Sunday, May 25, 2014

Computer Woes: When Virus Protection Gets a Virus : Part 2

 This is part 2 of my recent Computer Woes and I can only call it: When Virus Protection Gets a Virus.
    As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, my Symantec virus protection wasn't protecting anymore, so I had to call Symantec customer service. Apparently, my contract may have expired (although I didn't get notified) and the Firewall wouldn't update and said it was basically broken.
 - That made sense to me because one of my word documents suddenly had a virus from somewhere... SO I had to do something.

  I called Symantec and decided that I needed to get a 3 year product and wipe out the existing one. Simple, right?  WRONG.
TRYING TO INSTALL THE NEW PROGRAM -   After paying for it, I was directed to a website via an email with a log in. The website took me to a page to pick one of 50 languages (including "international English" which turned out to be the right one). - Then it took me to a page to pick which operating system (turns out I have Windows 64 bit, whatever THAT means). I didn't have a clue so I called the help line.

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW...
   Then the new Virus protection program wouldn't download. ANOTHER ADVENTURE. The Tech said that we had to uninstall the old version. It didn't uninstall so he had to take me into a back way of roots and files which I would never understand or remember. After 35 minutes we were able to delete the OLD file. Then we had to download the new one.
   The gentleman was talking to me from southeastern India and told me they just had an Earthquake the day before as we waited 15 minutes for the new program to install. SIGH. There's a lot more to it- but I must say that people in India are very patient and kind.  At least this guy was outstanding. I believe his name was Dupesh.
A GOOD ENDING - AND GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE - 
 I will say that Dupesh's use of Web-Ex to direct me through my computer files was Critical, and very helpful. Bravo, Symantec!
  Symantec is up and running now, and is 100%. WHEW.
THE FINAL FRONTIER - A PRINTER INSTALL -  The next adventure came that night when my new HP $129 laser printer arrived and I had to install it.  (BTW- I recommend that P1100 HP laserjet).  It only took 90 minutes... UGH. I need a night AWAY from computers!!!


   

Who I am

I'm a simple guy who enjoys the simple things in life, especially our dogs. I volunteer for dog rescues, enjoy exercising, blogging, politics, helping friends and neighbors, participating in ghost investigations, coffee, weather, superheroes, comic books, mystery novels, traveling, 70s and 80s music, classic country music,writing books on ghosts and spirits, cooking simply and keeping in shape. You'll find tidbits of all of these things on this blog and more. EMAIL me at Rgutro@gmail.com - Rob

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