Frustrations

[SARGE]

My parents are 80. Dad never uses a PC but Mom loves her e-mail. Live way out so all they get is dial-up. Every PC they get she installs the AT&T software for the Net, works ok for awhile, then has problems. In 5 years I know they've had 5 new PCs, bought off the shelf at the normal places like Best Buy or Wal Mart. When they have a problem, they simply buy another rather than fixing the issue. Mom gets tons of attachments in her mail and knows nothing about anti-virus programs or being cautious about attachments. We've had "discussions" about this. Their room is littered with probably workable PCs, discarded...

My rub is that today Dad finally gave me the latest PC - a Compaq that won't connect to dial-up after it was working ok for awhile. I researched the error code he was getting and saw I'd probably need the restore, recovery CD that came with it, if for no other reason, to reinstall. He said he'd never gotten "one of those things with any computer", but did have the AT&T CD. I said the CD was with the manuals, etc., in the box, but claims none of the 5 computers ever had one. I know better...

Am frustrated but realize they know nothing about computers - nothing except how to turn them on and check mail. Am wanting to help, not to teach the techno stuff, but to at least keep the cotton pickin' recovery CD so someone else can perhaps fix something. They just look at me as though I'm speaking a foreign language. Mom's e-mail is her only outlet to the world so want to help, but they can't keep buying a PC every year.

[shadowpr]

The computers might have recovery partitions if they didn't come with a restore disc.

[Panama Red]

The newer Compaq/HP computers come with a recovery partition rather than the cd's. Some also come with a built in prompt when the pc is new telling the owner to make their own Recovery disks. If the machine comes with a DVD burner, you can do it all on 1 DVD. If it comes with only a CD burner, you can plan on 7 cd's to make the full Recovery set. Now that it has a problem, making the recovery disks may not be an option. If you press F11 repeatedly at startup, you should get the Recovery option. XP Recovery should offer you a non-destructive (repair install) and destructive (reformat to original) optons.

[glc]

None of the name brand computers have come with reinstall media for quite a while now. They all have recovery partitions and only *some* have a way to make your own media.

[HAL9000]

If it does use a recovery partition, and for whatever reason you cannot use the recovery program or partition, you can order the disks from HP/Compaq. My laptop uses a recovery partition and for some stupid reason only allows you to make ONE disk with the software. The original owner made the disk and isn't sure what she did with it, so I ordered a replacement.

[SARGE]

The newer Compaq/HP computers come with a recovery partition rather than the cd's. Some also come with a built in prompt when the pc is new telling the owner to make their own Recovery disks. If the machine comes with a DVD burner, you can do it all on 1 DVD. If it comes with only a CD burner, you can plan on 7 cd's to make the full Recovery set. Now that it has a problem, making the recovery disks may not be an option. If you press F11 repeatedly at startup, you should get the Recovery option. XP Recovery should offer you a non-destructive (repair install) and destructive (reformat to original) optons.

The tag on outside says it's Vista. I can't even get it to turn on using my power cord (another thread on that). Another reason I should just build them one for Christmas, and I'll know what it has. Am seriously thinking of doing that and using Win98...

[glc]

No, you better give them at least 2K if not XP. If you put 98 on it, they will be crashing it daily.

[David M]

If only computers came with an artificial intelligence smart enough to fix itself.

For now we have to live with stupid things like, "We have detected new hardware" ...without giving you any clue as to exactly what it has detected or what it needs. Or putting up with things like telling the computer to shut down twice...and then having to hold down the power button for five seconds anyways.

A really smart computer would provide you with a huge list of things that you might possibly want to do to it. It would then ask you a few questions and then go and do it automatically without having to dig through multi-level menus and mess with settings that you pretty much have no idea what they do nor are explained anywhere obvious. Its funny that no computer engineer has thought of the idea of putting an OFF button at the bottom of the screen. Duh! I guess when writing code it is difficut to see the forrest through the trees.

I think that if a computer engineer were to design a wall switch it would have a little screen with a three layer deep pull down menu on it where it would ask you twice or perhaps three times if you really wanted to turn out the lights.

When you start a car it does not bring up a window that asks you what voltage setting you want for your spark plugs now does it? Most people dont want to have to learn geek stuff to make something work.

Computers still have a long way to go...for now, they are just dumb boxes that need almost constant babysitting. But wouln't it be nice if computers could fix their own personal problems?

The Achilles heel of computers will always be that they are made by engineers. So why is this a problem? Unfortunatly, most of the people who use computers do not think like engineers. Some of the Mac people will probably know what I mean...the Linux people?..never. They are absolutely baffled why artist types are not flocking to Linux.

[SARGE]

I started by restoring to a date in September and turning automatic updates off. One of the updates had zapped the ability to connect to the Net. It all works ok now, but had to disable Norton to speed it up. Only 500 mbs of ram with Vista and I learned hard way about that. Off the shelf Compaq and they should know Vista needs more than that. The AT&T software cd Dad installed for connections sucks for many reasons. If I could uninstall that and have just Internet Explorer that came with the pc, I could make it easier for them to connect. Am hesitant to do so at this point since it's at least working, although crawling 'cause of ram and dial-up. Not even sure how to uninstall the software anyway. Vista hard to navigate.

[thefultonhow]

You might be better off finding their computer from two years ago (when XP still came on all computers) and getting that set up for them.

[SARGE]

You might be better off finding their computer from two years ago (when XP still came on all computers) and getting that set up for them.

