Need computer help?

LOL,
I live in Luh Ah Ville. About 4 miles from the track and about 5 from the University. Shout out to them- the hospital there saved my life!!

I am on an old Lenovo that is a workhorse, It's about 4 years old and I have brought it back to life time and time again. It's got Iolo System Mechanic and McAfee anti-virus loaded onto it and win7 as an OS.

I bought the new Lenovo and it has Win8 on it - I hate it - I used it more for music and photos while I learned to navigate Win 8.

I was just on it surfing when it locked up, I tried to C-A-Delete, but that didn't work. I shut it down and it went thru the process of starting then it gets to the password screen, I enter my pw and the screen goes black.
It does put little prompts up about buying MORE antivirus and the cursor appears. But no other activity.

I did look up the model number and it came back with the "Power Dump" solution, Unplug everything and hold down the power button for 10 seconds. I will try the 30 second fix....

(I also tried to get the machine to reset via a 'reset' mode but that doesn't work. I have no problem resetting the machine because I have my music and photos on flash drives......)

About a 'smart phone'? LOL, I am too blind and my fingers are too fat!!

Thanks to everyone!!

Starting in Safe Mode on Windows 8 is not just an F8 thing.

I'll look up the instructions and post them here.

Microsoft fixed something that wasn't broken and made it more complicated.

Why does that not surprise me? :rolleyes:;)

Two ways to get into Safe Mode on Windows 8.1 (which is likely the version you have):

There are two ways to get to the Windows Startup Settings screen in Windows 8 :

• If you're not signed in to Windows, tap or click the power icon http://res1.windows.microsoft.com/re...0654dfaa_5.jpg from the sign-in screen, hold Shift, and then tap or click Restart
  
• Or, if you're already signed in:
  
  
  • Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
    (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)
    
  • Under PC settings, tap or click General.
    
  • Under Advanced startup, tap or click Restart now.
    
  • On the Choose an option screen, tap or click Troubleshoot.
    
  • Tap or click Startup Settings.
    
  • Tap or click Restart.
    
    
  • On the Startup Settings screen, choose the startup setting you want.
    
  • Sign in to your PC with a user account that has administrator rights.
    
    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/w...ding-safe-mode
    
  
  
  

If you're getting pop-ups saying you have a virus, your computer may be infected; you said you crashed when you were surfing? Did you have an antivirus on there before?

Good luck!

If none of that works, there is always Staples and Best Buy for help. Personally I prefer Staples.

Karen, when is the last time you bought a computer? I've not had them come with disks for 3 computers now, and I buy about every 4 years! You either spend hours making your own when you first get the thing, or you buy them. I hate it, lol.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Freedom

If none of that works, there is always Staples and Best Buy for help. Personally I prefer Staples.

Karen, when is the last time you bought a computer? I've not had them come with disks for 3 computers now, and I buy about every 4 years! You either spend hours making your own when you first get the thing, or you buy them. I hate it, lol.

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I only have Apple computers, have never personally bought a PC, sorry! We own one for testing and other purposes but Paul bought that, not me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by smokey the elder

If you're getting pop-ups saying you have a virus, your computer may be infected; you said you crashed when you were surfing? Did you have an antivirus on there before?

Good luck!

---

The only pop up I get is the McAfee "your computer's free trial has expired" and Cancel or Buy, I click the "buy" and it goes into a screen where it tries to get a wireless signal and stays there. I did buy an Iolo System Mechanic subscription and loaded that onto it - it's on all three comps in the house.....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Catty1

Two ways to get into Safe Mode on Windows 8.1 (which is likely the version you have):

There are two ways to get to the Windows Startup Settings screen in Windows 8 :

• If you're not signed in to Windows, tap or click the power icon http://res1.windows.microsoft.com/re...0654dfaa_5.jpg from the sign-in screen, hold Shift, and then tap or click Restart
  
• Or, if you're already signed in:
  
  
  • Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
    (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)
    
  • Under PC settings, tap or click General.
    
  • Under Advanced startup, tap or click Restart now.
    
  • On the Choose an option screen, tap or click Troubleshoot.
    
  • Tap or click Startup Settings.
    
  • Tap or click Restart.
    
    
  • On the Startup Settings screen, choose the startup setting you want.
    
  • Sign in to your PC with a user account that has administrator rights.
    
    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/w...ding-safe-mode
    
  
  
  

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Thanks, I will give that a try!!!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

Before I say anything else?

What is a PET TALKER?

A pet talker will read a post, send the message out over the internet and get EVERYONE involved with helping out?

--------

Hokay....Let me read thru your help and let you know what I have done to try to get things fixed. I need to walk the dog first.

