Is there a big computer problem out there today?

[Scott Shepherd]

I left work to go do a job yesterday, computer was fine. Came back yesterday evening, no one's touched it, computer had an error message on it about a problem with "Explorer" and it needed to close "Explorer". Since then, it's been very sluggish. I run my up to date virus/internet security daily, and I haven't opened any suspect emails or gone to any sites I don't know are safe. I've run my virus scanner, I've run system tools, I've cleared everything out of the normal temp files, etc., but the system is still sluggish. In the task manager, I can't locate any resource hogs or suspect programs and all resources seem to be fine. I have 3GB of RAM, so it shouldn't be a RAM issue, I don't think. So after 2 hours of messing with it, defragging the hard drive and cleaning up all I could clean up, I left. Same thing this morning.

However, I thought I heard on the new this morning that it seems that a lot of people are having computer/cell phone/ electronic issues this weekend. It caught my attention when I heard it and I walked back to the tv and it was nothing more than them mentioning that they were all having problems and then they went to the next story.

Anyone else see anything, hear anything?

Also, went to use my computer at home this morning, went to wake it up, nothing happened. I noticed the lights were all off. No power. No power to my APC battery backup. Backup is fried completely and will not come on. Odd that everything seems to all be acting weird within 24 hours.

Got to be a common thread out there?

[Jeff Craven]

My Macintosh is just fine. :)

[Tim Morton]

My Macintosh is just fine. :)beat me to it:D:D

[Scott Shepherd]

I tired a Mac last night and it works fined as well :)

Wish I could say that all the time, but we can't get the laser manufacturers to code a Mac driver for laser engraving ;) So we're stuck at the moment :)

[Bill Arnold]

I don't have any problem with my desktop or laptop -- both PCs.

[John Shuk]

beat me to it:D:D

Nuther nose rubber here.:p

[Jim O'Dell]

Haven't noticed anything off here. My PC, and I'm guessing my wife's PC since I haven't heard her complaining, are working fine. Jim.

[Scott Shepherd]

Thanks all! I didn't worry too much about my issues, and figured I would eventually work it out, but when I heard on the news that it seemed lots of people where having problems, I began to doubt it was just my stuff.

Sounds like it's just my stuff :) Seems to be working fine now after a few reboots.

[Robert Eiffert]

Maybe this one; called 'Downadup'
"The worm that has infected millions of Windows PCs is a "very well-engineered" piece of malware, according to one security expert. But researchers still have no clear idea what the hackers plan to do with the collection of computers they've compromised with "Downadup."" http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9126691

"October 23, 2008 (IDG News Service) Microsoft Corp. (http://www.computerworld.com/action/inform.do?command=search&searchTerms=Microsoft+Corporation) fixed a critical bug in its Windows operating system Thursday, saying that it is being exploited by online criminals and could eventually be used in a widespread "worm" attack." http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=spam,_malware_and_vulnerabilities&articleId=9117958


I'm on Linux - Ubuntu, using Firefox 3.0.5. So, no problems. Wife's XP system is on auto update, runs AV software, and no problems.

[Stephen Beckham]

Scott,

I noticed an issue that started two weeks ago. I happened right after I turned down the latest and greatest updates from Microsoft.

Now I can watch a spike in activity every 4 seconds regardless to what I'm doing and what I've got open. It doesn't start for about 30 minutes. After it starts, I can't figure out what is doing it. Everyday I watch the logs and alerts, I bring up the Manager so I can watch the scope to see when it starts, but it's a bugger to figure out...

They were talking about it on fox and friends this morning with their built in Nerd. He was joking a lot about it, so I don't know if they are serious or if they were just drumming up more Nerds like me that like to watch his gadget's stories...

[Robert Parrish]

Gee, I hope the 5000 people that Microsoft laid off didn't work in internet security!

[Gary Click]

Suggest you consider downloading Spybot Search & Destroy. I have used this for several years for spyware and adware defense.

