Computer problems and/or advice 2013

[Peter Maguire]

Hmmm,
That's certainly something to consider. It could be the reason why BT are planning to migrate their service away from Yahoo. Perhaps they are are aware of a problem they are not telling us about.
I notice that no-one who is not a BT customer has reported a problem here.

Concerning the lost access details:I discovered another instance last night where online access details (not the password) which have been stored on the computer for several years without a problem on on the computer have disappeared without trace and had to be re-entered. That sounds like a problem with cookies to me.
I suppose that I will have to check the settings on Firefox when I get home tonight, but I haven't altered them. 

[Diane Clement]

Peter, a couple of years ago, I used to get the same problem of boxes asking for the password, which didn't work (when I used Outlook Express and XP).  I am sure the problem is with BT and I think in my case it was because I had two passwords - one for BT phone and broadband account and one for my email online account.  If you use the BT website you are constantly transferred from one section to another, with passwords constantly being asked for.  After a long discussion with a man in India it did get sorted as my two passwords were reset to the same.  I'm not sure if there was a conflict with the Outlook account password being saved as a cookie.  I don't want to use online email for the same reasons as Peter - I like the one-click approach to open my emails and I like the folder structure and the possibility to use filters to automatically move incoming emails to the correct folder.  I'm now using Win7 and Windows Live Mail - this is similar to Outlook Express but also mirrors what you do locally on line, which is handy when away from home.  I have once or twice had the old box pop up asking for a password, but closing it down now solves it. 

The changeover from yahoo is, I heard, because some BT accounts have been compromised and BT think yahoo is not very secure.

[Peter Maguire]

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

David,
I think all ISPs come in for a bit of criticism occasionally. I've been with BT for over ten years and have no plans to change.

Diane,
Thanks for that info, I did wonder about trying Windows Live Mail, but got the impression that it was just an updated, rebranded version of Hotmail - I'll have another look.
I have recently had cause to change my password for internet access (I can't remember why now, but must have had a reason for it) , so there may be two passwords on the system - something else to look up.
There has definitely been a cookie problem with my computer in the past 24 hours, but it looks like that may be a separate issue. Oh well, something else to distract me from real work.

[Maggi Young]

JohnW : there is always a possibility to be hacked - there is always a possibility to have one's pocket-picked - there is always a chance to be run over as you walk outside your home - life is full of possibilities- I prefer to concentrate on the good ones and take a chance on the nasties-  after all it may never happen!

[Diane Clement]

Diane,
Thanks for that info, I did wonder about trying Windows Live Mail, but got the impression that it was just an updated, rebranded version of Hotmail - I'll have another look. 

Peter, Windows Live Mail is an updated version of Outlook Express.  I like it because it has retained the good features of OE (folder structure and filters for incoming mail, and the ability to insert different signature blocks - Full Outlook will only take one).  Unlike the old OE, the on line version mirrors your local copy, which is also very useful.  In the past, once your OE mail was downloaded, you couldn't see it online.   

[Peter Maguire]

Thanks Diane, I'll definitely look into it in more detail.

John W - my Paypal account was 'hacked into' as a worker at my bank's help desk inadvertantly let slip about a year ago. Nothing major fortunately, and the bank refunded the money. I changed my password and linked the Paypal account to a rarely used bank account that has £50 or less in it (and no overdraft facility). So far, so good, and I can always pay more into the account linked to Paypal if I need to for a one-off transaction.

[Peter Maguire]

For anyone else having problems with the Outlook/BT interface, I found this thread on the BT community forum:
http://community.bt.com/t5/Other-BB-Queries/Outlook-password-problem/m-p/86599#M21066
There might be something useful in there; I'll try it out when I get home and let folks know if any of the advice is useful. There's a lot of 'helpful' suggestions there. so I hope no-one is holding their breath....

[johnw]

Thanks Peter.  So you have Paypal linked to a bank account, now I understand.  I wasn't aware that was possible, mine is via credit card.  Don't know how protected my system is with the Apple and no Anti-Virus.

Maggi - I always keep a set rat trap in my pocket and in most cases I drive rather than walk so it's others that are taking the chances.   

I do want to start cycling though, I plan to drive on the sidewalk where it's much safer...

johnw

[Peter Maguire]

John,
I don't think that the Mac/Apple OS has really been a target for undesirables yet, and I don't know of anyone here who uses antivirus software on a Mac.

Nice album cover by the way, is Pohjola the Finnish accordian player ?

[johnw]

John,
Nice album cover by the way, is Pohjola the Finnish accordian player ?

Peter  - I don't know but his Daughter is a rhododendron.

john

[Peter Maguire]

but his Daughter is a rhododendron.

 

[Alan_b]

In my experience all email programs will occasionally throw up an unexpected pop-up window asking for your user name and password.  This is always a fault at the other end, when the computer belonging to your email provider fails to validate your credentials within the allotted time.  The advice I give those clients wise enough to call me first is to do nothing, come back in an hour or two by which time their email provider will have fixed the fault.  That advice has always worked.

Some clients panic.  Having tried the correct password and found that failed, they then go on to try a selection of incorrect passwords until they give up.  Since the pop-up windows stores the last input password, their email program never works again and they are forced to call me out to fix it for them.  The fix involves finding the correct password and inputting it, for the original root cause problem will have inevitably been resolved by their email provider by the time I get there.  To establish the correct password I bypass the email program running on the computer, go to the online interface of their email provider and log-in there.



 

[Alan_b]

BT are, in my opinion, a fine ISP except:

• They are going through a 'messy divorce' with Yahoo at the moment.
• Their T&Cs prohibit business use without prior permission.

[Peter Maguire]

Thanks for that insight Alan, it's reassuring to know that I can continue for at least a little while longer with Outlook 2003 as it's unlikely to be the cause of the fault. I would agree that doing nothing and letting the fault clear itself is the best course of action, although as it had taken one or two days recently, that was beginning to try my patience.

It may or may not be of relevance, but I tried something that was mentioned on one of the BT forums and changed my password so that it no longer contained any capital letters. So far, so good, although of course the password is slightly less secure as a result. 

[Martinr]

Ah Peter, my password was changed to one with capital letters following the same advice but in the opposite sense I suspect another good placebo style bit of street lore....'it seemed to be what fixed my problem so the coincidence is clearly fact!'