Help wanted: Computers

[Bri Roberts]

Sorted. 

I deleted my email account and then added it once again.

[Fester]

Interestingly (on the iPad subject), I had a couple of apps (1 game and one forum I use) that seem to continually gobble up massive amounts of storage.  Neither requires downloading any files, so it's a mystery as to why that happens.
But, if I delete the app and reinstall, it all gets cleared out and operates perfectly from then on.
It's just something I have to do every couple of months.

[mull]

Anyone know why Three Towns Forum is telling me the site is not secure ?
I usually go on Latests posts but can now only call up one post and it will not let me move on to the next one.

[Ian]

It's not Three Towns telling you: it's your browser. This has happened fairly recently with the advent of greater security options built into browsers and the trend towards everyone using https://.  In reality the site is as secure as it's ever been and the notification you're getting only applies if you were storing confidential information. Being a public forum that anyone can use, advice remains the same: be careful what you post, don't reveal personal information and never disclose your passwords.

Your password, incidentally, is encrypted, so even we can't locate it, but the database itself is plain text, so anyone feeling sufficiently masochistic could download it (if they had access, which only Dave and I have) and plough through the massive amounts of text therein.

You can override the browser by going to tools / settings or going into the preferences.  In short, I wouldn't worry about it.

[mull]

Why don't Windows etc leave things alone ?

Tried to send my email address this morning and unable to get an @.

unable to find were it has gone to but Mrs Mull found it.
Now comes up by pressing 2 upper case.

Any reason for this ?  Oh, now pound sign has gone ?

[squigglev2]

You've probably switched to another keyboard layout (probably US where shift 2 would give @ and shift 3 would give a #). There should be a setting to go back to a UK layout somewhere on your system.

[Hugo]

I've had some similar stuff going on on my laptop and it's really annoying but seems to sort itself out after a while.     I had windows 7 before and didn't want the upgrade to windows 10 but they still upgraded it against my wishes.
It has affected my pictures too and every time they update windows 10 I get some type of problem going on with the pictures and other things

[squigglev2]

I get what you are saying but keyboard layouts (if it is that) can get changed accidentally. I don’t know what version of Windows Mull is using or how he is set up but to use my computer as an example (Plasma 5, a popular desktop/graphical environment for Linux), you will usually have some setting dialog, in this case both a UK and a US layout are configured.

The second image is the right hand side of my task bar.  Set up like this, one simple click where it says “GB” would change over to “US” and the keyboard would behave differently.

Windows is likely to be similar but different, and possibly different from version to version...

[Michael]

  I thought I was reasonably techie but i give up. Around two weeks ago I bought myself a playstation4 to pass the time by with. So i started to set it up.
 i've got my .V., my modem, a Mac laptop and the playstation so off I go. Two weeks later I still haven't got anywhere. Nowhere.
    Ive read up all the instructions i could find on wikipedia, forums, advice centres, dear od google, but still not got there.
   The Mac is not easy to connect to because of the small ports, but Ive got Bluetooth and I'm well within range. Ive studied my t.v. manual from front to back. And I am baffled. all of the parts show signs of life but i still cannot get anything up to my t.v. screen.
   Does anybody know anyone local who knows anything on this subject. I admit defeat and would recoup anyone financially if they could point me in the direction of someone who knows what todo Mike

[Ian]

This should be an easy one, Mike.  Can you be more specific about the issues?  First off, why do you need a Mac Laptop? We have three PS4s in the family, and none needs a laptop.

If you're getting nothing at all, it could well be the HDMI lead.

The PS4 connects directly to the HDMI port of the TV. For the moment forget the Mac and concentrate on getting the PS4 connected to the TV.  Get a decent HDMI lead and plug one end into the TV and the other into the PS4. Switch the TV on first then the PS4 (tricky to find the 'on' button on the PS4). Wait a while until the PS4 tells you there are 'updates available' then start them and go off and have a cuppa  Or ten. These updates can take a while.

Let us know how you get on.

[Blongb]

Get a decent HDMI lead and plug one end into the TV and the other into the PS4.

From what I've read Ian all HDMI Leads are the same, there is no quality advantage in purchasing a more expensive one.

[Ian]

That's broadly true, but some of the very cheap ones have duff connectivity.

[mull]

Help please.

I have always been able to use Earth Scout, Street view to find places.
For some reason I can no longer get a picture of the location requested. The picture says it is for "Development Purposes Only".
Is there any way to get a proper picture back ?

[Hugo]

A strange thing happened on my computer last night as i turned it on.  The screen saver came on as normal then the picture starting fading and vertical lines came on the screen and the picture disappeared
I couldn't access anything but after about 20 seconds the screen saver came back on and I could gain entry to the computer.
The first thing I checked was the security system and that appeared to be ok but it started doing the same thing again and while the screen had the vertical lines across it I couldn't do anything on it but again the lines went, only to return a while later so when I was able to I switched off the machine

This morning the system is working ok with no problems so far, so it's a mystery as to what was going on last night with the computer

[rhuddlan]

I suspect there is an update due on your computer. This action won't do anything in itself, just click the windows button
on the bottom left hand corner and it will produce a little menu , one of the icons is an off switch (round with a little line at the top)
click on this and there should be options like switch off and update/restart and update  or something similar. Its up to you to do it and I recommend it even if it takes quite a time as it gives increased security.
If you want to be me more adventurous type" updates" in the search box next to the windows button and that will let the computer check for updates should you then  authorise it to do so.
I can see you little finger hovering!!!!