[Bruce Page]

No problems with my PC

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I had a computer issue and am still recovering. Mine was brought on by an intermittant failure of a 6 year old 200GB "C" drive, however. Last night about 1800, I decided to replace it before the LOML gets home this evening from 10 days in Illinois. I'm just now getting it to resemble it's old self without the issues I was having. The old hard drive intermittantly made noises similar to what I remember when I worked air traffic control maintenance in the Navy and was out on the runway in a truck waiting to get clearance to go to the Precision Approach Radar...:cool: In the process, my ethernet drivers didn't get loaded for some reason and dummy (that's me) struggled with that for a couple of hours. Finally got it figured out..got them loaded and then could do the hours of downloads from Microsoft and ZoneAlarm. I worked until 0400 and finally slept until 0800. I still don't have my wife's photography software loaded but Hey....she doesn't fly in until 2130.:D I've got some breathing room....and laundry to do...and dishes to do......Did I mention I miss the LOML? But this place will pass inspection when she gets here.:D

[Frank Hagan]

I left work to go do a job yesterday, computer was fine. Came back yesterday evening, no one's touched it, computer had an error message on it about a problem with "Explorer" and it needed to close "Explorer". Since then, it's been very sluggish.

What anti-virus are you using? Check their site manually for an update.

There is a worm that isn't being stopped by the updates to Windows XP, and the security estimates are that it has infected 1 out of every 16 PCs ... its named either conficker or downadup depending on the software. But it is spread by the "autorun" feature of DVDs, CDs and USB sticks. Once on a network, it spreads throughout the network.

BTW - Mac guys ... don't get the pirated version of iWork 2009; it has a trojan virus. See this article on Wired (http://www.switched.com/2009/01/23/iwork-09-trojan-virus-infects-at-least-20-000-machines/). With the popularity of Macs growing, its time for you to be careful as well.

[Robert Parrish]

Thanks Frank! I just ordered the legal version from Apple.

[Scott Shepherd]

Using eset internet security and it's updated. I've been around computers a long time and I don't tend to do stupid stuff, especially on my work computer here. I don't use IE, I use Firefox, Thunderbird, and Open Office, so I'm not prone to some of those weaknesses.

I am tracking it down to a training DVD I just got. It wouldn't come up when I put it in the drive, and it ended up freezing my computer time and time again. Took the disc to a Mac, did the same thing there. It shows zero files on the disc. I think it was a hosed up DVD and it's wreaked havoc on both the PC and the Mac trying to figure out what to do with it.

Everything is fine now, system is running fine, no signs or symptoms of any more issues.

[glenn bradley]

My Macintosh is just fine. :)

That would imply that it was in the first place :eek:-:D:D:D.

[Jason Roehl]

That would imply that it was in the first place :eek:-:D:D:D.

Yeah, paperweights tend not to fail. :eek::D:cool:

[Greg Peterson]

Yeah, paperweights tend not to fail. :eek::D:cool:

If I paid that much for a paperweight I'd be pretty unhappy to if it contracted a virus.

IMac users, how do you tell a user which delete key to use? I know being counter-culture is cool, but renaming the backspace key to 'delete' just seems beyond ridiculous.

Me: Use your delete key.
User: Which one.
Me: Well, on your old PC, it was labeled 'Backspace". But Apple wanted to increase the simplicity of your computing experience and now equips their keyboards with two, count 'em, two delete keys.

I showed up for a recording session only to have it canceled after an hour and a half due to a corrupt driver on an Apple.

[David G Baker]

I use unwanted CDs to keep birds from flying into my windows (the glass kind, not the MS type). Seems to work most of the time.

[Don Bullock]

If I paid that much for a paperweight I'd be pretty unhappy to if it contracted a virus.

IMac users, how do you tell a user which delete key to use? I know being counter-culture is cool, but renaming the backspace key to 'delete' just seems beyond ridiculous.

