Replies

Navmed: You stated your problem ocurred when you upgraded the firmware on your router, so Roderunner is properly focusing on your router for the solution; very unlikely the problem “jumped to” your PC. Try using your router’s setup wizard to get reconnected. If this doesn’t work, I would contact your ISP’s Tech Support and ask for assistance. They may balk at supporting your router, but ask if they would just walk you through basic generic router configuration steps, i.e. “humor you”!

It sounds like Windows is trying to look for your files in a much larger area — the Internet is fairly large! Try disconnecting the WAN cable to your router, or disconnect the cable between your router and cable/DSL modem. Open your browser, confirm you have no Internet access (should see Page Not Found, or something similar). Now, try to access a file thru Excel or Word. If things are the same, your problem is likely local to your network (including your router) or your PC. If performance returned to normal, your system is likely looking to the Internet to find a file resource that is offline. Try this: Right-click “Command Prompt” (found in Accessories folder), choose “Run as administrator”, then OK to the prompt asking for permission to run this executable. In the black Command Prompt window, type ipconfig /flushdns and hit your Enter key. Try open a file again. If things are back to normal, connect your WAN cable, or reconnect cable between router & cable/DSL modem, open your browser to bring up your home page, then try to open a file thru Word or Excel. If performance is normal, your “DNS cache” could have been corrupted. If you are back to slow access, you may have a bad router or flaky DNS from your ISP, or your PC insists on going to the Internet to look for files/resources. This may point back to something on your router. like a bad routing table. Let us know what you find.

I reluctantly upgraded to Windows 7 Pro back in December 2010, but still am keeping my Dell OptiPlex 620 running XP Pro just in case I need a dose of sanity! With the new Dell Vostro Windows 7 Pro PC being my primary business desktop, I found an immediate need for XP Mode for two fairly recent applications: Avery Label Pro and Palm Desktop (for a Palm M500). Both of these apps would not work under any form of Windows 7 (native or compatibility modes). Both work great under XP Mode. Both are critical to my business functions.
I am still frustrated to no end when looking for various utilities, functions and quick fixes to problems in Windows 7 — it is so easy to find what I need in XP (something simple as the “Up” button in Windows Explorer). I may never be without XP until I die!

Looks like we’ve got a good solution: my friends will be sharing an 802.11G connection with a neighbor couple who they happen to know well, and trust. Thanks everyone who replied!!! :->

Sorry — should have added to my original request: lowest cost is primary consideration. $50/mo. with an annual contract is too expensive for this fixed-income couple. Currently, they are paying $7/month for dialup. The goal is $30/month, pay as you go (no contract) similar to how Cricket works.

Any suggestions?

Using Windows ExplorerCheck the C:ProgramData folder for the Palm data. Windows does not allow programs to store data in the Program Files folder any longer. I believe it gets automatically redirected to the ProgramData folder. If the program does not realize that it may still report it as being in Program Files.

Joe

Not there. It is “super hidden” in the c:program filespalmone folder and subfolders and shown by 1) data path inside the Palm Desktop application and confirmed by 2) last changed files.exe when any change is made in Calendar, Contacts, Memos, etc. Since this is version 4.1.04 of the application (dated 4/2004), I doubt that Palmone spent any engineering time/$$$ with even Win Vista.

Here is more info on the history of the Dell Vostro 220s PC that I have running Windows 7 Pro (32-bit). Original OS was Vista Home, ran upgrade to Vista Pro, installed SP1 then SP2. Wiped C: partition (but retained the D:RECOVER partition) and installed Win 7 Pro clean. Used Laplink’s PCMover Business to move all apps, data and user profiles to Win 7. In hindsight, I’m thinking that the PCMover step introduced corruption somewhere (or many places) that is likely causing my issue.

Hi Bob,

Are you seeing Junction Points? Check out this article on junction points in Windows Vista. It would also be valid in Windows 7.

