Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions....

Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (Full Version)

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smileforme50 -> Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/4/2014 8:21:14 AM)
Ok....the back story....I'm an idiot....I admit it. I screwed up my laptop. Or maybe I thought I screwed it up more than I really did, and in trying to fix it I screwed it up even more. But I think I tried to download something and along with the download I MISSED saying NO to some of the "extras" and toolbars that some software "gives" to you. It ended up changing my home page, adding a few toolbars I didn't want, and then my avast! anti-virus software started telling me a "threat was detected" anytime I tried to use Google Chrome instead of Explorer. I tried to uninstall things but that didn't work, so in a fit of frustration I did a "One Key Restoration". My Lenova laptop has a feature where you can tell it to wipe out the hard drive and remove everything on it except what was already factory-installed when you first removed it from the box. Yes....before I did this, I did save the files and pictures I wanted to keep to an external drive. I figured anything else I had I could get back from a website where I got it to begin with (Yahoo Messenger, Adobe...etc) Funny thing....and the first question....when I came back to CollarSpace, I noticed that since I did that restoration, the times imprinted on my messages and posts aren't accurate. There's a 3 hour difference. I sent someone a message at 10:30 (east coast US time) but when I look at my sent items, it says I sent it to them at 7:30 this morning.....? Does anyone know how to coordinate my CS time with the real time?? Second question....the BIG mistake I made in all of this was that I totally forgot about my MS Office 2010 software. I don't know.. I think in my peak moment of idiocy I was think that was part of the stuff Lenovo partitioned and it would stay on the hard drive. I admit it....this is where I really f*ed up. Since I STILL have the box the computer came in, all the paperwork that came with it and all the receipts, I thought I MUST HAVE put the MS Office key code in with all that stuff right? Nope.....DAMMIT!!! Which means I need to buy MS Office again.....DAMMIT!!! (Did I already say that?) So my second question is....which type do you think I should buy? They have..... .... their regular ol' "Home & Student" which just has the basics....Word, Excel, PowerPoint and One Note for $139.99. ..... Office 365 Home....which is only $99 .99 and gives you Outlook and a few other things...BUT that's with a one year subscription that I guess you have to renew every year....and how much that is I don't know.... ....they also have....Office 365 University....which also has a "subscription" but that's for 4 years instead of just one....and it's only $79.99** Which one do you have and what do you think about it? Which one would you get? Does anyone know how much these subscription renewal amounts are? I'm leaning toward University...not only because it's the cheapest, but also because I'm thinking I'm going to want to upgrade to a new version in 4 years anyway.....

DaddySatyr -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/4/2014 8:28:45 AM)
I also have a Lenovo, although I probably can't be much help. Question one may be relatively easy. Did you set your computer's clock to your time zone? I believe windows computers default to Pacific Coast time. Question two: Don't skimp on the Office. My experience has been that there is always something I want that I don't have on any of the "stripped-down" versions. Also, it might be worth calling Microcrap to see if you can get them to give you the key. Screen captures *still* RULE! Ya feel me?

ThatDaveGuy69 -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/4/2014 8:30:00 AM)
Quick response RE: Office Contact Lenovo tech support (but probably not today). They should be able to help you out a whole lot. Since you have receipts and such, Microsoft can very probably help you out if Lenovo can't. The support ppl at MS come across this all the time and are very helpful at recovering lost installations. Best of luck~ ~Dave

DarkSteven -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/4/2014 12:54:26 PM)
At the top of this screen, click on My Profile. On the screen that comes up, at the bottom, you're given the chance to set the offset to the collarme server time.

smileforme50 -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/4/2014 1:00:14 PM)
quote: Question one may be relatively easy. Did you set your computer's clock to your time zone? I believe windows computers default to Pacific Coast time. The computer clock is fine.....the only clock that is screwed up is the one on CollarSpace that shows the time of my CollarSpace posts. quote: Contact Lenovo tech support (but probably not today). They should be able to help you out a whole lot. Since you have receipts and such, Microsoft can very probably help you out if Lenovo can't. The support ppl at MS come across this all the time and are very helpful at recovering lost installations. Well....when I went to the website for downloading MS Office, it tells you that you need the key, and if you don't have it or the email confirmation you got when you first installed it (which of course I don't ....I don't know why....).....you might be S-O-L. Of course...I may be doing another system wipe because now for some reason, Internet Explorer won't load and wants to shut down automatically. So I might be doing it again before I load everything back up again

