Being a Computer Dummy Ain't Easy!

Bird · Feb 2, 2008

My old Dell computer with Windows XP seemed to be on its last legs; doing number of funny things (actually not very funny), the monitor was getting hard for me to read, the printer had developed some new and loud sounds, and a host of other little things. But it did still work. Anyway, I decided to replace it before it died completely.

So, day before yesterday I bought a new Hewlett-Packard; 3 gig of RAM, 500 gig hard drive, Photosmart printer, and a 19" flat panel monitor. I even paid extra for Best Buy's Geek Squad to do their performance check, install Spy Sweeper and Antivirus, etc. Then yesterday, I spent a couple of hours trying to get the new system to work here at home before giving up and taking it back to Best Buy only to find that I had a brand new, but DEFECTIVE, optical mouse. When I have a computer problem, I always first assume it's my own doing, but this time it wasn't.

So now I have Windows Vista Home Premium, even though I've yet to hear anything good about it from anyone. However, it does have some features I like, as well as many I do not like. And the computer is certainly fast compared to my old one.

BUT NOW FOR THE BIGGEST AND NEWEST CURRENT PROBLEM:

I don't ever Log Out on TBN and CBN so every time I come back to either one, I'm already logged in. Well, that still works on CBN and a couple of other websites, BUT NOT HERE ON TRACTORBYNET!

Everytime I close my browser, when I open it again and come to TBN, I have to sign on again. I even found a place to specifically allow or block cookies from specific urls and specifically set it to allow cookies from TBN and that didn't help.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

In fact, I didn't even have to close the browser. When I went to post the above message, I found that I had been Logged Out while I was typing, or while I stopped to visit with a neighbor for just a few minutes.

teg · Feb 2, 2008

I assume when you log in, you click the box that says "Remember Me"? Just to the right of where you type your user / password.

ToadHill · Feb 2, 2008

Bird that happens to me all the time, I log in read some posts and when I post an answer I'm told I need to log in.

deereman64 · Feb 2, 2008

Secret plot so we can catchup

Bird · Feb 2, 2008

teg said:
I assume when you log in, you click the box that says "Remember Me"? Just to the right of where you type your user / password.

Yep, I did, and with Windows XP, I was also using Norton Password Manager 2004 which automatically filled in username and passwords everywhere they were needed. Now that program ain't compatible with Vista, so I found RoboForm Password Manager so I wouldn't have to do so much typing.

Now for the funny part.

Since I posted that message about not staying logged in, I unhooked everything and took just the computer back to Best Buy to ask their experts some questions about the speakers. Then I came back home and hooked up everything again . . ., and found I was still logged in.

Bird · Feb 2, 2008

ToadHill said:
Bird that happens to me all the time, I log in read some posts and when I post an answer I'm told I need to log in.

I knew that had happened to others, but never to me until yesterday.

George2615 · Feb 2, 2008

Bird,
I replaced my computer back in Sept 07. Like yours, my new one has Windows Vista. I started using IE but switched to Firefox as my browser. I found the same thing happens when I close out (go offline) by hitting the X in the right hand corner it pops up a windows that asks if I want to clear all cookies, passwords, etc. If I say no then go back online I'm still logged in but if I say yes it clears everything and I have to log in each time. I also tried setting up TBN as an allowed site and to save logins and passwords but it still clears them. I tried unchecking the box to save passwords but it defaults to clearing them.
I've been somehow able to save the login and password for the site and when I bring up TBN the login is blank but as soon as I type the first letter of my login a window pops up with my login name on which I click and it automatically puts in the password. All I have to do is click remember me and log in.

Bird · Feb 2, 2008

George, I guess you mean with Firefox, you get that dialogue box that asks if you want to clear cookies, etc. I don't get that with IE. I have been using Norton SystemWorks 2005 and could view and clear individual cookies with it if I wanted to. But without SystemWorks, I know how to clear all of them with both Windows XP and Vista, but not individual ones. I'm probably going to buy the latest version of SystemWorks.

