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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | Yellowpilz@aol.com |
| Subject | Web of Unsound |
| Date | Fri, 12 Mar 2004 08:28:49 EST |
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Hello old friends.
I emerge from lurker status -- though I've rarely had time even for that --
to ask any one of you who might be a computer whiz to possibly help me with a
very tough conundrum (the kind Ringo played when he wanted a challenge):
It all started when I attempted to load aol 9.0. Like the first time I tried
to load it, it didn't work. It's a mystery. The aol would start to load, but
the screen would not appear. When I called aol tech support -- which sounds to
be outsourced to India (no kidding) -- the first of 15 people said it was
because I didn't have enough memory. Sure enough, it was actually running at 100%.
I have a problem where programs on Windows open automatically and I have to
keep manually closing them. Anyway, the second tech guy said I actually should
be able to run 9.0 -- but he helped me load 8.0 after uninstalling my other
versions. Now, the program would load and dial, but it continually stalled at
"talking to network" and would get no further. Another techie or two helped me
work my way through that one. To be fair, I couldn't try the "solutions" with
them on the phone each time because I have a dial-up connection and only one
line. Anyway, at this point I could sign on to aol, but, to my incredulity, I
noticed my filing cabinets were missing (empty)! Another tech guy helped me
recover my filing cabinet for one of the screen names but, sadly, was sure that
the others were goners since he couldn't find them (via me) on the computer.
Instead of panicking, I figured, hey, I always get a different answer. So I
called aol again, and another tech person -- some of these people, particularly one
lady, had accents almost too thick to understand -- said, no, my files are
actually still there. And within a minute he helped me send them over to the new
8.0 filing cabinet. I was so relieved I didn't bother to notice that a new
problem existed, and still does: I can get to aol and everything on site, but I
cannot go to *any* web page. I immediately get an error page, which sometimes
is an "action canceled" page. But the point is, I can't even link to aol’s
diagnostics or anything. Most of my remaining calls to aol pertained to this
problem. They took me through every possible step. I rapidly became jaded as
every "Oh yes, I am 100% sure this will solve your problem, sir" became another
failure. Finally, it boiled down to being either an Explorer problem or, most
likely they said, a dial-up networking problem. They ceased to regard it as an
aol problem. So, on my own now with this zany computer bummer, people have
directed me toward websites that can help, they say. Unfortunately I cannot link
to any of them. My problem may pertain to "winsock ," apparently. One alarmist
techie actually said I’d have to reload windows. I tried reinstalling
Explorer, but being an earlier version, Windows wouldn't take it. All of my phone
connections are fine. As I said, I can get to aol, and thus my mail; but no
website -- none. One guy at a local Office Depot I trust said he thought it was a
virus. My virus check, however, says I'm virus-free, and I couldn't find the
"Doom" virus implanted in the particular place in my Windows files where he said
the virus would be if I had it. Additionally, I rarely ever download
anything. If I do, it's only a file from someone I know, and I download only if (and
when) I'm expecting something. The most frustrating thing is I couldn't fill
out the questionnaire aol sent regarding the quality of their tech support,
because it requires a link. I wanted to rant and rave about all the false hope
they gave me and how each person contradicted -- not built upon -- the
instructions from the preceding one. The wait was never long, though. Imagine talking
tech with Peter Sellers in "The Party."
Anyway, if anyone could help, either by sending some sort of healing, or
diagnostic, file -- or perhaps a diagnosis -- it would make me happier than a
power-pop song. I'm sure Michael, among others of you, might know just what I'm
up against. Remember, I can access no web page. It doesn't even try. Plus, it
takes usually three dialings to sign on. I don't know if this is related to, or
symptomatic of, the problem.
Please write to me at my better address: lifeiswryt@aol.com
Thanks!
--Jordan
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