Archive through September 23, 2003
TV ClubHouse: Archive: Computer Problem - I need advice/help (ARCHIVES):
Archive through September 23, 2003
Texannie | Saturday, September 13, 2003 - 10:23 am     Dra...I really appreciate all your help! |
Costacat | Saturday, September 13, 2003 - 04:46 pm     To answer a question of a few days ago, the newer HP All-in-One systems are really great. HOWEVER, they are only worth it if you will use functions besides the scanner. That said, you can use an AiO to scan a pic and automatically email it to people using InstantShare. You can copy photographs (and get really good quality). You can fax photographs, even. I'm currently working at HP, and have a year old AiO on my desktop. It's truly an awesome little thing, and does quite a lot. It's also very handy having a copier right at hand. About the only thing it won't do is print out a manual quickly! <grin> Also, fwiw, I've got a Canon scanner that I bought some time ago. I love it. It's very easy to use, and the usability has only improved since my version. |
Juju2bigdog | Sunday, September 14, 2003 - 06:35 pm     Decided to bring this discussion over here in case I need to find it again, or in case it might help somebody else. I bought a card reader today for my new digital camera. It connects to the computer via USB port.
Quote:Draheid Sunday, September 14, 2003 - 05:03 pm -------------------------------------------------------------------- Juju: A word of caution about card readers. Most that I've worked with require that you install the software for them BEFORE connecting the reader. Be sure to check your documentation for this requirement before you plug it in. FWIW
Quote:Juju2bigdog Sunday, September 14, 2003 - 06:03 pm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ooh, thanks, Dra!!! Just got home with the one from Office Max. It looks kind of exciting. It is made by Dazzle and has a software program that will let you make a slideshow and then burn it onto a CD and then play it in a DVD player through your television. Maybe that is rather mundane, but you know I am easily thrilled. The Card reader I bought on ebay is Lexmar, I think, and the seller's ad says it is hot-swappable and "something else" which I take to mean you can maybe just plug it into any pc with Windows 98, ME, or XP, and it will read it without installing software. I'll check it out further when I receive it.
Okay, I have now (eaten dinner and) opened the package on the Dazzle reader. This is for a SmartMedia card. It says for Windows 98SE, install the driver from the included CD and restart the computer. For Windows ME, 2000, and XP, all you have to do is plug in the reader. That is how I understood the one I purchased on ebay is going to work. My thinking was I could take the reader along when we go out of the country for the winter. I could go to an internet cafe. If their machines had Windows ME or later, I could plug in the reader and upload photos to a place like Ofoto or Snapfish and store them there until I got home and then re-use the camera memory card. Depends on how quickly photos upload, I suppose, if I am paying for internet time by the minute. OR, I could have Bigdog upload the photos while I check reality tv message boards on another computer, LOL. On the other hand, one of our "friends" told Bigdog they have nude beaches on Cyprus, so he may be off all the time uploading photos to his camera rather than downloading them to the internet. Well, I suppose he could transfer pictures to the internet after dark ... Yeah, that might work. |
Juju2bigdog | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 05:32 pm     Do toner cartridges for laser printers go bad? I need a new toner cartridge. There is a great disparity in the price of a new one at Office Max and what people are selling allegedly new ones for on ebay. Should I be wary of the ebay ones? (I have a Brother laser printer I bought 6 years ago, and I love it to pieces; nothing ever goes wrong with it, and the toner lasts well ... practically forever ... hmmmmmmmm, did I just answer my own question?) |
Draheid | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 05:47 pm     Juju: My concern would be whether the ones on e-bay are 'new' or 'recycled/refilled'. I have never used anything but new and name brand for any laser printer I was responsible for. I also never had any failures to function. I don't know if I was lucky or what, but that was always my choice in products and I never had any problems. |
Ladytex | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 06:57 pm     Be careful with generic/refilled toner cartridges. If they mess up your printer, it could void the warranty ... |
Juju2bigdog | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 10:35 pm     The ones on ebay are claiming to be brand new and unopened. They look just like the ones at Office Max and the postings specifically say not refilled, not recycled. Thanks for the warning, Ladytex, but I bet my six year old printer is way out of warranty. And by the way, these Brother laser printers are now down to $179 on sale. I bought mine on sale in 1997 for $250 and was just thrilled to have a laser printer at that price. As I noted above, I have never had a minute's problem with it, and its print quality is excellent. Only black and white, though. |
Jed245 | Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 06:42 pm     Juju I'm not a printer/scanner guy. But, I do have some friends that have gotten printer cartridges from ebay. They have told me that they had no problem with them. I would however, make sure that the person /pawn shop selling has a good rating and has sold several things. I'm in no way advocating ebay. You're not gonna find me over there doing countless searches on laser guns, paintball guns, testing equip, video equp, or any other number of various products at a reasonable price with the convience of home delivery. No sir, not me, not ebay. I mean uhhh I don't even have an account or anything. :o) Jed... Not the Jed of ebay... nope not me uh uh:o) |
Juju2bigdog | Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 08:25 pm     LOL, Jed, I am glad to hear you stay off ebay. I have heard it can be addictive. Thanks for the info. I am fairly savvy at figuring out whether or not a seller over there is on the up and up. During the early days of ebay I was still working in law enforcement in San Francisco, and ebay was just down the road. It sure seemed that I was the only law enforcement officer who understood or cared that bigtime scams were going down on ebay, and almost ALL the ebay complaints came across my desk. Okay, I think I might get that toner from ebay. |
Dipo | Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 08:34 pm     omg, juju you are in SF, I love that, I am in Walnut Creek, please don't tell me you have moved back east. |
Juju2bigdog | Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 10:08 pm     You have a folder now, Dipo. Dipo's folder |
