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Archive through January 07, 2010

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: General Discussions ARCHIVES: January 2010 ~ April 2010: All Things Technical: The Help Desk: Computer Problems? Ask Here:: Archive through January 07, 2010 users admin

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Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 8:34 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
I know so little. I am renewing security on my computer. Do I run or save the 32.9 MB file? If I save, doesn't it ask to where? Where?

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 9:38 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
I found an explanation.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Friday, December 11, 2009 - 1:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Yay Colordeagua!!

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Friday, December 11, 2009 - 2:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
I get myself so scared and worked up generally re computer. I'm scared of doin' much of anything with it for fear of making a mess. Then I'm easily frustrated. Kind of a vicious circle. Have no one to easily ask . . . except here.

Did need to have someone fix something via remote recently. Now my google search / tool bar is gone. I would like it back. Just download it from the google site?

Heard recently that it's a good idea to have more than one browser. I only have IE. Should I download Firefox? Anything I should know in advance?

Tishala
Member

08-01-2000

Friday, December 11, 2009 - 2:47 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tishala a private message Print Post    
I adore Firefox--won't use IE at all. If you download Firefox, also download a couple of the add ons: AdBlockerPlus, the IE tab (some videos, mostly NBC-based, don't play in Firefox), the spell check.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Friday, December 11, 2009 - 3:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
I recently got a new PC with Windows 7 (which is much better than Vista by the way) except IE kept crashing on me. It was very frustrating. So I downloaded the latest version of Firefox and I haven't had one crash since. :-)

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Saturday, December 12, 2009 - 1:09 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Colordeagua, you pretty much cannot break your computer or irretrievably screw it up just by punching wrong buttons. At worst, you might inadvertently change a setting and not know how to get back to the way it was before, but the good news is there is almost always somebody who has done the exact same thing and has posted a question about it on the internet, and somebody else has answered. So just Google your mistakes, and you will probably find the answer. Failing that, ask here.

And yes, I would download Firefox if I were you. it is pretty much all I use. No particluar warnings or things you need to worry about with downloading it. I agree with Tishala about the add-ons. AdBlockerPlus is highly effective at blocking unwanted ads. You will find Add-ons under Tools once you download Firefox.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Sunday, December 13, 2009 - 8:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
I should get over it. What if you can't get on the internet -- or NO pages will download? That happened couple times recently. Looked at the lights on my DSL modem. They weren't lit as they should be. Each time, I waited a few hours and then it was OK. AT&T must have had problems. I've got to RELAX. I get soooo frustrated and anxious.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Sunday, December 13, 2009 - 11:09 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Colordeagua, one simple thing you can do when you can't get on the internet is reset your router and/or modem (those mysterious boxes that make things work). The way you reset them is to just unplug them for about half a minute, then plug them back in. A lot of times you will get your signal back doing just that. Anyway, it is something to try first before calling your cable or DSL provider.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Sunday, December 13, 2009 - 11:23 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
That's good advice. Unplug both of them from the power source (just pull the power connector off the back). Then plug the modem back in and wait until it shows a steady signal (there is probably a light on it that shows cable or dsl). Anyway, wait a couple of minutes and then plug the router back in. That often solves the problem.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Sunday, December 13, 2009 - 8:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Router? What’s a router? I thought that was something to do with wireless. I’m not wireless in any way.

Thinking down the road a piece – some general questions:

Right now I have Dell desktop. Two – three years old. It’s certainly OK for now. I have XP Pro. I use the computer primarily for the internet (that means shopping, of course), iTunes, and MS Word. Almost all my CDs are downloaded (?) into iTunes. When I play music, it is on my computer. It’s so easy compared to messing with individual CDs in whatever player. (I still buy mostly CDs. Buy some music on iTunes.) My dad was a camera bug. In the “olden days", I did OK with film cameras. I’ve never used a digital. I should. But I get so tired of learning more technology . . . and then it changes. So I like the idea of messing with photos on my computer, but will I ever? I have photos saved that people have e-mailed me and that I have saved off web sites. And I do use Word. Use it for personal typing. Have records saved on it. Don’t know what version of Word I have. I’m guessing it’s older by now. Next computer should probably have / get more recent version? Hope it would not be too different and current docs I have could be converted into newer version. (Everything is backed up to Mozy on the web.)

So . . . the next computer whenever. We recently got Clear 4G WiMax in the Chicago area. That means I could easily (?) go wireless? With what I do on my computer as described above, would a laptop be OK? I would not be carrying it outside home (one bedroom condo), but would like to be able to use it where my computer is now on top of a chest (I have to stand at it) or put it on a table so I can sit and use it. Or wherever else I might what to use it here. Laptop has sound system? Is it good for playing / listening to music? Some Dell (others?) come with needed modem for Clear already installed.

And then there is always the question: PC or Mac? I’ve only ever used a PC. I don’t know why, but I am sometimes curious about Macs. There’s an Apple store just four miles from where I live. Switch? I usually hear no point in it, but I don’t know . . . .

Whatcha think about it all?

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Monday, December 14, 2009 - 6:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Router is for wireless, like if you would get a laptop and want to use it in another room where you are not connected directly to the cable.

I can't answer about Clear 4G WiMax, but Dell sales people probably could, in hopes of selling you a machine with that modem already installed.

Sound systems on laptops vary, and I have a bit of a tin ear and don't listen to a lot of music. So if that is important to you, you would probably want to research that online. Just Google something like best sound laptop, best audio laptop.

