Plugging in...
Although this tale of almost woe is about an iPhone, the moral of the story applies to most portable electronics.
Saturday night and the dinner was fine. Upon strolling back to the car, a familiar site stared up at the Tutor from the sidewalk. A homeless iPhone, uninjured, but alone, and frightened, begging for a place to call home. Not just any pocket, but preferably the one it fell out of.
We've all seen iPhones, if we don't own one of the millions out there. Many look similar, especially when powered off. And therein lies the lesson. MANY LOOK THE SAME and have no visible or easily identifiable way of contacting the rightful owner. It isn't a question of IF this will happen to you, it's a question of WHEN. And will your iPhone be prepared so that a good samaritan can quickly and easily locate you?
This phone was more the norm. No visible ID on the exterior, not passwrod protected, no "IF FOUND CONTACT" information; no personal contact information in the Contacts list and no ICE (In Case of Emergency) contacts in the Contacts list. Now the Tutor had to get a bit personal, looking at the email account settings for the email name, hoping that it wasn't a fun, interesting email name, but a name that one could associate an address or telephone number with. The email address looked like a legitimate name of a person who owned a business. Searched the Contacts list for others with the same last name. And the quest to re-unite began:
The Tutor sent an email to the phone owner as most who have phones also have computers they can check their email from. Copied that same email to the names in the Contact list that had the same last names as the owner. They should be relatives, you think? Called one of the same last name Contacts and spoke to the owner's aunt, in Florida, who said she would contact the owner and have him call his phone. Found a Facebook page for the suspected owner and sent a personal Facebook message to him, indicating that the Tutor had his iPhone, and that it was resting comfortably, not overly concerned anymore, since the sidewalk was no longer "home".
At 5:30am the following morning, the iPhone rang and rang. The Tutor did not sleep with the iPhone nearby and it was disturbing to be called at 5:30am on a Sunday morning. Turns out, it wasn't a phone call... it was the phone's daily alarm. Appears the owner is an early-bird. Note to phone finders: check the clock/alarm and turn it off. Several hours later, the phone rang again, and it was the owner calling. A plan to reunite was contracted. Fortunately, the phone owner was geograhpically local to the phone finder. The iPhone was nearly as thrilled as the owner when they were re-united.
The Tutor prepared several pages of suggested identification strategies that were given to the iPhone owner along with the iPhone. Any bets on the implementation of one or all of the strategies?? How many good samaritans would have spent the time to find the rightful owner?
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is it LABELED, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013
"Touching" the Monitor
Plugging in...
Who knew that plugging a new, touch monitor into a power source could be so "touchy" - every pun intended.
Some of the new computer monitors no longer have retractable on/off buttons, or rocker style on/off switches. The ON button is no longer a button, but a graphic of an on/off button that one lightly touches with a finger and presumably that is all it takes to ignite the monitor to full on power.
Having worked with monitors for many years, the premise is simple: attach the cable from the monitor to the computer, attach the three-prong power cord from the computer to the power source (usually a power strip or a surge protected power strip), make sure the computer is on, press the power button to turn on the monitor. Yet, it was not so simple for this one client, with two monitors.
A new monitor, a new desktop computer, a new power strip. Power to the strip, check; everything plugged in, check; electricity on in house, check. Monitor on? Nope. Touch on button, nothing. Press lightly, hold, check power cords, take plastic panel with power button graphic off, use various implements to press power source. Nada. Call vendor, return monitor, get replacement monitor. Vendor claimed the monitor worked fine when returned, no problem with the "touch" mechanism. The vendor sent a replacement monitor. And we repeated the sequence: power to the strip, check; everything plugged in, check; electricity on in house, check. Monitor on? Nope. Touch on button, nothing. Press lightly, hold, check power cords. Another nada. Call vendor again. They slowly, and politely begin to explain no "pressing" is necessary (yes, we know, and no, we are not under-educated in touch technology).
The Tutor decides to try one more thing. Instead of plugging the monitor into the brand new, working power strip, the monitor is plugged directly into the electrical outlet. Voila - the touch mechanism works perfectly. The Tutor tries the power strip again (it is new, and everything else plugged into the strip powers on), no power to the monitor.
