BajaNomad - laptop help (SOLVED)

laptop help (SOLVED)

vandenberg - 3-14-2010 at 01:53 PM

This has nothing to do with Baja or, maybe, since I live here, it does.

Somehow my laptop changed a setting by itself. When not in constant use, it goes to the sign in setting after less then 1 minute. A royal pain. It means that if going to pour a cup of coffee, upon returning, I have to sign in with my password to be able to continue. Not been able to figure out how to correct this. Basically computer illiterate, although I tell myself different. :no:

Any help appreciated.

[Edited on 3-15-2010 by vandenberg]

ckiefer - 3-14-2010 at 01:58 PM

check your u2u

Russ - 3-14-2010 at 02:54 PM

I hate it when my computer acts STUPID :mad:

toneart - 3-14-2010 at 02:55 PM

Is it a PC or a MAC? I have always been a PC person but, because everyone who started with Apple said how great they are, I bought an IBookG4 four years ago. It has been a dud from day one. It changes settings on me all the time. It drops webpages very often too. A little drop down message says "an unexpected error has occured". Duh! I know that! But it never tells you what the error is or how to fix it. It asks you if you want to report the bug to Apple. That never gets a response you can use. The built in HELP is random association and is never relevant to any of the multitude of problems I have had. It is written by engineers who never learned to write in English.

It was shipped from China...allegedly new. But it had someone else's password in it. It wouldn't let me create my own passwords. I was leaving for Baja that week and didn't have time to exchange it. Their tech support, by telephone, told me to reinstall my CDs. I did and it froze when i came to the 'set up administrators password'. The engineer had never heard of that. After doing some thinking he called me back with some kind of work around. I was then able to set up my password, but then i got caught in password hell and to this day, i have to go through a series of passwords just to operate the damn thing. I have spent hours, actually years trying to reset my settings but have never been able to get out of password hell.

Now I am in Baja and all my Browsers are outdated. I am getting shut out of many websites and Utube type videos. Soon my bank will shut me out. I have tried to upgrade (even buy) new upgrades and I can't. My version of Panther is too old and I will have to buy a whole new computer. Built in proprietary obselecense. That really sucks.

My desktop in California is a PC. I can navigate my way through anything with it. People say the jump to Vista was a problem. For me...no problem whatsoever.

So, Vandenberg. If your laptop is a crappy (but "cute") MAC, chalk it up to the product itself. Next time buy a PC. That is what i will do as soon as i return home.

If yours is a PC, I am sure someone here may be able to help you. Maybe even me.

ckiefer - 3-14-2010 at 03:15 PM

Crappy? No, cute, maybe. I have owned apple products for years without much problems. I upgrade software regularly and search the manufacturer's website for known issues and fixes. PC's, well a few problems there, but those are all well known. I think the best resolution to the problems is to first identify what your needs are and then evaluate your knowledge base. Pick the computer and operating system that fits your life style. Sad but true, all operating systems will someday be obsolete forcing all of us to upgrade or purchase new. Remember those transistor radios? Or maybe the "party-line" on your telephone. Those younger than say......50 may not understand "party-line", no it's not some new "chat" system.
So, whatever your fancy, PC or Mac, remember.....go to the manufacturer's website to look for answers or upgrade. Because nothing lasts forever........and Toneart, if you need help navigating to your mexican bank's website let me know, I just resolved this issue myself.
Have a great day and pop open your favorite beverage.....It's a great day in Baja....

Russ - 3-14-2010 at 03:23 PM

toneart, I'm a Mac guy too but I have been from day one and had lots of issues with my first one in '95. I'm on my forth now. My sister and her kids are using my older ones. I just upgraded to Snow Leopard with a new iMac and had a bad time with the Apple techs putting in the info from my old computer. I updated, $26, the old Panther to Snow Leopard with out any problems and wonder why I bought a new iMac. By the time I got back down her there was a Newer iMac out.
Anyway if you'd like to up date yours to Snow Leopard bring it by and we can do it. I ended up with the DVD I bought for my sister. I'm going up after Easter and can get you a DVD if you'd like.
You have to have the intel mac for it to work though.

vandenberg - 3-14-2010 at 04:12 PM

Mine is a HP Pavilion, not even a year old and running Windows 7. Had a few issues when upgrading from Vista, but for a layman/ignoramus, not bad. Unit is running just fine, except for having to sign in everytime you go take a leak. :no:

Sofar haven't been able to find the right solution, although I have the Window solution page to most problems in my favorites. Likely just not finding the right one.
BTW, always had either Compac or HP and never any problems. The wife bought a 17.3 Gateway, couldn't get it to work right, send it back, got another Gateway with identical problem. Both with W7. Got the money refunded and ended up buying a HP Pavilion also. Runs like a top.

"except for having to sign in everytime you go take a leak"

Howard - 3-14-2010 at 04:27 PM

Take less leaks. I will send you my bill. Is there anything else I can assist with?

lizard lips - 3-14-2010 at 04:32 PM

Bought a Mac Book a few years ago and will never buy another that isn't a Mac. I had a lot of problems with my PC years ago with signing in and constantly expected to have web sites shut down etc. but with Mac it's a breeze...

rts551 - 3-14-2010 at 04:33 PM

OK check two things. Your power settings to make sure that you have it set for balanced or performance (end check how fast the system is shut down). Can be found on our control panel under mobility center.

Also check your screen saver (is it set to require a password and is set to run after a minute or so)

toneart - 3-14-2010 at 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Russ
toneart, I'm a Mac guy too but I have been from day one and had lots of issues with my first one in '95. I'm on my forth now. My sister and her kids are using my older ones. I just upgraded to Snow Leopard with a new iMac and had a bad time with the Apple techs putting in the info from my old computer. I updated, $26, the old Panther to Snow Leopard with out any problems and wonder why I bought a new iMac. By the time I got back down her there was a Newer iMac out.
Anyway if you'd like to up date yours to Snow Leopard bring it by and we can do it. I ended up with the DVD I bought for my sister. I'm going up after Easter and can get you a DVD if you'd like.
You have to have the intel mac for it to work though.

Thank you for the offer, Russ. I will go up at the end of April.

My OSX version is 10.3.9. All upgrades say you have to have 10.4 or higher.
Apparently there is no longer a version 10.4 that you can download. So, you can't get there from here. In January I called Apple and they told me that I can't buy Snow Leapord or anything in between to upgrade to.

I can't find any reference to "Intel" as you mentioned. It is Unix based.

My laptop is a dud anyway. I think it was a return to the factory and then sent out to me with someone else's password. So, I think I will just bite the bullet and get a new PC in May.

Maybe I will attach a webcam to it, leave it in my casita, and watch the 2010 flood take it away.

vandenberg - 3-14-2010 at 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by toneart
Maybe I will attach a webcam to it, leave it in my casita, and watch the 2010 flood take it away.

Tony, we had two 1 hundred year floods in 3 years, so you're safe for the next 200 years. :biggrin:

Think positive my man, think positive. :yes:

Paula - 3-14-2010 at 07:23 PM

Hi Ed,

I have no advice, good or bad, on how to solve your problem. But maybe it will make you feel better to know that there is someone out here who is probably more computer illiterate than you. That would be me :biggrin:

I do have a magic word that generally gets things fixed for me:

Honnnneeeeeeee! :dudette:

toneart - 3-14-2010 at 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Howard
Take less leaks. I will send you my bill. Is there anything else I can assist with?

vandenberg - 3-15-2010 at 08:42 AM

Problem solved.
Thanks to Marty from the TalkBaja site.
They apparently keep up with you folks. :biggrin: