teak wrote:
> I have vista. Problem, nothimg downloads or it takes a million years
> to do so. Also, when doownloads occur everything downloads into a
> white screen. What to do?
>
> Thanks
Need more info.
What is it you're trying to download,
from where, using what?
For example, a program, from a server,
using internet explorer.
Another example, a video, from bit torrent,
using uTorrent.
Maybe the problem is in general: anything,
from anywhere, using anything.
A couple of shotgun suggestions: run speed
tests:
http://www.speedtest.net/
http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/
run anti-malware programs:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/comb...o-use-combofix
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
http://www.superantispyware.com/
run optimization program:
http://www.ccleaner.com/
run speed tests and try to download again
after running malware and optimization programs.
Was there any improvement? How was it to begin with?
Maybe it's an internet service provider issue.
If using internet explorer, default all of the
settings. Same with the network connection
(uninstall/reinstall the network device).
Try another web browser such as Firefox or Opera.
Do speed tests with another computer on your
internet connection. Is it what it's supposed
to be (what you're paying for)?
Did it ever work right? If so, what has changed
since then? When was the last time you ran chkdsk
(check disk) or sfc (system file check)? Is Windows
updated completely? Firewall settings too strict?
Maybe you don't know and all of this is confusing.
Perhaps you should have a professional take care of it.
Windows boxes that face the internet require
regular maintenance. I manage a repair facility
with a half-dozen techs under me. Windows clean
up jobs are the most common jobs we see. Slow overall
and slow internet performance, blue screen (stop)
errors, and no internet connectivity at all are the
most common complaints.
The solutions range from running ccleaner and combofix
on up to operating system reinstalls and hardware
problems. A tricky one for some to diagnose is a
slow hard drive. Benchmarking programs will uncover
that one. Another extremely useful tool is a live CD.
By that I mean a CD with an entire operating system
on it that doesn't involve the hard drive or the Windows
installation at all. We use Puppy Linux although
Knoppix and Damn Small Linux are probably more popular.
Any of them will work. Hiren's Boot CD has a live
version of XP on it now as well. It's another useful
tool. If you don't have another computer, or one that
is known good (no malware--hardware, operating system
and settings in good shape), try booting yours with
a live CD, redo the speed tests and try downloading
something. Divide and conquer. Is it the internet
connection, hardware or software? That's the first
step unless you have reason to believe it's something
in particular. Is your reasoning valid or are you
just guessing? A common mistake is answering the
first question (internet/hardware/software) with
guesswork. The process we use starts with a visual
inspection for things like bad filter capacitors,
incorrect IDE cables, dead memory batteries, etc.
Then begin to boot to a live CD. Go into setup
to get info about the hardware and check CMOS settings.
Finish booting to the live CD. Check performance
with the live operating system and backup whatever
needs to be backed up. If all is well at this step,
the internet connection and all of the hardware other
than the hard drive is okay. From here we can boot
into Windows, access the situation, run utilities or
reinstall as necessary. See how logical that process
is? Anyone can do it as it's an objective process
with no guesswork or interpretation required.
Dealing with the problems in Windows does require
experience and interpretation of symptoms. That's
why recovery with a recovery partition or recovery
disk or a repair installation are the most commonly
suggested fixes as there is no experience or
interpretive skill required. Of course none is
gained by using those approaches either.
Good luck and have fun.
--