BeeCeeBee

I do not use Vista but it should be the same. Just right click on the little monitor icon in the lower left near the clock and click open network connections. That should open a window showing your wireless and lan connections. Click on one of them and you will see a number of ticked boxes. The last should be Internet protocol (TCP/IP) First make sure it IS ticked and open it. Tell us what you see please!

Open up one of your networks and tell us what is says under internet protocol (TCP/IP)

All this assumes that during your 20 minute adventure with the call centre you went through all the basic settings. For example, are you sure your LAN connection is enabled? Same with your wireless? Are the internet protocol settings (TCP/IP) set to automatic or were you given a manual configuration ip and DNS addresses? Sometimes these clowns create more problems than they solve.

Just a quick note. The Superbowl reference in the thread title was added after DSTM's post. He did not get it wrong. :) Just looking for the funniest commercials. I suppose non Superbowl or previous years would be ok too.

Ok alpha but you have had 57 posts on 8 threads that you started. Can you please direct me to the one you mean. Either give me the link or at least the thread title. A quick review indicates that several of your past problems have marked similarities to this one.

Can we start by finding out where you were told that so we can see what it is that you created on those 6 discs? There must be more there than just an operating system and drivers.

Hello Jazz, I am going to suggest that the kind of question you raise is not one that anyone here is really able to answer unless he/she has the specific machine in question. The previous post by Dalo Harkin is indicative of the problem, how is he or anyone to know for sure. We can help members identify and source items needed but cannot vouch for specific commercial websites or be responsible if it is wrong. Simply put, you have the machine in front of you, (or your friend does) you should have a part number and be able to proceed from that.

Welcome to FPCH, Octopus! I see you have posted on our forums, hope you get all sorted and you stay with us.

Welcome ST34K, This post is being moved to a new thread.

It would appear that your computer is infected. Using system restore will not remove infection only allow you to go back to a point prior to any changes that may have been created and allow you to reboot. Please take note of the following disinfection proceedure. Your computer appears to be infected with Malware. Malware is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent. It is a combination of the words malicious and software. The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code. We would be grateful if you could please note the following: Please disable your resident security applications (such as AVG, Spybot, WinPatrol, etc.) before performing the below procedure so that they do not interfere with the process. Perform all the steps in the order listed to avoid any conflicts. If unsure, please stop and voice your doubts. You might be required to go offline during the disinfection process. Therefore, it is recommended to print them down for ease of reference. If you stick to the above guidelines, all should go smoothly. STEP 1 Download ATF-Cleaner by Atribune. Save the file to your Desktop. Double-click on the file to run the program. On the Main tab, check the Select All button. Next, click on the Firefox tab (if active) and check the Select All button. Note: If you would like to preserve your saved passwords in Firefox, then click No at the corresponding prompt. Now, click on the Opera tab (if active) and check the Select All button. Note: If you would like to preserve your saved passwords in Opera, then click No at the corresponding prompt. Press the Empty Selected button and click OK to acknowledge the corresponding prompt. Click on the Exit button to quit the program. [*]STEP 2 Please click here to download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. Save the file to your Desktop. Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program. At the end, make sure a check mark is placed next to: Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware [*]Click Finish. [*]The program will download and update itself if it finds the necessity to do so. Please allow this. [*]Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan. Note: Depending on your computer specifications, the scan may take some time to complete. Please wait patiently and do not interrupt the process. [*]When the scan is complete, click OK, and then Show Results to view the results. [*]Make sure that every entry is selected, and click Remove Selected. [*]Restart your computer. [*]STEP 3 Please click here to download SUPERAntiSpyware (Free Version). Save the file to your Desktop. Double-click SUPERAntiSpyware.exe and follow the prompts to install the program. Open SUPERAntiSpyware. Under Configuration and Preferences, click the Preferences button. Click the Scanning Control tab. Under Scanner Options make sure the following fields checked: Close browsers before scanning Scan for tracking cookies Terminate memory threats before quarantining [*]Click the Close button to leave the control center screen. [*]On the main screen, under Scan for Harmful Software click Scan your computer. [*]On the left, make sure you check mark C:\Fixed Drive. [*]On the right, under Complete Scan, choose Perform Complete Scan. [*]Click Next to start the scan. Please be patient while it scans your computer. [*]After the scan is complete, a Scan Summary box will appear with potentially harmful items that were detected. Click OK. [*]Make sure every entry has a check mark next to it and click Next. [*]A notification will appear that Quarantine and Removal is Complete. Click OK and then Finish to return to the main menu. [*]Restart your computer. [*]STEP 4 Please visit the ESET Online Scanner, using Internet Explorer to initiate the scan. Note: If you are running Windows Vista, then you will need Administrative privileges to complete the latter part of the procedure. To do so, right-click on the Internet Explorer icon in the Start Menu and select the Run As Administrator option in the shell context menu. Check mark the YES, I accept the Terms of Use box. Click the Start button. Click the Install button on the following screen. Click Start. This will will initialize and update the scanner engine. Check mark the box beside Remove found threats. Click the Scan button. This will start the scan. Please be patient while it is in progress. Restart your computer. [*]STEP 5 Click on Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools and select System Restore. Choose the radio button marked Create a Restore Point on the first screen and click Next. Give the restore point a name then click Create. The new point will be stamped with the current date and time. Keep a note of this so you can find it easily should you need to use System Restore. Next, click on Start > Run, type Cleanmgr and click on OK. Click on the More Options tab. Click the Clean Up button in the System Restore section to remove all previous restore points except the most recent one. This will remove any infected files that have been backed up by Windows. The files in "System Restore" are protected to prevent any programs changing those files. This is the only foolproof way to ensure the deletion of those files. Note: Please don't use it on a regular basis as this will clear all previous restore points. The feature might be very useful to revert your computer to working condition if something goes wrong. Re-enable all your security applications and please return here and tell us how the computer seems to be operating. Happy Safe Computing! http://extremetechsupport.com/forum/../images/additional-smilies/thumb.gif