Gerald: Very good idea, but it didn’t bear fruit. I ran the specific DIR command on the entire C: drive and the resulting TXT file indicated no junction points in the c:Program Files folder or subfolders.

Can you post the actual location of the folder (obscuring any user name)?

Joe

Sure. Palm Desktop reports my data is in C:Program FilespalmOneBie@@@@ (with each @ indicating a character). The attached .TXT file is the listing of the PalmOne folder, as Windows 7 sees it.

Fred, and other Lounge Lizards:

First, qualifications: I’ve been a computer professional for over 20 years, owning my own consulting company since 1996. I’ve seen the worst of Windows (ME) and, in my opinion, the best of Windows, that being XP Pro.

Recently, I obtained a PC powerful enough (isn’t that curious) to run Windows 7 Pro so I installed a fresh copy (not an upgrade) onto a clean partition as I’ve had plenty of experience with upgrades gone bad. I’ve been playing intimately with it, configuring, running standard apps, utilities, built-in tools and such for over a week. Quick summary: 30% frustration and negative perceptions, 70% favorable. Much of the 70% is just eye candy really, with the real, useful computer utility being an “also ran”. I find no improvements in performance, “practical, productive” capabilities or ease of use. Granted, much of my frustration is due to familiarity of using XP. But, isn’t that what 90-95% of Windows users do, i.e. “USE” Windows! I cannot find easy ways to do some of the simplest things (very counter-intuitive) such as tweak the appearance of Desktop items, look and function. Ever try to search for a file, by name, at a particular place? Don’t even start with me on the silly topic of “Libraries”!

So, today, I happened to be looking for something on my “old” Windows XP Pro box — I RDP’d into it and fell in love again with simplicity, speed and ease of use!!! In and out in less than one minute, including doing what I had to do.

There you have it, still in love with XP….

Jim, I often find that the c:documents and settingsLocal SettingsTemporary Internet Files (Windows XP & IE) often contains many MB of files that are not easily shown from Windows Explorer such that one is not easy to clean out, even with products such as CCleaner. I little trick I discovered that does remove these temporary files is to use the “Move Folder” option within IE 5, 6, 7 or 8. I like standards in my business practices, and the standard place I move the IE temp files is a new folder I create: c:IECache. Just using the Move Folder function always clears these ‘invisible’ temporary files where other methods do not.

The folder you mentioned above is different than the one I mentioned, but this method may help you.

What a great exchange of ideas going on in this thread! Very akin to discussions about religion and politics with similar passions (including yours truly). I believe we are all trying to be helpful when putting in our two cents, but sometimes our technical and life experiences make us feel we are experts with the only right answers when, in fact, we are just people.

Camp A
In my profession, as a PC Consultant, I often feel the need to speak out for those who often feel that their opinion is not worth much. Many of my customers are in their golden years. They have seen our world through many seasons, and have a lot to contribute still in our society, but much of our society holds a deaf ear towards their perspectives. Unfortunately, our culture doesn’t care much about “golden people” often because there is not much money that can be made from their demographic. Our technical world is often foreign to many goldens, unless good friends, younger relatives or someone who is technically gifted has grown into the golden years comes along side to help. Here is where I am coming from with my opinions.

Can you imagine how fast technology appears to change to a golden (relatively speaking)? Can you picture living on a “fixed” income? What often seems simple or easy to us technically savvy computer enthusiasts can be confusing, frustrating, intimidating and/or too complicated to bother with. I often hear comments like “all I want to do is print this letter and you are telling me that my printer (which worked perfectly last week with my old PC) will no longer work” — and I don’t have an explanation that can make practical sense.

