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General discussion

Hotmail woes

Jun 30, 2004 1:53AM PDT

IPC , 550 PIII , 10GB HD, Win 98se , IE6/OE6, 128 Ram,nVIDIO GeForce 2MX/MX400 3D Acel, 3COM 56K Modem, SMC E2 Card 1211TX 10/100 Fast Ethernet Adapter (PCI), Linksys 5 Port Hub, Terra Pro Cable modem, 640U ACER Scanner, Canon BJC1000 Printer,Sygate, Adaware ,EasyClean, AVG antivirus . Connected to this 'puter is A 550 PIII E machine, 20GB HD .Win98 , IE6 (OE not set up-using hotmail only) , 128RAM , Epson C60 Printer, Sygate , AVG and Adaware.

I have formated both computers after being infected with the download trojan . Both 'puters are working just fine except for hotmail. Both machines receive e-mail but they won't send and clicking on links either do not work or take up to 4 minutes to come up .
I have looked everyplace I can think of for a setting that might be causing this but my memory has gotten lousy and I may be overlooking the obvious . My other thought is that hotmail has announced that they are doing an update in the next 2 weeks and I wonder if I simply have corrupted files in both 'puters and the new version download will fix them both .
I have outlook express in my machine but my wife only has hotmail so I am under some pressure to get this fixed but it might be worth waiting for the update ??Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated !

Discussion is locked

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Re: Hotmail woes
Jun 30, 2004 2:06AM PDT

Take an easy way out. Try another browser such as Mozilla or Firefox.

What's missing in your post are the names of the pests and what you are doing to keep them out. Many think that by using SAFE COMPUTING HABITS they can run a PC without an Antivirus, but it's this simple -> There are thousands of virus writers and one of you. Who wins?

Bob

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Re: Hotmail woes
Jun 30, 2004 2:06AM PDT

Fsuf,

Just a suggestion....because you mention "links" and Hotmail in the same discussion.

Please try installing the most recent Sun Java on your machine and scripting updates. Please follow the instructions below:

After clicking on the link below choose the "J2SE v 1.4.2_04 JRE includes the JVM technology" download for Windows, accept the license agreement on the next page, then follow the prompts to download the "Offline Installer for Windows". Once it's on your desktop, scan the file for viruses, (just in case), then shut down all background programs, especially your antivirus, then double click on the file to install it.:

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html

If you're using Windows 98/ME, then please install the Microsoft Scripting Update from the link below:

Windows Script 5.6 for Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, and Windows NT 4.0

After you're done installing the updates above, and if you're using Internet Explorer, make sure to adjust your Internet Explorer security settings to "medium" so Java and scripting are set to "enabled" or "prompt" for the "safe" ActiveX and Scripting options. In addition, set the Sun Java as the "default" Virtual Machine by using the Java icon in the Control Panel.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Re: Hotmail woes
Jun 30, 2004 10:45AM PDT

Thanks Grif - my hotmail is working fine and Java is set to default . I now have an Icon for Java web Start which I will avoid and carry on like I know what I am doing .

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Re: Hotmail woes
Jun 30, 2004 11:03AM PDT

I just tried to shut down and had to resort to switching off. I had this shut down problem before and it just went away . I now wonder if that problem went away when my problems with hotmail showed up ?? I still need help !!

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Re: Hotmail woes
Jun 30, 2004 2:35AM PDT

2 PC's-Winxp Home -networked. All updated. AMD XP2500. Cable ISP. IE 6.0.

I am experiencing similar problems as you have described. All of a sudden one day last week, the function buttons in Hotmail stopped appearing correctly, and we now can't send, forward, delete, etc. Could read messages, but that's it. Even the Sign Out button is not 'there'.

I also am wondering if the Upgrade will fix this, and am frustrated to say the least. BUT, I can access my Hotmail account from a different location eg: at work. For the time being, I have forwarded the Hotmail accounts to OE on our home PC's, and can at least manage the Email from there....seemed to be the only solution at the time. You may want to check into that, and set up Identities under Outlook Express. I am behind a DLink 604 router as well. Could this be acting up? I am questioning everything at this point!

Any suggestions will be most appreciated!

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"All of a sudden" is what System Restore is all about.
Jun 30, 2004 2:47AM PDT
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Re: "All of a sudden" is what System Restore is all about.
Jun 30, 2004 4:34AM PDT

Thanks for the reply R. Proffitt. I haven't been able to try the suggestions, but will check into it tonight when at home. System Restore you ask? Have done so with no changes. On both PC's. The Java download seems to be in reference to the first post of 'links'. I don't have a problem with that. It's only Hotmails function buttons that are not working. Since I know nothing about this topic, I need to ask what could happen if you install this when is doesn't need to be installed.

Also, will check the IEFix out. Same question, can it be harmful to use if it's not needed? Thanks in advance for your time.

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If your scripting support is broken or turned off...
Jun 30, 2004 6:17AM PDT

those hotmail buttons will not work. That is why Griff suggested the downloads he did.

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Re: "All of a sudden" is what System Restore is all about.
Jun 30, 2004 6:29AM PDT

Cowgurl,

None of the installations mentioned should cause a problem if you don't need them. Please try them, including the Java and Scripting updates.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Hotmail Woes
Jul 1, 2004 2:20AM PDT

The hotmail program in my secnd computer started working yesterday - I did nothing to cause this except install the java DnLd in my computer. In addition , last night my computer shut down normally . My plan now is (Ihave carefully rechecked all connections)to leave things alone for a couple of days and then remove the java DnLd from my computer and see what happens - I'll report back !

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Fsuf, Why Are You Going To Change Things??
Jul 1, 2004 4:07AM PDT

Maybe I'm confused here, but since the Sun Java download fixed the issue, then why are you going to uninstall it?

Are you trying to recreate the problem?

Grif

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Re: Fsuf, Why Are You Going To Change Things??
Jul 1, 2004 9:56AM PDT

Grif - In that my 2nd computer , with exactly the same problem , cleared up at the same time without applying the "java fix" it may (?)be something at the other end that caused the fault. If I removed the "Java fix" and the fault did not re-appear on my computer,it would indicate that the problem was common to both machines and simply "went away (?)".
If the java fix is a valuable tool to have , regardless , then I would reinstall it .

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(NT) (NT) Fsuf, Thanks For Posting Back...
Jul 1, 2004 10:00AM PDT
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Re: "All of a sudden" is what System Restore is all about.
Jul 6, 2004 1:03AM PDT

Just thought I would let you know, last night, 'all of a sudden', the Hotmail accounts on both of our PC's started working properly again. I had not applied any of the fixes suggested since I was watching to see if others experienced the same errors. I will assume the errors were due to the Upgrade that is to take place for Hotmail.

Thanks for all your help.
Cowgurl