BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 01 May 04 - 07:51 AM

hey, Nemesis, how's it going?

the parasite gone from your sofa?

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: GUEST, IT Manager NYC
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 12:40 PM

FYI here is one of the best sites i found for proper removal of n-case I've had to do it on several machines in the past yr. Manual removal works best http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/nCase.html

http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/nCase.html

Hope it helps

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: KateG
Date: 14 Apr 04 - 02:00 PM

Congrats on reviving the computer. 'tain't easy and you done good!

And I still say farty boy should be put to work. TANSTAFL (there ain't no such thing as a free lunch). At the very least it will be good practice for when social services sends him out to get a real job. And if the tasks you think up are grotty enough, a job will seem like heaven.

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Nemesis
Date: 14 Apr 04 - 01:48 PM

Quick log in while he's out .. he's been "sofa-boy" all day today(at least another week before "Housing/ Social Services" reviews the situation... hum, hum ...)

BBC Watch Dog programme covered something similar last night
www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/thisweek/index3.shtml .. similar to the "bug" I mean, if not the perpetrator!

Nem
xx

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Apr 04 - 11:03 PM

Nem, make sure you drop everything & log in immediately the instant he has begone.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Nemesis
Date: 13 Apr 04 - 04:42 PM

Definitely! In hand already Leeneia :) ... farty boy, begone!!
Nem
xx

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 13 Apr 04 - 12:03 PM

And now, memorize this and practice saying it in front of a mirror:

"I'm sorry, but you may not use my computer. I depend on it to make my living, but it's old and has its quirks, so the only person I can trust to use it is me."

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: okthen
Date: 12 Apr 04 - 05:47 PM

Related thread

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Nemesis
Date: 12 Apr 04 - 01:59 PM

Thanks :) S&R
xx
Nem

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: s&r
Date: 12 Apr 04 - 09:04 AM

well done

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Nemesis
Date: 12 Apr 04 - 08:11 AM

Day No. (.. I've lost count ...)

Enter STage Left: staggering, screaming in delight .. falls in a panting heap on shoulder of nearest 'Catter .(Sorry, guess that's Sussex Carole?)

The bloody thing (N-Case/ Inetlitlial 180 whatever/ PAD Search assistant) has gone... after reformatting the drive - sticking on extra memory - upgrading to WIN98 (overdue anyway) .. reloading everything .. 12 hours on the phone to every AOL agent in the Northern hemisphere (dug through the bag of junk CDs - useful as birdscarers in the veg patch) to load on a further version of AOL ... but not for long .. need a BT (British Telecom line to get anything else :(

Mucho thanks for support and goodwill (jumps up and down with barely contained relief) - just one huge festival deadline looming - tech meeting in 2 hours, several bands minus publicity for other gigs :(, hundreds of newsletter fans making grumbling sounds, BBC: .. delayed for a week thank heavens..

Ker-ist .... what a saga .. and farty-boy still farting ..
Still - it's a Bank Holiday and the sun's shining!
Nem
xx

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: mooman
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 06:24 PM

Marco,

That's the same link I posted at the beginning of this thread and it does work!

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 03:17 PM

n-case is an advertising gimmick. It is supposed to function only when you are in a "search mode," and then it claims to "provide you with links to better deals" similar to what you are searching for.

In other words, a device to let people who pay n-case get their ads in front of what you might otherwise find.

Some people actually seem to like it, and the complaint received by Microsoft has been that n-case quits working when some specific other software is installed.

In most cases, File Manager (Start - Control Panel - Add/Remove Software) should be able to remove the program, but Microsoft advises that the standard program removal cannot remove a couple of lines that the n-case install puts in Registry. I haven't seen detailed information on n-case's own removal program, but I suspect that it does NOT do a "clean" removal. Manually editing the Registry is recommended if you want to be sure you've cleaned it all out.

