I love the internet for computer problems

[Russ Smith]

Have this user for 3 years now his Windows updates have been broken. Tell it to search for updates you get an error message that it can't connect. I would then click on search the internet and do the updates that way, so every 6 months or so I'm installing 75+ updates on the guys system.

Never able to figure out why the settings were ok, the fixit tool couldn't solve it, just a complete pain in the butt. Today while doing it I noticed that it said "updates are controlled by administrator" and thought that was odd so I googled it. Sure enough I found a Win7 forum post from 2011 where tons of people have the same problem and one genius found the solution.

Seems Dell sends out their new and refurbished systems by just installing an image onto them, and at one point that image contained a registry key that told Windows Updates to connect to a specific secure server to get Windows updates. That server, complete with IP address, is of course located AT DELL! So those guys were shipping out brand new systems that couldn't connect to Windows update because they were set to connect to an internal server at Dell.

Every person on the thread had the same problem and were so thankful to the genius that figured it out. You delete that registry key and voila, Windows updates work.

What was really bad is virtually everyone on that thread had been told by Dell to reinstall windows because they had a virus, even brand new out of box machines they were told that.

 

[devilalum]

I have 20 old junk computers in my classroom and I'd never be able to keep them all running if not for these kinds of tech message boards.

 

[Russ Smith]

I have 20 old junk computers in my classroom and I'd never be able to keep them all running if not for these kinds of tech message boards.

Yeah I've gotten help here several times on ASFN from Chaz and others but I usually start by just googling and it's amazing what you find.

The other thing is it's affirmation that you're not just stupid, that yes there really are LOTS of other people having the exact same issue you have and hopefully someone has figured it out.

I can't imagine how many people wasted time reinstalling Windows on a brand new machine only to discover it didn't matter because the Windows they were installing was from the same image.

No more marathon Updates install sesssions on that machine though, today alone was 82 of them. Now they should install normally.

 

[BigRedRage]

its great for jeep repairs as well. I am damn near a mechanic nowadays and learned the majority off of the intenret.

 

[Chaz]

So much information out there. The real trick is filtering through it all and gleaning out the relevant bits.

Worked for me for appliance repair as well. I rebuilt my clothes dryer a couple of years ago. I would not have been able to do that before internet forums, downloadable manuals, cutaways, and parts lists.

 

[puckhead]

Yet, with all the miracles of the World Wide Web, .Ken's entertainment center languishes on with nary an offer.

It's Solid Freakin' Oak* for crying out loud!


(*TM 2014)

 

[DeAnna]

Yep, also works for warning lights that pop up in your car. I had a light pop up, and after going thru the entire manual, could not find the image.

Googled it, and it's a warning that my headlight is about to go.

Thank you Al Gore!