The Windows/PC support thread

Author
Discussion

otherman

2,190 posts

164 months

Monday 20th November 2017
quotequote all
leigh1050 said:
Computer is about five years old.
I take it SSD is broadband. If it is that's what I've got.
Yes it is windows ten.
No SSD id a faster type of hard drive. If its five years old and with win 10, i guess you upgraded from an older version. That would be your problem. A clean install is what you need.

mp3manager

4,254 posts

195 months

Monday 20th November 2017
quotequote all
LordGrover said:
Brave browser is new to me. Apart from them saying their browser is safer, what evidence/proof is there that it is?
I guess, because it breaks a lot of websites which rely on scripting.

Jinx

11,345 posts

259 months

Monday 20th November 2017
quotequote all
mp3manager said:
Firefox may have a new branch, Firefox Quantum, but it's still a slow, resource hog.

I think I'll stick with Brave.

Not seeing anything like that on my pc - with 10 tabs open my firefox quantum is at < 2% CPU and < 400 MB memory. (core i7 3770 with 12 GB memory). What are you using and what sites have you got open?

rdjohn

6,135 posts

194 months

Monday 27th November 2017
quotequote all
My 6-month old laptop decided to update to the fall edition a week last Saturday.

I have yet to find the positives, but firstly I found that I had to enter my PIN twice to gain access. There are several threads covering this error, but nothing seemed to work. I contacted MS and the tech did not know about the error, but obviously found the same stuff I had on the web. But sadvMS would probably come up with a fix.

Last night i wanted to watch the BBC iPlayer on my TV via HDMI and got a message saying wrong format. I couldn't find a fix so reverted back to the older version of Win 10, which worked perfectly.

With this sort of problems, is it best to wait a few months before installing the update? If yes, how do you prevent an automated update?

Thanks

rdjohn

6,135 posts

194 months

Friday 1st December 2017
quotequote all
rdjohn said:
My 6-month old laptop decided to update to the fall edition a week last Saturday.

I have yet to find the positives, but firstly I found that I had to enter my PIN twice to gain access. There are several threads covering this error, but nothing seemed to work. I contacted MS and the tech did not know about the error, but obviously found the same stuff I had on the web. But sadvMS would probably come up with a fix.

Last night i wanted to watch the BBC iPlayer on my TV via HDMI and got a message saying wrong format. I couldn't find a fix so reverted back to the older version of Win 10, which worked perfectly.

With this sort of problems, is it best to wait a few months before installing the update? If yes, how do you prevent an automated update?

Thanks
The answer seems to be that I could not stop it reloading. 2-days after I reverted to the old edition, it automatically re-started the update and now everything seems to be working fine.

A great pity that the MS tech guy could not tell me this.

mc_blue

2,548 posts

217 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
My father's PC has some ransomware on it. It changes the end of the file names and when I try to rename them it won't let me open it so I'm not even able to open a virus scanner.

Initially it states Trusted Drive Manager you click Cancel and then when the files up up it will have [decrypt.guarantee@aol.com].block

Another problem is because it was synched on One Drive it seems to have deleted/renamed these files too.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Jinx

11,345 posts

259 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
mc_blue said:
My father's PC has some ransomware on it. It changes the end of the file names and when I try to rename them it won't let me open it so I'm not even able to open a virus scanner.

Initially it states Trusted Drive Manager you click Cancel and then when the files up up it will have [decrypt.guarantee@aol.com].block

Another problem is because it was synched on One Drive it seems to have deleted/renamed these files too.

Any help would be much appreciated.
Boot from a linux rescue cd (kapersky do one as does AVG). This will let you get to the renamed files and change them back it may also find the ransomware and delete it. Note whilst this will give you access to the machine again but do not think it is safe - I would take off what you need (quarantine them and pass them through every known anti virus you can find) and nuke the machine back to factory settings. As to one drive - check with MS as to how to clean suspect files.

Shuvi McTupya

24,460 posts

246 months

Saturday 20th January 2018
quotequote all
I am being terrorised by internet explorer!!

Old laptop running windows 7 and using chrome as the default browser. Internet explorer just randomly opens itself a few times an hour atleast.

I finally ran out of patience and today I uninstalled it and waited while the laptop updated its settings and rebooted and at last it left me alone..for about two hours and then i discovered it had been quietly reinstalling itself in the bloody background!! And now it is randomly opening itself again ..Welcome to Internet Explorer!


