My computer messed up again...

[Cheka Man]

just a week or two after being repaired,so I am typing this on a laptop that I share with others.Is there some Computer Demon around, I wonder?One that punishes those who blasepheme against him and demands regular sacrafices of money?

[Pariah]

Heathen, convert or pay the tax!!!

What's wrong with it this time?

[Strolen]

Is it physical or software.

I was condemned to reinstall my OS and all my programs about 3 times a year. Have extra drives and everything partitioned and developed a saving scheme to keep it all off the OS drive so it was a quick process. I am convinced windows self-destructs over time...so now I am a 90% linux user...finally. Photoshop and DVD tools is all I use windows for anymore.

[Ancient Gamer]

Well, I dunno, but if your computer acts up as often as you say you should check the following:
- Be careful about which programs you install. Perhaps one of your favourite programs really is a virus, a back door, or some such?
- Keep your anti-virus up to date.
- Password protect all user accounts. Unprotected accounts will be hacked before you can say: "mommy, help me!"
- Hacker sites are unsafe to surf on.
- Porn sites are loaded with viruses, trojans and root kits. If you love to surf on such sites, well, sooner or later your computer will go down.

[valadaar]

When you are having the problem, close your internet-connected apps - email, chat, browsers, everything you can think of.

Run netstat -ano from the command line, redirecting the output to a file if you like.

Look for any established connections and note the PID.
Then run tasklist to determine which process owns each established connection.

I caught 1 virus that way - it left a static connection open to it's 'home base'.

Other then that, what AG said...

[Ancient Gamer]

Other than that... http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/05/court-upholds-hacking-conviction-of-man-for-uploading-porn-pics-from-work-computer/

[Cheka Man]

My router is fixed but the tower of my main computer is still being fixed at the computer shop and should be back in a few days.

[Ancient Gamer]

Kudos to valadaar for his netstat -ano trick. I haven't used that, and while some virii can hide from the shell API, I guess it can reveal many culprits.

I will use it to put advertisers in my HOSTS file.

[Dozus]

What kind of incense are you using to please the silicone spirits?  Intel works better with spikenard, and don't even bother with frankincense.

[Ancient Gamer]

Ah... Of course! Cheka, do you use the right incense? The wrong kind will greatly upset the computer daemons!

[Cheka Man]

My computer broke again. 

[Ancient Gamer]

:'(

Lets pray it isnt' SUE aka error 5-20.

Try strawberry incense!

[Pariah]

I hate to say this Cheka, but have you ever thought about joining a monastery to solve your problems?  Without a computer to screw up, you'd never have to worry about computer problems again...

[Strolen]

The Order of Mathom always accepts devotees, sometimes....maybe.

[Cheka Man]

Mathom has released his grip on 80% of my computer, and I can do everything but get into my AOL favourites, hopefully within days his grip will be broken fully in a few days.

[Ancient Gamer]

Mathom never releases his grip. He just creates an illusion of grip release, only to tighten the grip further at a later stage! If he has the time... Yes, later...