Trying to fix a laptop!!

[gabriella]

Dear all

Please do not laugh!!

A friend of my husband's has sent a Toshiba Satellite Pro A10 laptop to me for sorting. (She must be a trusting soul!!)

I will list the problems, then what I have found/think plus what I have done so far:

Spyware (lots of it)!!
Adware (lots of it)!!
Norton 2005 won't update
Won't receive emails (using Outlook/MS Office)

I have run CCleaner and deleted sheds full of stuff.

She has no anti Adware programmes on her laptop so that will be a recommendation to her. She has got Spyware Blaster which is fully enabled.

I can't get an internet connection - she's with Tiscali using a dial up connection with the number being used as: (this is a UK number) 08440575000. Obviously I can't look at the email situation or the Norton update situation without being able to dial through.

At home, I have BB connection.

My first question which may help me on my path to looking further into this is:

Why can't I dial through?? Is it because we are on BB here? If so, do I need to disconnect my cable from my PC to the phone socket and try again. OR is there something else I should be doing?

Any help would be greatfully received.

Kindest regards

Gabriella x

 

[Me__2001]

Dear all

A friend of my husband's has sent a Toshiba Satellite Pro A10 laptop to me for sorting. (She must be a trusting soul!!)

the news has obviously got round about your course

you should be able to use dial up as the phone line is still free even if your on the net with your own PC

first you need to check the number you are dialling to do this

right click IE icon > properties > connections tab > settings > properties

you will need to get the number from the owners account info that they should have printed or copied down somewhere, also while your there check the username and password is correct, then try

 

[gabriella]

OK, I have been doing some research and have found that 08440575000 (Tiscali) is a 'pay as you go' dial up number.

I haven't got a Tiscali account - do you think that's why I can't get through? Secondly, is it likely that I am going to struggle to connect given no Tiscali account here?

Just a thought!! You guys will know though!

Kind regards

Gabriella x

 

[gabriella]

Hi Me_2001

I did what you said plus some other research and placed my post above whilst you were placing yours.

Do you think the Tiscali 'pay as you go' account is the issue?

Gabriella x

 

[Me__2001]

it could be, on the help section it says dial-up PAYG customers need a BT line, do you have one ?

also do you have any error codes ?

 

[gabriella]

He Me_2001

Yes, I have BT line, packed the laptop away so can't remember the error code but basically it timed out after ages trying to dial through.

I am trying to eliminate the simple things first....so what I am thinking is.....presumably friend has 'pay as you go' with her details/phone no and the like registered with Tiscali and my number won't match hers. I don't know how 'pay as you go' works - perhaps they bill you, perhaps you buy some sort of voucher, not sure really.

At this stage I am not sure that Outlook is the default email client (I suspect not) but can't check that far. She has certainly been accessing the net based on the stuff I've deleted from the temp files and general dross. I have set another friend up on Tiscali but that was a BB connection and I have to say that my experience of their customer service when I had problems wasn't that great.

If all else fails, may have to go to hers and dial in there (another night cos it's getting a bit late now!)

Thanks

Gabriella x

 

[Techy]

gab, what you not just share your bb connection? has the laptop got a network port?

 

[floppybootstomp]

If the Tiscali account is set up OK on that laptop, user name and password should be in place and you should be able to connect.

My guess is that it's crippled because of the infestations.

I can only suggest somehow getting AdAwareSE and Spybot Search and Destroy on there (d/l on yours and burn to CDRW perhaps) and trying to cleanse it.

And Tiscali, are, er, how can I put this? Not very good at all.

I could be wrong about being able to connect to dial up, maybe you'll have to enter the Tiscali setup and enter your own phone number first before you can coonect.

Good luck.

 

[floppybootstomp]

gab, what you not just share your bb connection? has the laptop got a network port?

Now that's a good suggestion, it did cross my mind, forgot to mention it.

 

[gabriella]

OK guys, worth a try....

How do I do that?? With the laptop I only have the usual wires and the dial up connection lead.

