Computer Illiterate Needs Help!

[cgabe]

I am a writer who loves what computers can do but is clueless about what to do about the 700+ errors reported by latest scan. It is very slow to startup, I can't get taskbar icons to load, and now I have a CD stuck in D-Drive. A clean-up is obviously in order and I would love to, but after reading thru your site I'm just more confused than ever about what should be Step 1, Step 2, etc. A little history: Bought thru BestBuy, took it to their Geek Squad but that only seems to have made matters worse, including that whatever they did to System Restore has rendered it virtually useless. From the start I downloaded every security tool offered by Microsoft but the 700+ pretty much sums up their effectiveness. Please note that I am surviving on disability so whatever I get needs to be as free as possible.  Any guidance from your experts would be greatly appreciated.

[Sparrowhawk]

Depends on what OS you are using.

Can you click Start - Run... and type the word "winver" (without the quotes) and post what version of windows you are using?

Aside from that, have you backed up / can you back up all the files you care about, and do you know how to re-install all the programs you care about? If so, you can re-install windows.  This is the nuclear option.

[Shane]

For the stuck dvd, get a paper clip and unfold it.

On the front of the dvd drive is a small hole. This is the manual eject. Put the paper clip in and push and the drive will open.

For your system a repair install would be best. Do you have your Windows cd handy?

Shane

[cgabe]

Sparrowhawk:  Thanks for responding and apologies for forgetting the basics -- Windows XP SP3. Yes, I do backup, but reinstall is another problem since my computer came preloaded, no disk. Everything else I could handle, except for the CD stuck in my D-drive.

[cgabe]

Shane: Much thanks to you too. Guess I didn't make myself as clear as I thought because the drive tray opens and closes with no problem. It's the CD that won't come back.

"The family is nature's masterpiece" so congratulations. My daughter has 8 of those wonderful creatures.
George Santayana (I think)

[Shane]

Ah, so you can put in a cd or dvd but windows doesn't read anything?

If that is the case then your dvd drive needs replaced

They are $30 brand new.

Shane

[Sparrowhawk]

And, if the CD in the drive is important to you, when you have the new drive installed (Best Buy used to install new drives for free if you buy them there, this may still be the case) ask to keep the old drive unless they can shake the CD out for you.  You can pry the drive door and tray out with a butter knife or a flat screwdriver and snap the tray out, then you should be able to shake the CD out easily.

Old trick, from the days when CD trays were sideways if you wanted the CPU mounted under the desk instead of laying flat on top of the desk... CDs got stuck fairly often back then.

Just remember to recycle the drive afterwards.

[Shane]

This is a little off topic.

I turn 33 this year, back when I was 20 I had a VERY loud cd drive. (Loud cd drives are caused by vibrations)

I will sitting there installing something off the cd, was as loud as a lawn mower, all of a sudden...BANG!

I look down and the cd had exploded, a sharp part of it was sticking out of the cd drive door. I took it apart and the cd was in at least a few hundred pieces. I did some research, cd's spin damn fast. When you have a crappy cd drive (This will be loud) because they don't spin perfectly straight. And if you have a slightly warped disk (From a hot day) it will go so off balance that it will hit something, and at that speed it is like a car crash

Been in computers since I was 15. Never heard or seen this before or after. So I was shocked when it happened to me.

Shane

[cgabe]

Shane:  Wow. That's an incredible story and you tell it very well. In 15 years you've probably collected quite a few--I don't suppose you've ever thought about writing.. ? There's a market, and I can't imagine a computer addict who wouldn't love to hear them all.
Thanks so much for the help.

Sparrowhawk: It's for sure you're not just another pretty face. Will do, and thanks!