Computer not booting up properly

[seahermit]

Probably nothing wrong with the computer, it's a good one. Just the software and settings completely messed up!

I have managed to get internet about 30 per cent of the time today - connection repeatedly failing. Six days running. I emailed Sky - no response so far.

I wouldn't dream of buying a computer on E-bay for £100, unless I was an expert and could spot a bargain. Paying a bit more (and doing your research first) and buying from a safer source saves a lot of aggro afterwards.

Definitely decided to go for a different device for accessing internet - I should have done that before as a back-up solution. Devices are all so cheap these days that I might well try a tablet, as well as getting a laptop later to replace the desktop! It's a nuisance of course, but if my smartphone can be totally reliable for a year and connect to internet instantly, that shows it can be done ..

[Richard]

seahermit,

Are you saying that you can connect to the internet via your smartphone but not via your computer?
Presumably using the same broadband provider?

[seahermit]

My Samsung phone (which is excellent and which I am using now) is on the O2 network, on a rolling 30-day data bundle. It boots up quickly and connects to internet almost instantly.

My desktop PC is on Sky Broadband - which largely packed up a week ago and which anyway was very unreliable for a long time before then.

I would be a fool to not be looking at alternative ways of getting online! Yes, I could pay more for a fibre connection - but I shouldn't have to do that.

If Sky continue to not even reply to my emails, I may just cancel the Direct Debit. It's not advised and would put a black mark on my credit history - but I don't need a mortgage or a new credit card or a new car, so what does it matter?!

[seahermit]

Thankfully, the shops will start opening soon. I will go and look check out the portable devices. Could attach a keyboard to a tablet, although a laptop might be better for writing.

With things like this, I always want to physically see and handle the device first - what feels comfortable to use is just as important as the specification.

After ordering a dongle or a SIM, as far as I can tell you can get get connected online within just a few hours!

[Richard]

I think I see the problem :

In 2013 Telefonica (who own O2) sold the broadband arm of their business to Sky, so you can no longer get wired O2 broadband in your house.
O2 still offer mobile broadband, however.

All broadband providers seem to have 'outages' from time to time.

[UncleB]

Seahermit, when you experience the broadband outages, does your router flash red indicating that it has lost connection?
If it has, this indicates a phone line issue and your supplier should put a trace on the line to monitor the outages and get an engineer to fix them.

If the lights remain green on the router then it is either the port it is connected to or the WiFi transmitter on the router that is faulty or your computer - let us know if it has a WiFi card or cable connection to the computer.

Another way to test is disable mobile data on your phone, connect it to WiFi and see if you get the dropped connection at the same time as the PC.

Once we can narrow the cause(s) we can start to eliminate them.

[seahermit]

Richard, again I do appreciate your helpful comments and I am sorry to have taken up so much space on the forum over this! But it's the worst situation I have encountered since I began with computers and not something I was at all expecting.

I will do some tests tonight (the broadband connection is usually much worse or non-existent in the evenings). Good idea about the smartphone. I did go into the computer settings and the Wi-fi connection seemed to be ok - may not mean very much.

[Richard]

seahermit, it was UncleB not I who gave advice you thanked me for.

[seahermit]

There were helpful suggestions from several of you! For which I am very grateful.

The internet is working at the moment - which doesn't mean much, usally terrible in the evenings and the computer itself is still a mess.

But, fortified by an exotic dinner of Poison Grille avec Haricots a la tomate*, I will do some tests tonight. I am still going to look at the tablets and laptops next week - haven't even been able to deal with the Census or book a doctors' appointment. No internet.

* Translates very roughly as fish fingers with baked beans in tomato sauce ..

[seahermit]

Richard, you are quite right - it was UncleB who gave me that last bit of advice! Thanks to him of course.

Hopefully I am not going completely off my head, but it has been a depressing week or so and my mind has not been very focused ..