Laptop internet problems

[lucybelle]

I've owned two laptops so I think that makes me a master computer technology wizard. I think you should get an old priest and a young priest, some holy water, and a crucifix and go at it!

[ethelynn]

But by all means, pooh pooh any offer of free help if you think she is not intelligent enough to handle some very basic help any IT desk customer service rep from DELL will be happy to provide her after 5 years out of warranty for up to a hundred bucks an hour.

I guess you have no experience with helping people fix their problems. I know plenty of people who have tried fixing their computer with something they read from the internet, but with lack of knowledge have managed to do a lot more harm. It's not about intelligence (at least most of the time), people just don't know how things works in a computer. It's matter of interest and will to learn. One thing is when you have read up on the matter and fully know what doing something really does, a totally different thing is doing something someone tells you to do with no knowledge of what it actually does, what to look out for and what not to do.

EDIT:

MicroSoft Security Essentials won't do squat if you get a virus/trojan/worm/malware that gets through it to begin with. It is acutally just built into to most windowns programs and not a stand alone anti-virus. On top of this once most anti-virus are breached they won't help you anymore. Try checking out sites that computer geeks use like Cnet and you can find the best free anti-virus. Avast is a great free one. I know of a few more hardcore programs to remove bad malware and such but I would wait before installing them.

I have around 8 years experience with PCs, so far I haven't had any viruses on my computers that have passed undetected. There really is no point in a lot of fancy programs if you neglect safety. And the problem with such programs is that you have to know for what and how to use them with highest efficiency. Antiviruses on their own do squat if you don't pay attention to from where and what you download or install on your computer. A way to get viruses on one's computer is taking advice that says to go find something from the internet and install it without that person knowing how to choose the right one.

[Hollandia]

You are 24. You have nowhere near as much experience with helping people with computers with computer problems as I do. I already stated I handled all the IT work for my former company. You have provided no actual knowledge of any kind of computers at all..... Do you have any?

I have, once again, fixed countless laptops and PCs from issues like these symptoms. To be beyond blunt, you are nothing but annoying to me now. I don't respect your opinion at this point because you have shown no knowledge and yet tried to debunk mine which I have obtained from fixing computers.

I never she suggested she download or install anything at this point, but you did.

If you want a pissing match, PM me. If not, let us leave this to the OP.

[Hollandia]

Hollandia, I'm an IT expert with almost 20 years in the field. I'm not a "savvy home user", this is what I do for a living. You think I don't know computers? I am more than slightly offended here, I guarantee my knowledge far exceeds your own, and I know exactly how to help people with little computer knowledge, I am a professional in this field, especially in assisting those with little knowledge. I'll bow out and let you continue giving your home user advice, seriously, WTF? OP, good luck.

If you are an IT expert ,then whey not offer actual help instead of telling her to go get it somewhere else she has to pay for it or "google it" ? I already stated I did all the IT at my last job, so not just a "savy home user" either. Not sure why my very basic offer was being debunked to begin with. Since when is a restore to a previous date, such a bad idea?

I am also off this thread but if the OP wants any more help as previously stated she can PM me.

[Tooki]

No, you can usually fix these issues without rebuilding the machine, you just have to be patient and know how to do it. The only time a rebuild is in order usually is if the user has had malware for some time, and it's been able to do a lot of damage. If it's too complicated, she should take it into a shop for repair, most users don't back their machines up, and if she wipes it, she loses everything. A trained pro can save her data, and fix whatever the issue is.

I was going to recommend a complete wipe but then I figured that OP wouldn't consistently back up her data. I too think that taking the computer to a store might be the best option just because OP may do more damage than good if she tries to do something more risky and complicated.

[Moon]

If you are an IT expert ,then whey not offer actual help instead of telling her to go get it somewhere else she has to pay for it or "google it" ? I already stated I did all the IT at my last job, so not just a "savy home user" either. Not sure why my very basic offer was being debunked to begin with. Since when is a restore to a previous date, such a bad idea?

I am also off this thread but if the OP wants any more help as previously stated she can PM me.

Because, unlike you, I am an actual IT professional, and due to my extensive experience, I could tell by her question what type of user she is, and it isn't the kind who should be doing these things on her own. I never debunked your offer, whatever you mean by that. Also, unless you are my friend or family member, I don't work for free, except for very basic advice, it degrades my profession and I do this shit on a daily basis. Doing "all the IT work" at some small place does not make you an experienced IT professional, no matter how you want to spin it. My sister did that too for her place, and she's in customer service. I also never said doing a system restore was a bad idea, please point out where I did. Sys restore will not fix a bad malware infestation, malware is much, much more sophisticated than that, and we don't even know that that's her actual issue.

[Ejoriah]

When I had instances where I couldn't browse (chrome, IE) but could use other things that use the internet (such as Skype or MSN back in the day), it was usually a DNS problem. A solution has been to set my DNS to use Google's. On XP:

Go to Control Panel>Network Connections and select your network.
Click Properties, then select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
Click Properties.

At the bottom you should see a bit saying "Use the following DNS settings:"

Enter 8.8.8.8 as the primary.

Note down the values that were there already, so that you can switch them back if you have to. Don't touch your IP settings.

Disclaimer (I guess I need one of those?): I built my first computer when I was 15, was my family's tech support, had what I think is a similar problem before, and asked my boyfriend who is a system administrator and deals with customers all day if this could be a DNS issue, and the best way of fixing it.

[rachelhappyface]

Wow didn't expect this many replies! Thankyou everyone for all your advice, on balance I think it's probably best if I take it to a professional because I don't feel confident making big changes myself. xx

[ethelynn]

You are 24. You have nowhere near as much experience with helping people with computers with computer problems as I do. I already stated I handled all the IT work for my former company. You have provided no actual knowledge of any kind of computers at all..... Do you have any?

I have, once again, fixed countless laptops and PCs from issues like these symptoms. To be beyond blunt, you are nothing but annoying to me now. I don't respect your opinion at this point because you have shown no knowledge and yet tried to debunk mine which I have obtained from fixing computers.

I never she suggested she download or install anything at this point, but you did.

If you want a pissing match, PM me. If not, let us leave this to the OP.

I have studied IT with a minor in teaching IT and been dealing with computers and fixing them since I was 15. To be blunt, I don't think you'd listen to anything I'd say anyway, so what is the real point of going into detail, I'm not a native English speaker, so I can't do better than Moon who has much more experience than me and you don't even give her respect. To people who have less experience with computer, it's better to explain things in a simple way, not going into too much detail. If someone doesn't have experience with repairing computer, who might not even know what a restore is or what means doing a factory restore, it is better to take the computer to someone with more experience (be it a friend or a store).

[80anthea]

have you tried turning it on and off again?








or a large hammer?









nope I'm out of ideas now

[AussieAmericanGirl66]

I've owned two laptops so I think that makes me a master computer technology wizard. I think you should get an old priest and a young priest, some holy water, and a crucifix and go at it!

Who knows, that just might work. It might seem silly, but another thing to consider is that Mercury has gone Retrograde, and it is notorious for causing communications technology or other electronics to go completely bonkers, burn up, blow up, and die. No kidding. It also causes communication problems between people, with people blurting out things, being impatient, misunderstanding, or just being rude and obnoxious. :-/