Vista is corrupted and no one will help

First I noticed that my internet connection is telling me that I have no
connection- well I'm on the internet.
Second I can't play sounds in games or music programs, while Windows sounds
play.
Third Windows Security Center is telling me my firewall is turned off,
Windows can't find any antivirus software on my computer (which I have) and
Windows Defender is turned off and won't turn back on.
Microsoft won't help me if I don't pay them.
Dell wants to reformat my computer back to XP, then upgrade again to Vista.
A process I'm estimating to take 6 hours minimum. They think that it was a
Vista upgrade that corrupted my computer.
I don't know what to do. I want my computer FIXED. Microsoft's upgrade broke
it, and I shouldn't have to pay them to fix it. I need help! This is BS.

Hi ivesflower--

1) Internet not a problem then.

2) Sounds--here's what I'd do:

Check Device Manager to see if your driver is installed correctly. DM is
not reliable up through Vista if you can believe Redmond MSFT did that (they
did) for driver health (maybe next OS--Blackcomb/Vienna or some other ski
slope or city), but it is useful to see if a driver is installed and your
sound card entry is there.

In your run box type devmgmt.msc and see if you have a Sound, Video and Game
Controller Entry and expand it and see if your card is there>rt. click
it>properties>driver>driver details tab and see if drivers are installed.

Touch base with this checklist:

I Can't Hear Sound from My Vista PC:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...f42d21033.mspx

and this one:
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...0253a1033.mspx

My personal ck. list:

1) Check connections from PC to your speakers and any other sound related
peripheral.
2) Ck Control Panel>Playback Tab>Rt. click Speakers and hit items on
context menu including Speaker Configuration and Test them; Click the
Properties button (lower rt. corner)>check the levels tab and make sure
nothing is preventing sound there particular the "Master" lever at the top.
Also on the Advanced tab check that the appropriate pull down menu item is
selected.
3) Get newest driver appropriate to your sound card by visiting the Sound
Card's website.


Some of these principles apply to Vista:

Resources for Troubleshooting Sound Problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307918/en-us

Windows Security Center--Sometimes that happens. Open it up and click the
button to turn on the firewall.

If your antivirus software doesn't include a spyware program, (for example
One Care does) that turn on defender and check by typing in "services.msc"
(lose quotes) in the run box to make sure that Windows Defender service
listed under "W" is on. Also type in defender in the search box>click it to
make sure it's on.

What is the AV program on your box? What happens when you either type its
name in search and click it or find it under programs and open it up and
turn it on?

I also recommend if you need to to fix this trying the following: SFC>and
if no joy>Startup Repair if you have a Vista DVD>or you could then try a
repair install or System Reestore. Dell should have sent you a DVD which
you don't need to run SFC or try System Restore.

Check Device Manager to see if your driver is installed correctly. DM is
not reliable up through Vista if you can believe Redmond MSFT did that (they
did) for driver health (maybe next OS--Blackcomb/Vienna or some other ski
slope or city), but it is useful to see if a driver is installed and your
sound card entry is there.

In your run box type devmgmt.msc and see if you have a Sound, Video and Game
Controller Entry and expand it and see if your card is there>rt. click
it>properties>driver>driver details tab and see if drivers are installed.

Touch base with this checklist:

I Can't Hear Sound from My Vista PC:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...f42d21033.mspx

and this one:
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...0253a1033.mspx

My personal ck. list:

1) Check connections from PC to your speakers and any other sound related
peripheral.
2) Ck Control Panel>Playback Tab>Rt. click Speakers and hit items on
context menu including Speaker Configuration and Test them; Click the
Properties button (lower rt. corner)>check the levels tab and make sure
nothing is preventing sound there particular the "Master" lever at the top.
Also on the Advanced tab check that the appropriate pull down menu item is
selected.
3) Get newest driver appropriate to your sound card by visiting the Sound
Card's website.


Some of these principles apply to Vista:

Resources for Troubleshooting Sound Problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307918/en-us


Good luck,

CH



"ivesflower" <> wrote in message
news:BED273A6-B8B1-43DE-9269-...
> First I noticed that my internet connection is telling me that I have no
> connection- well I'm on the internet.
> Second I can't play sounds in games or music programs, while Windows
> sounds
> play.
> Third Windows Security Center is telling me my firewall is turned off,
> Windows can't find any antivirus software on my computer (which I have)
> and
> Windows Defender is turned off and won't turn back on.
> Microsoft won't help me if I don't pay them.
> Dell wants to reformat my computer back to XP, then upgrade again to
> Vista.
> A process I'm estimating to take 6 hours minimum. They think that it was a
> Vista upgrade that corrupted my computer.
> I don't know what to do. I want my computer FIXED. Microsoft's upgrade
> broke
> it, and I shouldn't have to pay them to fix it. I need help! This is BS.

welcome to microsoft version of HELL, unfortunatly there's not much we can
do about that

--
Licensed Boating Capt. Jonathan Perreault
http://www.AllAboutGames.BraveHost.com
- note: click continue, when it ask about security certificate -

Best Comments From Users:
Vista is satan's way to bring hell to earth. -Me

A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely
foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. -Web

No Matter The Problem Even With Linux, It's Microsoft's And Windows's
Faults -Everyone
"ivesflower" <> wrote in message
news:BED273A6-B8B1-43DE-9269-...
> First I noticed that my internet connection is telling me that I have no
> connection- well I'm on the internet.
> Second I can't play sounds in games or music programs, while Windows
> sounds
> play.
> Third Windows Security Center is telling me my firewall is turned off,
> Windows can't find any antivirus software on my computer (which I have)
> and
> Windows Defender is turned off and won't turn back on.
> Microsoft won't help me if I don't pay them.
> Dell wants to reformat my computer back to XP, then upgrade again to
> Vista.
> A process I'm estimating to take 6 hours minimum. They think that it was a
> Vista upgrade that corrupted my computer.
> I don't know what to do. I want my computer FIXED. Microsoft's upgrade
> broke
> it, and I shouldn't have to pay them to fix it. I need help! This is BS.

