Computer Problems

[Sam]

Guys, if you are like me, you like to get into a car and turn the ignition switch and the car starts. If the car fails to start you either try your own mechanics or call AAA to brig the car to the dealer or a local gas station for repair services. Same for computers and me.

 

I have my own Dell tower and my wife has a Dell laptop. All is good with my computer as I have a computer guru on retainer and he keeps me rolling along when I screw up the machine. But for my wife, it is another story.

 

When she got her laptop computer I signed her up for the Best Buy Nerds program, which does a great job helping her with her laptop. But last night the Christmas Witch visited her computer in the form of Microsoft and stated that it was downloading an update and there was no way to stop it. So although she was banging on the keys, the download continued until it was completed. Bye bye Internet Explorer and hello Microsoft Edge.

 

I told her next time to unplug the machine or turn it off to stop the download. But that's for next time.

 

So this morning she tries to get onto her emails for her women's club (she is the committee chair for their fundraising activities) to send out an email and she can't get onto her Yahoo account. She puts in her name and the Microsoft Edge Yahoo program says it has sent a verification code to her Yahoo email account. Yes, the Yahoo email account that she tried to get in and can't. And you thought the largemouth bass was stupid.

 

So we called the Best Buy Nerds and the lady in Panama City ran into the same problem we ran into: to get into the Yahoo email account you need to go to the Yahoo email account to get the password to enter into the Yahoo email account to open it. Makes sense if you read that sentence a few times.

 

When the lady failed to get in, she knocked us up to the "expert Nerd" and Richard finally broke into the email account, got the password, put it in the Yahoo box and we got our Yahoo email account back with all the contacts and emails still there. Her blood pressure dropped from over 200 to her regular level and she returned to her sweet self. The Christmas Witch was gone.

 

I called my computer guy and told him about what had happened as some of his clients may have run into the same situation. He told me that Microsoft is a disaster with poor customer service and they do what they want to do, screw you. So she now has Microsoft Edge on her computer.

 

Just thought I would share what happened this morning in case it happens to you. You will receive a notice on your screen that the change from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge is coming and there is nothing you can do to stop it.

 

What say you computer guys out there? Are we now having Microsoft control our computers as they wish? Just curious.

 

Thanks and Happy New Year!

 

 

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, Sam said:

What say you computer guys out there? Are we now having Microsoft control our computers as they wish? Just curious.

This is the new world with Win-10. They decide what to update on your computer - can't even decline updates like you could with Win-7.

 

Main reason you'd have to kill me to get me off Win-7 and go to Win-10.

[Sam]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

This is the new world with Win-10. They decide what to update on your computer - can't even decline updates like you could with Win-7.

 

Main reason you'd have to kill me to get me off Win-7 and go to Win-10.

I had to go to Windows 10 when I replaced my hard drive.

 

Got used to it but it is not like Windows 7 which I really liked.

[Jigfishn10]

They stopped supporting Windows 7 a little while ago. My work computer finally crapped out about a month ago. 

I've been running Windows 10 at home since it came out...I haven't really noticed a difference. On Windows 10 at work now.

I'm not a big fan of Edge, made Google Chrome my default.

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, Sam said:

I had to go to Windows 10 when I replaced my hard drive.

I regularly do an Image backup of my main drive to a 1tb USB Hard-drive. If I have to replace my main drive - just restore the image and I'm back up with my Win-7

 

I also have the Win-7 install disks if the image craps out.

[Jigfishn10]

Windows 10 allows you to Reset the computer without losing personal data. If you're nervous about it you can save to the One Drive Cloud prior to resetting. 

I've done it on a couple of computers on my home computers without a hitch.

[jimmyjoe]

   I have Win 10. All I can say is that it's a disaster. I'm not a computer nerd. I'm trying to learn about Ubuntu, but it's not easy.     jj

[Jigfishn10]

You really missing that phone dial up huh @jimmyjoe. "You got mail" ... ?

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

If you're nervous about it you can save to the One Drive Cloud prior to resetting. 

I refuse to put my personal files on someone elses server.

[Jigfishn10]

3 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I refuse to put my personal files on someone elses server.

Put the "who cares" files on the cloud and the personal files on a flash drive or external hard drive?

[MN Fisher]

Just now, Jigfishn10 said:

Put the who cares files on the cloud and the personal file of a flash drive or external hard drive?

There's a reason I have 3 internal 1tb drives - and each of those backs up to 1tb external drives.

