First of all there is a location you can go Mail2web.com and can access your ISP email account. Just go to that web page, log in your ISP account user name and company ie. joeblow@firecracker.com then your password a
nd you can read your email from any location. Note this does not work with webbased email accounts ie Hotmail, Yahoo.
I have no love for any Symantec(Norton) Anti-virus or security programs. Resource hog and it lets in too many viri etc. Too many people with problems from that outfit.
I would rather use some of the freebie Anti-virus programs which are very good ie. Avast or AVG (you can only have one AV program running at one time or you will have conflicts) and ZoneAlarm for a firewall which is also free and very good.
As for Spyware programs, which you must download, then update each time and then run every couple of weeks. Spybot Search and Destroy, AdawareSE Personal are free and good and SpywareBlaster which is also free and continuously runs in the background is also free and very good. Must be updated for new signatures every few days. I run both Adaware and Spybot, what one doesnt find, the other will and also have my SpywareBlaster.
As for browsers, IE, Firefox, Opera etc, you can have as many on your computer as you want, you only use one at a time when browsing(surfing the internet).
As for HP, I have never used any desktops, I have used only laptops for the last 10yrs.
Hope this helps

Or switch to Mac and forget all that stuff entirely.

FWIW, I switched from HP. $1,900.00 media center; cheaply built; poor support; usual problems. HP's nothing special IMHO...just one of the herd.

Sometimes I have both IE and Firefox working at the same time with no problems. I mainly use Firefox, but have to use IE with certain things. I've only had Dells and can't complain, but maybe I've just been lucky. I have Norton on this machine and when the subscription runs out I will use MS One Care Live. I have it on my older machine and it does everything in one package. But I also have AdAware, Spybot and Spyware Blaster on both machines. I update everything every week religiously! Those programs are the best.

Good Luck,
Jane

HP seem to be as good as anybody these days, I have read some good things about them. Like Gene I run AdAware, Spybot Search & Destroy and Spywareblaster. Also, as he mentions they do require you to update the definitions occasionally then run the program (except Spywareblaster of course). You cannot install stuff and forget it, if you do not protect your computer who will?

Select 2 or 3 models that fit your budget and needs then Google each and look for posts on them to see if they are really up to your needs. Pass all sites offering it for sale, look for forums or help desks. Any site selling a computer will give a glowing report that is almost useless for you.

We are going to buy the HP at Circuit City. This morning my husband is going to take the tank in for them to try to get our pictures and "My Documents". Also they will tell us exactly what went wrong with the computer.

The guy there said that Spyware Blaster sold information to companies, and that we should get Norton's or another system that we pay for. He said that if we pay for it, they will stand behind it better than if it is free.

I lack knowledge about computers and did not know I could take it to them, and for free they could check it over for problems. The cost to repair the problems is reasonable to me even though I cannot quote it - I cannot remember it.

In the past few months things have happened and I have been pacified by Authentium (our security provider). Even when they told me there was an unnamed trojan, I allowed him to tell me how to get rid of it, and he hung up. I did not know that I could take it to Circuit City, and they could run it through their system to detect problems. Considering messages I have received, and warnings that have come and gone, I should not have run the Authentium virus and spybot, and been satisfied. Even here I was told to run a free one. I will learn.

I will not consider Mac even though I have heard good things about it, because my school does not use it.

Thanks for your suggestions. I will copy them before we make a final decision.

Sammy

They are giving you baloney about Spyware Blaster. They don't know what they are talking about. They want to make money by selling you Norton. Why don't you look into Microsoft One Care Live? It provides everything and costs $49.00. It will cover 3 machines. It's made by Microsoft, and is easy to use. It's automatic and you don't know it's even running. I'm not promoting Microsoft, but it is an easy package and includes everything. But I would still download Spyware Blaster, Adaware and Spybot Search & Destroy. They are excellent programs and Circuit City is full of "you know what!"

Jane

Since I don't come here often, I did a search for your name to see what problems you've been having. From what i see, you had a few issues with firewall, and possible spyware with a notepad pop up. I noticed that on some posts, you never came back. Try to remember, people can only do so much when you go to a forum or call tech support.

Just because you're hard drive can't be seen, doesn't mean the computer is dead. That old emachine could give hours of joy to someone less fortunate, or to have as a 2nd computer. Who knows, if you put the emachine restore CD in, it might work again, or the repairs may be minimum to someone that can fix it themselves.

