Topic Wiki

I figured that even this thread can have a wiki.
If your computer or phone is giving you issues:

• Please read this before posting: 4 Reasons Why IT People Ignore Your Requests for Help
• Restart the computer. Hopefully this will take care of any issues
• If your problem has not yet been solved, try to Google it. There may be a very simple solution
• On a Windows computer, a system restore may do the trick.
(This is a work in progress, please feel free to add whatever you may feel is helpful)


Please post whether or not the problem was fixed

Apple iPhone Master Thread
« Last edited by Thingywingy on May 07, 2019, 08:00:02 PM »

Author Topic: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread  (Read 977264 times)

Offline avromie7

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4640 on: December 29, 2017, 01:40:07 PM »
I need to transfer my Microsoft Office from my old laptop to my new one but it's not associated with my Microsoft account and I can't find the product key, is there any way to find it on the computer that Office is installed on? I bought it through that website posted here a while ago that had it for $30 but I can't find the email they sent with the product key.
If it's office 2013 or newer, there is no way to find the key on the computer, because the key is not stored on the computer.
I wonder what people who type "u" instead of "you" do with all their free time.

Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4641 on: December 29, 2017, 01:46:22 PM »
If it's office 2013 or newer, there is no way to find the key on the computer, because the key is not stored on the computer.
That's annoying, does anyone recall the name of that website that was selling them for $30? I can search my email for the product key.
"JS [is] a fetid cesspool of unvarnished linguistic manure, with lots of useless drivel and post-padding." -Moishebatchy

Offline DanH

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4642 on: December 30, 2017, 03:47:49 PM »
That's annoying, does anyone recall the name of that website that was selling them for $30? I can search my email for the product key.
They sell them on eBay for cheap.
You can try to backup and restore your office activation with 3rd party tools.  PM me.
For tech help feel free to Telegram me @DanTechSupp

Offline DanH

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4643 on: December 31, 2017, 08:02:53 AM »
Any recommendations for person/place to bring laptop for repair in Brooklyn??  (I think it's a case of a dead HDD)
For tech help feel free to Telegram me @DanTechSupp

Online stooges44

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4644 on: December 31, 2017, 11:27:11 AM »
Any recommendations for person/place to bring laptop for repair in Brooklyn??  (I think it's a case of a dead HDD)

http://www.technicaldifficulties.biz/
If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

Online etech0

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4645 on: January 03, 2018, 08:22:11 PM »
My Windows 10 desktop is set to display the screen saver after 3 minutes, and then require the password to log back in. Sometimes it works, but sometimes it doesn't; the screen saver never comes on, and the computer stays logged in. Any advice how to troubleshoot this?

TIA
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline David R

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4646 on: January 07, 2018, 12:12:07 AM »
That's annoying, does anyone recall the name of that website that was selling them for $30? I can search my email for the product key.
http://www.journeyed.com/item/Microsoft/Office/1608029
You can't find the full product key from the computer it is installed on, but you can get the last 5 characters. That might be helpful for searching your email.

Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4647 on: January 07, 2018, 12:29:38 AM »
http://www.journeyed.com/item/Microsoft/Office/1608029
You can't find the full product key from the computer it is installed on, but you can get the last 5 characters. That might be helpful for searching your email.
Thanks, that's really helpful!
"JS [is] a fetid cesspool of unvarnished linguistic manure, with lots of useless drivel and post-padding." -Moishebatchy

Online etech0

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4648 on: January 08, 2018, 10:37:00 AM »
I have a license for MS Office 2016 Standard, but my computer came with a free trial of another version (maybe Professional, I'm not sure how to check), so it's not letting me put in my license. Is there a way to switch versions without uninstalling and reinstalling?
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4649 on: January 08, 2018, 11:27:11 AM »
I have a license for MS Office 2016 Standard, but my computer came with a free trial of another version (maybe Professional, I'm not sure how to check), so it's not letting me put in my license. Is there a way to switch versions without uninstalling and reinstalling?
It probably comes with Office 365, and will need an uninstall reinstall.

Offline David R

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4650 on: January 08, 2018, 11:27:51 AM »
I have a license for MS Office 2016 Standard, but my computer came with a free trial of another version (maybe Professional, I'm not sure how to check), so it's not letting me put in my license. Is there a way to switch versions without uninstalling and reinstalling?
I think so. I chatted with Microsoft and they did a remote session with me for this type of issue a few days ago.

Online etech0

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4651 on: January 08, 2018, 11:28:54 AM »
It probably comes with Office 365, and will need an uninstall reinstall.
Thanks!
I think so. I chatted with Microsoft and they did a remote session with me for this type of issue a few days ago.
I'm chatting now and they can't help me since it's a commercial license, I have to uninstall and reinstall.
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline kayef

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4652 on: January 08, 2018, 01:44:30 PM »
I have a license for MS Office 2016 Standard, but my computer came with a free trial of another version (maybe Professional, I'm not sure how to check), so it's not letting me put in my license. Is there a way to switch versions without uninstalling and reinstalling?
You can try this
https://community.spiceworks.com/how_to/48973-remove-and-re-add-license-key-for-office-2013-on-office-365

It works on Office 2016

Online etech0

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4653 on: January 08, 2018, 01:57:31 PM »
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline David R

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4654 on: January 09, 2018, 03:55:57 AM »
You can try this
https://community.spiceworks.com/how_to/48973-remove-and-re-add-license-key-for-office-2013-on-office-365

It works on Office 2016
That's pretty much what Microsoft did during the remote session. But I think they had a command line for step 5 too.

Offline Boruch999

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4655 on: January 10, 2018, 07:53:26 AM »
Are there any free reliable ways to get a VPN? Thanks.
https://www.vpnmentor.com/blog/top-really-free-vpn-services/ Thoughts?

(I posted elsewhere, but IDK if anyone looks at that thread.)

I've acquired quite a bit of info on the topic lately.  PM me if you'r still looking.

Offline shoobi

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4656 on: January 10, 2018, 09:33:57 AM »
Are there any free reliable ways to get a VPN? Thanks.
https://www.vpnmentor.com/blog/top-really-free-vpn-services/ Thoughts?

(I posted elsewhere, but IDK if anyone looks at that thread.)

I was bored last night, so made my own VPN using these instructions:
https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/09/how-i-made-my-own-vpn-server-in-15-minutes/
https://github.com/trailofbits/algo

It works, is mostly free (only cost is the cloud provider), but a note of caution - to initially set it up you need Linux or Mac. I only have Windows so I used VirtualBox to install Linux Ubuntu and did it from there. Honestly most of the hassle was getting Linux set up.
Also note that I got an error that was fixed with this patch:
https://github.com/trailofbits/algo/issues/744#issuecomment-348698413

If you're up to the DIY approach  :D

Offline shoobi

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4657 on: January 10, 2018, 09:37:23 AM »
Also note that setting up the VPN clients is a bit of a hassle (I did the Android and Windows ones so far), and managing new users might need the Linux computer

Offline lubaby

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4658 on: January 10, 2018, 09:48:42 AM »
Also note that setting up the VPN clients is a bit of a hassle (I did the Android and Windows ones so far), and managing new users might need the Linux computer
You can use a cheap Raspberry Pi.

Offline Boruch999

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4659 on: January 10, 2018, 09:50:58 AM »
Windows 10 fully updated has a Linux Subsystem Terminal available.  I used it to do what you did.