Note that if you have used something like Spybot or AdAware to "break" the program, File Manager (or the n-case removal program) may be able to do a normal removal, since either (or any other) of these programs may remove parts of the program without cleaning up the whole thing.

Most of the anti-spyware programs will only remove those portions of a program that relate to the collecting and reporting of information on your machine. In many cases, removing these "program spy fragments" will prevent the "main program" from functioning, and will often prevent removal of the rest of the program by normal methods.

Sometimes, distasteful as it may seem, the simplest alternative is to reinstall the offending program, then use the normal File Manager uninstall - and then do whatever manual cleanup (Registry and stray files) is needed.

John

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: okthen
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 01:33 PM

I ran Spybot a couple of times and then adaware deleting it each time, the last time was a couple of days ago and it hasn't come back, or at least I can't find it. Tenacous little sod tho'.

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: GUEST,Marco
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 10:55 AM

N-Case
Removal Instructions and Help

*http://www.pchell.com/support/ncase.shtml

I've been searching for something to rid me of this instial search 180 thing, anf have and have found this page - above*

I don't understant what it does but I've printed it off and am going to give it a go.

Anyone know if it works?

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: GUEST,PC Surgeons
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 09:58 PM

If you are within 50 miles of Southampton I would be glad to help out a fellow mudcatter for free ...

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 05:52 PM

AOL???..*sigh* farty boys can at least be strung up by their thumbs..

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Nemesis
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 05:41 PM

Ooops .. connection ducked out .. no weeping and wailing in Chat Room ("Thank god", I hear them cry!)

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Nemesis
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 05:40 PM

(Enters, Stage Left: staggering, weeping and wailing with frustration)

TechLOg: DAY 14 - lost in Hyperterminal

Have reformatted Drive and crunched everything - spent 6 hours reloading drivers, software and 3 hours on the phone to 12 different AOL agents trying to reconnect .. am on temporary "upstairs computer" that ducks out ...

The saga continues ... farty boy merely farts..

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: s&r
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 05:42 PM

Ben and Joe Broughton do a lovely parody on Can't get my mojo working - substitute modem for mojo... wish I knew the words.

Stu

Subject: Lyr Add: REINSTALLING WINDOWS (Les Barker)
From: okthen
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 02:38 PM

REINSTALLING WINDOWS
by LES BARKER

I've bought a computer;
It cost a thousand pound
Every time I switch it on
It keeps on falling down.

I used to think it was my friend
Now it drives me round the bend;
You'd be surprised the time I spend
Reinstalling Windows.

I switch it on; What is this?
Something wrong with config.sys;
This isn't my idea of bliss,
Reinstalling Windows.

I want to share my printers and
I want to share my files,
I want to share my anger 'cos
It drives me bloomin' wild.

My songs, they say, can be sublime;
I've conquered cadence, mastered rhyme;
Nowadays I spend my time
Reinstalling Windows.

Reinstall; Oh what fun!
It says it helps you get things done;
Everyday now everyone's
Reinstalling windows.

Watch the screen ; watch it say
All you do is plug and play
How do I spend every day?
Reinstalling Windows.

It can't find my printer and
It can't find my mouse;
The other day it told me they
were in some other house.

Still unplugged , still unplayed,
Emailed God in search of aid
He's far too busy I'm afraid,
Reinstalling Windows.

Up at dawn for one more try;
Does it work? Can pigs fly?
How do I expect to die?
Reinstalling Windows.

I used to like a drink or three;
No time now; Don't call for me;
I'm going to spend eternity
Reinstalling Windows.

It doesn't like my Modem and
Detests all CD-Roms;
Let's see if the set up wizard
Recognises bombs.

I used to think it was my friend;
Now it drives me round the bend;
You'd be surprised the time I spend
Reinstalling Windows.

At the moment it's gone, but I don't think it'll be long before it's back. I think I'd better consult my computer guru.

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 02:31 PM

Geeze, lock up the wine, at least!