 

Current free-space is around 45%-50% on all drives. I don't need the cloud for storage space. If I need more - change out the 1tb for 4tb easily enough.

[Jigfishn10]

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

There's a reason I have 3 internal 1tb drives - and each of those backs up to 1tb external drives.

 

Current free-space is around 45%-50% on all drives. I don't need the cloud for storage space. If I need more - change out the 1tb for 4tb easily enough.

Cool man, I'm glad that works for you...although, I'm not sure why you want to argue with me? Not many peeps have external hard drives, all I'm offering up is an alternative. Didn't mean to step on your toes on this one.

 

With that...I'm done here

[FrankN209]

If it's Windows 10 Home, there is nothing you can do about automatic updates. If it's W10 Pro, you can turn off autoupdates through group policy.

[J Francho]

Edge?  Already one version of it deprecated.  The newer "Chrome Edge" is fine.  Speaking of, just go to Chrome, download the installer, and use that.  If you are worried about the Google tracking your whereabouts and whatchits using it, you'll have to get rid of a lot more than that.  Since the company I work for sells cloud hosted applications, I'm pretty sure you know where I keep my tinfoil hat.

[jimmyjoe]

1 hour ago, Jigfishn10 said:

You really missing that phone dial up huh @jimmyjoe. "You got mail" ... ?

 

  No, what I'm missing is an operating system that doesn't go BSOD three or four times a day. The problems of Windows 10 have nothing to do with dial-up vs. cable, or download speed at all. I think you know that very well.     jj

[Hewhospeaksmuchbull]

Linux, its easier than you think.

[jimmyjoe]

5 minutes ago, Hewhospeaksmuchbull said:

Linux, its easier than you think.

 

   PM sent.    jj

[Hewhospeaksmuchbull]

1 hour ago, jimmyjoe said:

 

   PM sent.    jj

Jimmiejoe, I'm going to answer your questions here so others may read my thoughts also.

 

First off I'm no computer guru, I came to use Linux because of the problems listed in this thread and many more. And Linux has its issues also, but you will have more choices as to how they will be handled. There is a learning curve but there is also a huge community that has the answers. Its this community that is the real plus with Linux. Linux is infinity configurable, tweakable. It can be feature loaded or cut down to the bare basics, Dont want an update you can skip it if you chose without being badgered into do so. There is a "store" for apps called repositories, most of the time you will find what you need there but commercial developers do not always code their programs for Linux. This is the single biggest problem with linux.

 

The big pluses for me are,

1. Free OS / community support

2. More secure / increased Privacy.

3. Lite on system resources. Often Linux will be faster on older hardware especially if one picks a lite desktop environment.

4. An absolutely insane amount of free programs.

5. Configurable to my tastes, not Microsoft's.

 

If you don't need programs that are windows only and are willing to use the command line then I see no reason to not switch to Linux. And there will be times when command line use will be needed. However most of the time simple copy and paste from the community can accomplish most fixes.

 

The best distributions IMO for newbies are going to be Debian based such as Ubuntu/Linux mint, these also have the largest communities to help if needed. They will also have the best support for hardware, IE drivers, ect. These will also be the easiest to install and will be mostly automated needing basic answers such as user name, location, times zones, ect. 

 

Dual booting allows for you to maintain two operating systems, this provides a buffer between the two while you become comfortable with Linux. This is mostly automated upon a Linux installation if you chose, BUT IF THIS FAILS YOU COULD LOSE DATA, possibly the entire drive. Always backup data to a secure separate drive, usb.

 

Once again, There is a learning curve. For me it was worth it to get out from under windows. You will have to put some time into Linux. IMO, its worth it!

 

[jimmyjoe]

   Thank you, @Hewhospeaksmuchbull ! I'm an old stick-in-the-mud, so I'm sure there will be instances where I'll cuss. But that's OK ..... I've got a good vocabulary stored away that I can use.   ???  

 

   Who knows .... maybe you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!        jj

[throttleplate]

im fine with 10, auto updates suck but so far i havnt blown up over it as i set the time of day for it to happen. I go into settings and make a few changes and really no problems with 10 since it came out a few years ago.

 

Snowden says we are being tracked even when we think we arnt, especially on cellphones when the wi-fi is turned off your phone is still noticed by cell towers, put it on airplane mode its still recieving data. They know where you are. I turn phone and comp off at nite.

