Numpty needs help...

[waynester]

Hi 1st post here...

I have somehow buggered my home pc
Somehow i managed to download a plugin which kept dialing out when i went on line!!! The computer is a Dell, Pentium 2 (NTL broadband)..so quite old.

I thought ok, i'll try and delete it so went into file and searched for all recent downloads. I deleted quite a lot of (what i thought) was rubbish. Certainly nothing was deleted that flagged 'deleting this will affect the running of some programmes' So i deleted what i thought the problem was

Now when i turn on the pc it shows the initial windows screen and just turns itself off..that's it. I cannot do anything with it, what have i done...

[sccbishop]

What windows system are you running? Have you got the original windows disc so you could boot up from it and then try and reinstall...

>> Edited by sccbishop on Monday 11th October 13:07

[waynester]

sccbishop said:

What windows system are you running? Have you got the original windows disc so you could boot up from it and then try and reinstall... >> Edited by sccbishop on Monday 11th October 13:07

Err..excuse my ignorance, but how do i do this? I turn on my home pc, which then turns itself off 20 seconds later. I don't get anywhere near to going on line.....?

[waynester]

Am i going mad..or did i mis-read your initial reply?

No, i don't have any original discs. The computer was an ex business pc obtained from an independent pc shop.

Do you think it needs re-booting, re-installing etc... If so how/where do i get hold of the discs? Or do you think it's not worth the effort and skip it?

Sorry for all the questions..

Cheers

Oh yes..it's windows '98

>> Edited by waynester on Monday 11th October 13:19

[sccbishop]

My initial suggestion would be to try and put an original Windows CD in the CD-Rom drive and it may have booted up from there.

If not, you could try starting Windows in "Safe Mode". Have a look at this article:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001052409420406?OpenDocument&src=sec_doc_nam

(When you do this, don't panic as your screen/colours will be at a low resolution). From there you may be able to run a system restore or diagnostic.

Good luck!

[sccbishop]

Oh before you do that if you want to find out more about what safe mode is:

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question575.htm

Also - it's worth installing something called Ad-Aware on your PC - this should stop things like diallers (such as you have) being downloaded.

[waynester]

Thanks Scc..

I was recently using AVG 7.0 which was a 28 day trail with the intention of installing permenantly. It expired a week ago, and i now have this problem...sigh!

I will try the F8 safe mode option..cheers again,

Wayne

[lanciachris]

topic starter said:

Somehow i managed to download a plugin which kept dialing out when i went on line!!!

how many times have I heard this? it just installed itself. Just admit youve been surfing for porn and then we will look at solving your problem

ps. there is an avg free edition you know...