Ancient Geek-Computer myths and facts

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  • LatchKeyKidLatchKeyKid Shipmate
    edited April 2020
    Penny S.

    For quite a few versions of Android, having an SD card does not help with space for apps, as most cannot be installed on the SD card.

    My Moto G6 Play has 32Gb of main memory, and it is close to running out.
    I have a 200GB SD card which has a copy of a large part of my music library.

    If you did a backup of your phone to Google then you can selectively (i think) restore everything including WiFi logins and contacts without having to rebuild. I think SMS history may not be able to be restored.

  • @LatchKeyKid it also depends on your device. I also have a Moto G6 and (for some reason) Motorola won't let you move apps onto an external SD, just music and photos.
    However my previous phones (like LG G5 and LG G4) and our current Samsung Android tablet have no restrictions on also moving apps to the to SD card, except [ i think] for systems apps and any Google-based ones.
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    I have the option to put most apps on the card, but all the system stuff, McAfee and an office app all stay on the phone. Oddly, the office app escaped from the reset, which was useful as it has now disappeared from Play Store. I did have to go back and move things, as I had set the card as the default place for installation, and it had ignored me. But I have now deleted that little option, and moved the apps it misplaced.
    I'ver got most of the stuff back on, but it is still greyed out a lot when I first look at storage. It is working well enough that I don't get tempted by the smartphone for £39 on the shopping channel today! I am re-entering my kitchen inventory, having deleted it, since I hadn't been keeping up with it over the past few years.
    I noticed it was having problems when I tried my Virgin TV app, and my Panasonic TV app - turns out it wasn't my phone, it was the two companies fiddling with things while I wasn't looking, so they've gone.
  • balaambalaam Shipmate
    HELP! I can't see my old email accounts.

    New 'puter problem. I am trying to cut down on tech. So in order not to have to juggle an iPad3, android pad and PC laptop I have purchased what I hope will replace them all, and still supply my computing needs. Enter the shiny new Chromebook.

    The problem is that I have three email addresses, one for internet banking, one for online shopping and one for everything else. I can only see one of them on the new machine.

    I know I can read all three accounts on one device, both my android smartphone and the old laptop do this. My Google Account shows all three accounts. How do I read them on the Chromebook?
  • balaambalaam Shipmate
    The gmail account is no longer receiving updates on any computer.
  • MiliMili Shipmate
    Hi all. Like many others I have learnt to use Zoom during the pandemic. Originally I was just using it for bible study and catching up with family, but recently the tutoring club I volunteer for has gone online and is also using Zoom. Just before we started I saw a funny video about teaching online, where the teacher realised her video was mirror image, so the writing on her white board was backwards for her students. I checked my Zoom settings and realised mine was also mirror image and found the option to change it so now my student can see writing and stories the correct way around. I noticed I looked a little different than usual, but realised that is because I look at myself in the mirror more than I look at myself in photos.

    Tonight I was catching up with my parents on Zoom and went to put my hair behind my ear and reached for the wrong side of my face. I had to really think to reach for the correct side of my face and it felt like I was reaching for the wrong side. It really boggled my mind and made me feel disorientated.

    My question is have others had this experience (as we are used to doing our hair in a mirror) or could it be down to my terrible spatial skills?

    Due to some online research and tests I believe I may have some form of Developmental Topographical Disorientation https://psychology.wikia.org/wiki/Developmental_topographical_disorientation which affects my navigation skills, ability to make a cognitive map and to drive a car among other things. I don't get lost in my house, but do in familiar shopping centres and in my own neighbourhood if I take an unfamiliar route. However I usually don't have any trouble tucking my hair behind my ear based on spatial awareness even without a mirror , but looking at the non-mirrored screen confused me.