I am still using old versions of Word quite successfully on my various machines, with no problem. The various versions all seem to be compatible with each other.

If you get a new computer, you will probably want to go with Window 7 operating system, but XP is still fine for now and probably will be for a few more years.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, December 14, 2009 - 8:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Thanks. I don't need a new computer yet. Thinking 'bout the next one . . . whenever that is.

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 12:35 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
Router is for wired also, like if you have more than 1 computer and you want to plug them all into something but your cable (broadband) modem only has one input. Most people buy a router that supports plugging up to 4 computers directly (wired) as well as supporting more computers that connect wirelessly.

I don't know any people that only get a wireless router. Do they even make them? Usually you have to be wired to the router at first to set up the wireless parameters.

Colordeagua: Did you get a broadband connection or are you still on dial-up?


Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 8:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Hi, Bob. I've had DSL from AT&T for three or four years. No cable here primarily because I refuse to deal with Comcast.

Just one computer, so no router. Another reason why I'd like a laptop is to get rid of some of the "spaghetti" aka "spider playground" aka wires. For that reason love my wireless mouse and keyboard. In the past when I've asked Jennifer about getting a laptop (again, it would be my only computer), she said it would not be big enough (hard drive, processor, etc., etc.). Would that be true about laptops? What do you thin of playing music via a laptop?

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 10:15 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
You can certainly get a laptop with enough hard drive, processor and memory to do everything you want. Most laptop speakers are pretty cheap, but have outputs for external speakers. You could probably use the speakers you are currently using and they would probably sound the same as they do connected to your laptop.

You could get a wireless router and connect that to your DSL via the WAN port. You then can plug your desktop into the router and use your new laptop via the wireless connection. You can share your hard drive between computers and copy your music and other files to the laptop via drag and drop. You can even get wireless speakers so you can move around with your laptop without speaker wires.

Go to your Apple store and tell them you want a laptop for playing music (and whatever else you want it for), a wireless router and wireless speakers and let them put a package together for you. Then look at the price tag, pick yourself up off the floor and come back here and post the details. Then you can look for a similar setup using a PC. Dell probably has a package close to this.

Juju will help you put all the specs together and trouble shoot any problems.


Landileigh
Member

07-29-2002

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 11:58 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Landileigh a private message Print Post    
i have harmon kardon speakers on my Toshiba laptop and the sound is fantastic.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 12:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Wooooo, Bob. So I will forget about Mac / Apple.

Not going to do anything more with this computer to make it wireless. The next one . . . . Happy to hear that a laptop should be able to handle what I want to do with it.

The computer is in my living room. Had a desk in here few years back, but thought I wanted to stand at the 'puter. So found a couple of nice matching though different size chests (more storage space ) that look good in the room. 'Puter is on one of them. But now I'm wishing I could sit down at it too. So a wireless laptop next that I can move around.

Thanks, everyone, for your help.

Rissa
Member

03-19-2006

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 2:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rissa a private message Print Post    
Anyone here familiar with the email program on the IMac? We just bought one for our kitchen to be used by our dds. I set up their email accounts in the mail program, one for each of them. What I would like to do is put a password on the inbox/account of my 20 yr old so that the other two cannot read her emails. Otherwise she will just delete her inbox and access her email through an internet website (ie mail2web.com) which works but isn't ideal for sorting, printing, editing, etc.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 9:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Well, yeah, a wireless router can also accommodate up to four (or maybe more?) hard-wired devices, but I thought I would spare Colordeagua those details, since I gather she is strictly a small-time operation, unlike the SpongeBob household which is All Geek All The Time. And yes, you do have to briefly connect the wireless router to your computer via hard wire, while you configure the wireless router. But after that, it is like magic, and you just get your signal all over the house on your laptop that does everything your desktop did.

Bob, not sure what you mean about wondering if they make just a wireless router. I have two wireless routers, one for WA and one for TX, and I use them only for operating our laptops and desktops, none of which are in the same room as the cable outlet. Nothing is hard-wired except the cable modem to the wireless router.

And whenever you get ready to buy, Colordeagua, just come back here, and I will help you put all the specs together and troubleshoot it after you get it. I use a brilliant method of just throwing out there any old glop I can cobble together, and then the big guns come along and clean up after me with the real information. Hey, it works.



Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 11:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    


Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Friday, January 01, 2010 - 1:40 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
I just spent a couple of hours with online tech support because I couldn't sign in to one of my accounts.

The first tech guy said that my error message referred to a computer clock problem and tried several times to fix that.

He finally turned me over to the actual tech guy for my program and he ran something called AutoCare that tested and repaired my system in short order.

I never did find out what the actual problem was but the problem prevented me from seeing my favorites, emails, or connecting to the internet through that provider.

It was fun to watch them using my mouse. lol

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Saturday, January 02, 2010 - 7:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Rosie, I think remote access is quite common these days for computer software fixes.

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Wednesday, January 06, 2010 - 12:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
Colordeagua, I am sure that you are correct.

I am glad to know about Auto Care so that I can run it myself if there is a next time.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Thursday, January 07, 2010 - 8:10 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Help. Last night when I was turning off my computer, I closed all the windows and was left with my desk top. Icons were there and working, but background (wallpaper?) which is normally a warm tropical scene was plain white. Icons were small -- they're normally large. I thought would probably be OK when I turned it on this morning, but same thing. Just white background. When I click on start and whatever pops up, right side is usual pale blue, but left is white. Aren't both sides usually pale blue? Knock-on-wood, computer seems to work otherwise. Knock-on-wood.