
installation is now corrupt, and I have to go find the disk & reinstall
it. On top of that, everything seems to be working at slow motion. I
can't open Excel, because it's trying to do a virus scan, but the
virus software is screwed. I suppose I'm lucky that I have at least
half a clue what to do with this mess; but I hate this ****.

Joe F.

"rb608" wrote

I suppose I'm lucky that I have at least
half a clue what to do with this mess; but I hate this ****.


An IT pro I'm not, but the reading I've done in the IE, OE, and Word
newsgroups on news.microsoft.com pretty much says that Norton and Windows
are something like vinegar and oil -- they don't mix well. As Windows
security tries to assert itself (in the face of a new
application/update/whatever,) Norton fights it, and vice versa. The MVPs
generally suggest using AVG instead of Norton. I know nada about the why,
but after heeding the advice to switch, my previously crash-friendly machine
has mellowed substantially. Plus, AVG has the distinct advantage of being
free.

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

Good luck, herr swapmeister.

Dan

Daniel-San (Rot13) wrote:
"rb608" wrote

I suppose I'm lucky that I have at least
half a clue what to do with this mess; but I hate this ****.

CHACHING!! Whilst I was working on my MS in computing, my lovely bride
would make that wonderful cash register sound every time she heard of
someone's trials and tribs with MS or a new virus would try to destroy
the world. I personnally go "Splash!" which is the sound of a 22 inch
brown trying to shake my hook, the trip afforded me by my choice of
careers.
Frank Reid

On Jan 3, 8:37 am, "Daniel-San" (Rot13)
wrote:
"rb608" wrote

I suppose I'm lucky that I have at least

half a clue what to do with this mess; but I hate this ****.An IT pro I'm not, but the

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1


Another freebie is avast at:

http://www.avast.com/

I blew away Norton and for the last year have been pleased with the
combination
of avast and Windows Defender. In fact the first time I installed and
ran avast it
found 2 infections that Norton had missed. Free and NONE of the
problems I used
to have with the big name virus/firewall products. Works well with IE7.

Good Luck
Jeff

"jlp" wrote in message
oups.com...


On Jan 3, 8:37 am, "Daniel-San" (Rot13)
wrote:
"rb608" wrote

I suppose I'm lucky that I have at least

half a clue what to do with this mess; but I hate this ****.An IT pro
I'm not, but the

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1


Another freebie is avast at:

http://www.avast.com/

I blew away Norton and for the last year have been pleased with the
combination
of avast and Windows Defender. In fact the first time I installed and
ran avast it
found 2 infections that Norton had missed. Free and NONE of the
problems I used
to have with the big name virus/firewall products. Works well with IE7.

Good Luck
Jeff


I got rid of Norton, when I was running out of memory. Damn it is a
resource hog! I use AVG free and like it.