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Re: Strange Suspicion

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 11:58 am
by JPG
dusty wrote:If you are running Windows 10 you might put Windows close to the top of your suspect list. Beginning with the October update, Microsoft has experienced a rash of problems. Right now that seems to have settled down.
Every time my boot pix changes I expect something to quit working. :(

REALLY why does anyone think I need/want a new pix or want somebody else to change it!!!!! Oh they are gorgeous pix, but why assume I want them?

Re: Strange Suspicion

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:03 pm
by garys
I use my computer multiple times every day so I never shut it down. I reboot it only when I have extended power outages here, and my power company does a great job so I don't have to do that very often.
Here is a screenshot for today. The computer has been running continuously for 245 days or about 8 months. The last power outage was last May.

Re: Strange Suspicion

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:13 pm
by JPG
garys wrote:I use my computer multiple times every day so I never shut it down. I reboot it only when I have extended power outages here, and my power company does a great job so I don't have to do that very often.
Here is a screenshot for today. The computer has been running continuously for 245 days or about 8 months. The last power outage was last May.
Yes I try the same and since I occasionally take the laptop elsewhere I put it to sleep in transit. I really do not like booting often. Trouble is windows updates require(force) it.

Since I have a dual boot(linux installed) that defaults to linux, windows rebooting requires backing out of linux and manually forcing a windows boot.

BTW anyone have a good painless way to remove linux? I fear it ain't simple(fixed disk partitioned?)

Re: Strange Suspicion

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:16 pm
by dusty
JPG wrote:
garys wrote:I use my computer multiple times every day so I never shut it down. I reboot it only when I have extended power outages here, and my power company does a great job so I don't have to do that very often.
Here is a screenshot for today. The computer has been running continuously for 245 days or about 8 months. The last power outage was last May.
Yes I try the same and since I occasionally take the laptop elsewhere I put it to sleep in transit. I really do not like booting often. Trouble is windows updates require(force) it.

Since I have a dual boot(linux installed) that defaults to linux, windows rebooting requires backing out of linux and manually forcing a windows boot.

BTW anyone have a good painless way to remove linux? I fear it ain't simple(fixed disk partitioned?)
I do believe you can put Windows in a mode where it updates ONLY if you choose to update.

Re: Strange Suspicion

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:22 pm
by JPG
Not sure my understanding is accurate, but I must reboot to 'allow' an update to occur. It will noit take place without my doing so.

It appears they somehow download updates in preparation and they take place when I reboot/power up.

I really do not like that perceived ability to access my computer externally.

I habitually disconnect ethernet connector when not using the computer and do not have wireless connection to the internet active except upon MY demand.

Re: Strange Suspicion

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:35 pm
by rpd
JPG wrote:
dusty wrote:I abandoned Chrome months ago because of unpredictable behavior; however, Firefox has been misbehaving well lately. But, at the same time Windows 10 is going through some problem riddled upgrades at the same time (since October). It is very difficult (maybe impossible) to know what is causing what.
Since I uninstalled Chrome my computer acts like it was new and all those script delaying messages have disappeared and waking up from sleep mode is almost instantaneous(I misspoke earlier and mentioned waking up from hibernation).

All this is very surprising to me. I am wary of anything Google after this!

I was blaming Firefox for all that.
I can't comment on Chrome from personal experience, I use Firefox, even on my Android phone. Things I read on the web lead me to believe that Chrome collected user information for Google, (even more than the Google search engine does) and Firefox does not. So I think your suspicions are well founded.

A while ago I too was experiencing a lot of problems with unresponsive scripts bogging the whole system down. Installing the NoScript extension in Firefox solved that problem. :)

I switched to Linux years ago. I like that it only does updates when I tell it to, updates happen in the background while I am doing other things, and only updates that involve the kernel require rebooting, which is seldom. Also there is less code bloat so it runs well on older machines. I just picked up a nice, old, ThinkPad T-500 (at least ten years old) for $60, this is my first laptop. The latest version of Linux Mint Mate installed without a hitch and works perfectly, the only feature I haven't got to work yet is the fingerprint reader.

You can test drive Linux without installing on your hard drive by booting it from a USB stick or a CD. I have been running Ubuntu but I am switching to Mint. The desktop is very similar to Windows so the change is pretty painless. https://linuxmint.com/download.php

Re: Strange Suspicion

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:14 pm
by JPG
Ubuntu is what I have installed but it keeps telling me it is no longer supported.

I am not aware that anything I have installed is auto update except whatever windows does. However Firefox does occasionally pause for updates when starting it up.

Re: Strange Suspicion

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:53 pm
by rpd
JPG wrote:Ubuntu is what I have installed but it keeps telling me it is no longer supported.

I am not aware that anything I have installed is auto update except whatever windows does. However Firefox does occasionally pause for updates when starting it up.
Sound like you have an older version installed. maybe 12.04LTS or 14.04LTS. The long term support distributions are supported for four years so those two will have timed out. The current version is 18.04 LTS https://www.ubuntu.com/desktop . Mint is based on Ubuntu but they have their own desktop environment. Mint Cinnamon is more cutting edge, Mint Mate is more conservative and smaller footprint so better on older machines.

Re: Strange Suspicion

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2019 7:19 am
by garys
dusty wrote:If you are running Windows 10 you might put Windows close to the top of your suspect list. Beginning with the October update, Microsoft has experienced a rash of problems. Right now that seems to have settled down.
Dusty has a good point. The October screwups from Microsoft are still there killing and messing up computers world wide.
https://www.techradar.com/news/windows- ... -66-of-pcs

Re: Strange Suspicion

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2019 11:19 am
by JPG
rpd wrote:
JPG wrote:Ubuntu is what I have installed but it keeps telling me it is no longer supported.

I am not aware that anything I have installed is auto update except whatever windows does. However Firefox does occasionally pause for updates when starting it up.
Sound like you have an older version installed. maybe 12.04LTS or 14.04LTS. The long term support distributions are supported for four years so those two will have timed out. The current version is 18.04 LTS https://www.ubuntu.com/desktop . Mint is based on Ubuntu but they have their own desktop environment. Mint Cinnamon is more cutting edge, Mint Mate is more conservative and smaller footprint so better on older machines.
THANK YOU!!!!!!

I have downloaded(running older Ubuntu version) to disc. Updating in my future. In spite of not being supported, the installed version works quite well.

As for Windows October screw up. I have no lingering problem(s).

What I can say fer sure is since deleting Chrome this computer acts like it should and used to. I did not even have to reboot it! So I am confident Chrome was the culprit!!! I do hope it was a compromised copy and not something Google created.