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 977078 times)

Offline stooges44

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4580 on: November 26, 2017, 09:55:33 PM »
After 3 hours it is at preparing to install updates 94%

I feel your pain, been there many times.
If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

Offline David R

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4581 on: November 26, 2017, 10:37:06 PM »
Dell OptiPlex 7010. Time and date keep going wrong. The network it's connected to - the server is correct. Any ideas? Applications work.
Is it joined to that server's domain? What do you mean by "keep going wrong"? Is it sometimes right? Does it gradually drift away from the correct time? Does it go wrong when the computer remains on or only when the computer is turned off and then back on?

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4582 on: November 27, 2017, 10:27:33 PM »
Uninstalled both?

Ran Windows Update?
No go.
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline Mutty

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4583 on: November 28, 2017, 02:32:10 PM »
Is it joined to that server's domain? What do you mean by "keep going wrong"? Is it sometimes right? Does it gradually drift away from the correct time? Does it go wrong when the computer remains on or only when the computer is turned off and then back on?
It is conncted to a LAN. The server and other workstations are all fine regarding date/time. It's never right. When changed to the right date/time, it slowly moves but is basically always wrong. The computer is not shut off. Thanks for your input.
“You see things; you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?”

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4584 on: November 28, 2017, 03:40:37 PM »
Its a windows 7 machine. Didn't work
What didn't work? When you do synchronize does it report an error or that it is successfully synchronized?

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4585 on: November 28, 2017, 09:55:26 PM »
Is there a way to transfer microsoft office from one computer to another?

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4586 on: November 28, 2017, 10:02:27 PM »
Is there a way to transfer microsoft office from one computer to another?
Was it a normal retail license or a paid subscription? Do you still have the license?

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4587 on: November 28, 2017, 10:19:28 PM »
Was it a normal retail license or a paid subscription? Do you still have the license?

I don't remember how I installed it. Definitely paid for it, no idea if I have a license still.

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4588 on: November 28, 2017, 10:27:58 PM »
I don't remember how I installed it. Definitely paid for it, no idea if I have a license still.
If you don't remember anything then there's nothing to do. Who did you pay for?

Offline lubaby

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4589 on: November 28, 2017, 11:12:06 PM »
If you don't remember anything then there's nothing to do.
-1

Use Belarc Advisor to find the serial / license number on your computer, then enter it on the new computer. You might be prompted to call the Microsoft Activation Automated Service to complete the activation.

Offline David R

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4590 on: November 29, 2017, 06:55:04 AM »
I don't remember how I installed it. Definitely paid for it, no idea if I have a license still.
If it is a recent version registered with Microsoft, open up the Account page in one of the Office programs to see which account it is registered to. Then you can log in to office.com from the new computer using that account. From there you can deactivate the license on the old computer and install it on the new one.


-1

Use Belarc Advisor to find the serial / license number on your computer, then enter it on the new computer. You might be prompted to call the Microsoft Activation Automated Service to complete the activation.

Or Produkey from Nirsoft.

Offline David R

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4591 on: November 29, 2017, 08:21:54 AM »
It is conncted to a LAN. The server and other workstations are all fine regarding date/time. It's never right. When changed to the right date/time, it slowly moves but is basically always wrong. The computer is not shut off. Thanks for your input.
You did not answer if it is on the server's domain, which is not the same thing as being connected to the same LAN. I think if it were on the domain, it would get time updates from the server. If not, it gets time updates from NTP. To see if it is on a domain, press Windows-Pause. This brings up system information. Scroll down to the section "Computer name, domain and workgroup settings".

tried this?


Press “Windows+X” and click on “control panel”.
On the left hand side click on “clock, language and region”.
Click on “change time zone”.
And then click on the tab “internet time” and click on “change settings”.
Check the box “synchronize with an internet time server” and also select the option “time.windows.com” from the drop down and click on “ok” and check if the issue persists.
Its a windows 7 machine. Didn't work
So right click on the clock, choose from the menu "Adjust date/time", click "Internet time" tab, click "Change settings" button, make sure "Synchronize with an internet time server" is checked off, click the "Update now" button. Did that correct the time on your clock or give an error?

If it corrected the time, watch how long it takes until your clock starts to drift more than an acceptable amount away from the correct time. You can use something like https://www.time.gov/ to watch side by side. (Don't keep that web page open; instead, visit it again each time you want to check on your clock's accuracy.) If it takes less than a week for that to happen, there is probably a problem with your computer's real time clock (RTC). Some computers such as Dell have diagnostics that can find certain RTC problems. If there is a problem with the RTC, you can either change the motherboard or compensate for the drift by synchronizing the clock with NTP more often.