George2615 · Feb 2, 2008

Bird, Yes I'm using Firefox. I just figured out how to save my login and password using Firefox so for those who are also using Firefox and want to save your login and password do the following after logging in.
1) Click on Tools
2) Click on Options
3) Click on Privacy, go down to cookies, click exceptions. Type in tractorbynet.com then click allow then close
4) Uncheck the always clear my private data box then click OK
This is working for me now.
George

rox · Feb 2, 2008

Bird said:
My old Dell computer with Windows XP seemed to be on its last legs; doing number of funny things (actually not very funny), the monitor was getting hard for me to read, the printer had developed some new and loud sounds, and a host of other little things. But it did still work. Anyway, I decided to replace it before it died completely.

So, day before yesterday I bought a new Hewlett-Packard; 3 gig of RAM, 500 gig hard drive, Photosmart printer, and a 19" flat panel monitor. I even paid extra for Best Buy's Geek Squad to do their performance check, install Spy Sweeper and Antivirus, etc. Then yesterday, I spent a couple of hours trying to get the new system to work here at home before giving up and taking it back to Best Buy only to find that I had a brand new, but DEFECTIVE, optical mouse. When I have a computer problem, I always first assume it's my own doing, but this time it wasn't.

So now I have Windows Vista Home Premium, even though I've yet to hear anything good about it from anyone. However, it does have some features I like, as well as many I do not like. And the computer is certainly fast compared to my old one.

BUT NOW FOR THE BIGGEST AND NEWEST CURRENT PROBLEM:

I don't ever Log Out on TBN and CBN so every time I come back to either one, I'm already logged in. Well, that still works on CBN and a couple of other websites, BUT NOT HERE ON TRACTORBYNET! Everytime I close my browser, when I open it again and come to TBN, I have to sign on again. I even found a place to specifically allow or block cookies from specific urls and specifically set it to allow cookies from TBN and that didn't help.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

In fact, I didn't even have to close the browser. When I went to post the above message, I found that I had been Logged Out while I was typing, or while I stopped to visit with a neighbor for just a few minutes.

Bid, good luck with your new HP! I wish you well with it. I bought my HP 17" screen laptop in September. In November I had to send it to French HP becasue the screen was flickering. They did a number on it, the story is to ong to post so I'll move on, Now in January I mailed it back to my daughter in the states for HP USA to fix as it would not turn on at all. Geeze. The only good news to this story is that the HP warranty seems to be very good. They pick and and return the laptop using a courrier service and there is no charge.

I am on my back up laptop also and Hp and it periodicaly does not recognize the mouse, refuses to shut down etc. So what I am going to do with my back up laptop is find someone who is a Unix Wizard and send them my laptop to have the Windows operating system erased and replaced by Unix. I got the idea after reading a post from someone here on TBN who said he was amazed with his old computer once he put Unix on it how fast and stable it is. See it is not the laptop/computer it si the operating system. On windows you install this and then you install that and pretty soon things just keep getting slower and slower becuase of conflicts you can't see happening until you become so frustrated that you jsut go out and buy a new computer. Trust me BTDT. Within the last eyar both my kids bought Apple Computers. I could not because I have to much of our olive oil business in files that are Windows based files to buy an Apple. However I am very curious to see what my sluggish backup laptop will be like with Unix on it instead of Windows.

Oh here is one tip for you. If you ever really want to get the computer sent back to HP for repairs, instead of constantly ging back to Best Buy jsut call HP and say you saw a puff of smoke. This is called a level 3 and they will not force you to spend hours on the phone with them trying this and that to attempt to fix it over the phone. Once you say, "I saw a puff of smoke then this stopped working..." They tell you not to turn it back on, they will have it picked up under warranty.

Once I get this done, Unix on my backup laptop, I'll post back here and let you know how it went. Good Luck to you it is always exciting to get a new computer. I bet you are loving the big flat screen Monitor.

Egon · Feb 2, 2008

Welcome to the club Bird.