 

I go into my phone and turn off all activity,tracking...... i turn off alot of apps permissions and especially the personal ads tracker turn it off as its all sending data and burning up your mobile data. Go and youtube [things to turn off on your phone] and watch and do as they show you step by step.

[CountryboyinDC]

I used to use Linux back when I was doing a lot of image analysis using a Unix workstation (a Silicon Graphics, hard to believe that 20 grand would buy something with processing power less than a simple contemporary smart phone).  @Hewhospeaksmuchbull obviously has more recent experience with Linux, and so it seems some of the issues that drove me off Linux like not able to work with files generated in Windows  well are eliminated by the dual boot functionality.  It's funny, I had that on a Mac too (not real satisfactory).  

For @Sam, there's not really much choice.  Either you accept the terms Microsoft sets or you use a system that's less supported and more vulnerable.  I don't think that there are many attacks that target Linux, but it is a bit less intuitive than Microsoft and Apple.  The forced updates are a huge pain, but they're nothing like what I have at work. 

I think this is the way things are going to happen.  You won't own a program, media, or a lot of other durable goods in the way you used to.  The company that produced the product will decide what's good for you.  Already happened with Adobe products (can't buy an indefinite license for anything), John Deere, and the list goes on.  You can fight it or go fishing, I guess.

[Boomstick]

The problem with Yahoo is nothing to do with the computer or operating system but simply Yahoo's verification process. What caused it was deletion of a cookie, which would have happened sooner or later - no way around it.

 

You can still use Internet explorer in windows 10, but you have to type it in the start menu. In this day in age, I honestly can't see a reason why you would use it. It's old, it's rendering engine is around fifteen years old and the Internet isn't the same as it was back then, and it freezes half the time. The new Edge is actually great but the old one is the same as the last version of Internet Explorer - I believe it installs the new one with Windows Update now). It's the first Microsoft browser I can honestly say that about, and it runs off webkit (same as Chrome) so it's up to date. If you don't like Edge, Chrome is okay but I would suggest Opera, which is also webkit but has a great startup page you can add your regular websites to - but Edge uses a fraction of the RAM of both Chrome and Opera and also loads pages in a fraction of the time. As a web developer, this saves me maybe a half hour a day!

 

Windows 10 will be an adjustment, but I couldn't see myself ever going back to Windows 7. The drive access speed among other things was just so slow in Windows 7. And it's more customizable, although that takes a little but of digging around in the settings menu. It's worth it in the long term.

 

On 1/14/2021 at 3:53 PM, jimmyjoe said:

 

  No, what I'm missing is an operating system that doesn't go BSOD three or four times a day. The problems of Windows 10 have nothing to do with dial-up vs. cable, or download speed at all. I think you know that very well.     jj

I have ran Windows 10 on multiple devices since launch and have not gotten a single BSOD. If you are getting BSODs, I would check your drivers or hardware for overheating or bad RAM or the like.

[Boomstick]

9 hours ago, CountryboyinDC said:

I don't think that there are many attacks that target Linux, but it is a bit less intuitive than Microsoft and Apple. 

There's been quite a few and also many known security holes often sit and don't get addressed, or if they do they require a complete version upgrade so that can be a real pain, especially if you're running servers.

[CountryboyinDC]

5 hours ago, Boomstick said:

You can still use Internet explorer in windows 10, but you have to type it in the start menu. In this day in age, I honestly can't see a reason why you would use it.

For work, we still have some applications (Java based mostly, you'll love that as a developer) that won't run on any other browser.  As for the Linux issues, I can imagine that issues would lie dormant (sometimes Windows and macOS aren't exactly speedy about addressing issues), it's just that hackers less frequently target Linux, from what I understand.  

I won't speak for the others, but my connection with them was on the general concern of having lost control of things we used to be able to own.  There will always have to be 'mechanics' for whatever man creates, and you seem to fall into that category (to make sure I don't offend you, I'm not confusing you with desktop support; there's an ENT surgery resident on here that I would by this logic categorize as a mechanic of things innervated by cranial nerve VIII).  Us lay people are then left feeling as though we have lost control, without really gaining much of the 'enhanced experience' we were promised from the previous iteration.  

[Jigfishn10]

On 1/14/2021 at 3:53 PM, jimmyjoe said:

 

  No, what I'm missing is an operating system that doesn't go BSOD three or four times a day. The problems of Windows 10 have nothing to do with dial-up vs. cable, or download speed at all. I think you know that very well.     jj

My apologies for making what turned out to be a bad joke.

 

I hope you get your computer issues resolved.