http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ How-To Geek Forums Topic: (Solved) - Troubleshooting at a distance . . . en Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:03:51 +0000 http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/4#post-36074 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:47:37 +0000 Lighthouse 36074@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>Jolly good BobJam. I always recommend Crossloop as the easiest (on the assumption that, if I can do it, so can anyone else)<br /> and Solved is taken care of :) </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/4#post-36073 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:44:05 +0000 BobJam 36073@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>Solved . . . CrossLoop it is, and thanks to ScottW for all the help.</p> <p>BTW, how do you mark these threads as "solved"?? I don't see a button for that, or is this something that a Mod does?? If so, then you can mark this as "solved" and end this agony. </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/4#post-35507 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:59:40 +0000 jack7h3r1pp3r 35507@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>so to use vmware would you need the os installed or how exactly does this work?</p> <p>kinda off topic sorry </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/4#post-35437 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:06:46 +0000 Lighthouse 35437@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>So why did you suggest it in the first place? </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-35434 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:03:26 +0000 quahog 35434@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>Thats why I said "Im not sure if you can do that remotely" </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-35430 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:55:25 +0000 Lighthouse 35430@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>How would you "virtually" copy a system. Transfer it over the net. And then work on it dynamically? </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-35413 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:19:10 +0000 quahog 35413@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>What do you mean? </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-35410 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:14:11 +0000 Lighthouse 35410@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>quahog. You have no idea what you're talking about. Do you? </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-35403 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:08:29 +0000 quahog 35403@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>Well, I suggested it was because if you can get a virtual copy of her system (Im not sure if you can do that remotely) and you can work on it without disturbing your sister. Its just something that could minimize the disruption </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-35158 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:01:07 +0000 jack7h3r1pp3r 35158@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>yes i was a bit confused as to why there is a virtual machine post when we are dealing with remote assistance ?? :) </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-35124 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:06:30 +0000 Lighthouse 35124@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>You are correct BobJam. It is a different thing entirely. </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-35121 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:59:24 +0000 BobJam 35121@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>Hey quahog,</p> <p>Thanks for the links. I don't understand virtual machines very well, but as far as I understand the phrase, it really isn't something suited to remote assistance as I want to use it. </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-34894 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:18:26 +0000 quahog 34894@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>I dont know if anyones suggested vmware but heres a link so you can read about it, and a download link for it if you would like to try it (its free and pretty cool, also good for running two operating systems without dual booting)</p> <p>Read about it:<br /> <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMware'>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMware</a></p> <p>Download:<br /> <a href='http://www.vmware.com/download/ws/'>http://www.vmware.com/download/ws/</a></p> <p>Ps: just something to think about as a possible solution </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-34822 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:16:06 +0000 BobJam 34822@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>Thanks, Scott!! You can email me at rbjamie AT gmail DOT com (munged here, of course). </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-34794 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:39:11 +0000 ScottW 34794@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>Attn: MODS. Please send BobJam my e-mail address. I'll be your Remote Assistance buddy, BobJam. It's about time to take this work offline anyway. </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-34771 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:19:40 +0000 BobJam 34771@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>In getting ready for my "experiment" to use Remote Assistance with Messenger, I realized that I had used that xp_messenger_remove.vbs script from Doug Knox's web site (<a href='http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_messenger_remove.htm'>http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_messenger_remove.htm</a>) when I first got this machine in May of 2004.</p> <p>So, I downloaded Install_MSN_Messenger.exe (which I think is version 7) and installed it. I loaded it and it looked like it had the Messenger logo, so I thought I was good to go with it. Then I went to the "Help and Support Center", and clicked on "Ask for assistance&gt;Invite a friend to connect to your computer with Remote Assistance". But this gave me a message that Messenger was not installed. That confused me, and after some manipulations (like installing and uninstalling over and over), I realized nothing was going to work.</p> <p>The warning that Messenger was not installed had a link under it for a download of Messenger, so I tried that. It downloaded WLinstaller.exe, which is simply an installer for not only Windows Live Messenger (version 8), but a bunch of other Windows Live software.</p> <p>And again I tried the "Help and Support Center Ask for assistance&gt;Invite a friend to connect to your computer with Remote Assistance". But this gave me the same message as before, that Messenger was not installed. That confused me more, so I uninstalled the Windows Live Messenger, version 8, and now I tried Control Panel&gt;Add or Remove Programs&gt;Add/Remove Windows Components, and saw that Windows Messenger was unchecked, so I thought that maybe checking it would reinstall Windows Messenger and make things right. But no joy on this either . . . I didn't even get Windows Messenger on my menu this time as I had with the others, so it didn't look like this did anything at all.</p> <p>Now I began to think that that vbs script, xp_messenger_remove.vbs, had banished Messenger forever. Did it??