Over the holidays my son was here and made the decision our computer was kinda old, slow and very out of date just like me. Anyways he goes ahead and orders a new one. HP with vista. A little camera that glares at me and a key board and mouse that have no hard connections. The darned keyboard was clean to. Not covered in spaghetti sauce. I've been confused ever since.

I'm actually starting to think about getting myself boxed up and put in the closet with the old computer!

billbill1 · Feb 3, 2008

Bird, I have a "black belt" in computer ignorance!! My son keeps me up and running (he does it for a living). I can turn it on and read and type, anything beyond that and I'm lost. I know this doesn't help you at all but should ease your pain some.

ronjhall · Feb 3, 2008

Biggest problems I have heard with Vista is using older hardware and software that has not been updated to Vista. Just using Vista for us guys on the Internet should not be a problem.
Are you still using the Norton stuff on your new computer?

Bird · Feb 3, 2008

Egon, at least mine is still all wired together; no wireless stuff. Even an optical mouse instead of the little ball in the bottom is new to me. And this is my first one with the little wheel in the middle to scroll up and down. This keyboard has 6 keys along the left edge and 7 along the right edge that I've never seen before and have not used yet. I'm kind of guessing what they might be for, just from the little pictures on'em but don't know for sure.

Bill, I think our youngest daughter is about to marry a fellow who is supposed to be a computer whiz. He's just got one more week before he retires from the Navy, has started applying for jobs, and I know they were out house hunting the last few days. Maybe he'll be some help someday.

Ron, I don't think I'll be mixing much older hardware and software with the new, but who knows. Since my Password Manager 2004 from Norton SystemWorks won't work on Vista, I just won't try to use any of the SystemWorks 2004 or 2005 (I have both). Best Buy installed the new Norton Antivirus, but I just may buy the new SystemWorks and install it. I did install Quicken Deluxe 2004, which I like better than the 2008 version, but I do not download any financial data or updates; just manually enter everything I want.

I've still got a lot to do. This new computer and printer have the 15-in-1 slots to transfer photos from the digital camera. I've never used anything like that before, and have no idea how it works.

I do have the new stuff plugged into my APC UPS, but I haven't tried to install the software to automatically shut the computer down during a power failure. I'll have to check with them before I do anything with that.

I also have the USB cable to transfer photos from the cell phone to the computer and I had the software installed on the old computer. I once transfered 3 pictures to see if it worked and it did; haven't used it since

So, I'll be checking with them, too, before I attempt to install that program.

And I think today, I'll be trying to clean up everything from the old computer, remove personal data, etc. before I decide what to do with it.

Bird · Feb 4, 2008

Rox, I don't know just how I missed your post until now, but if you told HP you saw a puff of smoke, I'll bet they spent a lot of time trying to figure out how the magic smoke got out of that thing.

I've always heard that was secret to all things electrical; keeping the magic smoke in them. If you let any out, you've got big problems.

Yesterday, our daughter's boyfriend/fiance/future husband or whatever suggested dumping Vista and installing XP on the new computer. I don't think that's going to happen. It might be the smart thing to do, but it would just go against the grain for me to buy the newest and latest thing, only to go back to the older way. I would assume that Microsoft will continue to support XP for quite awhile, but I would expect them to support Vista even longer. And there actually are a few things I like better in Vista.

I think I'm gaining on this thing, but I wouldn't bet on it yet. I think they call the little slots on the new computers a 15-in-1 or some such name. Anyway, you can supposedly take the little card out of your digital camera and insert it in one of the slots to move the pictures to the computer or printer. That was something I wanted. Now I'm sure there are some instructions somewhere, but I didn't find them, but yesterday I figured out how to insert my SmartMedia card into one of the 4 slots in the computer and transferred some pictures. Then I decided to see how it worked with the printer. Now the computer has 4 slots and the printer has 4 slots, but they ain't all the same.

I couldn't find a slot in the printer for my SmartMedia. But I stopped in at Best Buy again and the young salesman takes my SmartMedia card, looks at it, and says, "I've never seen anything like that. How old is it?" OK, so now my camera is as obsolete as I am, and as my old computer was.

