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Rob

A Question For Anyone Vaguely Computer Literate

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Hi.

Last night there was some sort of update going on. End result is that I no longer have Mozilla because it has been replaced with AVG (which I should have anyway as the virus control thing). The top and bottom bars have disappeared meaning I've lost the ability to use bookmarks, print, tools, etc on the top, and change to outlook, skype, desktop or do a search/shutdown/restart etc that all happens in the bottom left.I've never asked for yahoo to get involved either. Who gave them the right to invade my machine and how do I put a permanent stop to them doing so again?

All I want is something familiar that I can work with, so Mozilla with the ability to search using google, the option to use bookmarks would be nice. I would like word and excel back again. I can't access the desktop. Can't update the website. Can't even tell the time any more thanks to this stupid downgrade. :angry:

At the moment, I appear to be restricted to using the AVG search bar only. I'm assuming it isn't permanent but haven't an f'ing clue where to start. Anyone?

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Do you no longer have Firefox? Or have you just lost the top bar?

If you do have Mozilla there is a button that looks like this: 2z3t6k1.jpg If you click on it, it should give you the option to show your bookmarks bar again. "View Bookmarks Toolbar".

Was the update a Windows one or an AVG one, do you know? And when you say AVG has replaced Mozilla what precisely do you mean - as the are two separate programs that are for very different things.

(You'll probably want to make a note of this before trying). With regard to your taskbar and Start going missing, press Ctrl Alt Del at the same time on your keyboard, click on 'Start Task Manager', then click on 'File' then 'New Task: Run', type in (in lower case) explorer and then click 'OK'.

Let us know how you get on, Rob.

Edited by HistoricCoinage

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Task manager is reached by pressing Ctrl, Shift Esc simultaneously. Ctrl, Alt, Del closes everything down.

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Task manager is reached by pressing Ctrl, Shift Esc simultaneously. Ctrl, Alt, Del closes everything down.

It doesn't on Windows 7... :unsure: It just gives you a menu.

But yes, Ctrl, Shift, Escape does bring up Task Manager, too.

Edited by HistoricCoinage

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did you hit the button that gives only the few buttons hidden at the top? easy to restore that. hard to explain, but I hit something from time to time that makes everything dissapear, you can just maximise from the normal location.

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I don't have a top or bottom bar. I used to have Mozilla searching Google but now have an AVG logo (or at least I did to get to this forum). I haven't dared to shut down in case it completely bu**ers it up, but I don't have a back button any more, or a shut down X, or anything. Just the forum page.

I've no idea whether it was a windows update or AVG but suspect the latter because it had a big AVG box saying don't open a browser. Or it could be AVG checking Windows was safe? So I left everything alone and ended up with virtually nothing.

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I used to have Mozilla searching Google but now have an AVG logo (or at least I did to get to this forum).

Where?

From what I understand of your posts, you're using http://www.avg.com/gb-en/secure-search

2vcuz9k.jpg

In which case, I suspect that the update has made AVG your default browser but it shouldn't have uninstalled Firefox.

Did you try the method above to try and retrieve the taskbar? I'm afraid I'm not really following what the exact issue is - if you've somehow managed to end up without Explorer or Firefox.

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did you hit the button that gives only the few buttons hidden at the top? easy to restore that. hard to explain, but I hit something from time to time that makes everything dissapear, you can just maximise from the normal location.

I didn't hit anything, just left it alone as I was told.

As for the others HC/Bagerap I did the list and ended at Libraries. Thank you. Never been there before, but it has 4 logos, Docs, Pictures, Music & Videos. The first two have my normal Documents and Pictures (which is reassuring) :) . The others have sample music folder and up arrow, BBC iplayer, sample video and sample video up arrow. There is an animals video of some description, but trying to access that goes into some sort of setup routine.

