Computer runs fine with MS Updates

[Kevin]

I have read so many posts on these groups, as I am sure you all have, that
deal with finicky, troublesome systems that I had to share my experience. I
bought my machine about two years ago from ABS. It has an AMD Athlon 1.34
Ghz processor, 512 MB of SDRAM, a 32 MB Nvidia 440 AGP card, a Sound Blaster
Live Value card, a Cendyne Lightning II CD-RW drive, a Creative PC-DVD
drive, and a 20 GB hard drive. Not on the cutting edge these days, but
still a good system today. I run Windows XP and I have applied all of the
patches and updates from Microsoft that have been released to date. I use
Zone Alarm Pro, Spybot Search and Destroy, Pest Patrol, and AdAware. I use
AVG Anti-virus, free version. I have used the information at
www.blackviper.com to trim down the services running on the system and it
runs great. It has always run with no problems right out of the box anyway.
It starts quickly, Internet Explorer 6.0 opens very quickly and behaves
properly at all times. I don't have any problems with scrolling, it doesn't
crash for no apparent reason, my DSL connection is consistently good, in
short the machine runs like a champ. I may be one of the lucky ones, but
when I read some of the posts on the groups I have to just shake my head in
amazement. I would suggest buying an ABS computer when you are in the
market for a new machine. You can see them at www.buyabs.com.

 

[peter]

You are not alone
2 XP's on 2 different systems without any major problems.
Both systems use AMD processors one with a VIA chipset the other Nvidea.
Both slightly overclocked...one heavy on CD burning the other heavy on DVD
burning.
self build systems self picked components
20 to 30 sec to start up
fast cable modem connection
sure sometimes there is a hiccup but no major problems of any kind!!!
cross my heart
peter

 

[JAX]

You almost discribed my system and my experience exactly except, I built my
machine.

I have noticed that the vast majority of XP problems are a direct result of
a faulty interface between the chair and the keyboard!

Happy computing,
JAX

 

[kim]

in short the machine runs like
a champ. I may be one of the lucky ones, ...

Not lucky, you are in the vast majority. Only thing unusual is that you
posted about it.

Kimmy

 

[Rob Schneider]

I think you experience is "normal" and as experienced by the vast
majority of people.

 

[Crusty \(-: Old B@stard :-\)]

I have built literally hundreds of computers and installed Windows XP on
them. With the exception of a few, that had actual hardware problems, they
are all running fine.

Take a good look at some of the wording of the posts on these, or any web
site, news group. The knowledge, and common sense, exhibited by "some"
people who post for help, precludes them from doing anything useful,
what-so-ever, with the supplied answer.

I don't know how the MVP's can stay with it. I have to give them heaps of
credit for their stamina and fortitude!

Well done guys/gals (-:

 

[§kullywag©-]

I have read so many posts on these groups, as I am sure you all have, that
deal with finicky, troublesome systems that I had to share my experience. I
bought my machine about two years ago from ABS. It has an AMD Athlon 1.34
Ghz processor, 512 MB of SDRAM, a 32 MB Nvidia 440 AGP card, a Sound Blaster
Live Value card, a Cendyne Lightning II CD-RW drive, a Creative PC-DVD
drive, and a 20 GB hard drive. Not on the cutting edge these days, but
still a good system today. I run Windows XP and I have applied all of the
patches and updates from Microsoft that have been released to date. I use
Zone Alarm Pro, Spybot Search and Destroy, Pest Patrol, and AdAware. I use
AVG Anti-virus, free version. I have used the information at
www.blackviper.com to trim down the services running on the system and it
runs great. It has always run with no problems right out of the box anyway.
It starts quickly, Internet Explorer 6.0 opens very quickly and behaves
properly at all times. I don't have any problems with scrolling, it doesn't
crash for no apparent reason, my DSL connection is consistently good, in
short the machine runs like a champ. I may be one of the lucky ones, but
when I read some of the posts on the groups I have to just shake my head in
amazement. I would suggest buying an ABS computer when you are in the
market for a new machine. You can see them at www.buyabs.com.

Your manufacture, and processor brand has nothing to do with it. Your
common sense does. Most people have problems because they "can't
leave it alone", or just HAVE to install every free trial, and try
every tweak.......... when they know nothing about either.