Anyway, none of their printers had a slot for SmartMedia, but I can live with that since I can put the pictures in the computer, then print them from there.

And I did buy Norton SystemWorks and installed it.

Now for the next question. I really liked the free Image Resizer from the Microsoft Power Toys for XP website, but on that website it says not for Vista. So what's the best/easiest/quickest/cheapest image resizer for Vista?

Egon · Feb 4, 2008

Bird: I believe there are lots of free picture programs out there. Do a Google. I tied one called GIMP but it overwhelmed me.

Pat introduced me to "Irfanview" which is almost within my abilities.

Ken_CT · Feb 4, 2008

Bird,
I'm using PIXresizer with Vista Home Basic and have no problems. Many years back when XP was introduced people hated it too. I just had to buy a new flatbed scanner as my older but expensive HP 6200c wasn't compatible, and HP's fix was to suggest I buy a new scanner, they were not going to come out with new drivers for it. The new one is not HP

. It takes a while to get used to Vista, but overall I like it. I still have the older XP computer, but I almost never use it anymore. My biggest complaint with Vista is the software compatibilitis issues. Why isn't MICROSOFT Office 2000 compatible with MICROSOFT Vista???So you will buy their new Office 2007, of course.

Bird · Feb 4, 2008

Yep, I tried a google search and apparently there are a lot of such programs, but the old one for XP was so simple. I don't want a big program that does all kinds of other things; just want to be able to easily downsize pictures to post on the Internt or to send via e-mail. So I'm wondering which is the simplest.

bones1 · Feb 4, 2008

Ken_CT said:
Bird,
I'm using PIXresizer with Vista Home Basic and have no problems. Many years back when XP was introduced people hated it too. I just had to buy a new flatbed scanner as my older but expensive HP 6200c wasn't compatible, and HP's fix was to suggest I buy a new scanner, they were not going to come out with new drivers for it. The new one is not HP . It takes a while to get used to Vista, but overall I like it. I still have the older XP computer, but I almost never use it anymore. My biggest complaint with Vista is the software compatibilitis issues. Why isn't MICROSOFT Office 2000 compatible with MICROSOFT Vista???So you will buy their new Office 2007, of course.

Ken, there are ways to install Office 2k on Vista that folks use.Check this one Outlook 2000 on Vista
and here Is MS Office 2000 compatible with Vista Premium?
The majority of the problems is with getting Outlook mail program working.This addresses that concern.

Rox.Here is a real good linux/unix program you can install yourself. I use it on a few machines at home and it's very interesting.
Ubuntu Desktop Edition | Ubuntu

dfkrug · Feb 4, 2008

Ken_CT said:
I'm using PIXresizer with Vista Home Basic and have no problems. Many years back when XP was introduced people hated it too. I just had to buy a new flatbed scanner as my older but expensive HP 6200c wasn't compatible, and HP's fix was to suggest I buy a new scanner, they were not going to come out with new drivers for it. The new one is not HP . It takes a while to get used to Vista, but overall I like it. I still have the older XP computer, but I almost never use it anymore. My biggest complaint with Vista is the software compatibilitis issues. Why isn't MICROSOFT Office 2000 compatible with MICROSOFT Vista???So you will buy their new Office 2007, of course.

Hey, Ken, I just got a new Dell w/ Vista Home Premium. My old Dell with
XP SP2 still works fine, but is nearly 6 y old.

I see no advantages to Vista, but some of the things I read about it have not
been true. It boots up plenty fast with only 1GB RAM, and Office 2000
(at least Word and Excel) work fine on it. No way am I paying for Office 07.
The only printer issue I have found is with my old DeltaCAD s/w using the
USB interface to my Samsung Laser printer. My Canon LiDE scanner also
works fine.

What I have not figured out yet is why a user with Admin privilege can not
access certain folders like "documents and settings".

MSFT says they will offer an XP SP3 update this year, BTW, as many
individuals and companies out there have no plans of "upgrading".