[quote]The video stream on my computer has been running really slow. As a result, I have been unable to use Skype for over a month.



Does anyone know of a reasonably priced place where I can get the problem diagnosed and fixed?- something like the Geek Squad in the US?



Thanks[/quote]



If it's a Mac: Genius Bar

If it's a PC: reinstall



Do downloads work as fast as advertised?

Is emailing somebody an attachement also taking unsually slow?



If you use a router to access the internet, I suggest you download a Linux live CD to test the internet-speed to be sure the problem is on the OS side and not on the ISP-side.

If you complain to your ISP and later on it's found out that the problem is on your side, you will be billed by the hour (150 CHF minimum, at least herearound).



rainer_d, Jun 8, 2009 @ 21:11

Thanks Rainer and Whovian.



I'm sadly quite illiterate when it comes to this stuff- whats Linux?



Youtube seems to run fine.



I've spoken to Swisscom and it turns out that my speed was only 5000, they've upped it to 8,000-apparently they can't go any higher or it will crash the TV. I checked to Skype website and the speed should be enough to support it.



I'm wondering if I have some kind of virus that my virus scan is not picking up. Is there a reliable free scan?



It was working fine until I took it on a roadtrip to Italy- could the traveling have caused the problem? It's a laptop(PC)



I'm thinking I need a professional.
dantan, Jun 9, 2009 @ 00:09

[quote]Thanks Rainer and Whovian.



I'm sadly quite illiterate when it comes to this stuff- whats Linux?

[/quote]



Linux is an operating-system (well, actually it's only a kernel, but in this context, we'll get way with it).

See here if you're interested:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux



There are CD-images of it that you can download and burn and that boot into a fully operable desktop.

It's also not infectable by viruses and malware. That way, we can exclude Windows as the main source of problems.



[quote]

Youtube seems to run fine.



I've spoken to Swisscom and it turns out that my speed was only 5000, they've upped it to 8,000-apparently they can't go any higher or it will crash the TV. I checked to Skype website and the speed should be enough to support it.



I'm wondering if I have some kind of virus that my virus scan is not picking up. Is there a reliable free scan?

[/quote]



Well, the scan will only find stuff that it already knows.

You may have something that the scan doesn't know.

Do you want to imply that you run Windows without a virus-scanner and a malware-detector?

In that case, the easiest will be to re-install everything from scratch and install Avira as the first application.

I don't need to maintain Windows at work or anywhere else, so I can't comment on a good anti-malware software.



[quote]

It was working fine until I took it on a roadtrip to Italy- could the traveling have caused the problem? It's a laptop(PC)

[/quote]



There's lot's of stuff that could go wrong.

Generally, if a support-person can't fix the problem in 20 minutes, it's faster to re-install everything. If the problem persists, it's easier to swap the hardware than wasting further time with it.



[quote]

I'm thinking I need a professional.[/quote]



Or a professional laptop with a professional OS ;-)

SCNR.

To bad that most applications in the law-business still only run on Windows, AFAIK.

rainer_d, Jun 9, 2009 @ 01:13

Reliable and free malware / virus scanners for Windows:



Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware:

http://malwarebytes.org/mbam.php



SUPER antispyware:

http://www.superantispyware.com



Ad-aware:

http://www.lavasoft.com/single/trialpay.php
hucklewoo, Jun 9, 2009 @ 13:35

forgot



Clamwin AntiVirus:

http://www.clamwin.com/
hucklewoo, Jun 9, 2009 @ 13:37