Anybody who works on computer knows to always look for software or
user related factors before even thing about the hardware.


§kullywag©-

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

I have read so many posts on these groups, as I am sure you all have,
that deal with finicky, troublesome systems that I had to share my
experience. I bought my machine about two years ago from ABS. It
has an AMD Athlon 1.34 Ghz processor, 512 MB of SDRAM, a 32 MB Nvidia
440 AGP card, a Sound Blaster Live Value card, a Cendyne Lightning II
CD-RW drive, a Creative PC-DVD drive, and a 20 GB hard drive. Not on
the cutting edge these days, but still a good system today. I run
Windows XP and I have applied all of the patches and updates from
Microsoft that have been released to date. I use Zone Alarm Pro,
Spybot Search and Destroy, Pest Patrol, and AdAware. I use AVG
Anti-virus, free version. I have used the information at
www.blackviper.com to trim down the services running on the system
and it runs great. It has always run with no problems right out of
the box anyway. It starts quickly, Internet Explorer 6.0 opens very
quickly and behaves properly at all times. I don't have any problems
with scrolling, it doesn't crash for no apparent reason, my DSL
connection is consistently good, in short the machine runs like a
champ. I may be one of the lucky ones, but when I read some of the
posts on the groups I have to just shake my head in amazement. I
would suggest buying an ABS computer when you are in the market for a
new machine. You can see them at www.buyabs.com.

Why are you amazed that people posting here have a problem? This is what
product support newsgroups are for. It's like visiting a hospital, you would
not expect to see only healthy people there.

This is not a place where people usually come to sing the praises of Windows
XP. <g>

However, your message is refreshing and I am glad to hear that you are
enjoying your computer.

--
Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP-Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
http://www.dts-l.org
http://www.mvps.org

 

[Tom Swift]

"Why are you amazed that people posting here have a problem? This is what
product support newsgroups are for. It's like sitting a hospital, you would
not expect to see only healthy people there."

A refreshing perspective on these groups. You've certainly changed my
attitude. Thanks (;->

Tom Swift

<snip>

 

[+-J]

"Ronnie Vernon MVP" : It's like visiting a hospital...

"Tom Swift" : It's like sitting a hospital...

What happened?

--
Jan
----------


| "Why are you amazed that people posting here have a problem? This is what
| product support newsgroups are for. It's like sitting a hospital, you would
| not expect to see only healthy people there."
|
| A refreshing perspective on these groups. You've certainly changed my
| attitude. Thanks (;->
|
| Tom Swift




Why are you amazed that people posting here have a problem? This is what
product support newsgroups are for. It's like visiting a hospital, you would
not expect to see only healthy people there.

This is not a place where people usually come to sing the praises of Windows
XP. <g>

However, your message is refreshing and I am glad to hear that you are
enjoying your computer.

 

[Kraut]

Mine is bullet proof with XP.....I have even TRIED to do something stupid
that froze up 98SE just to see what happens. ... Not much... process shut
down, screen flashed, AND, everything back to normal.

I think computers should have a sticker that says "if you're a moron, do not
turn on".

I can't BELIEVE some of the stuff I read "here and there" about what some do
with their machines...

These AREN'T toaster ovens. They are devices loaded with technology and
programs that TRY to make them moron-proof.

Here's a novel idea: BUY A BOOK and read about computers.

I think many would be better off saving their money and buying an
etch-a-sketch.

 

[+-J]

| I think computers should have a sticker that says "if you're a moron, do not turn on".

By definition, such a person might not understand that message.

--
Jan
----------


| Mine is bullet proof with XP.....I have even TRIED to do something stupid that froze up 98SE just to see what happens. ... Not
much... process shut down, screen flashed, AND, everything back to normal.

| I think computers should have a sticker that says "if you're a moron, do not turn on".

| I can't BELIEVE some of the stuff I read "here and there" about what some do with their machines...

| These AREN'T toaster ovens. They are devices loaded with technology and programs that TRY to make them moron-proof.

| Here's a novel idea: BUY A BOOK and read about computers.

| I think many would be better off saving their money and buying an etch-a-sketch.

| --
| Frank Bachman
| (Grumpy Aero Guy)

| "Kevin" <[email protected]> wrote:

 

[Kraut]

GOOD POINT !!!!!

