More Windows download problems!

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seahermit
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Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2017 10:53 pm

More Windows download problems!

Postby seahermit » Sat Oct 23, 2021 5:58 pm

Probably .. I had enormous problems in May after a huge Windows update on my desktop PC. Everything crashed and, after a series of further updates (which presumably were busy putting things right again), the PC finally sorted itself out. After a month. During which the PC was of course unusable.

Same old nonsense now. Without much warning, the PC has again crashed - there don't seem to be indications of any virus etc., but the PC takes twenty minutes to boot up and none of my files, apps, bookmarks etc. are accessible.

I was persuaded against my better judgement to take the console into 1066 Computers - big mistake! They don't seem to have much idea of what they are doing, the shop is a bit chaotic and their promise of getting back to me in a week has turned into three weeks - and still all they can say is that they are very busy .. I will give them one more week, then take the unit back and give them up as a bad job.

My problem is also that for much of the last few months my Sky broadband connection has been dropping. I am currently using my Samsung smartphone, but I have switched off the wi-fi because the phone was trying to connect to the Sky hub - and the wi-fi was failing almost every day! Back on 4G, I'm having no problem at all.

Sky just deny and won't do anything, but I would say that for atleast half the time this year my PC has been out of action. So what I am thinking of doing is getting a laptop (maybe second-hand) and just using it for storage, for working on my writing and for editing my photos. I have some people currently interested in publishing some of my writing, but of course without a working computer all that activity has come to an abrupt halt.

I wondered if anybody had any views on that. For several years, before I bought a desktop, I used a laptop offline, managed to do some great things on there (even event flyers and posters!) without any worries about viruses, malware or internet issues.

I live on my own and don't have any computer nerds amongst my relatives, so I think I don't have much choice but to take a step backwards and make my home set-up rather simpler.

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seahermit
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Re: More Windows download problems!

Postby seahermit » Sat Oct 23, 2021 6:13 pm

I have one other little query, which somebody please might be able to help with?!

I still have Office 2010 on a CD - I can't remember whether I bought it for this PC. It might be a bit older, having first been installed onto a laptop.

What are my chances of using it again on a laptop? As far as I can gather, MS is trying to push people into an ongoing subscription for Office 365 - not at all worth it for my limited purposes.

UncleB
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Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2019 9:56 am

Re: More Windows download problems!

Postby UncleB » Wed Nov 03, 2021 11:14 am

Hello Seahermit, drop me a direct message as I have something that will help.
thanks
Iain

UncleB
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2019 9:56 am

Re: More Windows download problems!

Postby UncleB » Wed Nov 03, 2021 11:59 am

Re the Sky broadband issue - I would switch suppliers.

I've been using PlusNet for the last year and their support are pretty good.
Sometimes the issue is the connection box where the phone line goes into the property, sometimes it is the socket you plug the router into and sometimes it is the router itself (typically WiFi issues).

PlusNet were able to work through all the issues without having to escalate to a call centre in India or bounce me from person to person - their advertising of being a no-nonsense supplier actually stands up.

First things to test (apologies if I've already suggested this) are:
1 - connect to the router by a network cable and see if you still get regular disconnections.
If so then the issue is between the router and the phone exchange box in the street, so the supplier need to get BT Openreach out to investigate.
If it works fine then your router is the issue - call up sky and insist they swap it out.

2 - Check the cables and sockets between the router and the wall to make sure the are all well seated and have no dust / fluff on the connections. If your wall socket has a removable face plate then take it off and plug the router stright into the socket behind it then test again. If it now works then the wall socket is the issue and you may need to get BT Openreach to replace it.

It can be frustrating to deal with technical support at Sky so unless you have a strong reason to stay with them, I would consider changing, but in the meantime using them to try to resolve the issue would be prudent.

One alternative is to use mobile data and get au unlimited data only bundle from a supplier like Three and use a mobile dongle to work as your WiFi. Not great if you use it for TV but so long as you have a decent data connection then it can be quite good.

If that is of interest then do some comparisons to find the deal that suits you best, eg:
https://www.comparethemarket.com/mobile ... ata-plans/

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seahermit
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Re: More Windows download problems!

Postby seahermit » Wed Nov 03, 2021 9:27 pm

Well, thanks very much for going to such trouble with suggestions! I eventually got the console back from 1066 Computers - I will never use them again, their attitude was unfriendly, fed up and grudging and they took a month to sort out the problems. All I could get out of them was that they had "updated my version of Windows 10" but, since Windows updates were what caused the problem in the first place, their response made no sense to me!

The PC is working alright but everything on there had been wiped - it took hours to re-install programs, emails, settings, browsers, shortcuts etc. etc. plus countless files and folders. My main concern is how to stop this happening again - twice in 6 months the PC was out of action for over a month. Apart from the drastic step of setting up a laptop as a back-up device (unconnected to the internet), surely this level of disruption should rarely happen?

Secondly, of course I need to sort out the broadband connection (I am now keeping a log - it went down again on Sunday for a while). The router is connected by ethernet cable, so my suspicions have always focused on the ageing BT infrastructure outside - the cables, street cabinet etc. It is difficult for me to argue with Sky as I can hardly hear a phone these days but, yes, I have heard good things about PlusNet and I might have someone who can come in and help me, so threatening to switch suppliers probably should be my first approach.

My old copy of Office 2010 has worked on the rebooted PC! So that should mean I can use it on a separate laptop, if I decide to go down that road.

Thanks UncleB. I'm not sure if you still want me to send a Private Message, but will do that anyway.

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seahermit
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Re: More Windows download problems!

Postby seahermit » Wed Aug 31, 2022 1:00 am

Thanks for that. Problems arising from Windows updates seem to be common - I know a couple of people, both very good with IT, who spent days sorting out the disruption and mess. Someone told me that often the updates have flaws etc. which mean they fit badly with older computers - so then, another load of updates follows, to put right the things which didn't work properly the first time ...

Sky were reluctant to do any checks at all on the connections outside my property (I am convinced that everything inside my home had been checked thoroughly). So, after countless problems, I cancelled Sky Broadband, switched to a laptop and opted for mobile broadband with EE - a third of the price, a good download allowance and (so far) a more or less perfect connection. The modern world relies upon good, fast internet (which they understand on the continent, not in the UK). Why the government does not operate strict controls and regulations over the industry is beyond me.


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