For your next trick, please reinstate some manual control using the links I had previously without having to do the list of commands above

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For your next trick, please reinstate some manual control using the links I had previously without having to do the list of commands above

If you followed Task Manager and started Explorer then it should automatically run when you next turn on your computer.

In 'Libraries' you should be able to access your hard drives which should have all of your other files on, including Firefox. Although I suspect that if you can get to 'Libraries' then you should have your taskbar and normal Start button as before.

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Mixed blessings. Unfortunately I tried the link in Clive's post and ended up at the AVG secure search link page which I couldn't exit. I had to do an emergency stop and switch on again, but a reboot came back to the original desktop with the start buttons etc on the bottom - which should be good if I can keep it.

The problem looks like a Mozilla one because when I clicked on the Mozilla logo on the bottom bar it eliminated all buttons and brings up the AVG search page. It looks like it tried to load the top bar initially, but failed to keep it there after a second or two. Some sort of conflict of interest? Mozilla allows a top bar but AVG doesn't?

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Mixed blessings. Unfortunately I tried the link in Clive's post and ended up at the AVG secure search link page which I couldn't exit. I had to do an emergency stop and switch on again, but a reboot came back to the original desktop with the start buttons etc on the bottom - which should be good if I can keep it.

The problem looks like a Mozilla one because when I clicked on the Mozilla logo on the bottom bar it eliminated all buttons and brings up the AVG search page. It looks like it tried to load the top bar initially, but failed to keep it there after a second or two. Some sort of conflict of interest? Mozilla allows a top bar but AVG doesn't?

As I expected, you've restarted Explorer and so it all should function as per normal from now on.

With regard to the AVG Search, if you now have your Start button back go to 'Control Panel', 'Programs and Features' and then select AVG Search (or whatever it might be called) and then click 'Uninstall'. If that's successful then your Firefox should be back to normal.

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When I did the list, arriving at the task manager didn't give me either the top or the bottom bar, just a small box. If that box should be reconfigured to give the bars containing the useful bits, how do I do it?

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When I did the list, arriving at the task manager didn't give me either the top or the bottom bar, just a small box. If that box should be reconfigured to give the bars containing the useful bits, how do I do it?

Do you mean this list?

(You'll probably want to make a note of this before trying). With regard to your taskbar and Start going missing, press Ctrl Alt Del at the same time on your keyboard, click on 'Start Task Manager', then click on 'File' then 'New Task: Run', type in (in lower case) explorer and then click 'OK'.

As that should've brought back your taskbar at the bottom. If it hasn't then try pressing Ctrl and Esc. Perhaps it's just hiding from you.

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When I did the list, arriving at the task manager didn't give me either the top or the bottom bar, just a small box. If that box should be reconfigured to give the bars containing the useful bits, how do I do it?

Do you mean this list?

(You'll probably want to make a note of this before trying). With regard to your taskbar and Start going missing, press Ctrl Alt Del at the same time on your keyboard, click on 'Start Task Manager', then click on 'File' then 'New Task: Run', type in (in lower case) explorer and then click 'OK'.

As that should've brought back your taskbar at the bottom. If it hasn't then try pressing Ctrl and Esc. Perhaps it's just hiding from you.

I went into control panel and removed the AVG toolbar/taskbar or what ever they call it. That was the only option apart from AVG free 2014 which is the virus checker. AVG sent me a questionnaire asking why I removed it - so I told them. Then had to do an uncontrolled shutdown and reboot again because there is no back facility anymore. Bottom bar comes up as it did before, but clicking on the Mozilla logo goes to AVG search again. AVG search is clearly not in an AVG program unless it's in the virus checker, in which case I'm bu**ered. I've searched Predecimal and come here, but apart from using this forum's links,I still have no back button

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Problem possibly solved. The wife managed to get one bar at the top by putting the arrow at the top of the screen with which she could somehow reduce the box size and then the bottom bar came into view. It also said it was running both Firefox and AVG search programs in the boxes.

