Shawns new endless computerinfo mooching thread

[shawnsegler]

I think I'll just make one thread to keep me shamed for my endless ignorance about computers.

So, Firefox is crashing for me all the time. I thought it might have been because of some tweaks I did to it, so I uninstalled it and reinstalled the latest version...but it's still doing it.

What would be a good first step to figuring out what's wrong?

S- willing to do the work just doesn't quite know the right way to go about problemsolving this one

[Methods]

Are you rocking a mac?
Your best bet is to stay off the free porn sites

Actually Im interested to, mine crashes at least once every other day.

[shawnsegler]

It happens mostly when I'm switching between youtube pages...but it's happened under other circumstances too.

S

[qiphlow]

some websites get wiggy with firefox. maybe make a list of the sites you're on when firefox commits ritual suicide, then try those sites in IE and see if they work.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

I have a few different browsers installed.
Mainly it has to do with the inherent disparity in coding standards and how browsers try to cut as wide a swath as they can to
show all these different kinds of content.

sometimes, sloppy or invasive java coding that wants to plant malware or some such other dross onto your system is under the covers stopped and in the doing, kills the browser
in it's internal battle to stop the stream of malicious code and getting caught in a loop when it gets to a string it doesn't know how to process. etc etc etc.

with the whole vista fiasco and osX release, new coding standards and multiple new browsers out there and ever changing ways of setting up websites, well... the dust of web 2.0 has not settled yet and there are still no permanent standards in sight over at W3.org.

[shawnsegler]

You always bring the cheer, Darth.

S

[Darth Rock&Roll]

yes, kool aid computer cheer.

more?

[Gary]

I installed NoScript add-on and have had far fewer problems with Firefox.

[kreese]

Firefox seems to use a ton of memory once you start loading lots of pages with videos. Even if you close the tabs with videos, the memory use lingers. Lots of add-ons increases start-up time. I had to drop a bunch of 'em because it was taking too long for Firefox to start. Come to think of it, it still takes a long-ass time to start up sometimes.

I am using an older laptop with XP to put things into perspective (1.5GHz, 512MB RAM).

[Darth Rock&Roll]

some add ins require a connection to another server to run in yoru status bar for instance. So, if that service has failed, your browser will cack.

Like anything in life, less dependency on unknowns outside of your own ability to control or regulate the better!

[shawnsegler]

So I put on the no scripts application, but now I can't play anything on youtube.

It says that since scripts are disabled I need to get the latest adobe flash, which I did and ran, and it's still not working.

S- enough computer stuff for me for a little while...off to run some errends. Really appreciate all the help guys.

[nianfong]

get yourself some anti-malware software.
I use spybot S&D and Norton Antivirus, and every once in a while scan with Malwarebytes' anti-malware, since I caught some virtumonde (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtumonde) about a month ago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malwarebyt ... ti-Malware

[DeusTrismegistus]

My dads comp caught a version of that and I got rid of it using Spybot S&D and a lot of registry and file deleting in safe mode. Took an entire day of my life. Argg

[nianfong]

the malwarebytes program ripped off virtumonde's head and shat down its neck. virtually speaking.
even NAV couldn't kill it completely.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

Nianfong exhibits the correct by deftly taking the layered approach.

These days, just an AV setup will not do, you need to take layered approach when cleaning up your computer.

shawn, if you want your youtube back, just go into your add ins and enable the one for flash. bing, yer done.

once a month or so, run your av thoroughly and do a layered sweep of the system.

kinda like car maintenance, it's a pita, but must be done.