Motherboard was fried during storm.

[doubledragon5]

You could add more ram for them as a xmass gift sagre..

[SARGE]

You could add more ram for them as a xmass gift sagre..

Gonna do that Saturday if my shop has the ram - the mobo will take much more than what it has according to Crucial (I knew but was curious as to what was in it). Can't believe for mucho less than $50 I can get 2 gb. Watching the thing even run makes my skin crawl - would rather watch grass grow. Why would the manuf send a Vista machine with 512 mb??

Funny part, I told Mom I was going to get more ram and she asked what was it? I said to speed up things. Told her all I had to do was slap into motherboard. What's that? I seem condescending to her, as though I'm talking down but she hasn't a clue, so I try and make it simple. "Mom, you have a Volkswagen engine driving a Cadillac, and although it moves, it can be better". She asks, "can I check my e-mail better?"

I don't know near as much as many guys here and have built several PCs. My folks skills ain't so savvy and trying to explain to someone how I'm helping them or what I did to fix a problem ain't my cup of tea I guess.

[HAL9000]

Sarge...nothing wrong with that explanation. Many years ago when I was living in low income housing.. I was explaining to my neighbour about defragging her hard drive.. how essentially the files get spread all over and defragging puts things in place.. the explanation I gave her that worked was that it's like putting your dishes away from the sink and dishwasher... she understood that.

[rmr]

Sarge,, at least they are using it, making an attempt, you got to give them credit for that at their age. When my Dad turned 82 I bought him a laptop, or as it is now known in the family, " The 1200 dollar solitaire game"

[TimPoet]

The 1200 dollar solitaire game"
LOL. Thats all I play nowadays for hours and hours....

[glc]

Gotta have that 7600GT for solitaire!

[HAL9000]

Doesn't solitaire require SLI?

[TimPoet]

:p:p:p:p

Actually, it's a 7900 GTO, eVGA had to replace it under warranty and they upgraded it. I wonder if 4 GB of RAM would make the Aces show up faster?

[SARGE]

Got it running and she seems happy. Too bloated for me and slow as molasses, despite adding more ram. Didn't want to reinstall but should have. Surprise for me, Dad gave me another one to fix, an HP - just put in a modem he said. Been there and done that and was no hassle. It has XP at least but only had 256mb ram - I maxed it out to a gig. Did a re-install on this one and flies, did a simple Internet dial-up setup WITHOUT the AT&T software, and it's smooth. However, I could not live with 56k as I once did. Dad said this one was a "spare", but told him I'd use it in a heartbeat before the Vista molasses. I have a feeling when I return this one, he will have another "spare" to fix.

[SARGE]

Mom got her PC home and calls me up. Said she read the folder I created on her desktop on how to do the simplest things, but it "disappeared". Now I have to call her and give her login and password for Yahoo over the phone. Things we all take for granted how many times a day... She's my Mom and her mail is her line to the outside world so guess I'll just suck it up and keep on truckin. How a folder I made just vanished is a guess. I pray for patience and understanding each and every night...

[shadowpr]

Could she have accidentally delted it? Tell her to check the recycle bin.

[SARGE]

Could she have accidentally delted it? Tell her to check the recycle bin.

Thanks bud. I told her at Thanksgiving about exactly that and she didn't know what that was. She blamed Dad - he NEVER touches her PC. Will deal with it; just wanted to share.

[rjfvillarosa]

Sarge. Considering the money they are spending every year on new machines couldn't you get them set up with Hughes net satellite dsl?, no garbage software required and your mom can still access Yapoo.
That Vista machine now sounds like it has reasonable resources, so now shut down all non essential startup's, ditch Norton in favour of one of the less resource hugging freebie AV app's and set a few malware app's to run via task manager.

[SARGE]

Sarge. Considering the money they are spending every year on new machines couldn't you get them set up with Hughes net satellite dsl?, no garbage software required and your mom can still access Yapoo.
That Vista machine now sounds like it has reasonable resources, so now shut down all non essential startup's, ditch Norton in favour of one of the less resource hugging freebie AV app's and set a few malware app's to run via task manager.

I ditched Norton right off the bat. Her HP has XP and with max RAM runs great. Got her a freebie AV and as I said, created a desktop folder on how to check her mail, update the AV, etc. Somehow she lost the folder.

[doubledragon5]

Got it running and she seems happy. Too bloated for me and slow as molasses, despite adding more ram. Didn't want to reinstall but should have. Surprise for me, Dad gave me another one to fix, an HP - just put in a modem he said. Been there and done that and was no hassle. It has XP at least but only had 256mb ram - I maxed it out to a gig. Did a re-install on this one and flies, did a simple Internet dial-up setup WITHOUT the AT&T software, and it's smooth. However, I could not live with 56k as I once did. Dad said this one was a "spare", but told him I'd use it in a heartbeat before the Vista molasses. I have a feeling when I return this one, he will have another "spare" to fix.

If your talking slow as in still slow after adding in ram. Well I up my daughter Dell from 512 to 2 gig and it was slow as hell still. Even after getting rid of programs she had installed for almost 4 yrs and haven't used them in that long. Well I did a reinstall and did all updates, and it flies just like it did when it was new. So a reinstall Sarge might not be a bad Idea. You know how it goes you add stuff delete stuff, and things just get more screwed up, and it just doesn't run right after a while. Heck my daughters I hadn't reinstall in almost 5 yrs before doing it after the ram upgrade..

Should have read your last post first LOL:D