Priorities?;)

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Actually I was visiting the forum, believe it or not. I read Karen's posts trying to help you, so I messaged PM Candace. I have some nice guy computer geeks as friends, but they're so smart they'll take a simple problem and make it equivalent to climbing Everest.

Candace is smart and has common sense. And she can help you in about a tenth of the time it would take me.

Break a leg.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrspunkysmom

Actually I was visiting the forum, believe it or not. I read Karen's posts trying to help you, so I messaged PM Candace. I have some nice guy computer geeks as friends, but they're so smart they'll take a simple problem and make it equivalent to climbing Everest.

Candace is smart and has common sense. And she can help you in about a tenth of the time it would take me.

Break a leg.

---

Hokay,

Which news do I give everyone FIRST?

The bad news?

I think Candace has whipped Common Sense' arse.

And "I don't need no stinkin' help from a large box store?":D

The good news?

My computer works!

------

I tried the "hold the shift key" trick and was able to reset the machine.
I lost all the 'favorite' list, but that is no problem looking up the sites and 're-favoriting' them .


Thanks to everyone who posted and for all the hints, ideas and support.

I stopped being 'amazed' at Pet Talk. Now?

I am simply stunned!

thanks again!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by richard

hokay,

which news do i give everyone first?

The bad news?

I think candace has whipped common sense' arse.

And "i don't need no stinkin' help from a large box store?":d

the good news?

My computer works!

------

i tried the "hold the shift key" trick and was able to reset the machine.
I lost all the 'favorite' list, but that is no problem looking up the sites and 're-favoriting' them .


Thanks to everyone who posted and for all the hints, ideas and support.

I stopped being 'amazed' at pet talk. Now?

I am simply stunned!

Thanks again!!!

---

good to hear! :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

Hokay,

Which news do I give everyone FIRST? The bad news? I think Candace has whipped Common Sense' arse.

And "I don't need no stinkin' help from a large box store?":D

The good news? My computer works!

------

I tried the "hold the shift key" trick and was able to reset the machine.
I lost all the 'favorite' list, but that is no problem looking up the sites and 're-favoriting' them .
Thanks to everyone who posted and for all the hints, ideas and support.

I stopped being 'amazed' at Pet Talk. Now?

I am simply stunned! thanks again!!!

---

Bad news? I don't know about whipping common sense's arse. I want to buy it a drink and give it a toast.

I'm glad your computer is working again.

Speaking of troubles with computers it seems like our whole town is having the same problems----greezing up, shutting down unexpectedly, not being able to open favourites etc etc. My hairdresser called her server today and had it out with them and they rebooted from the office... I have a book sitting beside me that I read when I do something and have to sit forever until I get action. I've had everything from freezing up, closing automatically , warnings or threats, warnings that a virus was found etc etc-----not the problem at all...seems it comes from Windows itself. I get pop ups telling me my computer has been cleaned up and I need to restart, I just close the pop up, you can always tell if it's legit.
Someone said the lines are totally jammed because the 911 anniversary was coming up----I really don't know if this is true or not but I did have my cp checked and all is in order so hard to know where to look for the problem---this puter is 7 yrs old so I decided to buy a new one just to see if it makes a difference, hope it comes in soon, looks like the companies are having trouble getting their orders filled.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Asiel

Speaking of troubles with computers it seems like our whole town is having the same problems----greezing up, shutting down unexpectedly, not being able to open favourites etc etc. My hairdresser called her server today and had it out with them and they rebooted from the office... I have a book sitting beside me that I read when I do something and have to sit forever until I get action. I've had everything from freezing up, closing automatically , warnings or threats, warnings that a virus was found etc etc-----not the problem at all...seems it comes from Windows itself. I get pop ups telling me my computer has been cleaned up and I need to restart, I just close the pop up, you can always tell if it's legit.
Someone said the lines are totally jammed because the 911 anniversary was coming up----I really don't know if this is true or not but I did have my cp checked and all is in order so hard to know where to look for the problem---this puter is 7 yrs old so I decided to buy a new one just to see if it makes a difference, hope it comes in soon, looks like the companies are having trouble getting their orders filled.

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Is your service thru Time Warner?
The day after my comp went down, I heard that TimeWarner had a problem with some internet service....

http://www.onenewspage.com/n/Compute...et-service.htm

None of the other computers in the house had any problems...But I don't remember if my new comp was 'online' the
day of the outage........

I think that people get antsy and begin to panic before something happens - The Y2K bug/preparation was a good example of people panicking for really nothing?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

]...

I think that people get antsy and begin to panic before something happens - The Y2K bug/preparation was a good example of people panicking for really nothing?

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It was nothing because for once (or maybe twice) the Powers That Be actually listened to the geeks and nerds and followed their advice. They could have fixed it all without a fuss, but the media does love a good story.

Now if we could just get the PTBs to listen to us now.