Camp B
It breaks my heart to see businesses in my community, that have been solid and viable for 5, 10, 20 or more years, closing their doors because ___________ (you fill in the blank). I’d say many of those former business owners likely lost their business due to our economic downturn rather than coincidence or bad management. I’d also venture to say that a good number of these are depressed that they had to close, were forced to terminate their employees and long-time friends. What does this group have to do with this discussion? Three little letters: ROI. New technology costs $$$, in upfront expenses, in training, in lost productivity due to stuff not working, and in consulting time to get stuff working that worked great with the old PC but now it won’t work at all because of incompatibilities. How long does it take to begin to reap positive ROI? In my math, the longer it takes the harder and more negative the impact on the business.
Do you wonder why small – enterprise businesses put off investing in new technology such as Windows 7 as long as they can?

The point to all of this rambling is that (other than being hard to effectively articulate) it is way too easy to lose sight of practical reality in light of all the extraordinary technical advances our generation is experiencing and, simultaneously, all of the economic pressures many of us face in our daily lives. Let us support and recognize great technology where it exists and use it until it is no longer useful, rather than toss it onto the “useless technology heap” when something newer, glitzier, cooler or “gotta have” (by someone else’s definition) comes along. Embrace Windows 7 where appropriate, but celebrate and honor continued Windows XP use when it is still viable, familiar and does what you need it to do. Look forward, but don’t discount the value and wisdom of turning our heads around to get the whole picture.

Stepping down from my podium….

R Atkins hit the issue right between the eyes: 32- vs. 64-bit device drivers! Anyone with hardware peripherals older than a year or two may not be able to use these because the peripheral manufacturer has little motivation to write drivers for out-of-production hardware. So, those individuals who have perfectly suitable and functional hardware peripherals are forced to replace them if no 64-bit drivers are available (or wish not to jump thru the hoops to use XP Mode).

You geeks that can’t seem to recognize the practical and financial aspects of using existing, older but very viable peripherals but are stuck with bleeding edge performance, technology (because it is current) and looking to future upgrades of RAM and not sensitive to a large number of people that simply just don’t care about those supposed advantages. In my consulting practice, I find that a large majority of residential clients and small business customers just want functional PC systems so they can do their thing without having to budget for replacing hardware just after investing their money in a new PC. 32-bit Windows 7 Home and Pro is what I often recommend WHERE APPROPRIATE. And there are PLENTY of options in shopping when you get your nose out of BestBuy and other consumer outlets (since they’ve chosen not to stock these systems). Additionally, poorly informed sales people also don’t care what may be best for the customer — they are more interested what is best for their commission check or sales quota.

In this challenging economic depression, consultants must keep the best interests of their customers in mind when recommending solutions. I find far too many support pros (especially those with black ties and white shirts) are more interested in their own $$$ than those of their clients.

Karat:

First of all, please don’t be distracted or swayed to upgrade your operating system: Windows XP is one of the most stable Microsoft ever produced, and I’d put money on device driver stability being a major contributing factor. In 16 years of PC consulting, I have never seen upgrading to a different OS solving a problem like yours.
Next, I agree with many of the other responders: The responsibility to find your problem is with the company that supplied and built your PC. Right now, you are justifiably frustrated with their attempts — please keep this frustration in mind when you shop for your next PC! Nevertheless, be relentless in returning to this shop to get a resolution for your problem.
Hardware is the most likely problem you are facing — intermittent issues are rarely caused by anything but a failing component. Finding that component can be challenging, so give your PC vendor some grace here. If they truly are trying to fix your problem, stick with them.
If I were working on your PC, I’d suspect (in order of likelihood): memory, heat-related issues, power supply, motherboard, plug-in cards, then CD/DVD and floppy drives. Be sure that no disks are in any of your removable media drives, and unplug any USB-connected devices while you are working through troubleshooting. If your problem stops appearing, look to one of these as the reason.
Be sure to check back in with us “lizards” with the solution when it is found!

For Firefox, and Internet Explorer, I find WOT (http://www.mywot.com) site preview service works better and protects me from unwanted site content and malicious software than any of the security suite similar features, without impacting performance noticeably. Try it for yourself, and compare with other products (as I have) and you may find this to be a superior plug-in (Add-In).