Author |
Message |
Sia
Member
03-10-2002
| Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 11:21 am
Thanks, Hukd. I appreciate your help. Yes, Juju, those crazy add-ons are maddening; I hate them and don't trust active-X controls, etc.
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Kookliebird
Member
08-04-2005
| Monday, May 31, 2010 - 10:19 pm
Over the past week, my main email account was hacked. My contacts got a phishing scam saying that I was in Wales, mugged, without money and to send money via a bank account immediately. I was amazed at how many of my friends thought it was really me and responded to the hacker! Fortunately, my friends have my back, just not financially. I still do not have access to the email account, in order to close it. So, I am busy trying to change various logins that use my hacked email account. To get an idea of what you would have to go through if your account is hacked, think of how many times you have put your email address for communication on banking, travel, etc. I am finding that many of these sites will reset your password by sending the email to the hacked address.... So, the hacker could easily type in your email address and gain access to various accounts easily. I figure that most people are like me and haven't changed their email password since they set it up. PLEASE CHANGE YOUR EMAIL PASSWORD regularly! Many have the ability to require a password change every 60 or 90 days. Do it! If you use a computer in a hotel or one that is not your own.... delete the cookies, history before you exit. (I suspect this is how I was hacked last week, but I did see on the web where hotmail had a number of accounts/passwords compromised at the end of last year, so it could have been then.) As of today, I now have 3 email accounts. I will organize my email in tiers so that everything is not connected to a single email or email provider. I have deleted any credit card information that I had saved in websites that I regularly use (ie. airline, rental cars, hotels.) Having spent the past week dealing with this issue, I just wanted to send a word of warning to everyone that I can to keep an eye on where they access their email. If anyone has any other ideas to keep their email access secure, I think this would be good information for this board.
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Tuesday, June 01, 2010 - 8:01 am
Sorry this happened to you, Kookliebird. I changed both my Yahoo and Gmail passwords after reading news of last year's hacking on a massive scale. While we were visiting cousin Chairfree in Australia last year, he received a message from a friend saying he had been mugged in London and to please send him money via Western Union.
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Kookliebird
Member
08-04-2005
| Tuesday, June 01, 2010 - 9:02 am
Thanks. It hasn't been much fun and it's pretty creepy to think that someone could read all your emails and 'be you'. Fortunately, my friends were pretty saavy, but I was surprised at how many engaged the emailer with replies even though they knew it was not me.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, June 13, 2010 - 3:31 pm
New Question: When I try to open a wve file, real player always opens to play it. I would rather have my windows media player open to play it, how do I make that happen, I know there must be somewhere that I can set that up but I have looked around and I can't figure it out. TIA.
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Sunday, June 13, 2010 - 3:38 pm
I am assuming you are using windows, Dipo. First right click on any wav file to bring up the right click menu. Go down the menu to choose "Open with". A secondary section of the menu will open, and choose at the bottom "Choose default program". Then highlight "Windows Media Player", place a check in the box next to "always use the selected program to open this file type". Click OK and you're done. Wow, takes ten times longer to type it out than to do it...LOL
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Wednesday, June 16, 2010 - 8:32 am
LOL, thanks Naja. I knew there was a way just couldn't figure it out.
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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Thursday, June 24, 2010 - 2:58 pm
My laptop died. Just turned itself off and said "I'm done." I'm hoping it's the battery. No power to it at all that I can see. When plugged in, the power light showing its charging up isn't lit. I removed the battery and replaced the power cord (as suggested in one Google Search hit), to see if the lcd light was lit, but still nothing. So before I consult Geek Squad (or whoever), or risk an investment in a battery that might not do the trick, I thought I'd consult our experts here. Preliminary Google research says it's either the battery, or the dc jack. One such site that says its the dc jack also says the jack and mother board are one piece, and they had to replace the whole thing at 350$. No way I have that kind of money, so I hope that's not the case. More research on Amazon shows them selling the dc jack as a separate unit, so I'm hoping if its the dc jack, its not too hard to do the repair job myself (and hope that one poor soul got took and its not part of the mother board). So, if its not the battery, and is the dc jack, has anyone done this type of surgery on their laptop? What kind of skills does it entail? Am I in over my head? Do I take it in somewhere (remember, just buying the parts may be out of my league financially). I might be able to handle a battery and/or a dc jack. But not a mother board. If I keep the repair bill under a 100$ I might be able to handle it. Anything beyond that is hopeless (as may be the 100$, but whatever). Thanks in advance for any insight. The laptop I have is a Gateway MX6956.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Thursday, June 24, 2010 - 3:18 pm
Do you know how to solder things? Cuz a quick google of "how to replace a dc jack on a laptop" and the first hits included major disclaimers and then instructions on soldering stuff. If it is the DC jack and the solder is broken, or you need to replace it, you'll need to cold solder it to the motherboard. Is that over your head? How old is the Gateway? I would take it in to some place that will give you a free estimate. If it costs $350, and it's an older laptop, it may be worth it to think about buying a new laptop (even though I know it's not an expense you want to make right now).
