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1.  

   Is Mozilla Spyware?

   

   dorpus, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 4:48am

   
   

   My girlfriend just bought a laptop, and it won't let her install firefox. Won't let her remove the "Sign up Free for AOL Now!" software that came with it either -- and her account has administrator privileges. I tried rebooting in safe mode, logging in as "administrator", same story. Tried to wipe the operating system, wouldn't let me do that either. There seems to be some new secure version of windows that won't let administrators do anything?
   
   

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2.  

   Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

   

   dorpus, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 4:50am

   
   

   I took the laptop to work, had sysadmins look at it, and they were stumped too. One of them even had a master's degree, but didn't know what to make of it.
   

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3.  

   Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

   

   greg, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 6:01am

   
   

   You might want to check permissions. Some spyware lowers administrator permissions.

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4.  

   Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

   

   John, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 6:16am

   
   

   I see two possibilities, given that you are already trying to format & reinstall the OS:
   1. Download a low-level format utility from the manufacturer of the laptop's hard drive. While I have not had a laptop before, the utilities I have downloaded for my desktop have worked very well in some circumstances where a normal format (ie - clearing the disk partitions) has not worked. You may then reinstall the OS and applications that you see fit.
   2. Return the laptop as "defective". Clearly explain why you consider it to be defective. I am not going to make any assumptions that the laptop's behavior was intentional on the companies part, but even if it was then losing sales as a result could make the company change it's behavior.
   I hope you can get things sorted out.

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5.  

   Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

   

   dorpus, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 6:28am

   
   

   Ok, this laptop is as-is from the manufacturer (Sharp). Japanese companies don't provide utilities like that, and consumers cannot return items unless they are "defective" by the maker's definition. I'll try, but I'm not too hopeful.
   
   
   

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6.  

   Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

   

   Secret Squirrel, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 8:18am

   
   

   After you ensure you copy off everything you/she saved to it, you don't need to low-level anything. Reboot with an original XP disk and re-install the whole OS, it will be handy to have all drivers on a CD onhand before you get started.

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7.  

   No Subject Given

   

   Freedster, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 8:19am

   
   

   Boot to a Win98 floppy, (download one here: http://www.answersthatwork.com/Downright_pages/downrights_bootdisks.htm) delete and recreate the partitions, and then format them with a /u paramater before you reinstall Windoze.
   
   - Freed

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8.  

   Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

   

   Anonymous Coward, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 8:19am

   
   

   Bu y a new hard drive and reinstall from retail version of XP

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9.  

   Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

   

   dorpus, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 8:21am

   
   

   I tried to re-install with original XP disks, but it gives me a message about how the OS on the laptop is newer, therefore it will not rebuild. I tried following complicated instructions for performing a "local" build by copying CD contents onto the hard drive, as well as downloading the SP2 patch and "integrating" it, but I still got the same error.
   
   Otherwise, I would just have to rebuild with the laptop OS disk, which has all the extra "free AOL!" crap on it, and doesn't accomplish anything.
   

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10.  

    Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

    

    Brice, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 8:33am

    
    

    Will the laptop let you boot to floppy or cd-rom? Can you change the device it boots to in BIOS (press F2 or Ctrl-Alt-S before Windows starts booting)? If so, you can download a bootable cd-rom/floppy image (e.g. from bootdisk.com) and use that to wipe your drive clean and then buy a copy of Windows and install it (don't use the disk that came with the laptop--that will probably just put the system back into the original state).
    If BIOS won't let you boot to a floppy/CD-Rom, then take it to a place that specializes in laptop repair and tell them what you want to do. Chances are, they know how to work around it. If you're tech savvy, they might even tell you how to do it for no charge.

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11.  

    Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

    

    michael, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 8:52am

    
    

    Is this legal at all to not allow you remove the aol software and not letting you install firefox? You can probably sue them for this.

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12.  

    Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

    

    Jeff, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 9:08am

    
    

    Simple fix. Get a copy of Linux and boot it that. If your girlfriend was stupid enough to buy something with Windows on it, then this is the answer. Otherwise, take it back and buy a Mac.

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13.  

    Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

    

    Melvin, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 9:21am

    
    

    you can download a little program called "delpart" http://www.juliatexas.com/delpart/delpart.exe Just copy this file to a bootable floppy and run it. This program will allow you to delete just about any type of partition

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14.  

    Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

    

    zaphar, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 9:54am

    
    

    I'm guessing there is some kind of hard drive sherrif on the laptop. Especially since it won't let you wipe the operating system. In that Case a lowlevel format is your only option. You might have to delete the partitions and rebuild the MBR make sure there aren't any hidden partitions that an image might be sitting on. You can do this using a dos boot disk or win98 bootable cd. Then reinstall the OS from CD. It's best to use a full install CD not one that came from the laptop manufacturer.

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15.  

    Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

    

    Ivan Sick, Aug 19th, 2005 @ 10:11am

    
    

    Holy smokes, dorpus has actually successfully 100% hijacked a thread. Well to jump into the current discussion, it doesn't sound like, from what he's said, he has actually tried to wipe the hard drive.

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16.  

    Re: Is Mozilla Spyware?

    

    ME, Nov 13th, 2005 @ 4:13pm

    
    

    Welcome to the world of Windows Palladium (longhorn). The legal OS to hijack your system, and tell you what you software can be installed, how long you can to listen to various mp3s, and search and delete pirated software, mp3s, etc. from your computer.
    Bill's first goal, lock out open source. Bill's second goal, lock in customers.
    Check these sites out. Or search for Palladium, Longhorn, or TCP (trustworthy computing platform)
    http://www.iscnetwork.com/winblows/Palladium.htm
    http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.htm l
    http://www.oilempire.us/microsoft.html
    http://home.arcor.de/andi.mohr/darkage.html

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