I favor Compaq, never owned an HP. Compaq support was decent as long as you used them during the day EST, or used the email or web chat support. I also find their web site is better for information.

Spyware blaster is not the same as Norton anyway. I use Norton, and have for years, and there is only one or two other anti virus, I would even consider. Norton has always kept my computers clean, and never given me a bit of problem, however, it is an anti virus, Spyware blaster, Spybot, and AdAware are all different, and in no way, replace an anti virus program. Norton does make a security version, but I dont use that. All these programs need to be updated, or none will help you, if and when you get a problem. There are three new HP computers in my neighborhood, in the last 3 or 4 months. All seem to be pretty decent machines, and are giving their owners no problems. I have no personal experience with them, since my machines are custom, but I have worked on many of them, and they seem just fine to me. Good Luck on your decision. :-)Cat

Roselvr, it is interesting that you are so thorough. I often try to email people privately if I think things have been resolved, and that others don't have the same issue.

We did take our computer to Circuit City. The Mother Board was dead. Since it was an E Machine, they said that many people only get about 4 years out of an E Machine. We bought the HP computer, and they copied my pictures onto the new computer. My husband disliked the old machine the most because we could not use a CD for pictures, but had to put in that little thing.

According to the Techs at Circuit City, there was no evidence of a Virus or anything else harming the computer. I am happy with the new one since it has a larger screen. We did purchase a printer scanner since that is very important to me.

Our biggest problem is that our old Router doesn't like Vista, so even though we paid Circuit City to "fix up" the computer so we would just have to plug it in, we now must buy a new router.

My computer here at school has XP, and I hope I won't have troubles going back and forth with information. Even if I bought XP, the school would probably upgrade and there would still be a difference.

We had them put in Norton's Security with anti virus and anti spy.

We had odd things happening to the old computer probably because it was going out.

I do appreciate all of the responses I have received from everyone. I am also glad that roselvr brought to my attention the fact that I haven't returned on some questions. Sometimes when it goes to your own computer, and you read the responses, it seems excessive to write back and thank everyone. I will try to be more careful because I am very appreciative, and even if I disagree with a response, I appreciate the time the person has take to respond.

The man said he liked the new Norton's and that he also had trouble with them a few years ago. We'll see.

Both of them warned me about free programs like Spyware Blaster. They said that in some of those pages that I would not have read, that I agree to allow them to give or sell some of my information to third parties. Frankly I have'nt a clue what I did when I signed up for it. He said I should be very suspicious when I use free programs - not free trials, but free programs.

Sammy

I frequent another board where we have newer users that come in and reference older posts, but don't list the exact problem or think that everyone reading was following their other post. It's a habit to click on their profile and find their posts.

With the emachine, I know of a few people that accept parts for causes such as domestic violence. They fix up older computers using donated parts to give to the people for their kids or what ever while they try to make a new life. You send the parts, they send a tax deductible receipt. If you're interested you can email me.

The man is full of BS about Spyware Blaster, AdAware and SpyBot Search and Destroy.

However, there ARE many imposter programs out there that are really spyware/adware with a similar name to those programs.

The authentic programs are fabulous.

I would never have Norton on my computers again, nor McAfee they use too much resources and have caused me all sorts of problems with other programs.

I use Grisoft AVG's free antivirus and have for years. I use Zone Alarm too. They are both excellent programs.

Anyone who says they aren't is just trying to sell you something...

Sammy if your old eMachine is still with you then check the power supply before spending any money on it. If the power supply is a Bestec then there is a good chance it failed first and took the motherboard with it.

Hi there, Sammy! I just found this from Roses Conversations and took a peek.

I do like HP machines. My Pavillion outlasted its utility... I only bought a new unit because all of the hardware technology had improved so much.

What these posters are saying about the spyeare programs is very true, IMHO. If computer forums recommend a free product, you can trust it; if not, I'd worry about it being spyware itself, etc.

I do not like Norton running alone, and I go with different programs once the paid-for subscription runs out. But I think it is fine for AV while you've paid for it. Remember that spyware is separate, really.

A dead motherboard is just a hardware failure, often caused by power supply, true. So a virus did not do it. That is insanely early for a dead motherboard, so I'll remember that about eMachines.

For the record, my Dad's and my new business PCs are both Dell Dimensions, years apart in models, and we have both had early motherboard failures. The warranty totally covered it, but I note that compared to the HP I had and all of the units I've supported elsewhere over the years.