"Computer & Sound System Expert" <> wrote in message
news:02CFFCE9-5737-45FB-83B4-...
> welcome to microsoft version of HELL, unfortunatly there's not much we can
> do about that
>

There are lots of things one -can- do... use some flavor of Linux, use XP,
buy a Mac, or, god forbid, attempt to actually assist someone like Chad
Harris did upstream in this thread.

Lang

The sound and everything were working just fine a few minutes before this
happened, so its not a driver issue. I can hear Windows sounds, just not
music or games.
The internet works, since I'm posting this, but tells me I don't have a
connection at all.

It was all of a sudden, while working on the computer, that everything quit
working correctly. I'm not a casual internet person. I don't download things
from unsafe sources, don't go to web sites where I would get pop-ups. I'm a
relatively safe internet user.

I have run virus and spyware programs multiple times and from multiple
companies. I have run Norton, McAfee, AVG, Ad-Aware, and HitMan Pro (which
includes 6+ spyware programs). There is nothing foreign or strange on my
system- just the usual tracking cookies everyone would expect to get.

I've tried system restore twice, once at one day, once at one week. They
don't work.

Like I said, Microsoft won't help me unless I pay. I assume they would want
to know that something funky is happening.

Dell thinks it was a Windows update that corrupted my system, but I don't
think they really know what they're talking about because yesterday,
according to them, I had a virus. Dell wants me to reformat my entire
computer and reinstall XP and then upgrade to Vista, since I was originally
an upgrade. I don't have the time to back up my computer and then reformat
it, that would take me weeks. I have a life and don't live in front of my
home computer. I WORK!

I want to know what Microsoft has to say, since according to Dell now, it
was their update that caused the corruption. I just want things to work. Dell
can have this computer back as far as I'm concerned since they can't help me
fix it. And if an update corrupted my system, wouldn't I download the same
update if Microsoft doesn't know about it?
This just sucks so much.

"Computer & Sound System Expert" <> wrote in message
news:02CFFCE9-5737-45FB-83B4-...
> welcome to microsoft version of HELL, unfortunatly there's not much we can
> do about that

Then you are a very incompetent expert LOL.

Telstar wrote:
> "Computer & Sound System Expert" <> wrote in message
> news:02CFFCE9-5737-45FB-83B4-...
>
>> welcome to microsoft version of HELL, unfortunatly there's not much we can
>> do about that
>>
>
> Then you are a very incompetent expert LOL.
>
>
>
If u can't fix the OP's issues with Vista, what does that make you??

"ivesflower" <> wrote in message
news:BED273A6-B8B1-43DE-9269-...
> First I noticed that my internet connection is telling me that I have no
> connection- well I'm on the internet.
> Second I can't play sounds in games or music programs, while Windows
> sounds
> play.
> Third Windows Security Center is telling me my firewall is turned off,
> Windows can't find any antivirus software on my computer (which I have)
> and
> Windows Defender is turned off and won't turn back on.
> Microsoft won't help me if I don't pay them.
> Dell wants to reformat my computer back to XP, then upgrade again to
> Vista.
> A process I'm estimating to take 6 hours minimum. They think that it was a
> Vista upgrade that corrupted my computer.
> I don't know what to do. I want my computer FIXED. Microsoft's upgrade
> broke
> it, and I shouldn't have to pay them to fix it. I need help! This is BS.

An upgrade can toast the machine. It's the nature of the beast with an
upgrade sometimes. Your best path is to format the HD, lay down XP, don't do
any other software installs, lay down Vista get drivers and such installed,
and then install your other software. You may not like this path, but it may
be the least path of resistance for you.

I sympathize with you, because I have been there twice on my Vista unit.

Files, etc, started becoming corrupted, and applications stopped working.
Support suggested that I do a System Restore. Did that, no luck.

Finally I backed up my personal files and did a System Recover.
The Recover seems to have corrected some problems that were extant on my
machine from the original install.

I changed firewall and virus software, having heard that Avast doesnt always
work as it should in these machines.

If this doesnt work, I will
(1) Find an expert who can abort this bastard Vista from my machine, and
install a more
friendly platform like Windows 2000 or XP. I am tired of trying to make
this POS reliable.
OR
(2) I will dump this POS and get an Apple. I have no more patience
AND
(3) As soon as the Asus eee is out, I will look into that as a utilitarian
notebook to back up my desktop.

As I do consulting work, I cannot tolerate a system like this which has so
far shown to be unstable and unreliable.

"Mr. Arnold" <MR. > wrote in message Your best path is to
format the HD, lay down XP, don't do
> any other software installs, lay down Vista get drivers and such
> installed, and then install your other software. You may not like this
> path, but it may be the least path of resistance for you.

I mentioned this possibility once on this newsgroup, and contributors did
not recommend it.
I also talked to HP online help, and they were downright snotty about it. HP
doesnt recommend it either. They told me "Next time, dont erase any HP
files". Heck, I HADNT
erased anything...they just sort of crumbled all by themselves;>)

I would be much happier with XP, but I am afraid that I will find myself out
of the frying pan and into the fire.

Is there a good resource online anywhere about how to get shuck Vista and
successfully install XP?