Running a computer 24/7 ?

[SarahND]

Hi Annpa,

I know Norton and AVG but what is this "Scottish one" that Alan is talking about??.

I assume he means McAfee

Regards,
Sarah

[Jack]

My thanks to you all for the advice and comments.

The 24/7 question was born out of desperation, and with a touch of frustration (that on/off button !)
On Wednesday last i had two tries at getting the pc up & running...
The morning stint was well over 4hrs, and the evening one near 7hrs - eventually gave up & went to bed!
That was the worst day so far - though most others aren't much better, and i just have to leave it off.
Yet today it only took 15 minutes...what a pleasant surprise!
But all the problems are still there.
--
Earlier in the week i unplugged the broadband whilst the pc was running to see what would happen when i reconnected.
(was only off for a few minutes)
Zone Alarm said something about a new connection, but otherwise the pc worked as it was before the disconnection.
(i.e. with the usual problems - and one i forgot to mention, can't open anything in Word or Excel)

Although i did check all the internal connections, and they were all ok, ah'm still a bit feart to leave it running at night.
I somehow don't think i'd sleep soundly knowing a wonky computer has been left to its own devices!

The company i bought the computer from are now out of business, and i only had a set-up chart of where to plug in the cables etc.
It didn't come with any real in-depth documentation - just general stuff & a helpline number.
So can't now update any drivers - not exactly sure what they are, and so wouldn't know how to do it anyway!

Oops, my error, it's actually a near all white screen (not blue) that starts - with the aforementioned improper CPU speed.
And i was wrong in saying an anti-spyware programme deleted something - it was a registry cleanup one.
Not sure what its name was (possibly RegCleaner?) as i deleted the whole thing a while back in case i used it again in error!
So far too late to undo what it did - and what i did.
I think it might be best for me to buy a spare copy of XP for the future too as i doubt my old census CDs will be compatible with Vista.
Or if i do have to use Vista, perhaps install a 2nd hard drive with XP for them alone?

I've now managed to copy & print my e-mail address book - but there are many i don't recognise...
Seems i've forgotten who i've written to over the years!

I've always used Norton - just because it came pre-installed.
Read many times that Norton slows computers down - seems reliable though.
But even so, perhaps worth thinking about AVG.
I do turn off any auto settings whenever i have a choice,
and my CDs have "take no action", but still the Windows installer wants to install...!
But only on some CDs or programmes; not all of them - some work as normal.
--
Anyway, the bottom line is that i'm just going to hopefully "play safe" and go for a new pc - sometime in May probably.
That is when the council will be doing planned renovations for my house; don't want a new pc sookin' in a' the stoor!
So fingers crossed the old one will occassionally deign to start over the next month or two.
As has been said, although a 5yr old computer isn't "old", i just feel it now has far too many problems,
and may be cheaper in the long run buying new than trying to have it repaired.

And hopefully i will then be able to use the external hard drive i bought in Aug 2006 (as discussed on TS!).
Seems it needed a power unit for it to work on my present pc - and i've had trouble finding one!
Or it needs USB2 - at present i've only got USB1.
Or it's faulty, but hope not as it's now well passed the guarantee date! [-o<

I'm obliged to everyone for going out of their way to help, it was much appreciated.
Gave me plenty to think about.
Cheers - Jack

[emanday]

Hi Jack,

After spending many years working in computer departments with both techies and programmers I reached the conclusion that the majority opted for the 24/7 route, especially the techies.

It seems that there is more wear and tear during the on/off process than when the PC is running continuously. Only my laptop gets turned off, for obvious reasons, but my desktop is always on. I just turn off the monitor when I'm not using it.

I've got my wireless connection on the highest security and trust my AVG and assorted spyware/malware programs.

Also, on the few occasions when I have turned my broadband router off, whether by intention or accident, it has never caused any problems. XP recognises what is happening and does little more than tell you that you are disconnected/reconnected.

[speleobat2]

After having some really awful problems with McAfee last December, I switched to AVG. It works beautifully! Most importantly, it works!!!

Thanks to Alan and everyone else who recommended AVG!

Carol

[Currie]

Good luck Jack,

I hope you’ll be able to soldier on with the old machine until change over time. I guess the main thing is that you’ve got your important stuff backed up. Backups to more than one type of media e.g. CD and USB drive would be a good idea if that’s practical.

You should be able to “dual boot” two versions of Windows on separate hard drives but I’m not sure how complicated setting this up would be in practice. Unfortunately Microsoft tends to have the attitude that if it isn’t Windows and isn’t its very latest version it doesn’t deserve to exist. Alternatively you could just format the Vista drive and install XP if you’ve been able to buy a retail copy.

If the old computer had a retail XP copy rather than the OEM version (one preinstalled by HP, Compaq etc.) you could maybe just transfer the licence to the new machine. This would depend on Microsoft’s approval during the activation process. I think that’s how it all works.

That said, if you google “downgrade to XP” you’ll find articles about Microsoft making provision for just that but only with the more expensive versions of Vista. I don’t know what the latest news is but you could enquire of the retailer when the time comes although I wouldn’t hold out much hope.

If you can’t get the external hard drive to work you could open the case and you should find a perfectly standard hard drive that will fit into any desktop computer, possibly only needing an adaptor of some description. Often external hard drive problems have nothing to do with the actual drive within the box.

And Annpa, Sarah’s right, McAfee’s the Scottish one, a very old Scottish name. If you check the front page search on SP you’ll find 1 in 1851, 19 in 1861 and 5 in 1871. Looks like in the 1860s Mr McAfee thought he had acquired some nasties and took steps to correct the problem.

