Tired of being helpless with Windows

[analog]

Can anyone suggest a good beginner's manual for fixing troubles with Windows?

I am frustrated by Blue Screens of Death, cryptic messages about missing DLL files and other acronyms, and the frequent system lockups.

Would like to become able to do basic Windows troubleshooting and repair. My pesent technique is to first cycle power, next look at control panel, then smash a mouse and call helpless desk.


I'm an old hardware guy who could once struggle with Fortran and was pretty good with a logic analyzer.
Would like to understand Windows' building blocks. How did some of you competent opertaing system folks get your start?

Thanks,

old jim h

[OperaTenor]

Hi Analog,

What version of Shutters do you have? In my experience, if it's anything previous to XP, you will have problems, and nothing can be done about them.

I tried to milk every ounce of usefulness out of Win98se that I could, even to the point of futility. I wasted a whole lot of time in what amounted to turd polishing, trying to get the system to operate relatively bug and virus free. I've found that even a good working knowledge of DOS doesn't get me anywhere with today's code, and the security measures employed to keep it MS's domain.

Since you mention BSOD's, would I be correct in guessing that maybe you are the proud owner of WinMe?

[analog]

Exactly, Windows ME.
Somebody else recommended XP as well. It seems to be tolerated in industry.

Being contrary, I was considering spending the extra money for a Mac, or else format C and install Redhat Linux on this machine. The latter might be beyond my ability as yet - but if it ran I would feel a genuine accomplishment, and what have I to lose but frustration? Hmmm, i could buy a new drive and linux, that'd be reversible change...... :p

Google returned forty two million hits on Windows Reference Manual. Microsoft's official manuals are too expensive for tinkerers, though if one became really good it'd be worthwhile having some of them.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

MS's official manuals are also utterly incomprehensible. I've used Que's books with some success, for application instructions. Never attempted a Windows manual.

Linux, according to reports from tinkerers in the office, is a wonderful marvelous opsystem. Nobody else has tried it, because the rest of us just want the applications to run, the mouse and the keyboard to work, and things to NOT CRASH!

[BigJon@Work]

Analog, your first mistake is to presume that there is any logic and reason to the constructions of Windows.

[OperaTenor]

Hi Analog,

I tend to be contrary as well(like that's news to anyone here!). I meotionally drool every time I think about Mac's. I've used them before, and they work wonderfully.
I also have a couple of friends who are something Linux experts. Nothing but good reports about it, even though I haven't gotten around to checking it out myself..........................................................................................................................................................................yet.

[dai bread]

XP works fine. The only times I've worked with other MS systems, they were maintained by an army of "experts" of varying degrees of ability.

Now I have XP on my own machine, and it purrs away happily day in & day out.

I've heard good reports of Linux, but I've never been game to download it & try it myself. Installation looks complicated.

[Trumpetmaster]

Dai,
Are you using Service Pack 1 or 2?
I have 1 and when I upgraded to 2 it caused more problems that I had to back SP2 out.
Maybe the new XP machines setup with SP2 run OK.

[OperaTenor]

I have an old machine and it seems to be fine with SP2.

However, I'm still lovin' FireFox.

[lliam]

Analog, if you haven't already tried the website below, why not give it a go?

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98

Good luck.

[analog]

Thanks, lliam

am perusing their Windows ME forum.

Great site, thanks for the pointer.

I see already that several of the troubles i have are bugging other folks too.

[piqaboo]

To quote a friend's t-shirt:

The manual said "System requires Windows 98se or better", so I installed Linux.

[dai bread]

Originally posted by TrumpetMaster:
Dai,
Are you using Service Pack 1 or 2?
I have 1 and when I upgraded to 2 it caused more problems that I had to back SP2 out.
Maybe the new XP machines setup with SP2 run OK.

I downloaded SP2 when it became available. It installed without so much as a hiccup, and has never caused a problem.

I can't say the same for an MS Powerpoint viewer I dowloaded. Now I can't use IE6- it wants to close in "an unusual way" and I'm supposed to contact MS about it at a cost of USD 35. At least I presume the problem stems from the PP download. It happened about the same time, but I may be doing PP an injustice.

I now do my internet work with Firefox. It means I have to copy & paste URLs if they come embedded, instead of simply clicking on them, but at least it works.

[analog]

I bought a clean, new disk drive and an installed honest copy of XP (Whew! $120!).
It seems to run actually pretty well. There oughta be a merit badge.

Next question - what FTP do you use with Firefox?

I'm working on my "Put a photo on your webspace" merit badge now. Any pointers appreciated.

I tried 'FireFTP' but all it'll give is "unable to make connection" messages. Help file FAQ page seems cryptic. Anybody using Firefox with an FTP ?
a.

[dai bread]

After struggling with IE as mentioned in earlier posts above, I simply made Firefox my default browser. It works fine, every time.

My XP is still going strong, too. Four years & not a hiccup.

[OperaTenor]

Hi Analog,

I had to look up File Transfer Protocol to find out what it is, but I'm still missing something, I guess. Do you want it to upload/transfer files on/off the internet?

If that's the case, I don't know how/if this is any help, but this what I have: I subscribe to a webhosting service, and they have a system called CpanelX as a utility. The section I use almost exclusively is the "File Manager", and through that I can upload or download files from my website. It sounds to me like that is my FTP of sorts.

Is this the kind of thing you're talking about?

[navneeth]

Wish me luck. I'm going to install Ubuntu Linux in a few minutes.

[OperaTenor]

Good luck, Sir Nav. Once you get it installed, you will officially be 'cool'.

[navneeth]

I'm officially COOL!

Posting from Firefox (need to update it to latest version, though) in Ubuntu. Mostly will spend the day tweaking my TuxicMachine.

[analog]

Hi Analog,

Do you want it to upload/transfer files on/off the internet?

Yes, exactly. You are lightyears ahead of me. I installed Firefox at your suggestion last year and love it.

My ISP gives me 5meg of my own space on their server. I should be able to place a jpeg picture there, and then [image]it into a BBB post. They tell me to use any of the freeware FTP (yes, File Transfer Protocol) programs, but so far I'm finding them to be typical computer geek jargon - undefined terms defined in terms of other undefined terms.

I think I was close with the 'FireFTP' that Mozilla recommended for Firefox, but couldn't quite make it go so uninstalled it.

To my surprise i got no "unable to complete" messages on either the install or uninstall. That's the biggest difference between ME and XP - on XP things aappear to actually work.

So I was hoping somebody had a success story with a FTP program for Dummies that'll talk to Firefox.

Naveenth - I have been trying to find affordable Linux - where'd you get yours? Redhat is aimed at resellers not end users.

Thanks folks --

a.