Aol 6 Has Crashed and Burned your Computer, Now What? Written by: Dan Daily
Hi Gang! Last time we discussed issues with Aol6, and shared the horror stories concerning it. So, you've been burned, your system is down, now what do you do? Oh, by the way! We must be making progress getting the word out about Aol6. This is an email that was forwarded to me: Bomb In Link: DO NOT - REPEAT - DO NOT TRY ANY BUT THE FIRST OF THOSE LINKS. You know you've made the big time when people come up with this stuff. LOL Like a site could ruin your password. I've been around a long time, but that's a new one. I wonder who started this??? Any guesses? As I sit here in the Attila the Hun chair, I can't help but feel honored. My reputation is built on what I do, AOL's of course, is like wise. And what is their reputation? How many class actions lawsuits are going on now? It looks like a new class action suit is in the works for AOL. New Lawsuit Faces ISP AOL Guess who will testify? Remember where you heard it first gang. And a bomb no less. LMAO! You wanna see an Atomic bomb? Go ahead, download Aol6! Sorry; Back On Topic: So Now What Do We Do? . Unfortunately, there are no easy answers to this question. I guess, the answer depends on the damage. Some have uninstalled Aol6, and now their 5 is acting funny. This is normally the case. If after uninstalling Aol6, and your Aol5 now has problems it's never had before; you know exactly what I'm talking about. Even though many have written saying their Aol6 runs fine, we'll see what they say in about a week. I'm already getting mail from these people. So, why is this happening, and how do we correct it?
That's the Tough Part Actually, there might not be a way to correct it. OK, here we go: Some of the common problems with Aol6 is; it can ruin your Windows Memory Manager. It's easy enough to tell if this is the case. Run the Windows Resource Meter. Don't know where it is? Click here. If you see your resources steadily dwindling away, and finally you lock up; that's the problem. This is why all of a sudden your computer just stops on you, and causes you to do a power on shut down. If you reinstall Windows itself, this may, or may not solve your problem. It'll almost always makes it better, but may not fix it entirely. Another symptom is when you exit a program, does if free up all the resources? Or most of them? Again, your Resource Meter will show you that. This doesn't necessarily apply to Windows 95. The 95 Memory Manager was a piece of garbage right from the start. But this does apply to 98 and up. Another problem Aol6 has; is damaging your browser. This can take many forms, but most commonly: IE becomes "picky," on what sites it'll go to. Or it may just start locking up when it is downloading a site. Or just doesn't even try to go to a site. Or takes forever finding a site. Getting a lot of time outs? Or can't find? Or doesn't exist? So, the question is, can you live with it? If not; we're getting there:
Internet Explorer is Wasted, Now What. If you've reinstalled your Aol Internet adapters, Don't know how? Click here, and still have no access to the Internet; your IE is probably shot. So let's continue: If you are getting illegal operation errors constantly, and are seeing the "Blue Screen of Death" more now, than you ever have, Let's go on: These are the most prevalent problems with Aol6, in regards to your Windows operating system. Now, here's where the problem gets sticky: Windows, and Internet Explorer are always active when your computer is booted up. In other words; they are files in use. Windows, won't allow any tinkering of files while the files are being called for. It locks them in a box, so to speak. This is where the problem lies. If you reinstall Windows, it'll only put in files that aren't active at the moment. Even from a CD boot: On a reinstall, the CD reads your registry, and doesn't alter it. So, if the problem is in the registry, it don't get fixed! Get my drift? The same thing applies to Internet Explorer: If you reinstall IE when it's active, and it always is, you don't get the whole thing. Any files active, won't be written over. So in essence, you can get a brand new non functional IE. This is the problem that Aol6 has bestowed on us. This is why I told you all not to take the chance on it. Now, I'm not saying a reinstall won't work, it might, but believe me, I don't think your system will ever be the same, if you've experienced these types of problems: In fact, I know it won't!
