IT Queries: Computer problems answered

I am having trouble with a slow computer it is a Compaq Presario aobut 3 years old..I have XP operating system and have recently updated my Norton antivirus software this being Norton Antivurus and Norton internet security and norton System works..since putting these into my computer it is running very slow and cannot have more that one application running at a time…
which is very frustrating…my emails keep timing out as well and i am on broadband..

Unfortunately this is a fairly common problem with Norton products. They are very memory intensive and this is why we don’t recommend them.

If you are going to stick with Norton then the first thing you must do is run the Live Update function and reboot everytime you are asked. Repeat the Live Updates until there are no more updates available.

Then run a full system scan on your computer to check there is no malware.

Given Norton’s poor record in detecting threats, we’d also recommend following the instructions in our Removing a Trojan page.

Next, you should run a clean up on your computer. Make sure you back up all your data first, however.

The email problem indicates Norton Internet Security is blocking your mail server. It could be that NIS is slowing the computer by blocking various functions.

Symantec have a number of suggested fixes for the computers for this problem. It’s also possible the computer is being slowed because some services want to connect to the net.

If none of these solutions work, we’d suggest investigating a different security package.

I recently received a popup for an Adobe update (to Adobe Reader 8.1.2 + Adobe Media Player) with my ISP provider’s monthly invoice. I downloaded both, but then decided to uninstall both. Now when I reboot my computer I get a message headed ADVANCED INF install + the messag Error: Could not locate INF file “c:\WINDOWS\inf\GETPLUSo.INF.”

When I click OK startup proceeds as normal & computer seems to be running OK. Scans with AVG & Norton (Corporate edition) do not find any viruses.

I am running WINDOWS XP SP2. Any advice on how I can stop this annoying interruption to my startup would be just great!

The first thing to try is running the System Configuration Tool and seeing if anything to do with Adobe Reader or GETPLUSo is trying to start with the system.

If not, the next trick is to download Adobe Reader, reinstall it and then uninstall to clear the problem.

Finally, if the problem is still there run a registry cleaner after backing up all your important data.

My Windows XP Pro will not update from the Microsoft Update site. There appears to be an error. How can I fix it?

There’s a number of things that could be causing it, we’ll start with the easy ones.

1. Check your web browser
Windows Update only works on Internet Explorer. Make sure you are not accessing it through Firefox, Opera or Safari.

2. Remove pop up blockers
Pop up blockers can cause problems with Windows Update. If you are running the Google or Yahoo! toolbars you should disable the built in pop up blockers.

3. Watch for error messages
Sometimes the update function will try to update itself. This will trigger an error message in yellow across the top of the Internet Explorer 6 or 7 window. If that appears, you need to click it to install the Active X control that runs the update function.

4. Clean up your system
Sometimes the system is cluttered with temporary files. Clean up the computer to flush out anything that might be getting in the way.

5. Reinstall the Windows Scripting Host
One common problem that affects the Windows Update function and other web based programs is the Windows Scripting Host. Downloading and installing it often repairs ongoing problems.

Finally, patience might be all that’s needed. The Window and Microsoft Update pages are terribly slow to run at times so you may have to just let them go.

It is important though that you do update Windows on a regular basis so stick with it.

Hello.  I had a problem that PC Rescue helped me resolve previously, but the problem returned since I upgraded to the latest free AVG anti-virus protection. 

The problem was that my emails were arriving with an attachment symbol next to them, including those that did not have an attachment.  However I have recently downloaded the latest version 8 of AVG and the problem has returned.

This is the certification function in AVG. It adds a message confirming the incoming mail has been tested by the virus scanner and, as you’ve found, can irritate a lot of people.

We’ve already looked at another issue the certifier causes so if you follow the instructions in that post you’ll fix this problem.

I wish to connect two PC’s to one laser printer. Is it possible to achieve this by just using cables or do I need to go to wireless?

You can do either. Wired is faster and more reliable but wireless doesn’t require stringing cables around your home or office.