Mygetaway | Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 10:45 am     Here's my question: First off, I have Win98, IE6. For some reason, when a second window opens up, it is now a smaller square instead of the full page. When I click the minimize box, it changes to the full size. I used to have a "windows" link on he upper toolbar thing where it said to remember size and location, etc. but that option isn't there anymore. How can I get my links to open up like they did before to full size? This is probably something really easy, but I have no clue why it changed.. LOL Thanks! |
Jed245 | Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 11:19 am     Mygetaway. My little brother has the same set up as you. When you say you click the minimize button are you clicking the - or the one next to it that looks like two squares? The two squares make the window smaller/ or full page. When my brothers computer is doing what yours is all he does is open a browser and click a link to make another browser pop up. Then he maximizes the new window and closes it. The he clicks start/shutdown/restart. And it fixes the problem for him. At the top of your browser there are 6 options. File Edit View Favorites Tools Help. Under one of these options there should be preferences or options. Likely under tools and it should be called internet options there is an advanced tab browse around in there and see if there's anything that might help. Even if you don't find the option there it's a good idea to mess around with it a little. Because anything you change is easy to change back. And it lets you get familiar with what can be done there. I would keep a notepad handy and write down what I changed. That way it's a no mess up situation. :o) Jed. |
Draheid | Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 11:29 am     Mygetaway: It's kind of a strange tricky thing with IE. I've been able to duplicate it occasionally but it's weird. What I suggest you do is right-click a link and 'Open in new window'. Then resize that window by dragging the bottom-right corner to the size you want. Next go back to the first window and 'File - Close' and finally 'File - Close' the 2nd window (the one you just resized). Next time you open IE and use right-click - Open New Window, it should open correctly. I'm sure there are more technical ways of doing this but I found this works ok too. Hope that helps. |
Mygetaway | Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 01:34 pm     Dearest Jed and Dra.. Yey! I tried Jed's fix first and it worked.. How weird.. And yes, I meant the box next to the minimize, whatever that is called.. This place is just the best! I love this community. |
Draheid | Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 02:27 pm     Mygetaway: Interestingly, the first part of the instructions Jed posted and what I posted were basically the same thing. I really need to remember to refresh before posting - and to finish a post before I get distracted! lol Glad you were able to get it resolved either way. |
Grannyg | Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 02:53 pm     Dra was a tad busy today with trying to help a dummy with XP. It's a good thing he is a VERY patient guy. You know the kind that has the "patience of Job" kind of guy!!
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Juju2bigdog | Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 04:18 pm     Dra, I thought you were trying to trick me by posting the same thing Jed did except said a different way. Hahahahahaha, thought you were trying to keep us on our toes, LOL. |
Juju2bigdog | Friday, September 19, 2003 - 09:28 pm     VIRUS ALERT!!! Just got a Spam in to my real life account which almost NEVER gets Spam. It is titled New Security Pack and purports to be from Microsoft. The From line shows: From: "Microsoft Security Services" <pkhrzpATbulletin.msn.com,pkhrzp@bulletin.msn.com> The body of the e-mail is very official looking and has clickable links, all of which go to the legitimate Microsoft website. It says Microsoft has completed its update service pack or words to that effect to combat the latest security deficiencies. There is a file attached called installation6.exe. I dang near opened it, and then something told me not to. I then went to Snopes and did a search on Microsoft Security Services. According to Snopes, the attached file is a virus called Swen-A. http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/patch.asp (if the above link does not work, just go to www.snopes.com and do the search I did.) |
Tess | Friday, September 19, 2003 - 10:43 pm     Charlie told me about that virus just today. We have 3 macs and 2 pcs at home but he came into contact with it at work and school. You are right not to open it. whew! Dang you are one smart pup! hyperventilates at the mere thought..... |
Mygetaway | Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 02:35 pm     What's the deal with this "new" 5x times faster than dial-up services? Do they really work. Do you still use the 56k modem? I was just wondering.. Thanks in advance. |
Draheid | Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 03:04 pm     Mygetaway: Most of these services are offering 'caching' for their users where frequently visited pages are loaded locally to 'deliver' them to you more quickly then having to go over the internet and retrieve the page. This doesn't help much when you need to refresh a page. Most often someone else using the same ISP will have requested a common page that you want to see in which case it would be on the local cache already so you wouldn't have to wait as long. In most cases though, it does still use your existing 56k modem. There is also some software that you can download and install which may help with loading pages quicker by optimizing the connection or your browser, etc. There may be other aspects I haven't researched, this is mostly an 'educated guess' as to how it works. If you have a specific service you would like more information about, let me know what it is and I'll be happy to research and give you more details on that too. Hope this helps. |
Juju2bigdog | Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 05:43 pm     So, Dra, this might work better if you are in a bigger city with more users? In my little burg, I might be the only one coming to TVCH? |
Draheid | Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 07:04 pm     Juju, it depends on which service you use. There are ISPs who's POPs are within CLECs that are actually routed via T-1's or T-3's to a cached hub which may also be shared with other POPs within CLECs in different areas. With the diversity of the board, it's entirely possible that your ISP has POPs in several member's CLEC exchanges and you would see an improvement overall. What, you want me to say this in plain english? Ok, here goes. Yep, they may still help you depending on where their main hub is located.  |
Zachsmom | Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 08:51 pm     200 |
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