Girlfriend's Laptop

2009-04-29 08:43:21

#1

Ridir: Semper Fi!; +48|6765

So we got her a dell XPS laptop a while back, probably 8 months. I hate the damned thing. It overheats faster than a stove and has so many background programs from dell it can't run anything efficiently. What I am having huge problems with is that she doesn't understand the difference between RAM and ROM and thinks that when we install a new program and then the laptop does something retarded it's the new program's fault.

[220 GB hard drive, only about 100 or so is used.]

Technical Problems:

1. Norton, the infamously horrible antivirus software and internet security, was already bought and paid for and installed on the computer before she got it. It sucks and takes up a huge amount of resources but it also suddenly quit working when I installed one of her games [WoW]. The antivirus part only doesn't work. At first it said that the subscription was up but online it reactivated and said she had 220ish days left. Well the antivirus still isn't up but we got the rest working and I managed to open up the ports for her to play on. If anyone can help me figure out what Norton is doing and how to fix it that would be great.

2. What is a low resource anti virus/firewall program?

3. I cannot run disk defrag. Yep, I get to the control hit defrag now and the computer literally refuses, says that it will run it when it is scheduled, but then the scheduled time comes and it doesn't defrag. WTF is going on?

4. She is playing WoW and it randomly disconnects her. I know it's not our internet because I will be playing a game at the same time and not even have a problem. What should I look at to try and fix this.

Also I've disabled user account control and windows firewall because Norton's firewall hates to go down and pops up every five minutes that it is disabled.

2009-04-29 08:57:38

#2

mafia996630: © 2009 Jeff Minard; +319|6764|d

1.Norton sucks, period.
2.I personally use COMODO firewall and av, never had a problem with it.Its also free so check it out.
3.Vista sucks, period.
4.depends what connection she's on, wireless ? can still axcess internet or is it just wow that disconnects.

Last edited by mafia996630 (2009-04-29 08:58:03)

2009-04-29 09:02:07

#3

Freezer7Pro: I don't come here a lot anymore.; +1,447|6198|Winland

mafia996630 wrote:
3.Vista sucks, period.

Don't get me started. Please.

The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP

2009-04-29 09:03:27

#4

steelie34: pub hero!; +603|6382|the land of bourbon

Freezer7Pro wrote:
mafia996630 wrote:
3.Vista sucks, period.
Don't get me started. Please.

srsly. vista haters usually have alot of pebkac errors anyway, so i ignore them.

Uninstall norton, and let windows use it's built in firewall. i promise you your system will run 100000 times faster. and as long as you keep your windows defender definitions up-to-date anduse firefox, you will never get a virus or spyware. you really dont need norton (or any AV for that matter, but that's a different discussion)

Last edited by steelie34 (2009-04-29 09:05:38)

https://bf3s.com/sigs/36e1d9e36ae924048a933db90fb05bb247fe315e.png

2009-04-29 09:06:55

#5

mafia996630: © 2009 Jeff Minard; +319|6764|d

I'm not a vista hater, i personally think it sucks. I'm really looking forward to Windows 7 with xp mode.

2009-04-29 09:09:27

#6

Ridir: Semper Fi!; +48|6765

it's wireless, we both keep internet and can access the web. It just randomly disconnects her.

2009-04-29 09:11:59

#7

steelie34: pub hero!; +603|6382|the land of bourbon

Ridir wrote:
it's wireless, we both keep internet and can access the web. It just randomly disconnects her.

its definitely norton.

2009-04-29 09:18:39

#8

Freezer7Pro: I don't come here a lot anymore.; +1,447|6198|Winland

mafia996630 wrote:
I'm not a vista hater, i personally think it sucks. I'm really looking forward to Windows 7 with xp mode.

Flaming OSes is never a good idea. Especially not when the OS you're flaming is vastly superior to the alternatives

Spoiler (highlight to read):
I kid, I kid, let's end this here.

The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP

2009-04-29 09:22:58

#9

Finray: Hup! Dos, Tres, Cuatro; +2,629|5789|Catherine Black

Format will fix all the problems, bar the overheating.

Perhaps try a cable for the disconnecting, and for a low memory/resource anti-vir/firewall, try AVG, Kaspersky isn't bad, or just use some common-fucking-sense. You don't need an anti virus if you use your brain.

EDIT: Elaborating on the cable thing, if she's using wireless, then use an ethernet cable, should be a port somewhere on the back/sides.

Last edited by Finray (2009-04-29 09:24:00)

2009-04-29 10:06:48

#10

Ioan92: Member; +337|5723

She can fix the overheating if she stops using the laptop on a uneven surface like a bed or couch, it blocks the vents.

I recommend a complete format as it sounds some files may have gotten corrupted.

2009-04-29 11:01:17

#11

Ridir: Semper Fi!; +48|6765

she likes to play internet flash games and goes to all these random sites for them so I want her to keep a basic firewall. The thing with the XPS is that even on an even desk the computer overheats, it has a single vent in the back that just doesn't work well.

Now here is the freakist thing that it does and i forgot about it. She will be writing an article (journalist) and takes a little while, 20-30 minutes for short ones, an hour or two for the longer ones column like ones. When she is done and sitting on the couch away from the laptop (its still on the desk) it will crash to a black screen where it asks if you want to restart in safe or normal mode and likes to scan all of the files anyway. I just don't get why her laptop is so crash happy.

