computer problems

[Guest tx2sturgis]

OK... I'll "fess up"...

First of all, I force all the "workstations" to shut down on Friday night...late...for the purposes of power saving. They stay on during the week due to automatic processes that take place during the late evening.

 

 

Well now...thats not 24 months of uptime then , is it? Sounds more like about 52 reboots per year, per machine. I realize those arent failures every weekend, but still, it does interrupt 'uptime'.

 

 

About 20 of the machines are not allowed to access the internet. About 18 more have restricted (limited) internet access in that thru the firewall, they can only get to certain websites. The balance have full access.

 

Meaning, users actually operating them using the OS, as opposed to thinclients or servers. Its seems un-avoidable that the less that Windows has to do, the better it runs.

 

 

Nobody is allowed to load software without first checking with me; however, those who have full internet access can do all the surfing they want, watch vids or listen to music but being that this is a business and knowing who those users are, they do those things as it applies to their job so they probably don't hit on stuff that a home user would.

 

None of these computers have ever crashed in any way, shape, or form that requires a reboot. Except, as I stated, after the installation of that new HP multi-function printer.

 

Like a pitbull, Windows behaves nicely for its master, as long as you dont aggravate it. But push the wrong button, like installing a poorly written piece of code, or surfing without a router, firewall, and spyware and virus protection, and then you better watch out!

 

 

On the other hand, and again, I'm "fessing up" here... my home PC gets used quite a bit by the "family"... it is 7 years old. It's had hardware issues that have caused it to crash and I've gotten the odd virus or spyware over those 7 years but nothing associated with Windows has caused it to crash. ..... until recently....it seems I have some kind of issue with the video card coz no matter what version of Adobe Flash player I install, anything on the 'net that runs in Flash totally locks the system up. Again tho, that I have narrowed down to a video card problem...again, not a Windows issue.

 

You must have a habit of putting lots, and I mean LOTS of RAM in the machines you service and own. Only one leash keeps the Windows PitBull from attacking...and thats LOTS of RAM.

 

 

 

I don't know MACs at all...I have worked a bit with Linux boxes. I've seem Linux crash a few times... all in all tho, WinXP and other Microsoft software is pretty stable and if a person keeps them updated and regularly runs virus scans and does regular cleanups of spyware, etc...things should run fairly smoothly. It's all the other "CRAP" out there that people put onto their systems that isn't always 100% compatible with either windows itself or with some other "resident" application that oftentimes is a big cause of system crashes.

 

See, with MAC OS you hardly have any of those issues at all. Sure it has its quirks, it aint perfect, but you dont have to buy large amounts of RAM and constantly spend money to update anti-virus programs, which DO hog memory. Buy a fast windows machine, and load all your antivirus, antispyware, anti this and anti that, and the first thing you notice is that the machine gets slower and slower and slower.

 

 

 

Getting back to System Restore... yes, it's true, System Restore won't eradicate some virus or spyware that got into your system; however, in most cases it will at least put your system back to a state that the virus or spyware is not "active" in memory. It will put things back to a state the system was in prior to the virus or spyware screwing it up...in most cases. The key here is to remember that even if you do a system restore, you still need to eradicate whatever might be "lurking" in your system...what I'm saying is...System Restore won't "do it all" for you but it will at least get you back to something you had before the virus or spyware made a mess of things. In any event, it's but ONE solution and oftentimes a good starting point to eradicating virus and spyware. And NO, you don't lose "everything" since the last time a resore point was taken....you will only lose whatever software, or settings changes you made because, system restore restores the registry settings that were in place prior to you installing things or changing settings NOT TO MENTION the registry settings prior to when the virus or spyware got put in there.

 

More about system restore here --> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/newsgroups/faqsrwxp.mspx

 

 

OK.. enuf "fessing up" .... ain't this FUN BANTER?... and interesting to boot!

 

Over to YOU --->

I dont know much about system restore....I dont even know if MAC OS has that...it may not need it...I just dont know. I DO know that I have spent many years on windows machines, cussing and fighting...getting frustrated.

 

MAC is not perfect....but I spend a LOT less time fiddling and tweaking it to work right, and a LOT more time using it. Like I said, applications can and do lock up now and then...mainly my Firefox browser, which is NOT an apple product. But it never crashes the OS. There is no such thing as the blue-screen-of-death on a MAC.

 

CTRL-ALT-DELETE on a Mac lets you 'force-quit' an application, but the OS doesnt go down with it. I'm not having to spend $xx.xx per year updating antivirus software. Videos runs so smooth and clear on a Mac..youd think that Macs were made for that...wait...they ARE!

