Various issues: keyboard settings, toolbar/ start menu issues.

[Holly]

Hi,

I have vista on my laptop and installed Norton a while back. I got a notice saying upgrade, when i did this my battery ran out mid installation and then Norton wasn't on my laptop so i went on to live chat on their website.

They remote accessed my laptop and reinstalled norton, since all of my settings have changed.

Main issues:

My keyboard keys are wrong, i.e. the 2 should be speech marks but is @, the pound sign is #. I can change back to how it should be by pressing shift and alt but it soon changes back.

My task bar at the bottom should have the volume icon, this is gone. When i try to customise my settings it does not allow me to change anything.

My start bar is missing the normal icons and when i try to customise i click on apply and nothing happens.

Norton have been no help at all even though i am 100% sure they have caused these problems. They keep referring me to microsoft saying basically it's not their problem.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[kpac]

In my opinion... Norton = Problems.

There is a lot of other free anti virus software out there, just as good, if not better than Norton.

[Holly]

Yeah well i guess i learned that the hard way! Will not bother with them again, just want my laptop back to how it was......

I also tried system restore and it hasn't worked.

[ALAN_BR]

I have given up asking my daughter to switch on the Power Supply when using the computer.

Fortunately she only uses email and Googles etc., but as a User without Admin privileges does not install or upgrade software.  If the battery goes flat when she uses it the system goes belly up in a nice way - it is as good as new when I switch the power on and restart the computer.

When doing something "dangerous" such as installing or upgrading software it is best to ensure completion without interruption, i.e. ensure the power is switched on - don't let the battery go flat.

After several decades experience I even want to ensure power is always available when defragging the hard drive - in fact before Windows XP I only defragged twice a year with bated breath and crossed fingers.  Now with XP I ensure power is always on so that default background defragging will not get disrupted - and the Defrag supplier has the same misgivings and (in theory) discontinues defrag when he detects the Laptop is running on batteries only.

Regards
Alan

[Holly]

Thanks but the problems only occurred after my laptop was remote accessed not due to the battery running out or the upgrade in norton installation being disturbed. The battery actually only ran out as someone else in the household unplugged the power cable.

Any ideas on how to sort my problems would be very much appreciated!

Regards

Jody

[ALAN_BR]

When the Norton "Upgrade" collapsed in Power Failure, it may have significantly damaged Windows -  or you might be lucky - perhaps the Norton "helpers" have accidentally modified your Code Page and changed it from British to American.

I have experienced this before Windows XP.
XP is a new ball game for me, but CHCP or a related command might help you.
Have a look at
http://www.computerhope.com/chcphlp.htm

Regards
Alan

[Holly]

I think i have sorted out my keyboard.......switched from USA to UK and it seems to have saved this.

Still can't save any task or start bar settings?