DarkSteven -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/4/2014 3:06:51 PM)
Quit wiping your system and use Restore System to Previous Configuration.

smileforme50 -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/4/2014 3:36:40 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: DarkSteven Quit wiping your system and use Restore System to Previous Configuration. Thanks for the "My Profile" tip! But if I use the Restore System.... Won't that just give me back all the crap I wanted to get rid of to begin with?

MasterG2kTR -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/4/2014 9:14:17 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: DarkSteven Quit wiping your system and use Restore System to Previous Configuration. Ding Ding Ding!!!!! We have a Winner!!! DarkSteven wins the prize. This is the smart way to go fir your first line of response to such an issue. If this should fail to resolve your problem then try your method with the "One Key"

MasterG2kTR -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/4/2014 9:16:48 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: smileforme50 quote: ORIGINAL: DarkSteven Quit wiping your system and use Restore System to Previous Configuration. Thanks for the "My Profile" tip! But if I use the Restore System.... Won't that just give me back all the crap I wanted to get rid of to begin with? No....that will restore it to a previously good configuration (it rolls the clock back in time....and I am not talking about the clock that tells you the time)

Gauge -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/4/2014 9:49:42 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: smileforme50 Ok....the back story....I'm an idiot....I admit it. I screwed up my laptop. Or maybe I thought I screwed it up more than I really did, and in trying to fix it I screwed it up even more. But I think I tried to download something and along with the download I MISSED saying NO to some of the "extras" and toolbars that some software "gives" to you. It ended up changing my home page, adding a few toolbars I didn't want, and then my avast! anti-virus software started telling me a "threat was detected" anytime I tried to use Google Chrome instead of Explorer. I tried to uninstall things but that didn't work, so in a fit of frustration I did a "One Key Restoration". My Lenova laptop has a feature where you can tell it to wipe out the hard drive and remove everything on it except what was already factory-installed when you first removed it from the box. Yes....before I did this, I did save the files and pictures I wanted to keep to an external drive. I figured anything else I had I could get back from a website where I got it to begin with (Yahoo Messenger, Adobe...etc) Funny thing....and the first question....when I came back to CollarSpace, I noticed that since I did that restoration, the times imprinted on my messages and posts aren't accurate. There's a 3 hour difference. I sent someone a message at 10:30 (east coast US time) but when I look at my sent items, it says I sent it to them at 7:30 this morning.....? Does anyone know how to coordinate my CS time with the real time?? Second question....the BIG mistake I made in all of this was that I totally forgot about my MS Office 2010 software. I don't know.. I think in my peak moment of idiocy I was think that was part of the stuff Lenovo partitioned and it would stay on the hard drive. I admit it....this is where I really f*ed up. Since I STILL have the box the computer came in, all the paperwork that came with it and all the receipts, I thought I MUST HAVE put the MS Office key code in with all that stuff right? Nope.....DAMMIT!!! Which means I need to buy MS Office again.....DAMMIT!!! (Did I already say that?) So my second question is....which type do you think I should buy? They have..... .... their regular ol' "Home & Student" which just has the basics....Word, Excel, PowerPoint and One Note for $139.99. ..... Office 365 Home....which is only $99 .99 and gives you Outlook and a few other things...BUT that's with a one year subscription that I guess you have to renew every year....and how much that is I don't know.... ....they also have....Office 365 University....which also has a "subscription" but that's for 4 years instead of just one....and it's only $79.99** Which one do you have and what do you think about it? Which one would you get? Does anyone know how much these subscription renewal amounts are? I'm leaning toward University...not only because it's the cheapest, but also because I'm thinking I'm going to want to upgrade to a new version in 4 years anyway..... Mistakes: 1. Never be in a hurry to install any software. 2. When installing software READ EVERYTHING carefully. Every single screen might give you one of those "nifty" toolbars or add on programs that you do not want or need. Thoughts: 1. Wiping your system will definitely fix it, but it is a pain in the ass, and you have to do all the updates etc. Best not to fuck it up to begin with. 2. Get a good spyware program. Spybot Search and Destroy is a good one, there are others but Spybot is one of the more trustworthy ones out there. You can get a copy at www.majorgeeks.com (majorgeeks is an extremely trustworthy site) 3. If you get a toolbar or browser hijacker, don't panic. One of the worst things that people do if something happens to their electronic baby is they panic, this usually leads to more bad decisions. Look up the toolbar on the internet, even if you have to use your phone. Find out how to uninstall it and then do so. Look up how to restore your home page of your browser. Learning how to take care of small problems will go a long way to helping you remain calm when trouble strikes. 4. Call Lenovo and/or Micro$oft. They can help you get back your office program. If they cannot, or won't, then fuck them. Convert to the free program Open Office ( http://www.openoffice.org/ ) as far as I am aware, Open Office will work with Micro$oft files and I found Open Office to be a hell of a lot easier to use and a far cry less expensive. It is also very customizable. 5. Impatience and electronics do not mix. If you get frustrated, walk away, get a drink or a snack, take a walk, sit in the corner and cry, begin a belly button lint collection, but STOP CLICKING SHIT! Get your head cleared and go back to it. You have the internet at your fingertips, do not be afraid to use it. There are plenty of good tech forums out there ( majorgeeks, Tom's Hardware, bleepingcomputer to name a few) with plenty of information for poor schmucks like me who had to learn the hard way how to fix computers. OK, that is all I have for suggestions or comments. Good luck!