So I am assuming that I unplug some wire from my PC and put into the laptop?? Right/wrong.

I might be wrong but I do wonder about this pay as you go thing and whether it recognises my phone number.

As for Tiscali, well, don't get me going on that one. I spent a whole day at another friend's house in Derby trying to sort her BB connection out and I followed everything to te letter. I ended up speaking on numerous occasions to a call centre (quite where I am not sure) and it sounded like they were reading from a script. I am glad that I didn't have the pleasure of sorting out the phone bill at some extortionate rate per minute.

Anyway, I digressed a bit there....sorry!

Gabs x

 

[Me__2001]

And Tiscali, are, er, how can I put this? Not very good at all.

i've had a tiscali connection for a while now and haven't had any trouble.

from the website i've found that you only have to tell them your moving house etc if you have a monthly contract so it should work

as the others have suggested either connect it to your BB connection or install the apps from a CD

 

[Me__2001]

if the laptop has a network port or you have an external modem you can plug in then setup the connection plug it in and away you go

 

[gabriella]

Re the error message, just tried again and it said:

'Error 678, remote computer did not respond'. (Basically timed out after about 5 mins).

I am not too sure about setting up the connection. I am with Pipex BB - so are you suggesting that I plug my wires/gizmos/whatever into the laptop and off I go? OR do I need to set Pipex up on the laptop? I don't mind giving it a whirl but I don't want to do anything to mess up my perfectly well functioning connection!!!

Thanks again!

Gabs x

 

[Me__2001]

when you first got your BB wires, modem etc you should have recieved a CD with drivers or some instructions of some sort. just follow the instructions the same as you did on your main PC and it should setup the connection then plug the wire that goes into your PC into the laptop and you should be online

 

[floppybootstomp]

The laptop is not connecting, that's the error message. I'd guess it's because your friend's phone number is in the Tiscali set up. If you can figure it out, change it to your own.

And yes, if you have an ethernet connection cable to Broadband, you can just plug it into the laptop network port, then click the browser icon (probably IE) and you should connect. It won't mess up the settings on your own computer, it doesn't work like that.

As for Tiscali, I have had many problems trying to sort out problems on friends' systems, the helpline goes directly to India, some knew what they talking about, others did not. And, to be honest, we had a helluva job understanding each other, local dialects and all.

Fact is, helplines based in India are dead cheap, but not ideal, which kinda sums up Tiscali, to me.

 

[gabriella]

Thanks Me_2001

I can tackle that one OK!

Can I just check that it won't mess my connection up with my PC or the laptop friend with her Tiscali dial up gizmo? So I take it I set it up as if it were 'me' on my Pipex account??

If it's as easy as that, no problems!!

Might do it tomorrow in proper daylight as I will have to partly dismantle the office furniture to access the wires and bits/bobs.

I have the installation CD and all the instructions filed away safely so that's no problem!

Once I've checked I've understood you fully I will proceed tomorrow morning!

Thanks

Gabs x

 

[Me__2001]

set it up for your pipex account and you should be fine, the other connection will be left alone but you may have to change wich one is the default connection

 

[gabriella]

Hi Flops

I have been everywhere trying to find the set up. My friend in Derby has a 'My Tiscali' folder on her PC with all the set up stuff in it, but I can't find anything like that on the laptop. I did try to install a connection from my home phone number and it wasn't happy and said that there was already an account with Tiscali so I aborted that idea!

I know exactly what you mean and why you are saying it which kinda goes with my idea about this 'pay as you go thing' but I can't get to it.

I'll have another look now!

Gabs x

 

[gabriella]

Thanks Me_2001

Tomorrow I will continue the quest. I have realised that I could be here all night faffing (that isn't a swear word by the way - a local term meaning 'to fiddle with' !!) about with the Tiscali - one missing ingredient even if I could change the location to my home number, I have everything except the password for the Tiscali internet connection.

Many thanks for your kind help. I may be back tomorrow night!

Night night!!

Gabs x