How can I kill it?


Fort Jefferson

8,237 posts

221 months

Sunday 4th February 2018
quotequote all
rdjohn said:
I found that I had to enter my PIN twice to gain access.
Start-setting-acounts-sign in options- scroll down to privacy - switch off "use my sign in info to finish setting up my device"



This worked for me.

langtounlad

780 posts

170 months

Sunday 4th February 2018
quotequote all
And me.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
Guys, is there any way of stopping this bloody Windows update assistant from installing itself on my laptop? It never works anyway as it wants me to delete the bios, which I am very dubious about, and then says 'something has gone wrong' and starts all over again!
I've tried disabling all the triggers as advised on many forums, but it doesn't seem to make any difference, is there any point in trying to do it myself, or just take it down the road to my local expert?

GarethA

179 posts

149 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
Subject Display Brightness Functionality Lost

Hi. Recent fresh install of Windows 7 Home Premium has gone well save for one thing - total loss of functionality of the display brightness Fn keys! Have followed advice on internet of reinstalling drivers for graphics card and monitor to no avail. Any words of wisdom? And seriously - is there a free piece of software that automatically updates all the right drivers for windows. All the allegedly free ones do a great scan and then only let you update one driver for free.

Thanks


Funk

26,254 posts

208 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
GarethA said:
Subject Display Brightness Functionality Lost

Hi. Recent fresh install of Windows 7 Home Premium has gone well save for one thing - total loss of functionality of the display brightness Fn keys! Have followed advice on internet of reinstalling drivers for graphics card and monitor to no avail. Any words of wisdom? And seriously - is there a free piece of software that automatically updates all the right drivers for windows. All the allegedly free ones do a great scan and then only let you update one driver for free.

Thanks
You need the software that tells Windows it has fn keys available to it. What make is the laptop? Was it a system restore from a manufacturer's disks or partition? I'm guessing it may not have been if you've not got things like fn keys... If it was from a downloaded disk from MS, you'll need to go get drivers from the laptop manufacturer's site and install those.

Re. the updates - free driver scanners should be avoided like the plague.

GarethA

179 posts

149 months

Wednesday 21st March 2018
quotequote all
Funk said:
GarethA said:
Subject Display Brightness Functionality Lost

Hi. Recent fresh install of Windows 7 Home Premium has gone well save for one thing - total loss of functionality of the display brightness Fn keys! Have followed advice on internet of reinstalling drivers for graphics card and monitor to no avail. Any words of wisdom? And seriously - is there a free piece of software that automatically updates all the right drivers for windows. All the allegedly free ones do a great scan and then only let you update one driver for free.

Thanks
You need the software that tells Windows it has fn keys available to it. What make is the laptop? Was it a system restore from a manufacturer's disks or partition? I'm guessing it may not have been if you've not got things like fn keys... If it was from a downloaded disk from MS, you'll need to go get drivers from the laptop manufacturer's site and install those.

Re. the updates - free driver scanners should be avoided like the plague.
Hi Funk - sorry delay forgot to tick the box for reply notification.

Samsung NP300E5A. No I completely reformatted everything and removed partitions etc, and downloaded the OS from MS via a guide and used a software tool to unearth the product key. I researched where to get the drivers for this laptop and came up with here, as well as Samsung's own site.

http://drivers-lp.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/samsung-n...
https://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/...

So in short it was a completely fresh install with what I understood to be the complete suite of the right drivers as approved by the manufacturer.

(those free driver scans - now removed - did indicate several drivers were out of date but maybe that's the game with those).

Any other source of drivers / ways to check validity appreciated.

Full disclosure - I wanted to experiment putting Ubuntu (linux) on another partition, which works fine (but I need Win for work). Basically just got in over my head trying to learn more and getting mega frustated about niggles creeping in presumably driver related - no display keys and keyboard strokes jump around occasionally!

Thanks














Funk

26,254 posts

208 months

Wednesday 21st March 2018
quotequote all
OK, so you've downloaded and installed the Samsung versions of the drivers for each thing? It's highly likely that the Samsung display adapter driver will contain the fn commands for the brightness etc. If Windows tells you a newer driver is already installed, overrule it and install the older Samsung one as this would add the functionality (if it's doing what I think it will).