    It certainly felt really trippy! Is it just me??
  • Balasm are all three of your email accounts Gmail ones? Or others eg Yahoo or Hotmail or an ISP email account? How are you accessing the email on your Chromebook ...via Gmail or via ISP webmail or other? There are somany possible options, need to have some more specifics to advise you.
  • mousethiefmousethief Shipmate
    Are there any Access experts here? I have some questions but online help usually isn't very.
  • balaambalaam Shipmate
    Balasm are all three of your email accounts Gmail ones? Or others eg Yahoo or Hotmail or an ISP email account? How are you accessing the email on your Chromebook ...via Gmail or via ISP webmail or other? There are somany possible options, need to have some more specifics to advise you.

    One is Gmail. I can use that one after some fiddling, but this can no longer be reached from my smartphone, so it looks like it has been transferred rather than added.

    The other two are one from the ISP (the firstname.lastname@ispname.com address you get when you sign on), the other a Hotmail address. I cannot remember how to get to these.

    All three were available on my android smartphone, so I have done this before, but I have no idea how I did it, other than that it was simple.

    Google Account Help doesn't help.
  • Hotmail you should be able to reach through the online log in. Can you reach the others by that route? And set up links to the screen? I can log into my btinternet account via the account links, but also by logging into the bt.com account.
  • balaambalaam Shipmate
    What I'm looking for is to have all three inboxes in one place.
  • ECraigRECraigR Castaway
    Balaam, it sounds like you had all three inboxes in one place because the email apps on your old devices could handle having all three inboxes linked like that. I don't know if there's a similar program for a Chromebook, but you could try looking for some kind of app that allows for having multiple inboxes from different providers. Chromebooks are a little tricky since they mostly run by access to the internet and are proprietary to Google.
  • RicardusRicardus Shipmate
    Chromebooks are worse than Apple for wanting everything to be done through your Google account.

    The email icon at the bottom of the screen on a Chromebook is just a link to Gmail, viewed in a browser window.

    That said, Android apps work on Chromebook, so it should be possible to install the same app on your Chromebook that you had on your smartphone for handling email.
  • balaambalaam Shipmate
    ECraigR wrote: »
    Chromebooks are a little tricky since they mostly run by access to the internet and are proprietary to Google.

    So do android phones, I can have three inboxes shown together or separately on my phone, and the previous one.
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    I have an HP printer, all in one, scanner, copier, does photos from SD card, does wifi from computers. It has now decided it can't print black. I replaced the cartridge. Zilch. having a second new cartridge I used that as well, and again nothing. The user interface screen reported new cartridge to be a genuine HP, and to be full. But nothing prints. I've used the head cleaning and smear cleaning functions. From touching the ink feed on the cartridge I know the cartridges are OK. A printer that does not print black is useless.
    Any ideas - nothing in the manual? I'm thinking that I need a new printer! But they aren't selling them that use the same cartridges!
  • Lily PadLily Pad Shipmate
    Can you print a test page? Or can you print a copy of something in the scanner/copier section? Is there a newer driver available or could you go back to a previous one?
  • RicardusRicardus Shipmate
    balaam wrote: »
    ECraigR wrote: »
    Chromebooks are a little tricky since they mostly run by access to the internet and are proprietary to Google.

    So do android phones, I can have three inboxes shown together or separately on my phone, and the previous one.

    If you open the Play Store on your Chromebook and search for 'email', something similar should be available.
  • My last Epson printer did something similar, and yes I had spare ink cartridges. I couldn't work out how to fix it. Printers seem to have built-in obsolescence, I wonder if the drivers stop being updated to work with newer operating systems.

    (When we went through we had three non-functioning printers between me and my ex-student daughter, two Epson and an HP, which waited until I had to book a large rubbish collection. And all were stolen from outside leaving the bed and mattress (I got a refund). Someone thinks broken printers are worth having.)
  • BroJamesBroJames Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host
    Penny S wrote: »
    I have an HP printer, all in one, scanner, copier, does photos from SD card, does wifi from computers. It has now decided it can't print black. I replaced the cartridge. Zilch. having a second new cartridge I used that as well, and again nothing. The user interface screen reported new cartridge to be a genuine HP, and to be full. But nothing prints. I've used the head cleaning and smear cleaning functions. From touching the ink feed on the cartridge I know the cartridges are OK. A printer that does not print black is useless.
    Any ideas - nothing in the manual? I'm thinking that I need a new printer! But they aren't selling them that use the same cartridges!

