Where should a dummy start

To make this short, I lost my computers during a hurricane, then lost them
again just recently to a fire. Daughter gave me her old computer a gateway
media center and I am wanting to update microsoft. I am so bad at this I
didn't even really know what a firewall was much less enable or able it.
Where is the best place for dummies like me to get a general knowledge.
Right now I am so gun shy because I didn't have enough insurance for my first
loss much less a double loss and everything I have now is all I am going to
have for a while. If I screw this up by making some kind of mistake-well life
will go on but I am going to have to give up on that little engine that says
"I think I can, I know I can"

1. Check in at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and install all critical
updates.

DO NOT INSTALL IE7 at this time!

You may need to install some new software and/or ActiveX Controls and/or a
WGA update before you'll be able to complete the scan for updates and
install them. After this software is installed, click the Continue button
and scan again.

First, you may need to install WinXP SP2 (follow all prompts & reboot when
directed). See the threads here http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=45 for
some tips.

Then return to Windows Update website, scan again and then install all
critical updates offered. Again, follow all prompts.

2. Make sure Automatic Updates is enabled and properly configured:

How to configure and use Automatic Updates in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306525
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org

Little Engine wrote:
> To make this short, I lost my computers during a hurricane, then lost them
> again just recently to a fire. Daughter gave me her old computer a
> gateway
> media center and I am wanting to update microsoft. I am so bad at this I
> didn't even really know what a firewall was much less enable or able it.
> Where is the best place for dummies like me to get a general knowledge.
> Right now I am so gun shy because I didn't have enough insurance for my
> first loss much less a double loss and everything I have now is all I am
> going to have for a while. If I screw this up by making some kind of
> mistake-well life will go on but I am going to have to give up on that
> little engine that says "I think I can, I know I can"

Hi LE,
Sorry to hear about your losses. Ask your insurance agent about
"Guaranteed Replacement Cost" insurance. If you can afford it ... No
matter what the premium or how much the limit on the insurance is, with GRC,
the insurance company will pay enough for you to go out and buy, brand new,
everything you lost; and they will pay to build the same house over again,
brand new.

You probably had Actual Cash Value insurance. It only pays what your loss
was worth -- how much is a 10-year old TV worth? It won't pay what you need
to go get another TV. And it won't pay more than the amount on the policy.

Best wishes.



"Little Engine" <Little > wrote in message
news:5A6D888A-7D90-48A7-A1AD-...
| To make this short, I lost my computers during a hurricane, then lost them
| again just recently to a fire. Daughter gave me her old computer a
gateway
| media center and I am wanting to update microsoft. I am so bad at this I
| didn't even really know what a firewall was much less enable or able it.
| Where is the best place for dummies like me to get a general knowledge.
| Right now I am so gun shy because I didn't have enough insurance for my
first
| loss much less a double loss and everything I have now is all I am going
to
| have for a while. If I screw this up by making some kind of mistake-well
life
| will go on but I am going to have to give up on that little engine that
says
| "I think I can, I know I can"

Hi LD,

Do you happen to sell insurance by any chance? :>

I'm not disputing what you told the OP, vis-a-vis insurance, but at this
time it's just a bit late and a few dollars short of more immediate, useful
information related to the computer he/she ACTUALLY has right now.

Alan

"Lady Dungeness" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hi LE,
> Sorry to hear about your losses. Ask your insurance agent about
> "Guaranteed Replacement Cost" insurance. If you can afford it ... No
> matter what the premium or how much the limit on the insurance is, with
> GRC,
> the insurance company will pay enough for you to go out and buy, brand
> new,
> everything you lost; and they will pay to build the same house over again,
> brand new.
>
> You probably had Actual Cash Value insurance. It only pays what your loss
> was worth -- how much is a 10-year old TV worth? It won't pay what you
> need
> to go get another TV. And it won't pay more than the amount on the
> policy.
>
> Best wishes.
>
>
>
> "Little Engine" <Little > wrote in message
> news:5A6D888A-7D90-48A7-A1AD-...
> | To make this short, I lost my computers during a hurricane, then lost
> them
> | again just recently to a fire. Daughter gave me her old computer a
> gateway
> | media center and I am wanting to update microsoft. I am so bad at this I
> | didn't even really know what a firewall was much less enable or able it.
> | Where is the best place for dummies like me to get a general knowledge.
> | Right now I am so gun shy because I didn't have enough insurance for my
> first
> | loss much less a double loss and everything I have now is all I am going
> to
> | have for a while. If I screw this up by making some kind of mistake-well
> life
> | will go on but I am going to have to give up on that little engine that
> says
> | "I think I can, I know I can"
>
>

Hi Alan,
I do not sell insurance. I hope you are ferreting out *all*
the posts that stray -- at least I responded to something he said.


Lady Dungeness
Crabby, but Great Legs!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





On Tue, 14 Aug 2007 08:27:39 -0400, "Alan" <>
wrote:

|Hi LD,
|
|Do you happen to sell insurance by any chance? :>
|
|I'm not disputing what you told the OP, vis-a-vis insurance, but at this
|time it's just a bit late and a few dollars short of more immediate, useful
|information related to the computer he/she ACTUALLY has right now.
|
| Alan
|
|"Lady Dungeness" <> wrote in message
|news:...
|> Hi LE,
|> Sorry to hear about your losses. Ask your insurance agent about
|> "Guaranteed Replacement Cost" insurance. If you can afford it ... No
|> matter what the premium or how much the limit on the insurance is, with
|> GRC,
|> the insurance company will pay enough for you to go out and buy, brand
|> new,
|> everything you lost; and they will pay to build the same house over again,
|> brand new.
|>
|> You probably had Actual Cash Value insurance. It only pays what your loss
|> was worth -- how much is a 10-year old TV worth? It won't pay what you
|> need
|> to go get another TV. And it won't pay more than the amount on the
|> policy.
|>
|> Best wishes.
|>
|>
|>
|> "Little Engine" <Little > wrote in message
|> news:5A6D888A-7D90-48A7-A1AD-...
|> | To make this short, I lost my computers during a hurricane, then lost
|> them
|> | again just recently to a fire. Daughter gave me her old computer a
|> gateway
|> | media center and I am wanting to update microsoft. I am so bad at this I
|> | didn't even really know what a firewall was much less enable or able it.
|> | Where is the best place for dummies like me to get a general knowledge.
|> | Right now I am so gun shy because I didn't have enough insurance for my
|> first
|> | loss much less a double loss and everything I have now is all I am going
|> to
|> | have for a while. If I screw this up by making some kind of mistake-well
|> life
|> | will go on but I am going to have to give up on that little engine that
|> says
|> | "I think I can, I know I can"
|>
|>
|