It appears that this monitor draws a tremendous amount of power, so much so, that the power strip was unable to accommodate the load required for the 21" monitor. Please tell us, dear vendor, where in the documentation for the monitor does it stipulate that a power strip MAY not be able to provide ample power to the monitor? One simple sentence is all we ask.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, did you try an outlet instead of a power strip, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Who knew that plugging a new, touch monitor into a power source could be so "touchy" - every pun intended.
Some of the new computer monitors no longer have retractable on/off buttons, or rocker style on/off switches. The ON button is no longer a button, but a graphic of an on/off button that one lightly touches with a finger and presumably that is all it takes to ignite the monitor to full on power.
Having worked with monitors for many years, the premise is simple: attach the cable from the monitor to the computer, attach the three-prong power cord from the computer to the power source (usually a power strip or a surge protected power strip), make sure the computer is on, press the power button to turn on the monitor. Yet, it was not so simple for this one client, with two monitors.
A new monitor, a new desktop computer, a new power strip. Power to the strip, check; everything plugged in, check; electricity on in house, check. Monitor on? Nope. Touch on button, nothing. Press lightly, hold, check power cords, take plastic panel with power button graphic off, use various implements to press power source. Nada. Call vendor, return monitor, get replacement monitor. Vendor claimed the monitor worked fine when returned, no problem with the "touch" mechanism. The vendor sent a replacement monitor. And we repeated the sequence: power to the strip, check; everything plugged in, check; electricity on in house, check. Monitor on? Nope. Touch on button, nothing. Press lightly, hold, check power cords. Another nada. Call vendor again. They slowly, and politely begin to explain no "pressing" is necessary (yes, we know, and no, we are not under-educated in touch technology).
The Tutor decides to try one more thing. Instead of plugging the monitor into the brand new, working power strip, the monitor is plugged directly into the electrical outlet. Voila - the touch mechanism works perfectly. The Tutor tries the power strip again (it is new, and everything else plugged into the strip powers on), no power to the monitor.
It appears that this monitor draws a tremendous amount of power, so much so, that the power strip was unable to accommodate the load required for the 21" monitor. Please tell us, dear vendor, where in the documentation for the monitor does it stipulate that a power strip MAY not be able to provide ample power to the monitor? One simple sentence is all we ask.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, did you try an outlet instead of a power strip, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Friday, October 12, 2012
FBI: Ransomware Demands Money
Plugging in...
A law-abiding client of the Tutor's had their laptop infected by what is formally known as the Reveton virus. This locked the computer and carried a fake message purportedly from the FBI requesting a $200.00 payment to unlock the computer. The software installed itself when the user clicked on a compromised website. Not that the user could tell visibly that anything was wrong with the website, which made it all the more frustrating.
This client had antivirus/anti-malware software on the computer and it was up-to-date. Just because one gets the flu shot though, doesn't mean the flu can't still "get in", right? When a newly written piece of malware hits the streets from the "bad guys", the protection that our computers use, doesn't have the ability to detect the new strain of malware until someone reports it one time - then all the antidotes are created and sent to users through antivirus/anti-malware definition updates.
The user deduced it was a scam, but that didn't make the problem go away or the computer usable. This malware was very well written. Meaning, it had disabled any and all software avenues (sometimes known as backdoors) to bypass the malware, remove the malware, access the internet, install any software, etc, etc, etc. A fine piece of malicious programming. THEY should be working for Homeland Security, the good guys!
The Tutor called in all levels of knowledge and resources, right down to the DOS level and had but one recourse: return the laptop to factory condition using the recovery area that this laptop had internally - the only area of the laptop the malware didn't affect.
It took several hours to return the laptop to factory status, followed by re-installing purchased software, printer drivers and backed up files.
Users may file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center where updates about the Reveton virus can be found. They provide a method for reporting the crime, but not how to remove it. Their suggestion? Call in a professional (like The Computor Tutor). Thank you, Internet Crime Complaint Center, for the referrals.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is it a SCAM, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
A law-abiding client of the Tutor's had their laptop infected by what is formally known as the Reveton virus. This locked the computer and carried a fake message purportedly from the FBI requesting a $200.00 payment to unlock the computer. The software installed itself when the user clicked on a compromised website. Not that the user could tell visibly that anything was wrong with the website, which made it all the more frustrating.
