http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hhm...

I tried to help him out, but it just wasn't working... =(

Number of times that I've said the 'untruth' since I've owned the bar, 10 times.

I have yet another computer question.

OK I still use my trusty old Dell Lab Dog, even though it's been on its last legs for ... well a long time...

So far, it Has refused to die.

Tonight, though, something new-- and I FEAR THE WORST!!

OK every night at 2AM my <anti=virus> program automatically updates.

This time, when it updated, it didn't show me a "click OK" box like it usually does.

Instead, my PC restarted. It NEVER has restarted automatically after a 2AM update. It doesn't need to restart to accept the update.

OK- when it restarted, it booted fine=-

I got "Welcome" and that nice Windows welcome music=-

Then I got my cursor on screen, normal boot so far.

But instead of my Congtrol bar (including the green "start" control- you know, the operating control)...

It just kept showing a blue background and my cursor.

I could move the cursor around, but I waited a half hour and my operating bars STILL wouldn't show on the screen. Just the blue background and the cursor.

I shut off and rebooted several times, but same thing.

Has my old Lab Dog had it?

Should I have him shot now?

In the past, putting him in a very cold place has somehow "fixed him" before.

So I've got him out on the Balcony in sub-zero temperatures "resting."

However, I'm feeling a bit pessimistic this time.

I don't believe in "coincidences" when it comes to computers--

When my AVG update happened at 2AM like it does every night, the Little box that says "update complete" and click "OK" didn't show up--

Instead my PC restarted by itself.

First time that ever happened.

I'M AFRAID HE'S DEAD!!

I will try to boot again tomorrow after he's had a night out in the cold.

But like I said, it's BOOTING ok into Windows-- Windows is just not proceeding to my control screen.

Any ideas suggestions??

Best Regards, and thanks for all your computer help in the past,

Good grief.

After an hour out in the cold, my Lab Dog booted to the control bars and I was able to solve the mystery with a little research.

I use the "free" AVG anti virus program.

the "update" actually failed, and the reason my Lab Dog wouldn't boot to the operating bar was that it was trying to find the Update believe it or not.

So I just manually re-did the update and everything is back to normal.

Now here's the question--

I tried several times-- waiting half an hour-- for the boot to complete and it wouldn't.

But after an hour in cold air (and this is about the tenth time I have used this "remedy") it booted right away and I could see what the problem was.

Am I going insane?

Is my Lab Dog actually alive?

AVG.

Humph.

Nothing in this world for "free."

However, You know the highly touted Norton/Symentec AVG and "total protection package"--

I had it on my Lab Dog for a year and it freaking blocks almost everything I use.

Case in point- no matter how I adjusted the settings, etc., it would regularly CRASH my yahoo chess tables when I was playing.

So I uninstalled the dam thing and got my free AVG and free ZoneAlarm firewall and free LavaSoft adware buster- the FREE trio I've been using for six years before getting <Norton> which cost a lot of money---

And I didnt' have ONE problem till tonight.

Do you have any secret computer expert knowledge on the stuff i just hysterically posted?

AM i GOING insane?

DOH!!

I keeps coming alive again though.

I've seen you fix <Macs> that had actually been run over by a steam roller in Eastern Europe, simply by posting the "correct solution ideas" to the poor sod....

All hail the superhero <MannBee>!!

My Lab Dog appreciates your time, help, and good wishes.

ME TOO@

All the bills came in (first of the month...) and I, quite frankly, panicked a bit. And I always tend to expect things on the negative side...