    I had an all-in-one printer which did something similar because its waste ink collection tank was full. IIRC there was some kind of error message which I was eventually able to decipher. I did manage to remove and empty the tank, with some help from online information.

    Are you getting any error messages? Does a search using your printer model number bring up any suggestions?
  • RicardusRicardus Shipmate
    IME, HP drivers have a tendency to sulk and down tools without warning and for no discernible reason, but you can usually sort them out by downloading the latest drivers from the HP site, even if your computer thinks it's already using the latest drivers.
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    After discussion with my friendly local computer guy, I have used up a load of ink "cleaning" the print head. I have been on HP's site - it is a common problem but they have no information on how to deal with it with my model any more. Later models have removeable printheads which can be soaked in distilled water. Mine doesn't. I am now buying a ruinously expensive Epson with refillable tanks - which will cease to be expensive after a while. It will do automatic duplex printing and read SD cards, as well as, obviously, not having a single cartridge for all three colours.
    The buying of printers is now like buying toilet rolls. The less expensive ones have all sold out. Home schooling and emailed worksheets, it seems.
  • Lily PadLily Pad Shipmate
    I know it is a little late to tell you this, but instead of cleaning that way, I take the cartridge out and use a Q-tip with alcohol on it to clean the ink away. It has not failed me yet and I have an earlier model of the same HP that you are (were) using.
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    I had a look at the printhead, and the was nothing that looked cleanable with Q-tip. The cartridges were clean, being new. And the conversation with the tech guy about the nanometre size of the tubes involved made it obvious that cleaning them was going to be beyond me - but thanks. I may give it a go, anyway. Two working printers would be useful.
  • Penny S wrote: »
    I had a look at the printhead, and the was nothing that looked cleanable with Q-tip. The cartridges were clean, being new. And the conversation with the tech guy about the nanometre size of the tubes involved made it obvious that cleaning them was going to be beyond me - but thanks. I may give it a go, anyway. Two working printers would be useful.

    Nanometre? I think the tech guy was having you on. An atom or small molecule might be in the nanometre range. Inkjet nozzles are around 1/20th of a millimetre.
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    My use of the word after he talked of fractions of human hair.
    Have tried the Q-tip and alchohol, and nothing is making it through from the black cartridge. HP's site specifies the black as a problem in the FAQs, and I suspect it is because black is a pigment and the colours dyes.
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    edited May 2020
    I spent the best part of yesterday afternoon and the full supply of colour ink running the extreme printhead cleaner from the computer, to no effect, and then, today, when I had installed the Epson software, I gave it one last try, and the thing managed to print deep black as if it had never had a problem. And I have had to go quite a long way up the price range to get all the features I need, since all the less pricy printers are as sold out as toilet rolls.
  • blackbeardblackbeard Shipmate Posts: 14
    possibly an unfair question with not enough information, but here goes:
    I have a somewhat venerable computer (which still works OK and I have no intention of changing it); originally it ran Windows 7, now upgraded to Windows 10.
    With the current vogue for Zoom and allied programmes: would this support a video camera, so that I can be seen as well as see? or would this require a more modern computer?
    I can't see any input socket on the computer which carries any indication that it's intended for a camera, but possibly the usual flat socket might work - or am I being too optimistic?

    (not too vital as my tablet works fine)
  • ArethosemyfeetArethosemyfeet Shipmate
    edited May 2020
    blackbeard wrote: »
    possibly an unfair question with not enough information, but here goes:
    I have a somewhat venerable computer (which still works OK and I have no intention of changing it); originally it ran Windows 7, now upgraded to Windows 10.
    With the current vogue for Zoom and allied programmes: would this support a video camera, so that I can be seen as well as see? or would this require a more modern computer?
    I can't see any input socket on the computer which carries any indication that it's intended for a camera, but possibly the usual flat socket might work - or am I being too optimistic?

