OT - Finally! DSL!

[Liz]

Some of you know how I've waited for a long time to get DSL - and get rid of aol. Well, I'm 3/4 of the way there. I got Verizon DSL. I'm still trying to get my "favorites" and address book over to Verizon from aol.

AND I have aol icons all over the Verizon pages! Even though I deleted everything of aol I could find on the computer.

My secretary and I are trying to learn how to use Verizon. It's very different from aol. Even the email set up is challenging (for me!). I set up 2 email accounts. I can only find one. Go figure. I've looked everywhere for it - even sent mail to the one I can't find - and can't find the mail, but it says it got there. Where?

At any rate, I'm just rambling........I'm not unhappy, trust me! Actually I'm thrilled! Just trying to find my way.

I can't wait until I know how to use it. ;)

Liz

[Lara]

May I be the first to say "HOORAY."

You will do just fine, I'm sure.

Regarding email. Are you using Outlook Express, or Outlook? I'll try to walk you through that via email or pm.

[another view]

You'll love it. Wait 'til you have to look something up on a dial-up after you get used to the speed of DSL - it'll drive you nuts!

My wife and I used to share a computer and had different email accounts thru Outlook Express, can't remember exactly how we did it, something like "change identity" from Options or Tools or something. I'm sure Lara can get it figured out though!

[Liz]

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm going to get some help from Lara! I am very happy with Verizon. Anything looks good after all the aol problems! And yes, the SPEED! The price is right too. $29.95 including the phone line. The phone line alone costs over $20.

Liz

You'll love it. Wait 'til you have to look something up on a dial-up after you get used to the speed of DSL - it'll drive you nuts!

My wife and I used to share a computer and had different email accounts thru Outlook Express, can't remember exactly how we did it, something like "change identity" from Options or Tools or something. I'm sure Lara can get it figured out though!

[Liz]

Thanks Lara,

I am using Outlook Express.

Thanks for the help. I'll email you.

Liz

May I be the first to say "HOORAY."

You will do just fine, I'm sure.

Regarding email. Are you using Outlook Express, or Outlook? I'll try to walk you through that via email or pm.

[Lionheart]

DSL will make posting more fun. You'll wonder how anyone cruises the web without it.
Congratulations-now I expect a lot more photos from you ;)

[Liz]

Congratulations-now I expect a lot more photos from you

Oh! I forgot......I should be able to download them a lot faster. That's great. Now all I have to do is find the time to go out and do some shooting! I'm already planning on doing some photography during Thanksgiving holiday!

Thanks for reminding me!

Liz

[mtbbrian]

Welcome to the 21st Century Liz!

Don't forget us in your bookmarks!

And don't forget this site too....
www.mtbbrian.com
;)

Brian

[Liz]

Don't forget us in your bookmarks!

I just added it to favorites.............And I won't forget yours either.

Thanks Brian

[Liz]

I called aol to cancel. The girl tried very very hard to convince me to stay. I was very nice and explained to her why I was leaving. She replied telling me that, because I've had so many problems she would removed my last monthly charge.

She then said that she would transfer me to someone who would help me get the aol icons off my computer - and with anything else I needed. I said "great! thanks!" Then she said "we're glad you've decided to stay."

So I made it clear I'm not staying. Her response "I'm sorry you decided to leave aol" and hung up. So much for the credit and help!

Good-bye aol!
Welcome Verizon!

Liz

[walterick]

I had a similar ridiculous experience cancelling AOL in the past. Based upon the singular discussion I had with one of the supervisors over "why I should stay" I have boycotted AOL for life and steer everyone I can away from them - all this, and the company is based in my home area

I called to cancel after the free trial, and they kept billing me for three months. When I caught it, I callled and told them, they said the amount they could reimburse me was only $50 which was $25 less than they had overcharged me. In speaking to the supervisor about this, the conversation quickly got turned from "I want my money back" to "So you're going to stay, right?" Her tone of voice was so snotty I hung up furious and to this day do not let anyone I know go near them.

Sorry for the rant I'm just glad you left!

Rick

[Liz]

I'm just glad you left!

Heh! So am I! I still have aol icons, and other aol stuff showing up everywhere. I hope I can find someone to get rid of it. Someone said when they disconnect it, the stuff will disappear. I already deleted everything I could find.

Have a GREAT THANKSGIVING RICK! and everyone else!

Liz

[Lara]

Liz, you can uninstall some of the AOL stuff by ...

1.	In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.
2.	On the Install/Uninstall tab, click the program you want to remove, and then click Add/Remove.

Any versions of AOL can be removed.

[Liz]

Lara

I did all of that yesterday morning. However, for some reason at the top of the Verizon Home page it says "Microsoft Internet Explorer provided by America Online." Then on the tool bar underneath that, there is the AOL icon - at the end of the tool bar to the right.

Then on the address drop down bar, when you click the drop arrow, the first address is aol dot com.

There are more that show up here and there. I can't find them anywhere to get rid of them. Also, the Spyware I installed informed me there are "Hotbar" spy stuff in the computer - and they can't get rid of it. It said to delete it through Windows Explorer. When we (my secretary & me) tried to do that, it said they couldn't be deleted. I can't figure it out - I have no clue what Hotbar is. I also have 22 "Hotfix" numbers listed in the Install/Uninstall program. I'm afraid to remove them because I don't know what they are.