smileforme50 -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/4/2014 10:15:48 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Gauge Mistakes: 1. Never be in a hurry to install any software. Yes I know.....generally I'm not ....I think I just got distracted and clicked something too quickly. One of those...."wanted to get it done, needed to be somewhere and leave shortly..." screw-ups 2. When installing software READ EVERYTHING carefully. Every single screen might give you one of those "nifty" toolbars or add on programs that you do not want or need. As I said....I usually do....I usually catch all those stupid little added "bonuses Thoughts: 1. Wiping your system will definitely fix it, but it is a pain in the ass, and you have to do all the updates etc. Best not to fuck it up to begin with. Yeah....I know....<sigh> 2. Get a good spyware program. Spybot Search and Destroy is a good one, there are others but Spybot is one of the more trustworthy ones out there. You can get a copy at www.majorgeeks.com (majorgeeks is an extremely trustworthy site) 3. If you get a toolbar or browser hijacker, don't panic. One of the worst things that people do if something happens to their electronic baby is they panic, this usually leads to more bad decisions. Look up the toolbar on the internet, even if you have to use your phone. Find out how to uninstall it and then do so. Look up how to restore your home page of your browser. Learning how to take care of small problems will go a long way to helping you remain calm when trouble strikes. Actually....I did take my time with this....my system was freaking out for almost 2 weeks before I finally decided I didn't have any other options left. 4. Call Lenovo and/or Micro$oft. They can help you get back your office program. If they cannot, or won't, then fuck them. Convert to the free program Open Office ( http://www.openoffice.org/ ) as far as I am aware, Open Office will work with Micro$oft files and I found Open Office to be a hell of a lot easier to use and a far cry less expensive. It is also very customizable. I will check out Open Office...but can I create things and work on things on both Open Office and MS Office? Like..if I create something at my job (that uses MS Office) and email it home to finish it? 5. Impatience and electronics do not mix. If you get frustrated, walk away, get a drink or a snack, take a walk, sit in the corner and cry, begin a belly button lint collection, but STOP CLICKING SHIT! Get your head cleared and go back to it. You have the internet at your fingertips, do not be afraid to use it. There are plenty of good tech forums out there ( majorgeeks, Tom's Hardware, bleepingcomputer to name a few) with plenty of information for poor schmucks like me who had to learn the hard way how to fix computers. Like I said....it took me 2 weeks of trying to straighten things out before I wiped it....it wasn't a rash decision. OK, that is all I have for suggestions or comments. Good luck! Thanks