This client had antivirus/anti-malware software on the computer and it was up-to-date. Just because one gets the flu shot though, doesn't mean the flu can't still "get in", right? When a newly written piece of malware hits the streets from the "bad guys", the protection that our computers use, doesn't have the ability to detect the new strain of malware until someone reports it one time - then all the antidotes are created and sent to users through antivirus/anti-malware definition updates.
The user deduced it was a scam, but that didn't make the problem go away or the computer usable. This malware was very well written. Meaning, it had disabled any and all software avenues (sometimes known as backdoors) to bypass the malware, remove the malware, access the internet, install any software, etc, etc, etc. A fine piece of malicious programming. THEY should be working for Homeland Security, the good guys!
The Tutor called in all levels of knowledge and resources, right down to the DOS level and had but one recourse: return the laptop to factory condition using the recovery area that this laptop had internally - the only area of the laptop the malware didn't affect.
It took several hours to return the laptop to factory status, followed by re-installing purchased software, printer drivers and backed up files.
Users may file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center where updates about the Reveton virus can be found. They provide a method for reporting the crime, but not how to remove it. Their suggestion? Call in a professional (like The Computor Tutor). Thank you, Internet Crime Complaint Center, for the referrals.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is it a SCAM, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
A Simple Office 2010 Upgrade - NOT!
Plugging in...
How's this for an error message, and it arrived at the END of the upgrading process, not the beginning:
so much time was already spent, and the cycle of frustration began for the Tutor's client. How to remove or repair the Office 2003 product? The client tried installing Office 2010 again, same message, more time spent, then made a plea for the Tutor's assistance.
Microsoft was forthcoming with this message on their website: "Office 2010 setup may fail when upgrading from Office 2003 if the Office 2003 Local Installation Source (LIS) is corrupt." Huh? The long story short: when Office 2003 was installed, at the end of the installation there was a question - do you want to delete the installation files? It's like throwing away the box, after you've unpacked something. Clearly, that choice was a YES, delete the installation files, and shouldn't have caused a ruckus. But, on some computers, this became a problem when the unsuspecting computer owner bought the Office 2010 product and proceeded to do what should have been a routine upgrade.
The solution was to download a file named LISTOOL.EXE, which cleared up the error, which then allowed for the successful installation of the Office 2010 product. Microsoft's response: Office 2003 presents a unique challenge when upgrading to Office 2010. Fortunately, the projected scope of affected computers is small. How does that make the computer owner feel any better?
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
How's this for an error message, and it arrived at the END of the upgrading process, not the beginning:
so much time was already spent, and the cycle of frustration began for the Tutor's client. How to remove or repair the Office 2003 product? The client tried installing Office 2010 again, same message, more time spent, then made a plea for the Tutor's assistance.
Microsoft was forthcoming with this message on their website: "Office 2010 setup may fail when upgrading from Office 2003 if the Office 2003 Local Installation Source (LIS) is corrupt." Huh? The long story short: when Office 2003 was installed, at the end of the installation there was a question - do you want to delete the installation files? It's like throwing away the box, after you've unpacked something. Clearly, that choice was a YES, delete the installation files, and shouldn't have caused a ruckus. But, on some computers, this became a problem when the unsuspecting computer owner bought the Office 2010 product and proceeded to do what should have been a routine upgrade.
The solution was to download a file named LISTOOL.EXE, which cleared up the error, which then allowed for the successful installation of the Office 2010 product. Microsoft's response: Office 2003 presents a unique challenge when upgrading to Office 2010. Fortunately, the projected scope of affected computers is small. How does that make the computer owner feel any better?
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
One of Those Days
Plugging in...
I'm sure the reader has had "one of those technology days". Want to read about the Tutor's?
It all began with downloading, saving, and attempting to print some PDF (portable document format) documents. Opting for the electronic version of some financial papers, not knowing how large they were, proved to be the downfall that led to "one of those days".
The Tutor's fabulous HP 4050T Laserjet printer with 8 mebagbytes of memory could not handle some of the PDFs - a simple error message: insufficient memory. Huh? With 8 meg of memory, this is the first time in over 12 years on this printer that the Tutor received this message.