GarethA

179 posts

149 months

Wednesday 21st March 2018
quotequote all
Funk said:
OK, so you've downloaded and installed the Samsung versions of the drivers for each thing? It's highly likely that the Samsung display adapter driver will contain the fn commands for the brightness etc. If Windows tells you a newer driver is already installed, overrule it and install the older Samsung one as this would add the functionality (if it's doing what I think it will).
Yes I believe so.

Could it be any driver other than the graphics card? I'd rather not reinstall every single one individually

PS there are 7 graphics drivers listed here - I've gone for the most recently refreshed as the smart choice?

https://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/...

Ta

Funk

26,254 posts

208 months

Wednesday 21st March 2018
quotequote all
GarethA said:
Funk said:
OK, so you've downloaded and installed the Samsung versions of the drivers for each thing? It's highly likely that the Samsung display adapter driver will contain the fn commands for the brightness etc. If Windows tells you a newer driver is already installed, overrule it and install the older Samsung one as this would add the functionality (if it's doing what I think it will).
Yes I believe so.

Could it be any driver other than the graphics card? I'd rather not reinstall every single one individually

PS there are 7 graphics drivers listed here - I've gone for the most recently refreshed as the smart choice?

https://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/...

Ta
I've had a look under the 'Software' section and I think Easy Display Manager might be the one to install. I'd probably also install Battery Life Extender (will have power configs/profiles for your device), Intel Wireless Display and maybe SAMSUNG Update Plus which looks like it will have an updater for Samsung's drivers etc.

The rest I would probably ignore (the MS Hotfixes should be found natively by Windows Update) although if you wanted to install and play with the other applications you can always uninstall them if they're crap.

Edit: just found this regarding Easy Display Manager:

"This is a setup program provided for Samsung computers. You can adjust the screen brightness, control the volume, and set an external monitor screen using hotkeys." Job jobbed.

GarethA

179 posts

149 months

Wednesday 21st March 2018
quotequote all
Funk said:
I've had a look under the 'Software' section and I think Easy Display Manager might be the one to install. I'd probably also install Battery Life Extender (will have power configs/profiles for your device), Intel Wireless Display and maybe SAMSUNG Update Plus which looks like it will have an updater for Samsung's drivers etc.

The rest I would probably ignore (the MS Hotfixes should be found natively by Windows Update) although if you wanted to install and play with the other applications you can always uninstall them if they're crap.

Edit: just found this regarding Easy Display Manager:

"This is a setup program provided for Samsung computers. You can adjust the screen brightness, control the volume, and set an external monitor screen using hotkeys." Job jobbed.
.................

You Sir, or Madam, are a legend. That was it. I wasn't thinking software - only drivers. And Samsung Update Plus is exactly what i wanted - a simple clean gizmo that looks for samsung driver updates (though it wouldn't have solved this issue). Thank you very much I would never have got there without your help. I know it's an old 2nd gen intel laptop but it's kind of fun if you can breathe new life into it - if it works.

The linux side worked flawlessly and when I have more time must play around with MS Office compatibility. Word is absolutely fine. If I didn't use Excel and PPT so much I'd be very tempted.

Anyway thanks agin. Best





Funk

26,254 posts

208 months

Wednesday 21st March 2018
quotequote all
GarethA said:
.................

You Sir, or Madam, are a legend. That was it. I wasn't thinking software - only drivers. And Samsung Update Plus is exactly what i wanted - a simple clean gizmo that looks for samsung driver updates (though it wouldn't have solved this issue). Thank you very much I would never have got there without your help. I know it's an old 2nd gen intel laptop but it's kind of fun if you can breathe new life into it - if it works.

The linux side worked flawlessly and when I have more time must play around with MS Office compatibility. Word is absolutely fine. If I didn't use Excel and PPT so much I'd be very tempted.

Anyway thanks agin. Best
No problem, happy to have helped!

Dogwatch

6,222 posts

221 months

Wednesday 30th May 2018
quotequote all
Anyone else having a problem with symbol keys following a recent W10 update? The master password for my password keeper contains a hash and I couldn't understand why the master password kept being rejected (it displays as blobs) until I happened to use a symbol key elsewhere and it came up with an unexpected character. Turns out the update has changed the language from English UK to English US!

Clicking on ENG in the lower right-hand corner of the screen and changing back to English UK got me back into my password manager (and a clean pair of pants - there's a lotta passwords stored there).

ETA a fortnight on and it looks as if the bug fixers have been busy and got this sorted

Edited by Dogwatch on Saturday 16th June 11:24