Sunday, February 18, 2007

computers are so confusing

I have mentioned before that, during the recent cold snap, Cliff has used the notebook computer a few times.  I practically have to force him to light it off, but once he starts, he enjoys himself there in the comfort of his Lazy-Boy recliner.

Yesterday evening I talked him into trying a little surfing.  He was cruising around the Honda website trying to build himself a motorcycle when he began having problems ("The back arrow won't work," he said).  While I was trying to help him get to the bottom of this, our daughter, Rachel, came for a visit.

What we discovered was that every time Cliff would click on any link, a new browser was opening.  Which meant he had about 20 browsers open at one time, when I went to his side.

Let me mention here that if anything like this is going to happen, it will happen while Cliff is using the computer.  Which evokes a few remarks about "this %$*&@ thing" and discourages him from messing with it again.  That's a shame, because there's so much potential for enjoyment.

I use Firefox browser on both of our computers.  Usually if something isn't working on Firefox, I try it out on Internet Explorer.  That was my next step.

Same thing happened.  On Yesterday's Tractors, a website Cliff and I are very familiar with, every clicked link was opening a new browser.  Even with Internet Explorer.

Rachel said it had to be a computer setting of some sort, and called one of her tech guys where she works.  He recalled someone having a similar problem, but couldn't remember the cause, offhand.

We gave up and shut down the laptop.  Rachel, of course, with her typical bulldog tenacity, told me in no uncertain terms NOT to take it to any shop until she could talk to another guy at work.

I got up at my usual 4 AM this morning, sat down at my desktop, and began puzzling on the problem once again.  I remembered in the past how computer problems had occasionally gone away with a reboot. 

Sure enough, I got on the notebook computer and logged on to both mine and Cliff's accounts to try things out.  The browser  worked like it's supposed to, with no new browsers appearing.

The computer gremlins have struck again.



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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

The gremlins struck my house yesterday too.  My computer in the office crashed.  I'm using my lalptop now which has no business information on it.  Monday will not be fun.

Anonymous said...

You're welcome.  Glad I could help.

Anonymous said...

For sure AOL has some gremlins, More often than not lately it wont let me enter a new entry and I use internet explore to AOL Hometown in order to make a new entry instead of AOL software.  I did see where alot of others are having the same problem.  The NEW ENTRY button comes and goes ... 'On Ya' - ma

Anonymous said...

Computers -- the joy and the bane of Internet exploring!

Anonymous said...

They can drive you up the wall, sometimes.... but, so worth it, in the end!  I feel lost without my computer, and, I guess some would say that's a shame, but I don't care.  It's my window to the world, and I prefer to leave it open, because I love all the information that comes flooding in! :)

Glad that it's working again!  Sometimes, all it takes is a one good reboot in the rearend! lol

Hugs
jackie

Anonymous said...

Glad that you got it to working right again. Helen

Anonymous said...

If you've had your computer/laptop on for an extended amount of time and something starts to act up it is often because you've fragmented your memory(RAM) and their isn't enough to do the action, or it reads the action wrong... That's why rebooting often helps... It clears the memory (RAM) and let's you start over!
http://journals.aol.com/astaryth/AdventuresofanEclecticMind/
http://adventuresofaneclecticmind.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Luckily rebooting does solve a lot of issues! Good call :)

xoxo

Anonymous said...

Doesn't it make you feel good when you reboot and everything is fine?. You sure have good will power if you can put that chocolate cake in the freezer and forget about it. Paula

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad it's fixed. I hope Cliff doesn't give up on it!
Pam

Anonymous said...

Like you I find it best to shut down....then reboot after a while....and it works...hope this doesn't discourage Cliff...tell him it happens to us all from time to time....and to just shut down and find something else to do for a little while...Hugs...Ora
PS...usually it is me with a few x.vmgl#%@^ words LOL...I let Mixon handle it all LOLOL....he is much more patient than I will ever be!!!!

Anonymous said...

LOL I think your Cliff and my husband approach computers in about the same manner.  I am laughing so hard I could fall off this chair.  I wonder if they will ever find that little red x box to click on.... Hugs,
Lisa