DarkSteven -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/5/2014 12:09:31 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Gauge If they cannot, or won't, then fuck them. Convert to the free program Open Office ( http://www.openoffice.org/ ) as far as I am aware, Open Office will work with Micro$oft files and I found Open Office to be a hell of a lot easier to use and a far cry less expensive. It is also very customizable. I dunno how I forgot about mentioning Open Office. It does 95% of what MS Office does, for free. Not to mention that it's not tweaked every other week with fancy new updates that bloat it.

smileforme50 -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/5/2014 12:13:52 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: DarkSteven quote: ORIGINAL: Gauge If they cannot, or won't, then fuck them. Convert to the free program Open Office ( http://www.openoffice.org/ ) as far as I am aware, Open Office will work with Micro$oft files and I found Open Office to be a hell of a lot easier to use and a far cry less expensive. It is also very customizable. I dunno how I forgot about mentioning Open Office. It does 95% of what MS Office does, for free. Not to mention that it's not tweaked every other week with fancy new updates that bloat it. But can I work on the same documents on both MS Office and Open Office? Can I start a word processing document on MS Office at my job....and then finish it on Open Office at home?

Gauge -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/5/2014 1:19:57 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: smileforme50 But can I work on the same documents on both MS Office and Open Office? Can I start a word processing document on MS Office at my job....and then finish it on Open Office at home? You have the option to retain the original formatting when you save it, so, with a word document started in MS Word, I can open it in Open Office and continue working on it. As far as I know, the document will re-open in MS Word as long as you keep the original format when you save it. I have used Open Office for a few years now and I have never really had to do any working the same file in different software, so best to investigate it before taking my word for it.

taytay1 -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/5/2014 1:34:40 AM)
Hey do me a favour go to the taskbar right click on chrome right click on google chrome in the little window that pops up and hit properties please return what Target: says

DarkSteven -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/5/2014 5:58:01 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: smileforme50 quote: ORIGINAL: DarkSteven quote: ORIGINAL: Gauge If they cannot, or won't, then fuck them. Convert to the free program Open Office ( http://www.openoffice.org/ ) as far as I am aware, Open Office will work with Micro$oft files and I found Open Office to be a hell of a lot easier to use and a far cry less expensive. It is also very customizable. I dunno how I forgot about mentioning Open Office. It does 95% of what MS Office does, for free. Not to mention that it's not tweaked every other week with fancy new updates that bloat it. But can I work on the same documents on both MS Office and Open Office? Can I start a word processing document on MS Office at my job....and then finish it on Open Office at home? Yes. Open Office will open MS Office docs. When you're done at home, use Save As <MS Office extension>, and your work systems will be able to use it.

JstAnotherSub -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/5/2014 9:14:17 AM)
I cannot thank yall enough for mentioning Open Office. I am giddy about finding it! I know, doesn't take much these days to make me giddy[8\|]

smileforme50 -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/5/2014 1:28:02 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: taytay1 Hey do me a favour go to the taskbar right click on chrome right click on google chrome in the little window that pops up and hit properties please return what Target: says Can I ask.....why?

CynthiaWVirginia -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/6/2014 1:20:40 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: smileforme50 quote: ORIGINAL: taytay1 Hey do me a favour go to the taskbar right click on chrome right click on google chrome in the little window that pops up and hit properties please return what Target: says Can I ask.....why? I checked because I was curious. I clicked on those three bars ("Customize and control Google Chrome") on the toolbar. On the list was Settings. I clicked on it and at the bottom of the page was this: Restore browser settings to their original defaults.

smileforme50 -> RE: Ok....all you computer geniuses....a couple of questions.... (7/6/2014 4:56:14 PM)
Holy Shit Batman.... I just downloaded Open Office....and wow....I haven't tried to use it yet, but the download was a bit....adventurous. There were no less that EIGHT (I lost count after 8) other pieces of software that it asked to have downloaded along with it.....4 of them were web browsers. That is EXACTLY what I was talking about that I think cause my original problem to begin with. What really drives me crazy is that I just had 4 different web browsers asking to download on to my system AND to be my "default" browser. How can you have FOUR "default" browsers all at the same time???

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