Me: Use your delete key.
User: Which one.
Me: Well, on your old PC, it was labeled 'Backspace". But Apple wanted to increase the simplicity of your computing experience and now equips their keyboards with two, count 'em, two delete keys.

I showed up for a recording session only to have it canceled after an hour and a half due to a corrupt driver on an Apple.

Just a clarification Greg, my iMac keyboard has only one delete key. It functions exactly the same as my "back space" key on my PC which does delete highlighted text and "selected" objects. I'm far less confused with the iMac keyboard than my PC which, by the way has both the back space and a delete key.

As for counterculture, if culture means that every moment I'm on the Internet I have to wonder if the next thing I do will wipe out my hard drive, then I use my PC. Somehow, I much prefer a culture where I don't have to be susceptible to that kind of "culture," so I use my iMac when I'm on the Internet.

[Greg Peterson]

The one IMac I provide support for has the PC, English 101 keyboard Delete key, and it does precisely what anyone who has used a computer in the past twenty plus years would expect it to do.

For what has been called a backspace key for decades, this IMac has another keyed labeled 'Delete'.

And don't even get me started on the Home and End keys. In Windows I am able to do just about everything without the mouse. Mac seems to thrive on users being dependent on the mouse (until recently that would be a one button, standard issued mouse at that).

I think Apple was trying to be cute and go against well established norms. Apple have nice products, but between my Ipod and the IMac I have to support I don't see any advantages in the Apple domain.

Apple does a nice job of prompting for admin credentials when it needs to perform an install or update. MS certainly trails in this regard and I think this accounts in large part for the reason that many people just give themselves admin privileges. It's a pain to log off, log on as admin, install, log off and log back in as a regular user.

[Frank Hagan]

Using eset internet security and it's updated. I've been around computers a long time and I don't tend to do stupid stuff, especially on my work computer here. I don't use IE, I use Firefox, Thunderbird, and Open Office, so I'm not prone to some of those weaknesses.

I am tracking it down to a training DVD I just got. It wouldn't come up when I put it in the drive, and it ended up freezing my computer time and time again. Took the disc to a Mac, did the same thing there. It shows zero files on the disc. I think it was a hosed up DVD and it's wreaked havoc on both the PC and the Mac trying to figure out what to do with it.

Everything is fine now, system is running fine, no signs or symptoms of any more issues.

It could have been the virus that is spread by autorun; that is exactly how people are getting it. It then blocks the automatic updates from Windows (and MS still hasn't been able to completely stop it on XP yet), and from your virus software. This is one smart worm. Try eset's online scanner to see if it sees anything on your system. Nod32 has always been a great virus scanner, so I suspect they are on the look out for it, and you know the online scanner hasn't been compromised.

Its a worm, so it could be asleep waiting for its wake up call.

[Scott Shepherd]

Frank, looks like we're all good. All scans appear fine, computer is running like normal. I was aware of the autorun virus, so I have made sure to check for that as well. All seems fine. The DVD was from a safe source and appears to just have been a bad disc. It's had no files on it at all, so looks like we are good.

Greg, just because you don't like Mac's and think they are backwards in their thinking doesn't make you right and everyone who owns one wrong. There are many very happy Mac users out there. Ever been to an Apple store? They stay packed and people are buying them. There's a reason for that. You might not like the reason or even agree with it, but none the less, the reality is that people are buying Mac's like never before and I don't see the users posting all over forums about how they need computer help, like this thread!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Doesn't make everyone wrong, just makes us all different, which is a good thing :)

[Jim Becker]

There is a worm "out there" that may be causing routing issues. I did have some issues over the past two weeks, but things are back to "better" today outside of some sites being sluggish to respond.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Computers...cars.....houses......spouses..... Subjective and beauty is, indeed, in the eye of the beholder. As long as you are happy....what does it matter?

[Greg Peterson]

Greg, just because you don't like Mac's and think they are backwards in their thinking doesn't make you right and everyone who owns one wrong. There are many very happy Mac users out there.