</p> <p>After some more manipulations (installing and uninstalling), I at last decided none of this was going to work. I could have used an email invitation or a file save for the RA experiment, but since I understand that using RA with Windows Messenger doesn't involve configuring a router or getting your IP address (see my post #16 above . . . and if her software Firewall is Windows Firewall, which I think it is, I can just have her disable it if it gets in the way), and I don't want to have to try and get my sister to mess with her router or look for her IP address, I wanted to use RA with Windows Messenger.</p> <p>So I Googled some, looking for an answer why the "Help and Support Center" always said that Messenger wasn't installed when in fact it was, with version 7 and 8.</p> <p>I found a Microsoft news group on Messenger, and found a poster that asked the exact question I had. Here's the answer:</p> <p>"Windows Messenger (not Windows LIVE Messenger) needs to be installed for Remote Assistance to work.<br /> You can download the latest Windows Messenger version here<br /> Windows Messenger 5.1<br /> <a href='http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a8d9eb73-5f8c-4b9a-940f-9157a3b3d774&#38;DisplayLang=en'>http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a8d9eb73-5f8c-4b9a-940f-9157a3b3d774&#38;DisplayLang=en</a><br /> Remote Assistance relies on Windows Messenger to be installed. If Windows Messenger is not installed, Remote Assistance will not work, and as a result, Windows LIVE Messenger cannot use Remote Assistance. As a result, you'll need to install Windows Messenger.<br /> --<br /> Jason Tsang - Microsoft MVP"</p> <p>So I downloaded Messenger 5.1, messenger.msi, installed it, and lo and behold when I opened "Help and Support Center Ask for assistance&gt;Invite a friend to connect to your computer with Remote Assistance", it recognized this Messenger as installed and asked me to sign in.</p> <p>Coupla' things on this. I've long since ceased to be a Microsoft basher, but on this I would have to say that Microsoft has definitely dropped the ball. The very link in "Help and Support Center Ask for assistance&gt;Invite a friend to connect to your computer with Remote Assistance" for downloading Messenger downloads THE WRONG MESSENGER. And since a lot of people over the years have uninstalled Messenger (witness the popularity of Doug Knox's vbs script, and other web sites that link to it, and also see the high number of Google hits on "Remove Windows Messenger" . . . I got 65,000), you would think that Microsoft, realizing this, would provide for people like us reinstalling Messenger for this very reason.</p> <p>Plus, the name "Messenger" has been used by Microsoft for a number of things (Like the Windows Messenger Service, which is VERY DIFFERENT from the Messenger IM, and MSN Messenger and Windows Live Messenger, which are both very different from the Messenger 5.1), so users are confused by those muddy terms. Simply saying "Messenger" can mean too many different things.</p> <p>The other thing I noticed was that Windows Live Messenger appears in the Control Panel&gt;Add or Remove Programs list, while Messenger 5.1 DOES NOT. Because, I assume, 5.1 becomes an integral part of the OS, while Windows Live Messenger retains it's identity as an external app.</p> <p>Additionally, Windows Live Messenger does not place that "Automatically log on to Windows Messenger" line in the General Tab of the Tools&gt;Options in OE. Windows Messenger 5.1 DOES.</p> <p>Bottom line here, I am now prepared to run RA with Messenger . . . but no thanks to Microsoft.</p> <p>If I can't find, a "computer buddy" for the experiment (and I haven't yet), I do in fact have two computers myself, so I may try it with them. But I will be logged in on the same WAN connection with the same IP, so will that be a problen with CrossLoop?? With RA?? </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-34660 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:24:14 +0000 SarahJames 34660@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>My aunt has screwed up her keyboard settings, so when hitting one key something else appears on the screen. I guess it is just a matter of setting the keyboard back to VS international, Dutch and then it will be allright, but I don't know what else she messed up. I must say I can't blame her - she's in her seventies and never ever has worked with any computer before, so I think she is rather brave trying it out all of a sudden. But I can pick up the pieces or someone else who happens to pass by and well, they often are like your sister's helping neighbor ....</p> <p>Feeling for you;-)<br /> I might just pay my aunt a visit or hope some other helper passes by, because I think it will all be too much for her, even the easiest way.</p> <p>Thanks for posting back - I've picked up a lot along the way.<br /> Hope RA does it for you.</p> <p>Cheers,<br /> Sarah. </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-34591 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:16:27 +0000 BobJam 34591@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>I just got a response on another forum where a poster said:</p> <p>"Using Windows Messenger and Remote Assistance eliminates any router problems and any need to know IP addresses. With any IM do not accept invitations from anybody you do not know and trust. You don't even have to run it until your sister calls or emails to ask you to run it so she can request RA.</p> <p>I'm not trying to sell Remote Assistance and Windows Messenger, but it seems to be the simplest to try to get a novice to use--no downloading, no router configuration, etc."</p> <p>And</p> <p>"One way to request assistance is Start – Help and Support – and under “Ask for assistance” click on “Invite a friend to connect to your computer with Remote Assistance.” Then “Invite someone to help you” and “Use Windows Messenger.” The person you invite must be online; call the person and ask him/her to go online if necessary."</p> <p>So, RA sounds like it might fit . . . I think I'm going full circle on this. </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-34588 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:45:08 +0000 Lighthouse 34588@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>You have my greatest sympathies BobJam, I think a lot of us have been in your situation. </p> http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/troubleshooting-at-a-distance-/page/3#post-34587 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:38:47 +0000 BobJam 34587@http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ <p>I sort of found out what my sister's problem is, but I don't completely understand it yet. I'll have to phone her and get more details, and follow up with an email to avoid the "I thought you said . . ." issue.</p> <p>She emailed me that a neighbor offered to "help" (sarcastic tone on my part) her, and told her that "sending [print] jobs through the internet was a good thing and easy to set up." So, she agreed to let him do it (WHY SHE THOUGHT THAT SHE NEEDED TO SEND PRINT JOBS THROUGH THE INTERNET IS A MYSTERY TO ME).</p> <p>She has Verizon wireless, and in that "help effort" (sarcasm again), the neighbor somehow screwed up her wireless connection.</p> <p>So the neighbor decided to reinstall her XP Pro.</p> <p>Now she is able to connect again, but her complaint is "I just want my computer back to the way it was before with all my programs".</p> <p>I suspect that her issue is simply a reinstall from her program CD's, which isn't really a troubleshooting issue, but rather an issue of me guiding her through the installation process. But as I said before, I'm not sure. It may involve the installation of some drivers too. Or other things may be screwed up and I'll have to do some real troubleshooting.</p> <p>Stay tuned . . .</p> <p>P.S. Sarah, I'll report back here on how my "experiment" goes, if I do it. </p>