Regarding social services-- if you are serious about that, set a deadline for HIM to get the help he needs from THEM, and when he fails to meet your deadline, ask him to leave. If he does not, call the coppers and have them chuck him out. They will make sure he gets hooked up with social services faster than s.s. will listen to YOU.

The sad truth is, you can't help people when they are stuck in the mud-- the inertia is more than one person can usually overcome. But the System can, and will, and might. If you are harboring him to be nice-- stop, because he will get help quicker if he is twisting in the wind.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Grab
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 01:41 PM

Have you run MSCONFIG to check what's being run at startup? If you haven't, that's a good start.

And if you know the name of the program, open up REGEDIT and search for it. You may also find it's hooked in somewhere in there.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Nemesis
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 01:11 PM

LOL (suggestions for farty boy **g**)

I still have something called ATIupdate 5 .exe stuck on the desktop and mysterious programmes keep appearing in my Add/remove .. have chucked out a couple and the keyboard is performing better (at the moment!). (MSN Messenger keeps trying to install itself every time I click "remove")

OKTEN: I think you and me mate, are going to have to reinstall Windows completely - then run Spybot/Ad Aware

Am on WIN95 - so have to bit the bullet (uninstall Windowes, then reinstal upgrade to max on this computer (=WIN98) : shud have done today but what was more imperative (dilemma) getting "Housing" or Social Services to acknowledge farty boy's needs (spending all day waiting for someone to "call you back")- or blocking up phone lines (no broadband!) (Gawd, yes, I live in the Antediluvian computer age - hoping to make it to the Stone Age with an upgrade!)

PS: Am sick of chocolate .. the corner shop has now run out and I am on the "chocolate-flavoured topping"... started on the booze last night (held out for a fortnight). Lucky break - BBC thing delayed for a week (Thank heavens!)

PPS: Luckily the corner shop has now been taken over by very nice Italians eager to impress with a discount range of Italian wines displacing the toilet tissue and cat food

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: okthen
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 11:14 AM

I downloaded adaware last night and ean it this morning about 11am, and it got rid of "interstitial". Just checked control panel and it's back!

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: mooman
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 10:59 AM

Or to give this thread an additional musical twist, how about some of:

Utah Phillips's Moose Turd Pie?

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 09:42 AM

Perhaps fartyboy would enjoy this Mudcat Classic:

KITTY LITTER CAKE

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: GUEST,KB
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 08:26 AM

Have been having problems with rediculously slow internet access from home. Downloaded Adaware and Spybot & ran them (in that order) - now it flies along just like new. They are great - assuming you have a compatible operating system.
Spybot downloaded & installed with no great delay - dunno what's wrong with yours Liz! Is it OK now?
Nemesis - I hope your system is sorted soon. Sounds like hell! - I found alcohol quite a useful tonic when wrestling with my machine, though had a small amount of chocolate grudgingly spared from Om's easter egg. AND getting rid of Omlit for an hour or two... Enthusiastic 13yr old "in yer face" is not conducive to concentration.

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: KateG
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 07:16 AM

s&r is right...to a point. But I still think you should set fartyboy to supplying you with chocolate and cleaning the house. What's the use of kids if you can't put them to work...at least that was my mom's theory.

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: s&r
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 04:09 AM

Don't blame your guest for the trouble though - blame the weirdos that produce these invasive programs.

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 09:01 PM

I run all my PR email announcements off a Hotmail account, keep the addys there too, as well as a text backup of the addys on the HD. For one essential mail list, someone offsite also keeps a text copy AND has the email password to send things when I can't for any reason. PR is more important that data, IMO.

But sometimes.... you just have to take the slacktime generated by a disaster, sit in the ditch laughing like a loon, and see what new path you may be aimed for when the dust clears.

And that can be a VERY good thing.

If all else fails, toss the live HD in the bathtub when fartyboy is in there having a nice long soak. It will resolve just about everything, and you can count on us to send you any chocolate we don't consume ourselves.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 05:41 PM

Backups are like car insurrance: they're pretty damn important.

