Computer problems and/or advice 2013

[Alan_b]

And did the problem recur after you restarted the computer, David?

[Alan_b]

I know you solved the problem but FYI:

... my antivirus won't allow me to use system restore.

Yes it will, you just have to press F8 during start-up and the choose Repair my computer.  That will give you an option to run a System Restore that your antivirus cannot stop.  It might sulk a bit afterwards, mind you. 

... I don't understand why my Microsoft settings on one computer can change the settings on another and reconfigure my keyboard!

Well of course they can't!  I figure you must have been trying to do one of these too-clever-by-half automated transfers from your old computer to your new and accidentally set it to run backwards.

[Anthony Darby]

Thanks. I managed to restore the settings on my old computer, but, yes, they seem to be linked.

I've just had a phone call from an Indian-sounding gentleman who says that he is speaking from Microsoft and that my computer is sending them errors due to trying to download malicious material and as a result is doing strange things resulting in slow down load speed and strange noises. He then asked me to switch my computer on and he would show me. I declined and hung up.

[Alan_b]

Same scam all over the world, Anthony.  Or are non-English speakers spared?

[annew]

Perhaps they get English-sounding gentlemen called Rupinder ringing them.

[TC]

Yes, we all get these calls from time to time.  If I am in the mood, I like stringing them along.
I sound most concerned and ask them what I should do.  It's usually switch on the computer and follow instructions.  I tell them I am switching it on and they will have to wait a few minutes.  When I feel like it I ask what next, it is download a program and follow instructions.  I do nothing and then tell them the program has not downloaded.  I then ask if I should switch on my router to connect to the internet.
Then I ask which Microsoft program is it that is causing problems and I don't understand what he is talking about as I have an Apple Mac.
Phone suddenly goes dead.

Another ploy is to sound most concerned and ask for their phone number so my anti virus program people can talk to them to see why their program does not work.  Conversation suddenly terminated.


Another couple I have used is "I don't have a computer" or "Sorry, I don't have a telephone"

[Peter Maguire]

Here's an interesting problem for someone (it has me stumped).

I'm running Windows 7 on my desktop and having a few problems with Outlook 2003 (an old program I know, but I'm happy in my obsolescence). Outlook has worked seamlessly for several years picking up emails from my Internet provider with all passwords etc entered so that it is a one-click process. However I have noticed recently that clicking the send/receive button in Outlook has brought up a dialogue box asking my for my password. Typing the password in results in a failure to link up with the mailbox, and the message that the ISP does not recognise my password. I can of course still view emails on the Internet, but replying to a downloaded emails has been irritatingly complicated.
For the past couple of months this has been a mildly annoying, occasional problem and after a couple of attempts everything works, however in the past three weeks the problem has twice persisted for a couple of days. The last weekend has been typical - picked up emails with no problem on Friday morning, then no success until this evening when the computer suddenly decided to play nicely, in spite of many tries and many deleted expletives over the previous two days, turning the computer off and on (this has worked before).
There have been NO changes to passwords, Outlook settings or anything like that, so my first thought was a possible virus: ran a full system check (3 hours and 1.2 million files checked) and nothing showed up. Possibility two was a software conflict, the only program I thought I had added was Dropbox, so I deleted that; no improvement.
The only other change I noticed was that Windows (or Firefox) managed to lose my login details for the SRGC forum, and also my email address when logging on to my mailbox which I don't normally have to enter, just the password.
I wondered whether there is a software conflict between Outlook 2003 and one of the recent updates for Windows 7. Having looked at the options for an up to date version of Office, I'm not impressed - apparently it's linked to one computer for it's lifetime, and as my computer is now over three years old, middle-aged in IT terms..... So if that is the problem, then it looks like the iMac route for me in future.

[Michael J Campbell]

Download Gmail and you will have no more problems. it is free

[Martinr]

Peter, I've had the same problem on a number of occasions over the last few years with both Windows XP and Windows 7. I now run office 2010 and it has happened with that too so I don't think it's software standard related and I don't know whether the issue is at the PC with Microsoft or at the server (in my case BT). I learned at work that the answer when the password box comes up is to close it and wait for the problem to resolve itself, that was on a big network with many other issues. I once complained to BT and had my password reset twice. Once it worked, once it didn't, so I'm guessing the successful one was just luck.

In conclusion you're not alone 

[Peter Maguire]

Michael,
I'm afraid that I use Outlook for more than just emails; and as for emails, the ability to sort into different folders is something that I wouldn't want to lose. GMail does not seem to have the same folder structure; filing by 'conversation' wouldn't do it for me I'm afraid, I file by subject.

Martin,
It's reassuring to know I'm in good company. 
I also use BT, but I don't think that the problem is at their end.
It's useful to know that Office 2010 has similar problems, saves me having to try and hunt down a copy somewhere.
Closing the password box is something that worked when the problem first started, but waiting 2 days for the problem to resolve itself is beginning to be a tad irritating. 

[brianw]

Also with BT. I used to use Outlook for years but when I got the laptop went over to webmail, as it was simpler with 2 computers. Currently I get endless spam, supposedly from "BT" about their changeover this month from yahoo. Don't know if and when I need to do anything or it will all be transparent. I use 2 of my available 11 email addresses. Any other BT user doing anything about this? Tried to contact BT by email and phone but useless. Never get an answer.

[johnw]

AlanB -  A forumist recently mentioned his/her Paypal account had been compromised.   Do you have any recommendations to avoid such a horror?  Personally with a Mac I use Safari and Apple mail.  If doing banking and the like I turn on Private Browsing for what (if anything) it's worth.  Should I simply get rid of my PP account and make the ocassional payment without an account - I have no idea which might be safest.

Seems everyone has switched to gmail and then last week I heard google had been snooping into users mail!  Why gmail in the first place I have to wonder?

I started my car last week and a message came across my dashboard saying you have no new messages    -  hadn't seen that before and still puzzled.

johnw -  a brilliant summer day here  - +24c, sunny and blustery.

[Martinr]

Brian W - I've had only 1 message from BT about the changeover which basically said 'we'll tell you more when the time comes'.

[Martinr]

Peter, not entirely sure it's not at the BT end. Desktop help often chucks up a message offering to help and when you go through the sequence it concludes the BT system doesn't recognise you and pushes you towards a password reset. For info I used to get the occasional 2 day issue but more recently it's been more like 10 minutes or the odd hour.

[David Nicholson]

I was thinking about changing my ISP to BT but you've all put me off now.