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My computer is being muleish, and it took two tries to get it running this morning. Everything started but I had no icons along the bottom of the screen. (Win10). By clicking on a thumbnail for a word file, word still worked, so I assume that part of a startup file did not run.
This machine has been taking longer and longer to start, but I don't feel motivated to tinker with it. A couple years ago, one of the techs at the Microsoft store told me that my HD was dying but it has continued to run. I'll likely just use this machine until it is confirmed to be dead. That may happen today or ...
I have a brand new Dell Inspiron tower that I have not started and likely won't because I'm lazy and unmotivated. The only thing I know about computers I learned by force. I do not consider working on them to be a pleasurable hobby. I am not by any stretch of the word a geek. I like writing and that's it. I used to like Flight Simulator, but now I guess you have to buy an XBox to do that. The tech is advancing too fast for me.
So, anyway, if I am gone, it will be likely that I'm just muddling through starting the other computer.
Gwen
Comments
Hope you have all your files backed up
on the semi-comatose machine.
Get the Dell out and get it running. Copy your files over and be done with it. Then WHEN and not IF the old one dies you won't lose anything.
Samantha
{hurriedly making a note to backup my MacBook when I get home tomorrow}
Drop me a line. What you're
Drop me a line. What you're running into is my bread and butter. Get me the model number of your new tower, and I'll give you _simple_ instructions on getting it up and running, avoiding a lot of the garbage that you'd normally have to deal with.
It'll take a bit of time, but you can do other things during most of it, and you won't have to stress so much. Maybe we can save your old system as well.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
If Bibliophage is busy...
... I could also help - that is what puts the bread on my table.
As usual - start with simple things to check.
In case of missing taskbar on Win10 usual cause is accidentally switched "autohide taskbar" option or taskbar resized to be (almost) invisible.
Very easy to check - bring mouse pointer to the lowest edge of screen. Either taskbar will show itself, or mouse pointer will change shape. If "change shape" - just hold left mouse button and drag up. If taskbar appears - right click there and go to properties. Uncheck "Autohide ..."
If it is not helping - good advice from WISC.edu:
"Open the Task Manager using either Ctrl+Alt+Del or Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
If explorer.exe is already running, select it and choose End Task before continuing on.
Click the File menu and select New Task.
In the dialog box, type 'explorer.exe' to restart the process."
Third Possibility
Something might have happened to put the taskbar on the left, right, or top. As one ages, one finds that sometimes, one misses such things even when they're right in front of one's nose.
It's also possible that the taskbar might be visible, but empty. Dragging the edge up to resize it (temporarily) just might reveal hidden apps.
-- Daphne Xu
HP and Their Printers, Arg...
As the world is being drawn into even more darkness at the hands of Trump, I decided to trash my very fancy HP Printer. For reasons I don't fathom, as soon as I turned off and unplugged it, my computer problems disappeared. I don't know if HP, or someone impersonating them was buggering up the works? Along the way, some Microsoft issues cleared up, and the built in Camera stopped using Facial Recognition software to identify me.
I'm not paranoid about cyber security but do hope that if someone does get at me, they terminate my life with competence and swiftness. So many plans within plans it just makes my head swim.
Gwen
HP Printer software
is renowned as a recource hog. I won't have an HP Printer on my network. The same goes for Canon.
Kyocera printers are pretty good and cheap to run. If you change your printer then get a networked one. Then you don't need the USB connection on your computer. I stopped using directly connected printers around 15 years ago.
I currently have a Brother printer networked of course. My Mac recognises it perfectly but adding the driver software allows duplex printing.
Big box stores have a lot to answer for. They sell crap to unsuspecting people and don't give a toss about the problems they cause.
Samantha.
Did you use the HP installer
Did you use the HP installer to put your printer into the machine? If so, you have a stack of programs you _don't need_ cluttering up your computer - most of them having no purpose other than to help HP track you and sell you stuff. For almost all printing needs, bare drivers are all that are necessary.
It also depends on if it was a printer (ink or laser), or a multifunction unit (ink or laser).
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.