I messed about with the toolbar settings and by ticking menu bar it reinstated the file, edit, view etc line. The navigation bar gave me a back button and address field plus a box on the right with AVG. I changed this to Google and now it appears to be ok, but I don't know if I have done the right things or not as I didn't use the control panel as suggested (which didn't seem to accept google as the default search program). Removing AVG didn't stop it being used as the preferred alternative to Google. I'll have to keep tabs on it. Thanks everyone.

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Hi Rob,

I had all these problems and more, until i went with a Mac. :)

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Restarting etc still gives AVG Yahoo as the search address used. :( Why can't AVG accept you don't use a virus checker as a search program and stay away from people's computers? The right tool for the job applies here.

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Hi Rob,

I had all these problems and more, until i went with a Mac. :)

Nice if you are starting with a blank sheet, but I've got thousands of files which I would lose if I bought an apple. Letters, articles, databases, excel files, website, accounts. Redoing all this isn't an option.

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Hi Rob,

I had all these problems and more, until i went with a Mac. :)

Nice if you are starting with a blank sheet, but I've got thousands of files which I would lose if I bought an apple. Letters, articles, databases, excel files, website, accounts. Redoing all this isn't an option.

All of the above can be stored on a usb hard Drive and transferred to a Mac just like it could be to a Laptop or PC. Mac has programmes that are compatible with windows office.

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Hi Rob,

I had all these problems and more, until i went with a Mac. :)

Nice if you are starting with a blank sheet, but I've got thousands of files which I would lose if I bought an apple. Letters, articles, databases, excel files, website, accounts. Redoing all this isn't an option.

I had exactly the same but, with a couple of exceptions (sage accounts was one), all of my thousands of files transferred over to the iMac without a problem. I just ran a cable between the two machines and followed the on-screen prompts. That was 4 years ago and I've never looked back!

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It sounds like you need to go into control panel/internet options and reset your home page to google.

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By right clicking on the picture of a house in the top right of Firefox and left clicking on Customize you should be able to reinstate whichever buttons you need.

As for your little box of AVG, there should be a small arrow next to it which, when clicked, will give a drop down menu. You can then click 'Manage Search Engines' and remove AVG or whatever from the list.

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Restarting etc still gives AVG Yahoo as the search address used. :( Why can't AVG accept you don't use a virus checker as a search program and stay away from people's computers? The right tool for the job applies here.

Be very careful when installing updates or new programs as many will try and change your internet settings. It's often just unticking a box that prevents this.

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Nowadays everything is cash for clicks. :angry:

Nothing is free although it may appear to be so.

Go through any "free" installations and make sure they don't allo0w this sort of thing to happen.

Even if you think you've agreed to nothing there are sometimes sneaky things going on.

I've just upgraded my PC and operating system and it's taken me a week to get to a state that I can work with and looks familiar. Most of that time has been taken up removing things that change your homepage without asking and without telling you that they will.

Some of them are extremely pernicious (if that's the right word) and need to be removed form all browsers before they can be even uninstalled and then need to be done in a particular order. Luckily Google can usually come to the rescue with uninstall programs.

One that I've found quite good is adaware that scans for these things but even that will change your homepage at first.

"Tread carefully and carry a big stick" seems to be the motto wrt t'internet. :wacko:

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It sounds like you need to go into control panel/internet options and reset your home page to google.

Done that and it makes no difference

By right clicking on the picture of a house in the top right of Firefox and left clicking on Customize you should be able to reinstate whichever buttons you need.

As for your little box of AVG, there should be a small arrow next to it which, when clicked, will give a drop down menu. You can then click 'Manage Search Engines' and remove AVG or whatever from the list.

The first allows me to add or take away the bars at the top (which seems to be the same as I did last night to actually see them)

The second, I have removed all search programs except google, rebooted the system, but it still ends at the AVG page.

I also tried to email AVG to ask them how to unbugger a system, but can only get an FAQ page which naturally assumes they are not the problem and that you actually want AVG.

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