I am about to throw a computer through the window...
By JJ
@JolietJake (50190)
January 31, 2017 10:33am CST
...or maybe a wall...or maybe smash it violently on the floor and stomp it into itty-bitty pieces! 
Boss sent a couple of computers home with me yesterday that he wanted me to 'strip down' to where only the basic necessities were on them and then install a few programs so they can be used for sound systems in a venue in Tennessee (we're in Illinois) and install some software so we can control them remotely from here.
No big deal, a fairly simple thing...or so one would think.
It seems the first one I am working on used to belong to one of his kids. It had a LOT of 'junk' programs on it that I've had to delete.
But it seems there may be a virus hiding in it somewhere as well.
It's running extremely slow and keeps 'hanging up' even though I have already stripped everything except the essentials off of it.
So now I am trying to put an anti-virus program on it...and that is taking forever.
Not to mention, since I am online with this computer as I work on the other one, I keep finding myself using the wrong mouse and/or keyboard when I am trying to do stuff.
And I found out (after I started trying to install the anti-virus) that the monitor/display setting on it is not right, so about a fifth of the screen is somewhere in the ether to the right of the danged monitor.
Of course, I can't seem to stop the install and fix it right now, so I am waiting...and waiting...and waiting just a bit more. 
Just freaking great...suddenly it is showing a desktop with no icons at all.
It's trying to go to sleep...I just got it to wake back up but I still can't access any freaking settings to change it.
Dammit...I think I am going to have to do a forced shut-down and start over.
Crap.
*starts banging head on desk*
Boss sent a couple of computers home with me yesterday that he wanted me to 'strip down' to where only the basic necessities were on them and then install a few programs so they can be used for sound systems in a venue in Tennessee (we're in Illinois) and install some software so we can control them remotely from here.
No big deal, a fairly simple thing...or so one would think.
It seems the first one I am working on used to belong to one of his kids. It had a LOT of 'junk' programs on it that I've had to delete.
But it seems there may be a virus hiding in it somewhere as well.
It's running extremely slow and keeps 'hanging up' even though I have already stripped everything except the essentials off of it.
So now I am trying to put an anti-virus program on it...and that is taking forever.
Not to mention, since I am online with this computer as I work on the other one, I keep finding myself using the wrong mouse and/or keyboard when I am trying to do stuff.
And I found out (after I started trying to install the anti-virus) that the monitor/display setting on it is not right, so about a fifth of the screen is somewhere in the ether to the right of the danged monitor.
Of course, I can't seem to stop the install and fix it right now, so I am waiting...and waiting...and waiting just a bit more.
Just freaking great...suddenly it is showing a desktop with no icons at all.
It's trying to go to sleep...I just got it to wake back up but I still can't access any freaking settings to change it.
Dammit...I think I am going to have to do a forced shut-down and start over.
Crap.
*starts banging head on desk*20 people like this
19 responses
@Mike197602 (15511)
• United Kingdom
31 Jan 17
Just do a fresh install of windows.
That gets rid of all the crap.
I've done it a few times in the past after buying second hand laptops.
Maybe give this a look.
It could save you some time and effort.
I think doing this would be your best bet as essentially you are starting with a fresh OS with none of the added extras many manufacturers put on their machines.
You'd just get windows and nothing else so could go from there adding what you need.
It's super-easy to reinstall Windows 10 or 8, and not much more difficult to reinstall Windows 7. Use these tips to get the most out of a reinstall.
3 people like this
@Mike197602 (15511)
• United Kingdom
31 Jan 17
here's another link...obviously you'd skip any backing up.
If your computer's running slowly and you've tried everything else, it might be time for a fresh install of your operating system. Here are some tips, tricks, and best practices to get through the process quickly and easily.
@Mike197602 (15511)
• United Kingdom
31 Jan 17
@JolietJake maybe this?
Microsoft might have dropped support for Windows XP over two years ago, but the operating system remains hugely popular. According to the latest usage figures from NetMarketShare, it still has over 10 percent of the market.