2009-04-29 11:06:17

#12

steelie34: pub hero!; +603|6382|the land of bourbon

Ridir wrote:
she likes to play internet flash games and goes to all these random sites for them so I want her to keep a basic firewall. The thing with the XPS is that even on an even desk the computer overheats, it has a single vent in the back that just doesn't work well.

Now here is the freakist thing that it does and i forgot about it. She will be writing an article (journalist) and takes a little while, 20-30 minutes for short ones, an hour or two for the longer ones column like ones. When she is done and sitting on the couch away from the laptop (its still on the desk) it will crash to a black screen where it asks if you want to restart in safe or normal mode and likes to scan all of the files anyway. I just don't get why her laptop is so crash happy.

the first problem won't be solved by a firewall. it's more of a common sense thing and making sure you use firefox and windows defender.

the overheating issue is a manufacturer defect (i also have used an xps and they get really hot)

the last problem is probably because the system is set to hibernate, which you should disable. hibernating is notoriously buggy and causes alot of stupid problems. you are better off putting it to sleep, or shutting it down.

as far as the wireless cutting in and out, make sure her system doesn't turn off her network cards to save power when it's on batteries.

2009-04-29 14:53:23

#13

SofaKing18: L33TGamerz.com; +7|5500|Rainbowland

Vista just rapes laptops. It takes too long to load and srsly decreases the performance. If you're gonna have a laptop, I srsly suggest XP.

2009-04-29 15:02:51

#14

Kimmmmmmmmmmmm: ©; +1,811|5998

wipe it and do a clean install

2009-04-29 15:11:48

#15

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6454|The Twilight Zone

♦ COMODO is good as mafia pointed out also Avast- both free

♦ try these free dragragers:
http://download.cnet.com/Smart-Defrag/3 … 59533.html
http://download.cnet.com/Auslogics-Disk … 67503.html

♦ disconnecting issues: do you have a router perhaps?

https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png

2009-04-29 15:15:38

#16

Pochsy: Artifice of Eternity; +702|5544|Toronto

I have the same laptop and face the blue screen of death daily. I've been trying for 2 months to fix it, but I'm giving up now...I'll just live with random crashes.

The shape of an eye in front of the ocean, digging for stones and throwing them against its window pane. Take it down dreamer, take it down deep. - Other Families

2009-04-29 15:25:22

#17

ceslayer23: IN YOUR MIRROR; +142|6362|CLOSER THAN I APPEAR

Reformat with XP

or Vista, whatever

AVG anti virus
no firewall needed tbh

2009-04-29 21:20:44

#18

Ridir: Semper Fi!; +48|6765

thanks everyone. I have some of it fixed, talked her into only WoW instead of flash games and have her using the little stand so there is air flow underneath. Unfortunately I can't fix everything

2009-05-03 21:58:54

#19

Ridir: Semper Fi!; +48|6765

just curious, i can't seem to find a way to uninstall norton on this laptop. Heck getting add/remove programs is a pain in the ass it was renamed to some other shit but I can't really get norton outta here. any ideas?

2009-05-03 22:04:13

#20

SofaKing18: L33TGamerz.com; +7|5500|Rainbowland

Add/remove didn't work? - Start/Control Panel/Programs/Uninstall a Program

2009-05-03 22:10:13

#21

Wallpaper: ☺; +303|5995|The pool

Norton... eww! Its a bitch to get rid of totally. Do what Sofa said and after that do a windows search for norton and symantec. Then delete what it finds (though be careful and make sure what you are deleting is norton and not something important ). That should get most of it

My flickr

2009-05-04 00:44:00

#22

TheDonkey: Eat my bearrrrrrrrrrr, Tonighttt; +163|5718|Vancouver, BC, Canada

lol, random thing about overheating.

I was trying to explain to my dad how bad HP laptops are for circulation/cooling, because a friend of mine's is 6 months old and overheating. His response:
"Tell her to quit watching porn in bed"

I lol'd.

/semi-threadjack.

2009-05-04 01:46:06

#23

Little BaBy JESUS: m8; +394|6150|'straya

Do laptop coolers (like this http://itsdirect.com.au/com_products.ph … Cooler_200) work that well? or are they just a waste of money?

Last edited by Little BaBy JESUS (2009-05-04 01:46:23)

2009-05-04 04:59:10

#24

Cheez: Herman is a warmaphrodite; +1,027|6440|King Of The Islands

1. http://service1.symantec.com/Support/ts … 3108162039 Norton 2009 > CA.

2. eset NOD32

3. O&O Defrag

M. S. CONFIG.

My state was founded by Batman. Your opinion is invalid.

2009-05-04 05:07:49

#25

FatherTed: xD; +3,936|6501|so randum

norton is a fucking bitch to get off your pc. uninstall everything you can, then delete any left behind stuff that really wont shift. then do a long defrag+ clean, otherwise installing a new av (AVG) might make something shit a brick.

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BF2S Forums Girlfriend's Laptop

mafia996630 wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

mafia996630 wrote:

Ridir wrote:

mafia996630 wrote:

Ridir wrote:

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