    (not too vital as my tablet works fine)

    If it can run Windows 10 it can run a camera (the limiting factor on video calling is internet bandwidth rather than computing power). Stick it in the USB port (that's the one that will take your tablet charging cable) and it should be fine. Whether or not you can get one right now is another matter.
  • MiffyMiffy Shipmate
    Another one here who’s been suffering from the HP all in one curse. I’ve been without a decently functioning colour printer for oh, at least three years probably more , since the wretched thing began insisting, after several years trouble-free existence, that my cartridges weren’t genuine HPs. (They were genuine) I tried various workarounds and managed to get it to operate in single cartridge mode for a while, until it twigged.

    Result, I print black and white off my good old had it for a thousand years black and white printer, and do the occasional grotty colour quality one off Mr M’s secondhand Samsung. Basically, I don’t print much.

    I’ve investigated getting a new printer, but all of them seem to require use of an OS incompatible with my ancient been on life support for years laptop.



  • Miffy wrote: »
    Another one here who’s been suffering from the HP all in one curse. I’ve been without a decently functioning colour printer for oh, at least three years probably more , since the wretched thing began insisting, after several years trouble-free existence, that my cartridges weren’t genuine HPs. (They were genuine) I tried various workarounds and managed to get it to operate in single cartridge mode for a while, until it twigged.

    Result, I print black and white off my good old had it for a thousand years black and white printer, and do the occasional grotty colour quality one off Mr M’s secondhand Samsung. Basically, I don’t print much.

    I’ve investigated getting a new printer, but all of them seem to require use of an OS incompatible with my ancient been on life support for years laptop.



    One thing here is to look for commercial rather than domestic models as business users tend to update OSes less readily and often have to keep superannuated machines chugging along for specialist purposes. I find Brother to be pretty good and the colour laser MFD we bought from them has been chugging along pretty well for about 7 years now.
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    blackbeard wrote: »
    possibly an unfair question with not enough information, but here goes:
    I have a somewhat venerable computer (which still works OK and I have no intention of changing it); originally it ran Windows 7, now upgraded to Windows 10.
    With the current vogue for Zoom and allied programmes: would this support a video camera, so that I can be seen as well as see? or would this require a more modern computer?
    I can't see any input socket on the computer which carries any indication that it's intended for a camera, but possibly the usual flat socket might work - or am I being too optimistic?

    (not too vital as my tablet works fine)

    The "flat socket" is USB which nearly everything uses to connect.

    Should (usual caveats apply) be fine.
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    My new Epson is compatible with XP - I have run the test page from that computer. It's a model with tanks not cartridges. But not cheap. Until you factor in the cost of frequent new cartridges. I haven't tried photos with it yet.
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    I have printed out a nice picture of a teddy wearing scrubs with a stethoscope round its neck to put in the window, from upstairs, via wifi.
  • RicardusRicardus Shipmate
    Miffy wrote: »

    I’ve investigated getting a new printer, but all of them seem to require use of an OS incompatible with my ancient been on life support for years laptop.

    You could try a printer that is "Google Cloud Print ready". Instead of printing the document from your laptop, upload it to Google Cloud, and then tell Google Cloud to print. The printer will talk to Google Cloud instead of your laptop.
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    I've had an update to my Win7, and a rude message from Microsoft telling me to get a new computer. If they buy it for me.
  • MiffyMiffy Shipmate
    What a cheek!
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    edited May 2020
    Penny S wrote: »
    I've had an update to my Win7, and a rude message from Microsoft telling me to get a new computer. If they buy it for me.

    If you download W10 onto USB using the W10 Media Creation Tool you can upgrade for free still. W7 is no longer supported so won't get security updates.

    The only supported MS OSes now are 10 and 8.1.
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    It wasn't the upgrading, it was the get a new computer I didn't like. I'll have a go at the download. How much space does it need? I have a variety of USBs.
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    That's just marketing. It will run a lot better on new hardware, of course, but one can only do what one can do.

    https://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-how-you-can-still-get-a-free-windows-10-upgrade/

    I believe 4GB is the minimum size for the USB drive.