To network any device you need a network adapter. A wired one has a plug where the ethernet cable plugs in while a wireless one will have a radio built into it and may or may not have a aerial.

If your printer has either, or both, of these connections it’s a matter of either just plugging it into the network or entering the wireless network’s name and security details.

Should you not have either of these, you’ll need to buy an adapter that plugs into the printer which may be available from your printer manufacturer or you’ll need a print server.

Print servers plug into your printer’s USB port at one end and the network at the other. Note that a lot of multifunction printers don’t like this setup.

The final way is to just plug the printer into one of the computers and just share it across the network.

How can i find the conflicting IP address on the LAN? there is a message appearing in on the lower right corner of my screen “Windows error there is a conflicting address”.

The problem is you have a device with the same address on your local network. Either one of the devices is set manually or your router is giving out the wrong addresses.

The first thing to do is reset all the devices on your network. We have instructions for resetting the Windows computers on a previous page. You’ll have to do this with everything connected to your network; X-boxes, Air Ports, DVR, etc.

If that doesn’t work, turn off all your devices and restart your router. Wait a few minutes then start turning your devices back on. That should force the router to give out addresses in an orderly fashion.

Should one of the devices have a fixed IP address, the router may need to be set to exclude that address. You’ll have to read your router’s manual for  instructions on doing this.

when I login to a certain classified website everything works fine except it won’t accept my advertisements. Any reason for this?

There’s a number of things it could be; pop up blockers, scripting errors or even the type of technology used by the website. We’ll look at each of them.

1. What browser are you using?
It could be the website is using technology that only runs properly on one type of browser, usually Internet Explorer. Try accessing the site in Internet Explorer or another web browser such as Firefox, Opera or Safari.

2. Pop up blockers
Many websites use pop up screens for entering information. Check your browser or a tool bar add in isn’t blocking those pop up screens. If you look across the top of your screen when you click the submit link or button you might see something flashing or changing color.

You may want to try turning off the pop up blockers in add ins like the Google or Yahoo! toolbars as we’re finding many people have three or four pop up blockers working at once.

3. Scripting problems
Many website rely on Flash, Java or Windows Active Scripting. It’s worthwhile reinstalling all of these.

4. Clean up your computer
It could be your system needs a clean up. We have a previous page on tidying up your web browser and another on cleaning your computer. Do both.

If it’s all too hard, try another site. There’s no excuse for web designers to make it hard for their visitors and if a site doesn’t work for you, look elsewhere.

How do I go about networking both XP and Vista computers?

You’ll need to setup file sharing on both computers. Microsoft have instructions for sharing in XP here and for Vista here. You’ll need to connect both to a switch or a router either wirelessly or through Ethernet cables.

There are some tricks. We find lots of problems with firewall and security programs. Microsoft have instruction on changing the built in Windows firewall settings on their website.

You also need to make sure that all the folders you want to share have had their sharing enabled and permissions granted.

Troubleshooting network problems can be fiddly so if you find it’s taking too long you should call a computer tech to have a look.

When I look at my network in Windows Vista I see the Vista computers and my router but none of my Windows XP computers. 

Vista’s network mapping function relies on a protocol called Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) protocol. This isn’t part of Windows XP.

You can download and install the necessary programs for XP to use this service from the Microsoft website.

As far as we’re aware, there isn’t a LLTD add in for Apple Macs. If you want to use a mixed Mac and Windows network with these functions, it’s probably best to use the Apple Bonjour service.

I’m trying to share files between Windows XP machines. When I try to access anything on the computers I get an error saying “You may not have permission to use this network resource”.

I’ve shared my folders but still can’t seem to access anything?

There’s a number of issues that can be causing it. Microsoft have a comprehensive run down on the common causes for this problem on their website.

If none of the solutions on that page fix the problem, you may want to check if you have a firewall blocking the file sharing service. If you do, you’ll have to allow file sharing or add your network to firewall’s trusted zone.