VistaFilter: Since installing Service Pack 1, I have had multiple crashes, many of which generate the message "Host process for Windows services has stopped working," cause a BlueScreen error, and reboot. When I attempted to uninstall SP1, Stage 1 got to 98% and then I got the message "Service Pack did not uninstall. Reverting changes. Do not turn off your computer." This stayed up for about 30 minutes; after it rebooted itself, things appear to be OK (for now, anyway). HP Pavilion desktop dual-core system (model a6120n), 2GB memory, Vista Home Premium. [more inside]
posted by catlet on Oct 22, 2008 - 5 answers

Windows XP, Celeron 700, 384ish meg RAM, brand new Seagate 7200 400gig drive. at some point in the recent past, my pc developed a habit of spontaneously rebooting if i rapidly scroll through a folder with a large number of images in it before windows has had a chance to render all of the thumbnails. [more inside]
posted by radiosilents on Dec 3, 2006 - 5 answers

TechSupportFilter: having problems with an ata harddrive [more inside]
posted by willmillar on Aug 23, 2006 - 9 answers

I'm trying to help someone fix her computer. She rebooted when her system got bogged down, and then when restarting, somehow logged into an account called Sarah.SARAH instead of just Sarah. [more inside]
posted by voidcontext on Feb 25, 2006 - 25 answers

Okay, I have parents that aren't the most tech-savvy people in the world. And that's okay.

The problem is that every three to four weeks, like clockwork, they will completely destroy Windows. The first time, it was very interesting and peculiar, because my Mother with no technically experience, managed to cause Windows XP SP2 to hickup into an NT boot screen and continously restart. Now, this is about the sixth time and I'm a little concerned.

I can't be there to watch them twenty-four seven, and they always call after something terrible has happened. Now they have some worm on their computer which has disabled Norton Antivirus, disallowed access to the Add/Remove Programs, disallowed access to the Administrator Tools, doesn't appear as any thread or process and closes Internet Explorer only when they try and visit Yahoo! In the past, after previous system wipes, I've tried installing FireFox, AdAware, and other utilities to help them, but then they destroy Windows or corrupt the file-allocation table.

What can be done to change my parents behavior or habits when on the computer or browsing the web so they can better understand how not to maim/corrupt/destroy/accost their computer?
posted by Colloquial Collision on Dec 3, 2004 - 42 answers

On behalf of a colleague, I need to find two separate things: a competent Windows tech support person to do a one-off job, and a very patient person or organization to give two middle-aged academics thorough sessions on how to use a computer. Both in Knoxville. A web search turns up hundreds of hits, but I need a personal recommendation or connection here to insure some level of reliability and skill. [more inside]
posted by Mo Nickels on Aug 13, 2004 - 2 answers

I've fubared my Aunt's computer quite thoroughly while trying to replace win95 with win98 in a non-copyright friendly sort of way. Hope me, metafilter! [more inside]
posted by jacquilynne on Jul 5, 2004 - 7 answers

Whenever I right-click in a folder window, Windows Explorer hangs for about 30 seconds. Same thing if I select a file and hit the delete key. The right-click keyboard key: same thing. Eventually, I do get my right-click menu and can use it, but the lag is making me insane. I've done my Google homework and there's [more inside]. [more inside]
posted by scarabic on Jan 7, 2004 - 14 answers