2 for animal lovers: -7qGmfA06l0&eur And p7uilSZhVZ8&eur

ALL FROM SUPERBOWL 43 2009 Randy does this a lot: [YOUTUBE]y4QUpaIJecQ&eur[/YOUTUBE]

Welcome to fpch Rich! :) Feel free to contribute where you can.

Very true Goku, it is a numbers game on a massive scale.

Have you removed the static IP address in your internet protocol settings for each network?

Is there some reason why you have not installed SP3? Any other updates missing? These updates are designed, among other things, to correct security issues that effect your XP operating system. The most important and comprehensive of these is SP3. I am aware that if you look around the web there are those that warn against it. That is nonsensical and foolhardy. You may not like Microsoft for other reasons but they are the best equipped to deal with issues that effect their own software. I would suggest you update immediately.

A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY RANDY! The following was recorded last night for you. It would have been perfect but she just can't get your official title right. [YOUTUBE]k4SLSlSmW74&eurl [/YOUTUBE]

Just for the record we have many American members who may not have a clue what you are talking about. In the UK all plugs contain fuses and contain a ground wire that is referred to as the "earth." They differ from the US version of the power cord in 2 significant ways. First, as noted the plug itself has a fuse. It can generally be opened and the fuse replaced. That also give rise to the ability to disconnect all but the ground wire. There is no UK version of the two pronged plug. The US version of the three pronged plug is almost always a sealed unit unless replaced. The only way to accomplish using a power cord as a ground wire is to cut the plug and buy a replacement, Then you can attache only the ground wire to the new plug and tape off the remaining two. Just for clarity sake the UK voltage is in the 220 range as standard or about twice that of the US.

Hi Gavin, Take a look at the attached. The anti malware programs are geared more for spyware than the antivirus programs. Also unlike antivirus you can have more than one. Antimalware bytes and SUPERantispyware seem to have pretty solid fan base on Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. http://extremetechsupport.com/forum/malware-removal-av-firewalls-etc/3597-free-pc-help-recommended-security-products.html

Ok Safe mode simply loads only the basic drivers. You will notice that the screen is the wrong resolution (everything enlarged) and the colour is basic as well. You will be able to view all of your files etc. If you choose safe mode with networking you will also have internet capability. You will also be given a choice to load the last good configuration and maybe that should be the first thing you try. The key right now is to just see if you can into safemode (if the last good configuration doesn't work.) then come back to us.

Can you get into safemode Chris? (tap F8 on boot)

You are more than welcome! Glad you found it.

You may have to check your settings as it may require that you run as an administrator. Try that and get back to us. I have limited knowledge of vista so help from others will be needed if that does not work.

From the limited information that I have the problem is that the copy of XP that you have, while fully licensed, is licensed for another machine. (Perhaps your own.) If the disk you are using was the original one for the old PC that you mention you would not get that message. Can you supply some insight here? Microsoft's EULA (End Users License Agreement) is annoyingly specific about that. You need to find the XP disk for the machine if this is not the one or get a new copy of XP.

446 so far Nev, I think I'm getting close!!!!