2 people like this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
31 Jan 17
Um...Mike...do you think I wouldn't do that if it was an option? This has XP and he wants XP left on it, and doing a 'fresh' install of XP means you lose all the updates...which will not update by themselves any more...just a freakin' disaster.
2 people like this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
31 Jan 17
@sugartoes There is no such thing as 'just' a computer in this instance, although I just found the main part of the problem.
@inertia4 (27978)
• United States
31 Jan 17
That computer sounds like it is on its last leg. Maybe tell the boss that one is worthless. But if you have any magic in you then you can get to work. I understand your frustration. I would have already broke it into pieces. I do not have patients like that.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
31 Jan 17
I hate that when it happens a forced shut down.
2 people like this
@LovingMyBabies (85296)
• Valdosta, Georgia
31 Jan 17
I'm sorry, it sounds really frustrating! I hope you can get it all working the right way soon. My father works on computers and quite often he says some not so nice words while trying to fix them. Lol.
1 person likes this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
31 Jan 17
I put the first one away until I can order more RAM for it, the second one seems to be working out fine though 
I got TeamViewer installed on it now so I'll be able to work on it from my own computer even after it is installed down in Tennessee...I'm actually using it while it is here so I am back to one keyboard/one mouse to run both of therm
I got TeamViewer installed on it now so I'll be able to work on it from my own computer even after it is installed down in Tennessee...I'm actually using it while it is here so I am back to one keyboard/one mouse to run both of therm1 person likes this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
1 Feb 17
It'll be okay after I install some more RAM memory into it so I can ram stuff through it 
1 person likes this
@sishy7 (27166)
• Australia
1 Feb 17
@JolietJake Good luck with restraining yourself from doing that before it's installed... 
1 person likes this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
1 Feb 17
@sishy7 I shut it down and worked on the other one and got it up to spec, the RAM for the first should be here Thursday and I'll have both of them done for Boss to take down to Tennessee Friday
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
1 Feb 17
lol they did a number to that pc
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
31 Jan 17
@JolietJake Preserving what remains of your sanity in the process :)
1 person likes this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
31 Jan 17
I abandoned that one until I can get some more RAM for it, this other one is working a bit better
1 person likes this
@MissNikki (5236)
• Maple Ridge, British Columbia
31 Jan 17
Oh my - that all sounds really complicated! I would not even know where to begin. 
2 people like this
@Friendlypink (3805)
•
1 Feb 17
Be calm get a cup of coffee or choco whatever you feel like deinkingnwhile waiting for it.
1 person likes this
Good luck!@JolietJake (50190)
•
31 Jan 17
I found out the poor thing is dreadfully lacking in memory, it evidently keeps forgetting what it is doing.
1 person likes this
@JolietJake (50190)
•
31 Jan 17
@ketyv12 The thing only had 512 MB of memory (488 usable). It's no wonder it kept lagging on everything...I ordered 2 GB to throw in it, I'll just leave it sitting until it arrives.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (191050)
• United States
1 Feb 17
Computer problems are just so much fun!! nod, nod wink, wink
@celticeagle (175768)
• Boise, Idaho
31 Jan 17
Isn't that the way of it though? A job seems so easy and can't possibly take very long. Never happens. Always takes longer and gives a person more grey hairs.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (85987)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
31 Jan 17
Now, now remain calm and keep trying. It will all come together. You'll just wind up frustrating the PC and then you'll really be in trouble. I have another PC on a desk beside the one I work on. The means I watch movies or music videos on the other PC. It is an old PC with a mouse that is attached. So constantly I am grabbing the wireless mouse and losing what I am working on and then discovering I should have used the other mouse and in the frustration the other mouse falls down etc etc etc but I have not thrown one or the other out because what would I do then. Lots of luck to you to get the job done.
1 person likes this
@sabashekh (1218)
• Bhopal, India
1 Feb 17
Its certainty irritating .. I would react in a similar way