All the best,
Alan

[SarahND]

If you check the front page search on SP you’ll find 1 in 1851, 19 in 1861 and 5 in 1871. Looks like in the 1860s Mr McAfee thought he had acquired some nasties and took steps to correct the problem.

I think he just transported them, Alan

In the U.S. Ancestry has:
8 in 1790
15 in 1800
38 in 1810
35 in 1820
66 in 1830
122 in 1840 (but 1790-1840 are households, not individuals)
1,015 in 1850
1,291 in 1860
2,131 in 1870
1,247 in 1880
3,721 in 1900
4,513 in 1910
4,851 in 1920
5,553 in 1930

Which is interesting. Hmmm. k Look at that dip at 1880. I have always felt that there were some problems with that census. There are numerous family members that I can find on every other census EXCEPT the 1880. So what's up? Did they miss a big chunk of the population?

Now... go back to Scotland's People and check the surname McFee, which has many more representatives and so the trend is clearer... Look at 1881!!! What happened??? Another big drop in population.

Note that a surname like Smith doesn't have that dip.

But McDonald does... Ah!!!! I see now. It's the famous LDS mc-space phenomenon on the censuses indexed by them. If you search for mc donald, with a space, there are 36,353 in 1881 and hardly any in other years.
So now... back to McAfee to try Mc Afee -- Only 6 in 1881 and none any other year. Still looks like they were transported
In the U.S. there are 1,546 Mc Afees in 1880, so a total of 2,793 with and without the space. Now it's in line with the other years.

Sorry Alan, you set me off on this insane quest. And profound apologies to Jack, for sending his topic spinning out of control
If I lived closer, I'd give you one of my old computers to tide you over as a peace offering

Regards,
Sarah

[Muriel]

Jack

I had a similar problem with mine a few months ago - turned out the on/off button was sticking! It was just a matter of taking off the side of the machine (you should see the screws) & applying a bit of petroleum jelly (you know the one!!).

Muriel

PS I didn't work this out myself - it was my friendly computer whizz!

[Currie]

It’d be funny if that’s all it was and would be a rare situation because switches tend to last forever but nothings impossible. If the switch behind the front button is sticking it may give a similar result to when you hold the power switch in for several seconds and turn the computer off. Similarly if the very thin wires between the switch and the motherboard are making very poor contact at each of their ends where they attach they may cause problems.

I you are going to open the case to check any obvious physical problem with the front switch or the wire connections make sure the computer is disconnected from the mains current. Modern computers over the last 10 years or so (ATX form factor) have low voltage to the front switch. Just a momentary push on the switch instructs the computer to start. Computers prior to that (AT form factor) had high voltage running to the front switch.

If you’re comfortable and familiar with such a procedure, on a low voltage ATX system you could disconnect the wires from the front switch and with power connected to the computer momentarily touch the two wires together then keep them apart to see if the computer starts and runs normally. For any other work on the computer keep the mains power turned off.

This test and lubrication of the switch may not be practical if it is inaccessible. Any relatively inaccessible switch sticking may be cured by a very brief squirt with one of those automobile ignition dewatering sprays, WD40?, but don’t let overspray or bounce back get onto anything else.

Also, if you’re going to touch any wires or other components within the case make sure you frequently touch or hold exposed metal on the case body to remove any risk of static electricity from yourself damaging components.

Note that older computers (AT form factor), the ones that tell you that’s it’s okay to turn off your computer and which you have to physically turn off by the switch, have deadly high voltage to the front switch. If in doubt about whether you have AT or ATX don’t touch unless the computer is completely unplugged from the mains power.

Alan

[Lizzie]

Hello Jack and to add my two cents worth here. My Computer addict next door installed the FREE AVG on mine last year. He swears by it and I even reinstalled it myself a few weeks ago with no problem at all! Good luck.

Elizabeth

[Jack]

Again my thanks to one and all.

I smeared some Vaseline around the casing switch, and dropped WD40 into the wee switch behind.
But alas, it didn't solve the problem; and i still can't see any pattern as to why it does or doesn't start.
I've got a right pernickety computer by all accounts...
The wee internal switch has 2 rather fine wires and i don't really want to pull them out in case i snap them.
They seem quite firmly connected - so i'll just continue to take pot luck each day on whether the pc starts or not....

However, after 3 days of trying, my pc started at the 2nd go today - gave me quite a shock i can tell you!
Nearly spilled my cuppa...it was so unexpected!

I'm still a bit wary of running it 24/7; one reason being...
Since i got the pc i always ran Norton Anti-Virus whilst i went to the nearby Sunday car boot sale.
I did this every week without problems; but one day abt two years ago, when i'd returned, i noticed that my pc had froze.
Turned it off but couldn't get it started again, although it was trying to.
A neighbour at the time eventually found the fault was a broken cooling fan on, i think, the motherboard.
But even after changing it it wouldn't start properly - seemed something was damaged in XP.
So he installed a 2nd hard drive with Windows 2000 to get the computer running.
He then somehow went into 1st hard drive with XP and ran it to fix the errors - luckily it did.
Took him about 7 hours to get it all sorted - a wee cooling fan that cost less than a fiver had caused all the bother!

And all went well till I (or rather the registry cleaner) deleted something that it shouldn't have.
So a new pc is still on the horizon, and i'll be using AVG - i need to economise somehow!
Meanwhile i've unsubscribed from all my Rootsweb Lists; don't want a 2 months or so build up of e-mails...
It might be that long before i'm "back to normal" again...
Only three days off-line and i'd over 120 e-mails waiting for me!

I'm most grateful for all the help, and if i'm "missing" from TS it'll be an easy guess as to why!
Cheers - Jack