Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: AOL Computer checkup

This is topic AOL Computer checkup in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 03-27-2003, 10:35 PM:

I seem to hear about people squawking about how crappy AOL is in maintaining connections, getting bumped, etc. Unfortunately, AOL must be just as frustrated, too.

I discovered AOL has a method of analyzing your computer, and fixing some common problems such as connection and speed issues. Apparently, AOL can diagnose and automatically repair many AOL and computing ailments.

Type in keyword AOL Computer Checkup and it will bring you to a page that will allow you to run the checkup. If you run it, you are giving AOL permission to examine your computer. They will download a few files, run an analysis, fix what they can, and give you a report. On one of these pages before I got to the "Meat of the thing", it mentioned that it might take control of your computer and move your mouse, click on shit, and repair. It sounds like something like the program PC Anywhere... (So keep your fingers ready to pull the plug if it gets a little too intrusive to suit your needs.) [Big Grin]

Anyway, I ran it just for the hell of it. It took about 5 minutes to download the files and analyze, and the report came back as no problems.

Cool. I have nothing to hide on this machine anyway. [Smile]

P.S. It must have been almost a year now since I installed Windows 2000 Pro on this machine, and to my dismay and joy, it has not crashed yet!!! [Wink]

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 03-28-2003, 03:20 PM:

Here is one that doesn't require AOL. I've had excellent luck with this site:

PC Pitstop

It tests many things, including up and download speed. The buffer adjuster on the download test really has improved my download speeds.

Now works with IE, Netscape AND Opera.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-28-2003, 09:05 PM:

Windows 2000 Professional kicks ass. It rivals the Mac OS X in terms of stability and usability. Not sure what people see in Windows XP.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 03-28-2003, 09:43 PM:

Some people like their operating systems xtra pathetic.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-28-2003, 11:44 PM:

AOL juat laid off 400 workers at its Ogden, Utah customer service center. They claim the need to restructure AOL completely for some reason or other.....there were well over 1000 employees there though. Hope you suckers with AOL are not affected by any of it.
Mark

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 03-29-2003, 03:14 AM:

Yeah, Mark. I thought AOL was running slow for the last several weeks, but I talked to Josh just about an hour ago. He said his DSL is slower than hell, too.

He is not using AOL, so I presume it is just internet traffic being so heavy because of Iraq situation.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-29-2003, 08:42 AM:

I have high speed cable....normally hasn't been to bad on the speed end of things, but on occasion its a tad slow. I think all the slowness may be related to alot of war net traffic. Military satellites ahve been overloaded to the point that they have been buying time on commercial satellites.
Mark

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 03-29-2003, 12:04 PM:

Ahh, back when I had W2Kpro, everything just "worked!" I had to look twice to remind myself it was indeed windows.

Then, I get a new computer, and it's got WinXP. Alas. [Frown]

That AOL thing sounds scary. Have ISPs officially been given the green light to check for people downloading MP3s? Maybe AOL is "doing their part" while checking your computer for efficiency.

=TMP=

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-29-2003, 01:08 PM:

XP is ok as long as its the Pro version. The home version is a bit lacking in certain areas like networking. Mine hasn't finked out in over a year now. It boots up really really fast and my computer clocks about 30% faster when running it....probably cause of the 32 bit architecture.
Mark

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-29-2003, 08:43 PM:

On the Pro version of XP, can you change it so it doesn't look so bubbly and happy?

I am also wondering if anyone makes laptops with 2000 Pro. I have never seen it except on ones that I have wiped clean of 98 or XP and installed it from the ground up.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 03-29-2003, 09:38 PM:

I don't know what's available now, but about 18 months ago we got a Dell 1GHz P-III laptop with Win2K Pro factory-installed. Sweet!

You can alter much of that insipid bubbly GUI in XP. In fact you can make the interface similar to 2000 in many respects. I have to say that XP seems as solid as 2000, but the default look of the interface is just a little to cartoonish for my tastes. To change the "look" to Classic Windows, go into Display Properties, Appearance, and in the drop-town menu for Windows and buttons, select "Windows classic style". You can also right-click on "Start", Properties, Start Menu tab, and select "Classic start menu".

One area where XP really excels is auto-detecting and using newly-connected devices such as digital cameras.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 03-29-2003, 09:40 PM:

Both notebooks I've bought from Dell this year I've had shipped with Windows 2000 Professional installed. I don't know about other manufacturers... they all suck anyway.

Microsoft System Builder License Availability for Windows 2000 Professional will continue until March 31, 2005.

Direct OEM and Retail License Availability will be until March 31, 2004.

Direct OEM and Retail License Availability for Windows Xp Professional will be until December 31, 2005, so expect a new OS real soon (Windows 2003 Server is almost done beta).

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 03-29-2003, 09:44 PM:

Dell kicks everyone else's ass. [thumbsup]

Plus they often sell peripherals at very competitive prices. Late last year I was looking for a DVD burner, found the best deal at Dell. They beat everyone else by about $35 on the one I wanted, and shipping was free.

Windows 2003 Server went "gold" this week: Win 2003 Server Released to Mfg.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 03-29-2003, 10:12 PM:

Damn Dave, I should get a job as a fortune teller. I haven't read anything about the Windows 2003 Server release schedule in at least two months... good prediction, eh?! [Smile]