I recommend Acronis (True Image 7.0) Backup Program.
http://www.acronis.com
US$50.
Very simple to learn.
About 22 MB, you can download it on-line (if you have a credit card). It'll run in the background just fine while you chat on Mudcat. If you only have one disk, you can ask it to set aside a section of your disk as an unreachable special backup zone (in Linux format, I think) which Windows viruses will have a very hard time attacking. It only saves full disk-partition images, but you don't have to restore full partitions (to restore only selected files, you can load any full backup or incremental backup as a disk image and then simply copy the files you want from the selected backup -- that's the sort of thing to do when someone has messed up your system: crawl through your incremental backups until you find the one without the bad program, then restore that entire disk image (to get the system files just right), then restore any subsequent data files you want from subsequent incremental disk images.) I've restored my system twice and my dad's system about a dozen times with this program, without any problems.

More cheaply, if you only have Windows98, you can effectively backup your system with XXCopy to back up files, and LFN (long file names) Tools
to restore your long file names from within DOS. After Windows98, simply re-copying the files into place isn't enough to restore your system.

Never keep your backups on the same disk partition where the originals are stored (Acronis won't allow you to - you must create its backup zone if you have no "D" drive). Preferably, keep them on a different disk. Best of all, move copies to another site occasionally.

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Nemesis
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 05:02 PM

Okay, 48 hours before BBC work committment - 72 hours past getting press review of club night in paper; umpteen musicians thinking they're not playing at a festival and 100s of people screaming they've missed their regional music E-newsletter .. grunting and farting still going on ,..... have directed aforementioned to large woodpile at end of garden, and fence paint and fences - no luck yet ... feck feck feck .. have asked corner shop to lay in dark chocolate for this weekend...and this damn keyboard is hell to type on!!!

Night mare of highest convoluted magnitude - life and career collapsing as we speak - washing up piling up in direct proportion.

This keyboard (windows system conflict is appalling so can't type more right now .. will try and get out some emails and save life on "this" planet as I know it!!)

Nem
xx

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: okthen
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 01:43 PM

I've been popping back to this thread now and then to see how you were getting on and at times sympathising with your continuing troubles and occasionally feeling a little superior (I get so little chance) as I managed to get rid of my similar problem.......... that was untill I decided to check it hadn't snuck back in, it had. So I'm back to square one, I did, however, do a google search for 180 search asssistant and will be trying their remedies soon. (Note that this thread came up in the search).
Hope you get this fixed, will check to see your progress, and vow never to feel superior again.

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 09:22 AM

Well, just know that we're eating chocolate WITH you, just to keep you *company* dear!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: mooman
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 08:27 AM

Perhaps I should ship you a supply of Belgium's finest Nem...? As Kate said, it may be the only sure remedy!

moo

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: KateG
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 08:20 AM

I suggest that you hand said perpetrator your hoover, mop, broom, window squeegee, oven cleaner, silver polish and all other cleaning parephenalia and suggest that he/she/it do something constructive in recompense for your aggravation. Alternatively - or additionally - they could turn over your veggie garden for the new season (a task well suited to youngsters since requires brawn rather than brains. He/she/it and mama my deny responsibility for mucking up your 'puter, but you are putting them up (putting up with them?) and saving them how much a night over the cost of a local hostelry?

And before setting to work, he/she/it can go out and get you some proper chocolates. KitKats have their place, but they are not potent enough for traumas of this magnitude (like fighting fire with a teacup). For that you need the best and darkest chocolate money can buy (dark chocolate has far more of the compounds that make chocolate and effective mood lifter)...and for it to be really effective, the money should not be yours!