    Back up all your data first. You will be doing a clean install of w10 so will need to reinstall everything afterwards.
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    Thank you. I've got something that will have enough space. Most of the data is elsewhere anyway, won't take long to do the back up.
  • BroJamesBroJames Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host
    We're thinking of trying to increase the face to face element of our Zoom church services, and wondering about using closed captioning to print things like prayers said together and responses. We feel that at the moment people are too often just looking at a window of text.

    None of us is good enough to type it live, and copying and pasting from (say) a Word document feels both clunky and vulnerable to error.

    Is it possible, does anyone know, to set up a file in advance with the relevant text in it, and then to add the lines of text as they are needed?

    We don't need, and can't afford, a full-blown closed captioning service.
  • ArethosemyfeetArethosemyfeet Shipmate
    edited May 2020

    EDIT: nevermind; re-read.
  • I'm tasked with building a new website (or arranging for it to happen!) for a partnership group. We currently have a basic one built on Moonfruit, and although it is an html 5 site the building tools use Adobe Flash which is going out of use, and Moonfruit isn't what it used to be by way of widget availability.

    We're looking at using WordPress, but I don't know anything about it. We need to have all the site and content management tools purely online so that more than one of us can edit it, and I'm told that that's true of WP, but whenever I look at WP it says 'download WP now.' That would indicate that only I could edit it, which is not what we need! Can anyone please shed any light on this?

    Second question: Hosting. Do WP host the site for a reasonable fee in the way that Moonfruit does?

    Thanks in advance! I'm glad this thread is here :smiley:
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    I have a get started with wordpress book, and while it is possible to have a free site, I definitely got the impression that all the work has to be done on the same computer as the one which started it. Which is why the book is out of the way somewhere.
  • Thank you - that is a problem!
  • RicardusRicardus Shipmate
    It's certainly possible to edit a WP site online because I've done it.

    The complicating factor is likely to be the domain name. From memory, if your domain name came as part of a package with Moonfruit, you can't just port it directly to WP, but have to go via a registrar such as Namecheap.
  • Thank you - we'd be looking at a slightly updated domain name and most of our current online presence is on Twitter so that wouldn't be too much of an issue.
  • LatchKeyKidLatchKeyKid Shipmate
    edited May 2020
    KarlLB wrote: »
    That's just marketing. It will run a lot better on new hardware, of course, but one can only do what one can do.

    https://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-how-you-can-still-get-a-free-windows-10-upgrade/

    I believe 4GB is the minimum size for the USB drive.

    Back up all your data first. You will be doing a clean install of w10 so will need to reinstall everything afterwards.

    My laptops are about 10 years old. Some of them came with 32bit W7 even though they are 64bit macines &CPUs. I think this was so they could be sold more cheaply with only 2Gb Ram. I have upgraded them to 4Gb Ram (one to 8gb). To install 64bit W10 you need to have the Product Id of W7 as you cannot simply upgrade from 32bit to 64bit. I used a utility to reveal that (and also the MsOffice product Id).
    Then I did a clean install of W10 and reinstalled MsOffice activated by using the Product Ids obtained before.

    The Dell D630 and HP6735c work much better, but the Toshiba Satellite C650 does seem to be much better, even with 8Gb ram.
  • Golden KeyGolden Key Shipmate
    Penny--

    Just FYI: Win10 can take some getting used to. A couple years back, I went from Vista to Win10. (Old computer died, and could only find a new one with Win10.) I'd heard lots of complaints about it.

    IME: Many changes, and I would've preferred to keep Vista. While there are things I'm still figuring out, or have had to work out (like pretty much shutting down the Cortana AI), there are some things I like. Night Light and Focus Assist are what come to mind right now, but there are others.

    Figure it's better to know and be prepared for changes, than a rude surprise when you first use it.

    Good luck! :)
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