Well first a little about myself. I have been into computers for years since the early 80's when you had to do crazy graphs to generate number code. You then used this number code in BASIC (which is an old type of computer programing language) to make sprites dance on the screen. It involved tons of work and the results were- well a small square thing moving around that resembled something close to a blurred postage stamp.
Now we are in an advanced age of computers, and with it comes advanced ways of dealing with them so that we can live in harmony. Such as going to our e-mail account or playing a game and checking the stock prices and weather online without getting our screens locked up, or system shut down or our passwords and personal settings changed... I am going to be helping with this, and in this attempt, you need to know the first culprit to such issues is what we call Anti- Virus.
Just a little bit more about me, I am A+ Technician for a very large company, and assist people daily in repairing their machines via the phone to troubleshoot and diagnose what the problem is and if it is a "Logistical" software issue I can fix, or if its a malfunction in the Hardware. There are two main reasons for software failures and corruptions:
1) Anti- Virus Conflicts
2) User installed incompatible programs
The latter has to do with knowledge and experience. Installing a program on your computer is much like installing something electrical in your car. If you don't do it right or install something that's not going to work or needs special features added for it to work (like a car stereo speaker high AMP needs an amplifier and volt regulator) it is going to mess up the electronics in your whole vehicle. You'll hear radio crackles when turning on the car etc etc.. errors. Same thing.
Going onto the internet without such protection is like having unprotected physical contact with every person in the world that has an internet connection. Whatever they have you can get and whatever you have they can get, a sharing of contagious sticky yuckiness... this includes but is not limited to Malware, spyware, worms,parasites, key loggers, registry markers, file munchers, data corruption, and over all- "Oh my gosh why isn't my computer working!!?"
OK, so now to explain how Anti Virus works. When you get your computer the odds are that it came with a pre-installed Anti - Virus program on it. Lets look at an Anti - Virus program as a small army that is invited onto your computer to protect your files and system tray from suspected malicious or infectious programs and other parasites from the diseased internet.
It goes into folders and Subfiles where even the most experienced and well trained Technician can not find them all (Examples of code: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_lines_of_code), and this in turn leaves your machine full protected from the enemy viruses. They go into files where they know virus and malicious programs will go to root themselves into your system, and set up post there monitoring all incoming and outgoing traffic... like a military check point.
If you do not remove the anti virus properly, (as in just through add/remove programs) it may not be fully uninstalled, and all you remove is your ability to control the soldiers left behind in the subfiles... when you install a new anti virus, those troops go into the same files and detect the soldiers from the last anti virus program and label them a virus or threat.
Because both have the same security clearance they can not remove one another, and in this case eventually, a day- a week - a month - a year later, the anti virus thats in control gets fed up and removes the entire driver, file or extension where the battle has been waging.
Uninstall the driver or file or program and reinstall? The anti virus automatically removes it again without a word or twitch of the eye... You are now the victom of anti virus conflict. The one program that has more control over your computer than you or the computer itself is eating your files alive... at this point theres little escape from a full recovery. But there is hope.
How do you prevent this you ask? How do I? How do I?
If you have found my page, then your one of very few people that have an issue and are looking for an answer on your own instead of paying ungodly amounts of money, time and effort in taking your machine in for repair or to an outside repair resource to get your system running again.. Hats off to you!
HOW TO's and WHAT Not's
Well first off do not under any circumstances remove your preinstalled anti virus unless you know what your doing. Let me guide you in the right direction.. more to come.. this site is under construction, leave a comment if theres something you would like some information on and ill see if i can help. Coming soon is forums and paid remote assistance and virus control..stay tuned.
I am presently working on permissions for me to direct you to AVG software which is my most trusted choice to protect your computer investment.