--

Frank Bachman
(Grumpy Aero Guy)

| I think computers should have a sticker that says "if you're a moron, do not turn on".

By definition, such a person might not understand that message.

stupid that froze up 98SE just to see what happens. ... Not

much... process shut down, screen flashed, AND, everything back to normal.

| I think computers should have a sticker that says "if you're a moron, do not turn on".

| I can't BELIEVE some of the stuff I read "here and there" about what some do with their machines...

| These AREN'T toaster ovens. They are devices loaded with technology and

programs that TRY to make them moron-proof.

 

[+-J]

My ISP offers a course titled "International Computer Driver's Licence". However, having such a licence does not prevent a luser
from doing silly things. (Witness the carnage and destruction caused by drivers on public roads, even though those drivers have had
"driving" lessons and have passed a "driving" test and have been issued with a "driving" licence.)

I suspect many users have had very little, if any, professional training in the productive use of computers.

Also, many lusers, especially managers, bureaucrats and politicians, are technically challenged. It is not their fault - they were
born that way.

Newer generations of people are *not* being born "smarter" than those of earlier generations, yet technology becomes ever more
complicated.

There is no hope.

--
Jan
----------


| GOOD POINT !!!!!
| --
| Frank Bachman
| (Grumpy Aero Guy)


| > | I think computers should have a sticker that says "if you're a moron, do not turn on".
| > By definition, such a person might not understand that message.
| > --
| > Jan
| > ----------

|
| > | Mine is bullet proof with XP.....I have even TRIED to do something
| stupid that froze up 98SE just to see what happens. ... Not
| > much... process shut down, screen flashed, AND, everything back to normal.
|
| > | I think computers should have a sticker that says "if you're a moron, do
| not turn on".
|
| > | I can't BELIEVE some of the stuff I read "here and there" about what
| some do with their machines...
|
| > | These AREN'T toaster ovens. They are devices loaded with technology and
| programs that TRY to make them moron-proof.
|
| > | Here's a novel idea: BUY A BOOK and read about computers.
|
| > | I think many would be better off saving their money and buying an
| etch-a-sketch.
|
| > | --
| > | Frank Bachman
| > | (Grumpy Aero Guy)

 

[Kraut]

Right you are....

I teach (programming) at a local community college.

My axiom seems to be that there is a generation of folks (like me) that
are/were coming of age along with the PC in the early to mid 80s (if they
were interested in those "boxes" back then) that seem to have a great
foundation and affinity for compooters. This is ESPECIALLY true if they were
(like me) in a technical profession where the computer had real promise to
make their jobs and capabilities much easier, faster and less error prone. I
remeber the days if a need arose for a root finder, you WROTE IT YOURSELF. I
remember the days when you needed an application, YOU WROTE IT YOURSELF.
(the good 'ol days)---In DOS or QBasic or Fortran or Pascal.

Then, sometime after 1994, or so, well after the advent of windows 3.1,
people started getting less astute about computers, because the OS was
taking a lot of the NEED to understand the true guts of what was going on
away from the equation. I've met a LOT of very gifted network guys (we're
talking magicians on setting up networks here) that had a little problem on
getting something to go that wasn't part of the network OS. I says "write a
script on the command line interface and run it." They looks at me and says
"huh?".

I sit down with them and treach them command line scripting, and they are
delighted and amazed. They ask: "where did you learn that?". I says "years
ago when there wasn't any choice". They are astounded at the power of the
command line.

I think it is all reverting to a "see a button and push it" atmosphere,
rather than a "OK what is this machine expecting/wanting here and why?"

??




--

Frank Bachman
(Grumpy Aero Guy)

My ISP offers a course titled "International Computer Driver's Licence".

However, having such a licence does not prevent a luser

from doing silly things. (Witness the carnage and destruction caused by

drivers on public roads, even though those drivers have had

"driving" lessons and have passed a "driving" test and have been issued with a "driving" licence.)

I suspect many users have had very little, if any, professional training

in the productive use of computers.

Also, many lusers, especially managers, bureaucrats and politicians, are

technically challenged. It is not their fault - they were

born that way.

Newer generations of people are *not* being born "smarter" than those of

earlier generations, yet technology becomes ever more