Windows Me had trouble updating AVG free version. Played around with the settings and tried running Windows Update. Unfortunately, one update listed Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1. The installer program launches and runs, but says it does not complete successfully.

Tried the ie6setup.exe and even picked the option to reinstall IE completely, but it also fails. Seemed to jump from about 3% to 95% awefully fast.

Work with AVG to get it uninstalled. Add/Remove doesn't seem to work, but after installing and deleting some things by hand, discover the installation program has an uninstall feature.

Focus on IE and locate "Problems when viewing or downloading from Windows Update" which has some good thoughts on ActiveX and cryptographic security settings having to jive with Microsoft's website.

Suprisingly, after making the requested changes, IE installs just fine. Reboot and continue with Windows Updates without incident. Install AVG, but the updates won't pull from Grisoft website. I didn't take down the errors, but will post them next time they appear. Pointed AVG to a folder with downloaded virus defs and it updates just fine.

Ran across these links while researching this issue:
http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9018&highlight=update
http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=9377
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822798
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=250380

 

 

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(incomplete)

Received a phone call stating that desktop icons and start menu are missing. Walked user through Ctrl+Alt+Del and launching Task Manager. Ran across error soon after this and decided to go on site to help. System is Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 4.

Discover this error:

Taskmgr.exe - Entry Point Not Found
(Red X) The Procedure entry point AssocGetPerceivedType could not be located in the dynamic link library SHLWAPI.dll

After much research, I feel this is resulting from the Type ahead feature provided by Internet Explorer. Running a repair on Internet Explorer did not seem to work, but after rebooting and then running ie6setup.exe another set of errors appeared and then the system boots fine.

Repair of IE failed.. ie6setup to reinstall resulted in these errors:

I believe this was caused by these Windows Updates listed as being installed earlier today.

AssocGetPerceivedType

Remove expired Norton Antivirus and download AVG free. While installing AVG, receive prompt to update Roxio before continuing. Install update, reboot and install AVG successfully.

Searched for these phrases while researching:
Event ID 7026
task manager type ahead

Referenced these documents:
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1097847053
http://www.pcbanter.net/archive/index.php/t-693879-error-after-update.html
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t4911.html

 

 

( AssocGetPerceivedType Win2K Pro SP4 IE6 )

Receive call from customer about internet trouble. Recommend resetting network hardware. Receive call that trouble continues. Arrive on site and begin troubleshooting issue. Discover router's red "Diag" light is on. Cycle power on router and it seems fine for a few seconds, but then goes back into error state. Take down network settings and reset router to factory defaults. Hook up laptop to reprogram router. Internet access seems fine. Set static external IP address and unit fails. Unit is fine with Ethernet cable disconnected from aDSL modem. Research and troubleshoot, but find nothing significant. Locate updated firmware on LinkSys website. Upgrade firmware from 1.50.18 to 1.52.9 dated 1/11/2006. Enter IP information again. Watch router for a few minutes and all seems fine. Customer is able to receive email, but immediately begins receiving spyware notifications. Check out her system and remove a few malicious items including trojan downloaders. Reboot and clean again. Run tool on Symantec website to try and clear update errors. Confirm router is still doing well before leaving.

LinkSys Firmware prevents secure website access

LinkSys BEFSX41 reboots unexpectedly

LinkSys firmware always an adventure

 

 

( BEFSX41 VPN Firewall Router )

Windows XP Pro station began running extremely slowly. Scan for viruses and adware, but issue persists. Schedule "Chkdsk /F" and reboot. System reboots itself after chkdsk. Login box comes up quickly, but after keying in password, "Applying Computer Settings..." sits on the screen for over 5 minutes. Break out and try "Administrator" but same thing happens. Boot to BartPE CD successfully. Attempt to open EventLog files, but receive an error that they are corrupt.

Move all *.evt files from System32/Config and system boots just fine.

 

 

( WinXP Professional )

Group,

As I was installing the DVD burner for *user* yesterday, I noticed there is only one IDE cable in that new PC. I'm thinking this is the second one I've run across like this. The one cable attaches to both the hard drive as well as the CD drive. The new DVD drives don't include their own IDE cable. A situation in the past that produced three cables is now presenting itself with only one cable. This is easily remedied by having an extra cable on hand, but only if the situation can be expected.

The CD drive was set to "slave" so I installed the DVD drive the same way. Since I am returning to finish another task on site, I plan to take an extra cable so that the DVD drive can be "master" on the second cable. I had to borrow the cable from her old PC to be able to attach her old hard drive in the new system to copy her data. The cable used only had a connector for one device. The PC refused to boot until the jumpers were changed from "master" to "slave" on the second hard drive.

We have a practice of installing DVD burners set to "master" as is listed on the instructions for this drive, but in the case of only one cable this setting can not be used. Luckily, this PC is here in town and can be corrected easily. I just felt everyone should be aware and be able to plan for this type of configuration conflict.

 

 

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I evaluated a server the other day and determined that it needed Terminal Server licenses added. The server is Windows 2000 and once worked just fine with several Windows 2000 PCs attached to it, but lately, several Windows XP systems have been getting disconnected with a licensing error. Since there were no previously installed licenses, I had a 5 pack ordered.

Turns out, licenses for Server 2000 are not sold anymore, but licenses for Server 2003 can be purchased and then downgraded to Server 2000 licenses.

When I received the license confirmation email from Microsoft, I did my normal thing of going to the Eopen website to receive my special codes. When I was notified that no installation code is required, I happily remoted in to the server, but then was immediately confused by the request of an Enrollment number

After spending a half hour on the phone with Microsoft Licensing, a confused associate said he had some information on Terminal Server 2003's settings, but would try to help me with Server 2000.

I then said, "So it's just a setting?" and before he could say anything else, I located the server's licensing properties and changed it from Microsoft Enterprise Agreement to Microsoft Open License Program.

Now the Authorization number and License number provided via email are accepted by the server just fine.

 

 

( downgrade Terminal Server 2003 licenses to Server 2000, TS2003, TS2000, TS2K, TS2K3 )

I was given a laptop that is old and didn't seem to work. It would light up when plugged in, but system wouldn't beep or anything so I figured it was a bad motherboard. After gathering the beanZ to crack it open, I was stumped by the design and checked with Compaq's website for a service manual. The helpful support rep sent me the wrong document, but it was close enough to help me find another document that was almost like the one I had torn apart.

Reseating the processor and memory did not seem to work. I pulled the floppy disk drive and noticed some corrosion around a few soldered contacts. The chip with most of the funk is probably for video. It looks like somehow some liquid got underneath the floppy drive and caused shorting and corrosion of these circuits.

I grabbed a sock to wipe off some crust, but it didn't help much. Then I got the bright idea of using a thumbtack to scrape off some crust so that the tiny solder connections didn't short together. Luckily, I had seen my old trusty magnifying glass in a box of junk recently. With enough light and a little patience, I scraped on the circuits for a few minutes.

After reassembling the laptop, it refused to boot just like before. As I was sitting there thinking about the value of the individual components, I cut the power and then turned it back on (still not sure why). To my suprise, the video flickered and it booted right up just fine and without errors!

Blazing speed and enormous storage were science fiction when this ironclad was forged, but I was tickled pink when all 32MB and Windows 98 said hello. 2 Gig hard drive! Office '97! does it get any better? hehe

Unfortunately, my wireless network card does't work in the unit so I really don't have much use for it, but I just had to share that trick with the thumbtack. And to think, it was diagnosed as a "bad motherboard" !

 

 

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