 

On the downside? Since were fessing up? Well, lots of apps that I'd like to run, are simply not yet available for a Mac. Many things that are actually easier on Windows are sometime a pain on a Mac, like video editing for instance. Its hard to find a good, simple low cost (or free) video editor for a Mac. Oh sure, you can pay hundreds of dollars for a huge complicated and complex video editing suite. But I dont need that at all. I just want something simple, that works well, like Windows Movie Maker. That works so very nicely. The included iMovie on a Mac is junk...JUNK I SAY! And Adobe for a Mac? You cant get there my freind!

 

So...it depends on what you want to do with a Mac. If you plan on spending hours surfing, watching videos, sending email, writing the next great american novel, downloading tunes...it all works great on a Mac. And thats really what I do with computers.

 

By the way, Im running LINUX on my new ASUS eeePC mini notebook...and it works great...whats to learn? Turn it on, surf the net. Looks like windows mostly. Pretty cool.

 

So...I'm living proof there IS life after Windows. I never thought I'd change...entrenched in the Windows experience for about 2 decades. But you CAN make the switch, once you get fedup with Windows. I did...and I'm not looking back.

 

 

 

(your right...this is fun...for me and you anyway!)

[tooldood]

You guys are all missing the big problem here....

 

 

Vinnie left OCC!?!?!?

[Guest tx2sturgis]

You guys are all missing the big problem here....

 

 

Vinnie left OCC!?!?!?

 

Oh sorry...whos Vinnie? And where is OCC?

 

 

[SilvrT]

You guys are all missing the big problem here....

 

 

Vinnie left OCC!?!?!?

 

OOOOOps... I think this thread got HIGHJACKED!

 

[SilvrT]

I DO know that I have spent many years on windows machines, cussing and fighting...getting frustrated.

 

LOL.. me too.. ever since Windows first came out...in a support role cuz since 1987 I have been working in this biz...and I gotta thank Mr Gates for what he's done... provided a good living for me for these past 20+ years.

 

There is no such thing as the blue-screen-of-death on a MAC.

 

Ain't seen one of those since Windows 98

 

CTRL-ALT-DELETE on a Mac lets you 'force-quit' an application, but the OS doesnt go down with it.

 

Works like this in WinXP

 

 

 

By the way, Im running LINUX on my new ASUS eeePC mini notebook...and it works great...whats to learn? Turn it on, surf the net. Looks like windows mostly. Pretty cool.

 

Sure... if you stick with the basic stuff...but sooner or later you'll have to do command line things and that gets very confusing to the novice user.

 

btw, what's the command to switch to root user ?

 

Not really knocking Linux... I also like it and I also use it at home and I have one of my servers here running it...and if I'm working here long enuf, I might even see it on many of the workstations.

 

 

 

 

(your right...this is fun...for me and you anyway!)

 

 

here I go... more highjacking...

[BuddyRich]

I REALLY like Microsoft. Keeps me and a lot of others employed....

[SilvrT]

I REALLY like Microsoft. Keeps me and a lot of others employed....

 

DITTO THAT! ... and that is why I will defend it until.....the day I stop working in this frustrating business LOL (at the very least, 4 more years)

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Like tax preparers, yall keep the evil alive.

 

Evil income tax. Evil Microsoft Windows.

 

[GigaWhiskey]

I REALLY like Microsoft. Keeps me and a lot of others employed....

 

That is the only reason I like it! I have werked IT for 10+ years, got me away from dirty work like working on cars and airplanes. Going home to my MAC's is a blessing. If fix enough Windows machines to make me sick. I am attached to 900+ machines in this building alone, in some form.

 

I am not in the mood to fix anything at home accept a Booker's or Knob Creek on the rocks!

[Squeeze]

Brian, i appreciate your honest Comment on the Mac. I'm not biased, just didn't get in serious Touch with a Mac, but this is what i heard and read.

 

I like Win XP and Vista, if the Drivers work, but i'm tired about the 'get a Mac' Quote.

 

btw, you whose making a living out of IT. Even if Linux is cheap or cost free in first Place, you Guys will be needed anyway.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Brian, i appreciate your honest Comment on the Mac. I'm not biased, just didn't get in serious Touch with a Mac, but this is what i heard and read.

 

I like Win XP and Vista, if the Drivers work, but i'm tired about the 'get a Mac' Quote.

 

 

Hey squeeze...its all in fun...like the 1st gen/ 2nd gen remarks...or the harley/metric remarks. I'm here to have fun, arent you?

 

I know no one will ever change computers unless they want to...its just a way of getting some good old fashioned debates going...thats all. And by the way, I've never had to load any drivers for this Mac to do anything..it just always knows what to do.