There are things about Mac that I like. Their products are elegant and straight forward in usage. Yes, their stores are generally full of people buying appliances (Iphone, Touch, IPods and accessories).

I think any claim that the Mac is a superior platform is purely subjective. The Simpsons recently did a brilliant parody of the Apple culture.

It depends largely on what you're needs are. If editing sights and sounds are your bag, then Apple is the cats meow. If running an enterprise level DB and supporting applications is your thing, then MS is a preferable solution.

[Scott Shepherd]

If running an enterprise level DB and supporting applications is your thing, then MS is a preferable solution.

In your opinion. UNIX has run the systems that run the world for decades. banks don't operate on MS products for their backend operations. Telecom doesn't count on MS platforms to run their systems, Air Traffic Control doesn't rely on MS products to run their systems. They may be accessing that data through a MS product, but MS products don't run the world like MS would like everyone to believe they do.

[Greg Peterson]

You are correct. However I have as yet to see any business's with Apple clients and Apple servers. See plenty of shops running MS products. Large, commerce oriented business's aren't using Apple hardware or software. Mission critical operations are likely to run software that is dialed in for the particular requirements of their operations. Banks, Teleco's, air space controllers, NASA, and so on surely rely on software that has stood the test of time. But even if Apple or MS offered a product or service that was robust and fail safe enough for the clients requirements migrating these types of systems is extremely expensive. So, if the current system isn't broke, why fix it?

Apple does their thing well. I just don't buy the hype that they are the end all, be all despite their devotee's passionate testimonials.

[John Shuk]

There is a worm "out there" that may be causing routing issues. I did have some issues over the past two weeks, but things are back to "better" today outside of some sites being sluggish to respond.

Very interesting as I have been trying to help some people with DSL issues that seem to be routing issues rather than conductor faults.

[Curt Harms]

I have virtually no experience with Apple, so take this for what it's worth. It seems like Apple has at least one and probably two big advantages. One is that it seems Apple keeps a very tight rein on the few 3rd party hardware producers. This may not be as true as it once was with the move to Intel hardware USB connections etc. but it seems there may be 3 or 4 models of a device that work with Mac, 3 or 4 dozen that work with Wintel machines. It seems like it would be easier to optimize software for 3 or 4 models of a device than the bevy of Wintel devices. On a related note, I wonder how much really "inexpensive" hardware there is for Apple. I'm thinking of things like modems, graphics cards, USB & Sata expansion cards. There's a ton for the Wintel world, and if the design & quality control were first rate, I doubt they'd sell as cheap as some do.

A second item might be that Mac OSX is derived from FreeBSD I believe. Free BSD is a Unix work-alike descended from AT&T Unix (according to Wikipedia) which should supply pretty reliable underpinnings. I did help someone out with Mac OS9 on an Imac portable. That system wasn't all that shiny:rolleyes:, got pretty familiar with the "apple tool"(paper clip straightened so it could be used to eject CD's that wouldn't eject otherwise)

[Jason Roehl]

Back to the original topic for a bit...I just remembered something. I had a bit of a problem back in Oct or Nov--caught a virus while I was doing my normal, low-risk internet browsing. After several rounds of each of AVG, Ad-Aware and Spybot not getting it, I did a little searching on the net and found out what it was, and finally stumbled upon Windows Defender, which took care of it. The problem I had was a trojan ("Vundo", I think it was) that hid itself very well, but would randomly download other viruses from time to time. So now, in addition to the trio above that I normally recommend, I'm begrudgingly adding Windows Defender, because it works.

[Greg Peterson]

I know a few people whose computers contracted the Vundo bug. I ran AVG, SpyBot S&D and Malware Bytes. That seemed to take care of it. None of the users are what I'd call high risk surfers. At least my wife shouldn't be :eek:.

Virus's, adware, malware and trojans. You Apple folks need to be logged in as Local Administrator then you can share in the fun and games.