If you followed the previous paragraph, you watched how long it takes until your clock starts to drift more than an acceptable amount away from the correct time. Now figure out how many seconds that was. For example, if it took a day for your clock to drift more than an acceptable amount away from the correct time, that would be 86,400 seconds (24 hours times 60 minutes times 60 seconds).

To change the interval at which the clock synchronizes with the NTP server, open regedit and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient.
Double click on SpecialPollInterval and change it to Decimal. You probably see 604800, which is the number of seconds in a week. Enter a number lower than that, which is the number of seconds you decided on.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2017, 08:26:42 AM by David R »

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4592 on: November 29, 2017, 08:29:34 AM »
If it is a recent version registered with Microsoft, open up the Account page in one of the Office programs to see which account it is registered to. Then you can log in to office.com from the new computer using that account. From there you can deactivate the license on the old computer and install it on the new one.


Or Produkey from Nirsoft.
Or https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline Mutty

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4593 on: November 29, 2017, 10:15:16 AM »
You did not answer if it is on the server's domain, which is not the same thing as being connected to the same LAN. I think if it were on the domain, it would get time updates from the server. If not, it gets time updates from NTP. To see if it is on a domain, press Windows-Pause. This brings up system information. Scroll down to the section "Computer name, domain and workgroup settings".
So right click on the clock, choose from the menu "Adjust date/time", click "Internet time" tab, click "Change settings" button, make sure "Synchronize with an internet time server" is checked off, click the "Update now" button. Did that correct the time on your clock or give an error?

If it corrected the time, watch how long it takes until your clock starts to drift more than an acceptable amount away from the correct time. You can use something like https://www.time.gov/ to watch side by side. (Don't keep that web page open; instead, visit it again each time you want to check on your clock's accuracy.) If it takes less than a week for that to happen, there is probably a problem with your computer's real time clock (RTC). Some computers such as Dell have diagnostics that can find certain RTC problems. If there is a problem with the RTC, you can either change the motherboard or compensate for the drift by synchronizing the clock with NTP more often.

If you followed the previous paragraph, you watched how long it takes until your clock starts to drift more than an acceptable amount away from the correct time. Now figure out how many seconds that was. For example, if it took a day for your clock to drift more than an acceptable amount away from the correct time, that would be 86,400 seconds (24 hours times 60 minutes times 60 seconds).

To change the interval at which the clock synchronizes with the NTP server, open regedit and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient.
Double click on SpecialPollInterval and change it to Decimal. You probably see 604800, which is the number of seconds in a week. Enter a number lower than that, which is the number of seconds you decided on.
It's on our school domain but doesn't use the server time (which is correct) for some reason. Will try the above. Thanks.
“You see things; you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?”

Offline avromie7

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4594 on: November 29, 2017, 01:47:13 PM »
-1

Use Belarc Advisor to find the serial / license number on your computer, then enter it on the new computer. You might be prompted to call the Microsoft Activation Automated Service to complete the activation.
This does not work for 2013 or newer
I wonder what people who type "u" instead of "you" do with all their free time.

Offline DanH

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4595 on: November 29, 2017, 01:52:54 PM »
You can use something like this to backup activation of windows/office.
For tech help feel free to Telegram me @DanTechSupp

Offline lubaby

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4596 on: November 29, 2017, 02:02:00 PM »
This does not work for 2013 or newer
For that it should be attached to a Microsoft account, and he can:
If it is a recent version registered with Microsoft, open up the Account page in one of the Office programs to see which account it is registered to. Then you can log in to office.com from the new computer using that account. From there you can deactivate the license on the old computer and install it on the new one.

Offline David R

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4597 on: November 30, 2017, 01:54:15 AM »
It's on our school domain but doesn't use the server time (which is correct) for some reason. Will try the above. Thanks.
How will you try the above if it is on a domain? I only gave you something to try if it is not on a domain and therefore synchronizes via NTP.

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4598 on: November 30, 2017, 07:38:14 PM »
Does anybody know a way to connect a Google Home device to a public Xfinity wifi hotspot? Apparently you can't go through a captive portal when connecting the google home so Google told me to call Xfinity and have them add the Mac address to their whitelist, but when I called Xfinity they said they can't do that. Anyone have any advise?
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Offline lubaby

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #4599 on: November 30, 2017, 08:52:24 PM »
Does anybody know a way to connect a Google Home device to a public Xfinity wifi hotspot? Apparently you can't go through a captive portal when connecting the google home so Google told me to call Xfinity and have them add the Mac address to their whitelist, but when I called Xfinity they said they can't do that. Anyone have any advise?
So anyone on the xfinity wifi will be able to control your Google Home?