To start off, this is not a post to bash PCs, or microsoft. I am simply at my wits end with this damn computer, and am not sure where to turn for help, other than paying $50 to have some lamebrain tech support guy help me.
The problem I am having right now is simple. For a couple minths now my computer absolutely refuses to not be on the internet, which is a problem since I'm on a dial up. If i'm not on the internet, it will barrage me with the dial up screen telling me to connect, and when I say no, or cancel, or close the box, it dials anyway, with no way of me stopping it, other than reaching behind the computer through all the wires and cables trying depseratley to find the phone line, or simply cutting the power. This is a problem, since this is nopt the only computer i have that I connect to the internet with, and it will dislodge anything else from any connection, whether i'm alreay on the net on another computer, or talking on the phone, or even trying to recieve a fax. Moreoever, this need to be on the net is crashing or freezing my PC to the point that I can't load any other programs without that damn thing prompting me to connect.
Tonight I spent 40 minutes trying to load OP, the computer crashing bad enough that I have to do a cold restart because the damn thing keeps dropping me to the desktop, letting me know that I'm not on the net.
This problem has been getting worse, and I've already been through the control panels trying to set the stupid thing so that it stays off the internet unless I say so, or even just simply never connect. I't been building up, the I finally got so angry at the machine tonight after 11 crashes that I just started punching the damn thing, cracking the matel case open, and cutting my hand in the process.
Can someone please clue me in?
CK
Edit: forgot to include: 1.2 GHz AMD Athlon, 384 megs RAm, Win ME (upgrading to another Win OS isn't an option).