[Sussex] Elderly Aunts with computer problems (windows ones :-( )

[John D.]

On Mon, 2005-04-18 at 16:20 +0100, Geoffrey J. Teale wrote:
-----%<-----
> 
> If your new partition is format as FAT32 then windows should just show
> it IIRC (it's been a couple of years since I looked at a Windows box
> never mind installed one).
> 
> Obviously (as has been stated elsewhere) you're not going to be
> putting any system files or settings on the D:\ partition, but
> anything else should be fine.

Excellent. That definitely "rings bells" from somewhere

> > That did occur to me. I suppose if you're in that sort of business, it's
> > often easier/quicker to do the rebuild than go digging round to find out
> > what the _actual_ problem is. Though I'm thinking that when she took it
> > to the shop, they must have done some checking too try to find out if
> > the DVDRW that they installed was faulty/OK and come up with the
> > missing .dll(s).
> 
> Must have?  I wouldn't guarantee it.

>From what my Aunt said, they tried different DVDRW models and managed to
duplicate the fault that she'd been having + I'm not sure how else
they'd have ID'd the missing file(s) - though I don't suppose that
matters

> Often in the windows world starting again from scratch is _far_
> simpler than trying to debug the problem.  If you're dealing with
> DLL's an you don't have the tools that come with Visual
> Studio then you're often going to be working blind.  Just like Linux
> there's a lot of knowledge you have to acquire before you can
> sensibly understand problems with the libraries - unlike Linux you
> often reach a certain point where the problem disappears
> into a "black box" where you can't find out what's wrong, or if you're
> lucky (and it's documented) you can't actually make any changes to
> resolve it.

Perhaps I'm cynical, but I understood, that even in these days of
product activation etc and XPs alledged stability, the windows cure all
panacea of re-install is still very much an old favourite.

> > Ok, I can see that. I suppose that she may have "lost" a .dll when she's
> > been playing with the system! Don't know. Shes quite well versed in
> > being careful normally (your quote of hitting the wrong key and the PC
> > exploding comes to mind Geoff).
> 
> Ah!  An "Expert" user.

Yup, thats the one - don't forget, she must be "qualified", shes
attended at least 3 micro courses of one sort or another (image
editing???) somewhere in Southwick - possibly even at "the community
centre" :-P

> > I know that about the time she had the
> > DVDRW fitted, she also bought herself a book about Photoshop Elements
> > that had a time limited trial - then managed to get sold a copy of PS E
> > (version 3) by Jessops, even though it apparently won't install on
> > anything earlier than W2K/Millenium (they did a refund, even though
> > she'd "broken the seal" and ordered her a copy of PS E version 2, which
> > is the full version of the trial/book copy - which I thought was
> > reasonably good customer service - she is "knocking" 80 but has managed
> > to keep most/all of her marbles).
> 
> Well, hmm.  I don't see why this would have any effect on the DLL in question.

I think it may have been a case of a dependency or something - or
perhaps just getting a bit over active with the OK/Yes buttons!

> > Yes, I've even done a knoppix demo, but to no avail. I got the stock
> > answer of having to learn how to use what she already has etc etc. plus
> > the usual caveat of pensioners on fixed incomes (I suspect that she just
> > didn't believe me that she could have easily managed linux on the
> > system). Plus how can linux be any good? After all, it doesn't run
> > Internet Explorer :-P
> 
> That last point actually being one of the  _best_ things about Linux :-)

Indeed!

> > I've managed to get her as far as changing to Firefox and Thunderbird
> > though - using the persuasive arguement of security concerns, which she
> > relates to, I suspect that she's spent many a happy hour "curtain
> > twitching" for the local neighbourhood watch campaign.
> 
> Ah, elderly paranoia.  I've noted many times that old people
> (obviously not your aunt) can be very rude - ruder even than
> teenagers.  It only recently occurred to me that the reason old people
> are being rude to me is that they are convinced that if they converse
> with me in any reasonable manner that I, being a person under the age
> of 30, will steal their pension book and kick their teeth in.
> 
> The "Daily Mail" and it's ilk have a lot to answer for.

And bless her, shes a fine example of a mail reader. I suspect shes
spent many a happy hour searching her garden for small pieces of paper
with a stylised A on them - which apparently are a sure sign that they'd
been targetted by Albanian, gypsy, Al qaeda, mole, illegal immigrant
terrorists or some other type of wandering miscreants!

regards

John D.

p.s. and of course, you're under 30, so _MUST_ be working as at least a
part time mugger! :-P. I mean, doesn't everyone know that!