So What Do We Do? This is the saddest part of all. Ever hear of DOS? No? Then there's nothing you can do. It's that simple gang. The only way to reinstall this software is when the programs aren't active. That means a DOS boot up. That also means you need to know the DOS command structure. Now I'm not going to get technical here, because I'm going to assume, most of you don't know DOS. If you can't do a DOS install, there is only one other way to fix your computer properly. You wipe your drive. It's that simple. Don't cry; all is not totally lost. Even with a DOS forced install, all your program associations will be lost. So; what usually happens is; half your programs work, the other half don't; and have to be reinstalled anyway.
This is where the term Backup Comes In Quite frankly; I can't believe any of you would have downloaded a program as complex as Aol6 and not backed up your computer. If your computer is still functioning, you still can do it. But, be careful what you back up. You need a totally new Windows, and Internet Explorer, so don't bother backing them up. In fact, restoring wouldn't work anyway, just read the top section. So, you'll have to start with a blank drive, and install Windows clean. Or use your original disk that came with your computer, it'll probably wipe your drive, and reinstall everything the way it was when you bought it. By wipe; I mean; it'll reformat your entire drive, and wipe out everything that was in it. Get the picture?
So What Do You Backup? What you want to save, are all your files. Not programs. Programs must be installed they way you did them in the first place. They make entries in the Windows Register; those won't be made by copying them to the drive. But, save your data from those programs. Data? Yes, any documents you've written, tax program files, pictures, etc. In essence; everything you've added to your computer. You can backup and restore the programs, it won't hurt anything, but there's a real good chance you'll have to reinstall them anyway. You see, all their associations with Windows will be gone. That's what the registry does. On my computer, I have a folder called "Danny's Junk," (original huh?) In this folder are all the zip files, and setup programs for everything I've added; all in one place. I highly recommend you all do this in the future. This makes it easy to back them up. After the restore, I can reinstall all my programs from there. This still won't be an easy task; whatever you backup with, you'll have to go through your entire computer and find all your data. That's where most of your time will be spent. While you're searching for it all, Now is a good time to move it, or put it in places you'll remember. All your browser plug in's will all have to be re-downloaded again. Most of their setup routines take you to the net anyway. As does IE actually. I'm talking about programs like Quick Time, Flash, that kind of stuff, or just get them off my CD. Hey, I never promised you a Rose Garden; you download AOL6 after all. But, take heart, when this is all done, your computer will be as new or better. And all your plug in's will all be the newest available, so there are a couple of perks for the hassle.
What to Back Up With This is an interesting question. I've always used a tape backup, but for this "wipe" it didn't work. I've had problems with it before, so no more tape backups. Instead I borrowed my sisters zip disk 250. It's a parallel port model. I highly recommend a zip disk. This thing is so easy to use and install, I didn't even have to read the directions. That's a good place to start gang. Or you can use a writable CD drive. Since the writing of this article, I've gone to a second hard drive just for backup. That's the only way to go. I backup in 5 minutes. Not an hour. But, the options are endless these days.
Backing up Aol 5 To backup Aol5, the only thing you need is your organize folder, and your download folder, if you use it. (And you shouldn't) That's it. When you reinstall Aol5, make it a dumb new copy. Tell it you're a new user. It'll have to find your modem, and access numbers all over again, but hey! You were the one stupid enough to download Aol6. LOL I know, I know; it's not funny. At the sign on screen; Aol will ask you if you have a screen name; tell it yes, and enter your password. When Aol gets online, exit out. Now restore your organize folder, and download folder into your new copy of Aol5. It'll be like you never left it. Everything will be there. WARNING: Aol5 and 6 organize folders are not interchangeable. So if you only have 6 now, upgrade it with 5. Backup the 5 organize folder. Get the picture?
Don't Think You Can Do It? Well it's time to learn. And, it'll make you a better person; it's time to learn a little more about your beige box, eh? It's not that tough, just take the time, and in my case, lots of time, and do it. You'll be proud of yourself. Plus, it'll make you much more leery the next time someone offers you an upgrade to a major system on your computer. Many have had the same problems upgrading to Windows ME. So no one is immune here. Also: It'll make you a lot less afraid of crashes in the future. It's no longer a disaster; it's a procedure. A pain in the butt procedure, but still a procedure. An Ode to Aol6 Click Here
I hope this helps you on your road. Your Road? Yes, Your Road To Computer Sanity Danny
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