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Nemesis
Date: 05 Apr 04 - 07:39 PM

Well, I've been eating chocolate solidly for a week - a sc-Filk techy person has stripped out the computer of suspicious files, discovered 2 gig-bytes of extra whatever and still the bloody n-case files are cluttering up the desktop and lodged in Add/Remove - tomorrow: lorry load of Kit Kats and deinstalling Windows.

My liberal (sic) mindedness is being severely tested by the grunting, farting, belching perpetrator still occupying the living room sofa-bed ... hum hum

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 30 Mar 04 - 11:10 AM

Eating myself into a hypoglaecemic stupor with chocolate has not worked


odd that, I find eating chocolate normally solves anything, eventually.

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: mooman
Date: 30 Mar 04 - 10:59 AM

Easy on Nem!

Solving the n-CASE nonsense is just a little problem.

Not eating chocolate is a big problem.

Alas, Windows 95 might be a problem here although you could possibly try the "DIY" link I posted a while back.

Love

moo

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Nemesis
Date: 30 Mar 04 - 10:52 AM

"I'm in the li-bar-y now"
Tech Log: DAy 3 - post hypoglaecemic (?) coma

Note to self: Eating pounds of chocolate does not make the problem go away.

This morning the darling system was trying to reset the internet connections to access Belgain porn sites everytime I turned the computer on.

Unfortunately, using WIN 95 - so, not supported by Ad AWare or Spybot.. there's no help for it and have bought up the town supply of floppies to download all the work and reload Windows (and upgrade to 98)

Eating chocolate after finding (on the Library internet access) I can't access 300+ mailing group addresses to publicise this week's club act (just a heart stopping, guaranteed fee).. sh*t!!!

Memo: stop eating chocolate ..

Mind blank .. spirit broken ... oops, bathroom scales broken..
Nem
x

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Nemesis
Date: 30 Mar 04 - 10:44 AM

TECH LOG: DAY 3 - in the Library Internet cafe.

Eating myself into a hypoglaecemic stupor with chocolate has not worked:

This morning the darling system was trying to reset internet connections to acess Belgian Porn sites or some such.

Problem is I'm operating WIN95 .. not supported by Spybot or Ad Aware ... have bought up the town's supply of floppies to back up Work docs etc .. .. there's no help for it .. I'm in the Library now .. will have to get everything off and reload (and upgrade to WIN98)

Perhaps, if I stop eating so much chocolate (after realising I couldn't even access my 300+ mailing group list addresses - to send as BCCs (except by typing in manually with brackets) - to publicise this Friday's guest act (heart-stoppingly, guaranteed fee) ... bloody 'ell ....

MInd blank .. spirit broken .. oops, that was the bathroom scales, broken ...

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: mooman
Date: 30 Mar 04 - 08:20 AM

Pendant Liz! The mind boggles!

moo

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 30 Mar 04 - 07:58 AM

Is SpyBot supposed to take bloody forever to install? We started it up last night and it's still not in properly now, over 12 hours later!

Oh, and pendant - it should be buggEry.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Amos
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 09:53 PM

Nem:

Consign your Windows machine for guest use and buy yourself a wee iMac.

Your life will bloom!

A

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 09:31 PM

Have you tried reinstalling your operating system to get everything back into sync again?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 08:58 PM

On your home machine....you need to set-up multiple accesses/skins/accounts/interfaces....and backup.

In the course of a year probably a dozen different souls/visitors/guests access my machine.

There is "my area" (hidden) and "their area" (open)always use a key-stroke-capture and page-cache on the guest's accounts....

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: GUEST,Big John (where's my cookie)
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 08:45 PM

Use "System Restore" and reset your computer to a date preceding the dastardly act. If it does not have the desired effect you can "undo" the operation.

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 05:55 PM

The dll should be in the WINDOWS/SYSTEM32 directory. You may have to register it: run regsvr32 C:/WINDOWS/SYSTEM32/WS2_32.dll

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: TECH: buggary bastards rant
From: okthen
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 05:45 PM

My system's still not back to normal but it's too late tonight.