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Holly
Member
07-22-2001
| Thursday, June 24, 2010 - 4:03 pm
OK, Costa (or whoever), here's another 'puter question. I have a new laptop (8 mos old) and still under warranty. The left click button on the mouse pad has been making a grating noise for ages and just the other day, broke and jammed in the space. I was able to pry it out. Toshiba have sent me a box to send it back to them in for repair. However....what I'm hearing is that plastic parts aren't covered in the warranty and I'll most likely be charged as they'll blame me (this info came from a local "fixer" whose name Toshiba gave me to take the computer to, under it's warranty. He said NO WAY will they cover that and he wanted a minimum $70 labor and then parts over and above and perhaps more for labor too. So I called them back and they sent me this box to ship it to them, confirming that it will probably be user caused (!!!) and I'll have to pay something. I have the button and there's two very skimpy, lightweight plastic "arms" that hold the button in place. One of them has broken off. The left click button is the one used almost constantly to open files, play games, etc. so no wonder it broke. I feel this is a total rip off if it's gonna cost me $100 to fix a 10cent-$1 part especially when the damned thing is still under warranty (I bought it last October). Any thoughts on what I can do. Without the button, I can't use the mouse pad and have to use a wireless mouse which doesn't work when you're in bed. Any ideas would be appreciated. I used my last lappie daily for over 5 years and nothing broke like this.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Thursday, June 24, 2010 - 4:18 pm
I'm not sure I'd trust the local "fixer". I think it depends on how it "appears" to have broken. While it's under warranty, if you do something, like pry food out from between the keys, and then damage the keyboard, yeah, it's not covered under warranty. It could be really easy to replace the broken click button if you can find a replacement. I don't know how to remove the cover/keyboard on a Toshiba. So google around and see if you can find instructions on how to replace a keyboard (or trackpad). It may give you instructions on what to do and then you can just order the replacement part from Toshiba. That kind of thing is really hard to prove that it's defective. Unless they've gotten a lot of returns for that specific part, you're almost at their mercy.
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Landileigh
Member
07-29-2002
| Thursday, June 24, 2010 - 4:19 pm
Holly, I would just pay $15 and buy an external USB mouse. I have never used those touch pad mouses for that reason alone.
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Holly
Member
07-22-2001
| Thursday, June 24, 2010 - 4:28 pm
Landi, that's how I got TVCH to open tonight--I'm using a wireless mouse. That won't work in bed though.
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Holly
Member
07-22-2001
| Thursday, June 24, 2010 - 4:29 pm
Costa, thanks for the suggestion. I'll try that. So it sounds like I maybe can order the part directly from Toshiba then? ETA: Another question. If I DO send it back, is it safe to leave all my info on it? I hate to think I have to clear out all my favorite links.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Thursday, June 24, 2010 - 4:33 pm
You could try a trackball. That would work in bed.
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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Thursday, June 24, 2010 - 4:49 pm
I had some experience soldering in just a classroom environment back in HS. That's about it. No tools to solder with though. So skills or not, probably not the route I'd be able to go. I get that its probably more fruitful to just get another computer rather than spend 350 on a repair. Only problem is, I'm not in the "just get" category. Its not a matter of whether I want to make that kind of purchase, its being able to. If a repair job is in that range, then I'm just SOL and out of a laptop. Plain and simple. Other possibility is the power cord. KTBB and I will be looking into that in the next few days. Hopefully its than easy a fix. That kind of "just get" I think I can handle. LOL. sigh. Keeping fingers crossed.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Friday, June 25, 2010 - 6:02 am
Holly, yes, it's safe to leave your data on it. You won't lose anything. Although if you have porn or financials, you might want to encrypt 'em to a password. Who, you still didn't answer how old your computer is. Really, if it's older than 4 or 5 years, you shouldn't spend large amounts of money to repair it. Computers have come down so much in price that you could probably find a laptop for not much more than $500. I know it's a financial struggle, but you may want to think about just sucking it up and starting to think about new rather than repair. Assuming, of course, that a power cord doesn't solve the problem. (Consider ordering a power cord from some place where you can return it if it doesn't work.)