Tutor's not totally frustrated yet. There is another printer in the office, an inkjet. Oh yes, the ink cartridges needed replacing, and thankfully, 4 new ones arrived yesterday from Inkfarm.com. So, five more minutes to unpack the ink cartridges (you ink jet readers know the hermetically sealed packaging can be challenging). Once again praying to the Technology powers-that-be, clicked the PRINT button for the inkjet... and it too fell short of printing the lengthy PDFs. The first 4 pages of document one print, and then nothing. And the Tutor does mean nothing. No printing, no error, no canceling the print job, NADA!
Frustration is here, head is now in a point. Computer and both printers must be shut down completely to re-set and purge the faulty data streams. A few more minutes pass... and the Tutor is back up and about to try changing a few printer settings: changed the resolution, changed the memory usage, changed to black ink on the inkjet, tried 1 of 3 HP alternate printer drivers. And one final change: tried to print a different PDF document from same company. Partial success, several pages printed on the HP Laserjet, nothing on the inkjet. Partial in this case, was still a bust.
Results are in: the US Postal Service wins after wasting time, and too much paper. The documents are in now in the mail to the Tutor but the Tutor's head is STILL in a point! And I know the documents will be here in the morning, with nary a pointed head in sight.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is there an ALTERNATIVE method available before head juts into point, and is it turned on?
PS It is rumored that some clients LIKE to see the TUTOR sweat...
Unplugged
iPad, ePub, iTunes, eBooks
Plugging in...
What a title, just to write about one method of using an iPad to borrow books from the library. I have to say... using a library card is still simpler. But let the reader be the judge of that!.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, have you TAPPED correctly, and is it turned on?
What a title, just to write about one method of using an iPad to borrow books from the library. I have to say... using a library card is still simpler. But let the reader be the judge of that!.
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| Distributed by the Danvers Peabody Institute Library |
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, have you TAPPED correctly, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Running Around the Office
Plugging in...
A recent Microsoft Office 2010 installation proved to be an exercise in skill and imagination. One would think Microsoft had this installation nailed, after so many previous versions of Office. Here's what happened: the Office 2010 installation failed due to lack of space on the intended laptop hard drive. OK, so what happened to checking for space BEFORE the installation begins? Anyway, the failed installation claimed it "rolled back" whatever changes it made.
After a short but thorough hard drive cleanup to achieve more free space, the installation appeared to proceed about 75% of the way, until the dreaded error message: error 1311, source file not found on E:\sku111.cab. Hmm.
The Tutor scoured the installation CD for this file, and true enough, it did NOT exist on the CD. So where and why was it asking for this file? After much thinking, internet searching, and trying other installation ideas, a tiny light bulb went off in the back of the Tutor's head. The laptop had Microsoft Office 2003 installed on it. Could it be that the missing file was the on the Microsoft Office 2003 installation disk? BINGO. Once the Microsoft Office 2003 CD was inserted when the error message occurred looking for the sku111.cab file, the installation proceeded without a hitch. The original Microsoft Office 2010 CD was not inserted again during the installation. Why Microsoft, why?
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
A recent Microsoft Office 2010 installation proved to be an exercise in skill and imagination. One would think Microsoft had this installation nailed, after so many previous versions of Office. Here's what happened: the Office 2010 installation failed due to lack of space on the intended laptop hard drive. OK, so what happened to checking for space BEFORE the installation begins? Anyway, the failed installation claimed it "rolled back" whatever changes it made.
After a short but thorough hard drive cleanup to achieve more free space, the installation appeared to proceed about 75% of the way, until the dreaded error message: error 1311, source file not found on E:\sku111.cab. Hmm.
The Tutor scoured the installation CD for this file, and true enough, it did NOT exist on the CD. So where and why was it asking for this file? After much thinking, internet searching, and trying other installation ideas, a tiny light bulb went off in the back of the Tutor's head. The laptop had Microsoft Office 2003 installed on it. Could it be that the missing file was the on the Microsoft Office 2003 installation disk? BINGO. Once the Microsoft Office 2003 CD was inserted when the error message occurred looking for the sku111.cab file, the installation proceeded without a hitch. The original Microsoft Office 2010 CD was not inserted again during the installation. Why Microsoft, why?
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
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