Biggest "Tech Headache"

[AdrianKH]

What's your biggest tech related headache? What causes you to bang your head against your keyboard in frustration? What makes you tear out your hair? Share your biggest tech headaches here - we might be able to help!

[caroline88]

Hi Adrian,

My biggest headache is the wrong keyboard. I have hooked up my pc's keyboard to the laptop. My desktop is too big a headache for me to handle, I am going to take it to a repair shop within the next few weeks.

But I learned that my laptop is a lot handier with a real mouse (MS Intellimouse), a real keyboard (HP Internet keyboard, model 5308) and a real monitor (HP Pavilion mx70). I have now disconnected the monitor because this was costing a lot of battery and the resolution on the laptop screen is much better. Though the colours in that computer game were better on the separate monitor. But I think it is all a driver issue.

So I have 2 different keyboards and 2 different monitors. The laptop has the @ above the two, the separate keyboard has the " above the two. At least that is printed on the keys. If I want to know what keys to type, I will have to look at the laptop keyboard because that is the layout that it is expecting.
I can type on either one, except that the numlock on the "added" keyboard is affecting the laptop keyboard also. It is a lot easier than using the numlock on the laptop keyboard though.

Is there a way to install the right keyboard driver, without driving my laptop bananas? Obviously, when I use it outdoors, I would be using the laptop's own keyboard. At least I learned my lesson: only buy a keyboard with the @ in the right place or you are in for major frustration.

Caroline

[Brad_W]

For me it has been the competitive environment which has caused so many inconsistencies, confusion, and slowed progress. From working in the technology industry for several years, this has been nothing new. As we see alot of new innovations becoming more and more a part of people's lives it is becoming more apparrent mostly in media formats. For example, HD DVD is a great technology but we have this battle going on with HD and BluRay (Sony). The consumer is put in the middle waiting to see which one will win so as to know which player to buy. Online music purchasing is absolutely wonderful, but with licensing contracts you can't find just one online store to buy all of your downloads.

In the world of retail and using cards (debit, visa, etc.) for purchases there are a ton of sifferent styles of these swipe pads at the registers. Some places you can get cash back, some you can not.

Technology is wonderful, and has all the possibilities of simplying so many things in our lives but without a bit of consistency it's just more confusion.

[AdrianKH]

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caroline88 wrote:
Hi Adrian,

My biggest headache is the wrong keyboard. I have hooked up my pc's keyboard to the laptop. My desktop is too big a headache for me to handle, I am going to take it to a repair shop within the next few weeks.

But I learned that my laptop is a lot handier with a real mouse (MS Intellimouse), a real keyboard (HP Internet keyboard, model 5308) and a real monitor (HP Pavilion mx70).
Caroline

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Yep. I did that a while back and my notebook's never felt right since - it's amazing how people "put up" with notebooks enven though the design is far from perfect.

[AdrianKH]

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bwest2 wrote:
For me it has been the competitive environment which has caused so many inconsistencies, confusion, and slowed progress. From working in the technology industry for several years, this has been nothing new. As we see alot of new innovations becoming more and more a part of people's lives it is becoming more apparrent mostly in media formats. For example, HD DVD is a great technology but we have this battle going on with HD and BluRay (Sony). The consumer is put in the middle waiting to see which one will win so as to know which player to buy. Online music purchasing is absolutely wonderful, but with licensing contracts you can't find just one online store to buy all of your downloads.

In the world of retail and using cards (debit, visa, etc.) for purchases there are a ton of sifferent styles of these swipe pads at the registers. Some places you can get cash back, some you can not.

Technology is wonderful, and has all the possibilities of simplying so many things in our lives but without a bit of consistency it's just more confusion.

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Good point. I find that the lack of consistancy a big problem in technology. Your HD-DVD/Blu-ray point is well made - I think that both standards will fight it out until both die because of a lack on consumer confidence.

[caroline88]

My HP laptop sometimes goes into hibernation immediately and I cannot get it out of it because I have no display whatsoever. I try ctrl alt del but that does not work. My only help is to wait until the battery dies. And since it is a new one, that takes a really long time.

Can I say "groan"?

Caroline

[caroline88]

1) stupid windows insists on occasionally reorganizing my desktop. I want the icons to stay where I put them!

2) same stupid windows sometimes resets the default size for IE to a small window. Usually after some popup has been involved. Impossible to get it back to the fullsize default again.
I mean, when I boot the computer and IE is in the startup, I want the window to come on full size. Not be always forced to drag the corners to the outside of the screen.
I know I can put them to full size by clicking on the square but that procedure has never been helpful. Because after all pc reboots, I have to do it again. Resizing by pulling the corners to the outside, used to work.

Totally unpredictable and untrustworthy pain in the neck.

Caroline

[AdrianKH]

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caroline88 wrote:
1) stupid windows insists on occasionally reorganizing my desktop. I want the icons to stay where I put them!

2) same stupid windows sometimes resets the default size for IE to a small window. Usually after some popup has been involved. Impossible to get it back to the fullsize default again.
I mean, when I boot the computer and IE is in the startup, I want the window to come on full size. Not be always forced to drag the corners to the outside of the screen.
I know I can put them to full size by clicking on the square but that procedure has never been helpful. Because after all pc reboots, I have to do it again. Resizing by pulling the corners to the outside, used to work.

Totally unpredictable and untrustworthy pain in the neck.

Caroline

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Try this: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1191762,00.asp

Might cure your IE blues!

[caroline88]

Brilliant in its simplicity, thank you Adrian!

Caroline

Message Edited by caroline88 on 01-31-200709:32 PM

[Brad_W]

I had my first real big PC crash this past week. I couldn't believe it. I actually am proud of myself for being able to just laugh it off. The funny thing is that I have been around PC's since they first entered the home. We had the Atari's and then the first IBM XT. Since then I have had about 3 Windows machines. Each one I used a ton and added things internally here and there, and never a problem. I even moved each of the machines relocating from one place to another. So here I am with a machine less than a year old with Windows XP (the most stable OS MS ever put out), the RAM went bad and just wreaked havoc. I am partly to blame since I never changed the setting to stop the system from rebooting automatically in the event of a power loss, and I also tried the "workaround" the mfg gave me too many times I think.

Oh well, a lesson for all . . . backup backup backup. My backup are a few months outdated, but the info is stored in other areas like Yahoo photos which I can then download back to the machine. Such is life I suppose.

Brad