Help! Computer Glitch My computer wont launch Explorer. I double-click, get an hourglass, wait, then the hourglass goes away and nothing happens. Usually the computer locks at this point. Facts: It’s a Pentium Dell, 500k RAM c. 2002?, running on Windows Me [Dell promised an xp upgrade but that never worked – that’s another story]. Cable internet access through a router; the Dell is the wired computer, there is also a wireless station [a Gateway], that experiences no problems with internet access. Other symptoms: Quicken usually wont launch either. Word seems to work. Sometimes Outlook will launch and show new messages, but usually it locks up. Ive tried: 1. Calling the cable company – they say if the Gateway has access, its not an ISP problem. 2. Ran Norton Antivirus 2004. Nothing shows up as a problem. 3. Deleted Temporary Internet Files. Doest help. Thanks for any ideas! Rick rvance@stites.com ravan28

Just a thought, but have you ran the Windows Update to see if there are any downloads? I had the same problem with Windows Media Player after I did a system recovery, and there was a critical patch applied that fixed it (I wasn't able to download the newest version until the older one was fixed). The other thing might be to reinstall the programs that are not working correctly as there might be corrupt files that are not executing. Just a thought... Gail

I fully agree with Gail, get updated and reinstall whatever isn't working. Read this: http://www.burzurq.com/forum/trevtweak.html and this http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/ie6sp1/default.asp and this: Downloading hint: One other thing I do on downloading is, after you get the download (M$ does not structure its downloads so you can do this for some reason), after download BEFORE INSTALL, #1. log off the net, #2. disable AV (right click tray icon), #3. then ctrl-alt-delete to close AV in close-program, THEN (and only then) #4. click on the install procedure. Otherwise your AV might read the install as an invader and mess with it. Then manually shut down for two full minutes. Run SpyBot and Adaware and update them no later than every 3 days Spybot: Download and Read the SpyBot tutorial here: http://s89223352.onlinehome.us/mirror/spybot/index1.php Download it, Unzip the program, and immediately check for updates, install the updates and then do the scan. Let it fix everything marked in red. Reboot but not with restart, shut it down for two full minutes. You’ve got two measely minutes and it’s worth it, and let Spybot run if it indicates. To add an item to your ‘Ignore List” click on the little ‘+’ sign next to the item and left click it to highlight it, then right click it and a menu appears, select the function you want. When you are done reboot again same way. Two full minutes shut sown is best. Tea Time discussed by designer here: http://forums.net-integration.net/index.php?showtopic=13433 Also, go to the update page. Notice 3 icons across the top. Between "Search For Updates" and "Download Updates" there is an icon for the download mirror location. After you click on ‘search for updates,’ the one in the middle will change. If it doesn't say "Spybot.US by Rootboxen.net USA" click on the dropbox arrows and click on Rootboxen, and use only that one. If you got a "checksum error" trying to download --that's why. Ad-Aware: Download AdAware from http://www.lavasoft.de/ check for updates at "webupdate". I use these settings (green check) From main window click "Start" then make sure " Activate in-depth scan" has a green check next to it. Put a black dot nest to "Use custom scanning options” and click Customize" next to it, then green check these options: "Scan within archives" ,"Scan active processes", "Scan registry", "Deep scan registry" ,"Scan my IE Favorites for banned URL" "Scan my host-files" At the top of the “STATUS” page notice the Tweak (gear) icon. Click on it. The first setting is “Scanning Engine.” Click on the little plus sign next to it, and in the drop-down green check "Unload recognized processes during scanning", and “include basic Ad-Aware settings in log file”. Next click on the ‘+’ next to "Cleaning Engine" and in the drop-down green check "Let windows remove files in use at next reboot" and Delete quarantine objects after restoring” Click "proceed", that will save those settings. Click "Scan" When the scan finishes, mark everything for removal and delete it. Right-click the window and choose "select all" from the drop down menu, press ‘next’ and then ‘yes’ to the prompt: “remove all these entries”. However, if you have certain programs running that will give a false indicator of a browser hijack attempt, such as Script Sentry, which places a monitoring function in the registry and looks like a browser hijacker but is not, then you may want to add that to the ignore list because you want to keep it there to do it’s job. To add an item to the ignore list, put the a cursor on the file it reveals and left click it to highlight it, then right click it and a menu appears. Click on ‘ignore list.’ Shut down, two minute shut down is best, and let Adaware run on reboot if it indicates. Thresher