When I was on aol, I had to "autofix" the dialup feature numerous times. Maybe that is what it is, but I don't know, so I don't want to remove it.

Aaaaaaaaaacccccccccckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!

Thanks for your help Lara! My secretary and I worked for about 4 hours yesterday and 4 today trying to figure these things out. And I worked for about 4-5 hours last night trying to get rid of aol and set up features on Verizon.

AOL said they "couldn't" cancel the account until the 28th. In the meantime, the account remains open. Maybe after they cancel it, things will disappear. Wishful thinking, I guess.

In the meantime, I'm with Verizon - and at least they have been exceptionally nice on the phone.

Liz

Liz, you can uninstall some of the AOL stuff by ...

1.	In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.
2.	On the Install/Uninstall tab, click the program you want to remove, and then click Add/Remove.

Any versions of AOL can be removed.

[walterick]

And a happy Thanksgiving to you!!

Rick

[Lara]

aaaaaaaaaaccccccccccccccccckkkkkk is right. Darn AOL. I'm being nice! They put so many hooks when you install it's ridiculous. (Would love to get my hands on your computer!!!)

How are you getting to explorer? Try from the start menu and see if it still comes up with AOL.

Have you cleared temporary internet files and cookies?
Click on tools, then internet options, then delete cookies, temporary internet files and clear your history files. That will get rid of some junk. If it locks up on you, when you try to delete your temporary internet files, that's because there are a ton of them.

You should run Ad-Aware to get rid of spyware. Also Spybot. Both are shareware.
I posted the links to these before, but here they are.
Adaware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
Spybot http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html
Unfortunately, these days most everyone who surfs the net needs to run programs like this to clean out spyware.

Hotfixes are Windows updates!! Do not remove!!!!

This site might help you remove Hotbar. http://www.pchell.com/support/hotbar.shtml

Let's start with this.

[Liz]

Thank you for all of your help. I printed your post so I can follow up. I already uninstalled Hotbar from your link. It took about 1/2 second. Hope its all gone.

I'll do the rest. My secretary installed Spyware which includes the adware, Firewall, etc. Plus McAfee anti-virus.

Little by little, we're getting there. I'm especially grateful for the links. I was surprised to learn what Hotbar is and glad to get rid of it.

I'll up date you. I think I'm giving it up for a few days to get ready for Thanksgiving!

Liz

[Lara]

Great Liz. Sounds like your getting a handle on things!

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!!

[Asylum Steve]

Liz,

Glad to see your web browser (and connection speed) problems are coming to an end. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to view image heavy sites with a dial-up connection.

As for your IE /AOL problems, you can always try uninstalling/reinstalling IE. It should be on your Windows OS disc. It may an older version, but you can easily update to the newest through Windows Update, and the new install should be minus the AOL junk.

You can also do an AOL file search on Windows using the START menu. Type AOL in the "containing text" field and hit SEARCH NOW. You may be surprised with what it turns up...

[Liz]

As for your IE /AOL problems, you can always try uninstalling/reinstalling IE. It should be on your Windows OS disc. It may an older version, but you can easily update to the newest through Windows Update, and the new install should be minus the AOL junk.

You can also do an AOL file search on Windows using the START menu. Type AOL in the "containing text" field and hit SEARCH NOW. You may be surprised with what it turns up...
Hey there Steve!

Thanks for the encouragement - and for the advice. I'll give it a shot.......when my secretary comes back Monday. She is pretty good at these things - and her husband is a computer geek - that's his job. He has lead her through some of the stuff we had to do here.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving - and thanks for your input.

Liz

[almo]

C: Format.........

[Old Timer]

Glad to hear that you have moved on to DSL. It's a move that made my life a lot easier here at work. The additional speed will be a real pleasure for you. Sorry about your problems with AOL, but I'm sure with all the help you are getting here they will soon be cleared up. Now go enjoy Thanksgiving and take loads of pictures that you can now share with us so much easier. Have a great holiday.

[another view]

C: Format.........

Well, that would take care of it!! However, if any of you aren't sure what this command will do, don't do it - "format" wipes the drive clean. No more AOL, but everything else on your hard drive (like Windows, documents and images) will be gone too...

[Lara]

Take it from someone who has fdisked, reformatted/reloaded hundreds of computers, literally.... I echo what Steve said. You have to know the process.

Reformatting wipes out everything, leaving you with a partitioned drive, squeaky clean, and ready to install an operating system. All files you wanted to keep would need to be backed up to a zip drive, data storage stick etc. before reformatting. All software that was loaded would have to be re-loaded.

[Liz]

When I was brand new at computers, I got a new one in my home office. I asked a "pro" (over the phone) if he could help me out with a problem. He said he would, but in the meantime he told me not to be afraid to play with it. His last famous words to me were "computers are made to take a lot - you can't possibly do any harm." Heheh

When I called him to say there was nothing on the computer, there was dead silence on the other end of the phone. Then a quiet voice said "what did you do?" and I told him I formatted the computer. He said "YOU WHAT?" - that's a problem. However, he came the next day and fixed it.

So, Almo - I'm glad I had that experience..........or I might have followed your advice!

Have a GREAT THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Liz