laptop issues

oompaloompa · #1 10-21-2012

so I have 2 lappies having issues with;

first is a year old HP that is fine on mobile internet but has in last few months started to slip in and out when on home wifi, the signal strength gets an exclamation mark for 30 secs then comes back and this happens about once a minute, so it is working/not working 50%. Is it the network card?

nothing wrong with my wifi as all other home computers fine.

second is an old dell, probably a 2008 model, trying to sort if for elderly person I know, they just got given it by someone and on their wifi and on mine the signal looks fine and is connected, but it goes to google search page but will not click on to the site chosen, so do not understand why, as it is obviously connected to the internet or search engine would not come up.

**aspkin** · #2 10-21-2012

It could be the network card on your HP laptop.. maybe try a 3rd party wireless network card.. they're cheap.

The second computer sounds like spyware..

pancho · #3 10-21-2012

Here's what I would do:

On lappie # 1: Uninstall current drivers and re-install latest. if no work could be indeed network card. Did you change router config lately like wpa,wpa-2,wep configs?

On lappie # 2: Install anti-spyware software like mal ware bytes, clean thoroughly. You can also use windows defender. Does it do the same on another browser? Looks like browser highjack.

oompaloompa · #4 10-22-2012

thanks for replies.

laptop 1, ok I will try that, no changes have happened, but bit scared to uninstall a driver that came with laptop and it was bought new 6 months ago.
want to fix myself, because although under warranty, I have too much info on it to send off for weeks of inspection....

laptop 2, I do not have it in front of me, I visited them and took it back home briefly to test on my connections. So can I establish, if I can connect on mobile usb internet but not on x2 home wifi (mine and his) does that still mean spyware? I seem to be able to connect on mobile internet....

about browser, google chrome seemed to be dead, not search available, greyed out with some server error message on it. Think I went to IE and
the browser was inbox.com or something, looked like one of those browsers that comes with free software that you can never get rid of. However i did not think that was suspicious, as that has happened to me before and nothing bad happened, just frustrating to keep pressing home icon to get google.com each time.

LoopHole · #5 10-23-2012

Just be glad you don't have issues like me. My computer takes about 10-15 restarts for it to boot up correctly. If i leave it on for a day it shuts off. No way around it. I've developed anger problems b/c of my comp.

slim jim · #6 10-23-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by oompaloompa

thanks for replies.

laptop 1, ok I will try that, no changes have happened, but bit scared to uninstall a driver that came with laptop and it was bought new 6 months ago.
want to fix myself, because although under warranty, I have too much info on it to send off for weeks of inspection....

laptop 2, I do not have it in front of me, I visited them and took it back home briefly to test on my connections. So can I establish, if I can connect on mobile usb internet but not on x2 home wifi (mine and his) does that still mean spyware? I seem to be able to connect on mobile internet....

about browser, google chrome seemed to be dead, not search available, greyed out with some server error message on it. Think I went to IE and
the browser was inbox.com or something, looked like one of those browsers that comes with free software that you can never get rid of. However i did not think that was suspicious, as that has happened to me before and nothing bad happened, just frustrating to keep pressing home icon to get google.com each time.

it does sound like a spyware problem. download malwarebytes and spybot (they are both free) and will get rid of most problems like these. make sure they are updated and try to run them in safe mode

slim jim · #7 10-23-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoopHole

Just be glad you don't have issues like me. My computer takes about 10-15 restarts for it to boot up correctly. If i leave it on for a day it shuts off. No way around it. I've developed anger problems b/c of my comp.

just about all the time, a reinstall of the OS can restore a computer from the dead. it does take some skill but i think most can do it. it is necessary to BACKUP everything first as the way to do it properly will make files very hard to recover. i do this all the time for customers when they say they need a new computer and they are amazed at the results

LoopHole · #8 10-23-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by slim jim

just about all the time, a reinstall of the OS can restore a computer from the dead. it does take some skill but i think most can do it. it is necessary to BACKUP everything first as the way to do it properly will make files very hard to recover. i do this all the time for customers when they say they need a new computer and they are amazed at the results

My computer is full of junk. I am one of the biggest procrastinators i know, i keep saying i will reinstall OS but i never do it.... I am basically waiting until this comp blows up.... or it wont start no matter what. Then i will try to fix it. Plus i don't really feel like cleaning up all the important stuff from the junk and keeping it for the new OS.

I will do it soon tho... I'm pretty sure my comp is tired of getting kicked.

slim jim · #9 10-23-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoopHole

My computer is full of junk. I am one of the biggest procrastinators i know, i keep saying i will reinstall OS but i never do it.... I am basically waiting until this comp blows up.... or it wont start no matter what. Then i will try to fix it. Plus i don't really feel like cleaning up all the important stuff from the junk and keeping it for the new OS.

I will do it soon tho... I'm pretty sure my comp is tired of getting kicked.

you wait too long and then you lose your info

rsot · #10 10-24-2012

Just back it all up and clean it up

oompaloompa · #11 10-25-2012

1st laptop is good now, followed your advice and uninstalled, reinstalled driver.

2nd, I still have to go back and do the malwarebytes thing. Never knew this was symptom of spyware.

oompaloompa · #12 10-25-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoopHole

Just be glad you don't have issues like me. My computer takes about 10-15 restarts for it to boot up correctly. If i leave it on for a day it shuts off. No way around it. I've developed anger problems b/c of my comp.

oh I ditch mine when they do that, each day I am without my computer I lose money......its that simple.

sergfro · #13 10-25-2012

Cant go wrong with a combination of Combofix and malwarebytes for all your spyware needs. Best of all IT'S FREE

oompaloompa · #14 10-29-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by sergfro

Cant go wrong with a combination of Combofix and malwarebytes for all your spyware needs. Best of all IT'S FREE

if I cannot get on to a website in order to download this software, then what then?

I cannot remember if i got connected with mobile internet - think I did, I am going there this weekend, if it was just wifi that did not open sites, gets to google search then nothing.

So if i can connect via mobile - is it still a spyware issue?

trying to establish if spyware or network card issue

slim jim · #15 10-29-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by oompaloompa

if I cannot get on to a website in order to download this software, then what then?

I cannot remember if i got connected with mobile internet - think I did, I am going there this weekend, if it was just wifi that did not open sites, gets to google search then nothing.

So if i can connect via mobile - is it still a spyware issue?

trying to establish if spyware or network card issue

This is a common symptom of being infected with malware. Download the program toa flash drive and try to install it in safe mode. It works sometimes