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Karen
Member
09-06-2004
| Friday, June 25, 2010 - 9:25 am
Who, I'm in the same boat right now, but with my PC. It just shut down one day and won't reboot. We've done some research and are pretty sure ours is an issue with the heating/cooling system inside. We have my husband's IT department at work looking into it to confirm but it sounds like our issue is a matter of a $20 tube of thermal grease for a few pieces inside. Do you have a Geek Squad or a really smart HS student you can have take a look on the cheap? It might not be anything too major after all.
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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Friday, June 25, 2010 - 5:43 pm
It wasn't the power cord. KTBB brought one by, and it didn't work. The Gateway is probably about as old as you said Costa. It was a gift/hand-me-down from SIL when they got a new one. And I understand where you're coming from that a new computer is most definitely a better buy than a repair job. But please understand that its not a matter of just sucking up, when there is no income to suck up to. If it weren't for the fact it was a gift, I would have never had it in the first place. For the time being, at least I have the desktop to keep me sane. Sis took the computer to have a friend of hers look at it. He does computer repair as a side business to his real job. And he's said he'll at least have a look at it. So that's the next step.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Friday, June 25, 2010 - 5:52 pm
If he does computer repair, then odds are high that he'll be able to do a solder job. It may not cost much if he's a friend of your sister's, too. Maybe just the parts, if you're lucky, and that will be well under the 100 bucks. Isn't your mom disabled? You should check with Gateway (and Dell) and see if they have programs that provide computers for disabled folks. Good luck! I know it sux not to be able to buy a new 'puter when you need one. At least you DO have the desktop, so you're not totally out of touch with all of us! 
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Friday, June 25, 2010 - 6:59 pm
Who, I think you are going to be able to come up with an inexpensive fix somehow or other.
quote:Holly: I'm using a wireless mouse. That won't work in bed though.
Wireless laser mouse would probably work. It doesn't have a tracball on the bottom and works on any surface.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Saturday, June 26, 2010 - 12:41 pm
Nope, they really don't. After my last surgery, I was trying to use a wireless laser when sitting on the couch. It just doesn't work consistently. I ended up having to put a mouse pad down on the couch (and actually dug up a really OLD mouse pad that was super thick).
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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Saturday, June 26, 2010 - 2:29 pm
I hope you're right Juju! Sis's friend didn't work out. He doesn't mess with laptops, only desktops. Sign. Time to hit the Yellow Pages, and call Geek Squad too. I guess I could look into the disabled thing with Dell or someone. I've never heard of that. But in the long run, that would be leaning heavily towards dishonest. Mom played a very occasional game on the laptop, but had'nt in quite a while. The computer would be almost completely for me. Though I suppose the argument could be that if I have to do computer work, I have to come in here and leave her alone in the living room. I usually fill out any sweepstakes I see for computer related stuff. Another one ends July 15 through Comcast. Everyone say a little prayer I win that, ok? LOL. Like prayers should be wasted on me getting a computer, when there are so many more important things going on in people's lives than this.
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Saturday, June 26, 2010 - 8:57 pm
Whoami, if there is such a thing as a disabled program for a discount on computers, I would consider that you qualify. You are a full-time caretaker for a disabled person. You are severely limited in what you can do independently without leaving the disabled person unattended. As a result of your full-time caretaking of a disabled family member, your income is substantially reduced compared to what it might be in the private sector. You use the computer both for external communications and for information about your caretakee's condition. Indeed, were it not for the computer, the caretakee probably would not be alive today. You "should" qualify without being the least bit dishonest about it.
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Holly
Member
07-22-2001
| Sunday, June 27, 2010 - 10:08 am
Just a few minutes ago, I came on TVCH. I was on for a few minutes earlier today and all was well. Now, when I open a thread, the screen I get is about 1" tall which means I have to enlarge the screen for each thing I open. It's a pain and the same thing happened (out of the blue too) about a year ago. I don't know if it's something at TVCH or an update my computer got, but I can't remember how I fixed it last time. Jimmer helped, IIRC. Help!
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