NEED COMPUTER GURUS

by Trotafox 28 Replies latest jw friends

  • Trotafox
    Trotafox

    My computer at work is going bonkers and IS Dept. has been unable to solve it. Microsoft has not been called yet because they are trying to see if we can solve the problem first. This is the computer problem that opened up a hornet’s nest at work (see thread “Am I Crazy or What Thread?”).

    1. FIRST: IS had to upgrade my computer because it could not handle some scanned pages I needed for a manual. It kept say “No memory available”. They upgraded my computer and now I am having the following problems.

    2. They upgraded to the following:

    Windows 98 (this is the same) with Office Suite 2002 (upgrade). This is the same as everyone else in the office. It appears my computer is the only one having problems. Consequently, they reloaded it with Windows 98 second edition and Office Professional 2000. That corrected the Short Cut Key problems but not the printing problems.

    3. Encountered the following problems:

    Problems with document repaginating itself when I change printers

    My HR Policies were originally created in WordPerfect. They were converted to WORD some time ago. We have 2 printers: HP LaserJet 4V and Minolta Dpi (or something like that). The Minolta is a big copier/printer hooked to our file server also. When I print a policy to the LaserJet 4V, no problem. If I want to print it again to the Minolta, the whole page repaginates right on the screen before my eyes leaving huge portions of white space and misalignments. I don’t dare save it that way (I found out) because I’d have to edit it to get it back to normal.

    Also, the document misaligns itself when it is attached to an Outlook E-mail and sent to IS who has to place it on our Web server. Even if we edit it before placing it on Web server, it still gets out of whack when it arrives on the Web.

    IS Dept. doesn’t know what is causing the problem. It sounds like a font problem but I’m using a very standard Arial or Times New Roman font which is the same everyone else uses.

    OUTLOOK printing with no attachments indicated

    Is this normal? I get two different kinds of print screens when I enter different E-mails. Sometimes I get one type of screen, and then I get another one at times.

    I want to be able to print an E-mail that I sent for my file for documentation purposes that indicates there was an attachment. I do not need the attachment printed. All I get is the E-mail text. It does not show that anything was attached. The only time I can print the E-mail showing an attachment is when the attachment appears directly in the body of the E-mail. If the attachment appears on an attachment line under the Subject line, it won’t show in the printoff. If the attachment appears below a line on the body of the E-mail, it won’t show in the printoff. The only way I can get around it is do a PRINT SCREEN and go into WORD, Ctrl V. Dumb!!!! Any way to get around this? It appears others are having the same problem. However, I don’t think they keep getting 2 different print screens.

    Short cut keys operate differently from everyone else's

    Block Delete in WORD: Receiving prompt “Delete Block? No (Y)”. Everyone else just hits Delete key.

    Go to Top of Document in WORD: Must use Home-Ctrl-Home. Everyone else uses Ctrl-Home.

    Everyone has been through the WORD Help menu and all other menus twice and cannot find any settings that would affect this. Why in the world are they functioning differently on my computer when I’m running the same programs?

    4. The last word on Friday afternoon was:

    a. My boss wants me keep what I currently have (Microsoft 98 2nd ed with Office Suite 2000) even though its an older program. He said it solved the shortcut key problem and that’s half the battle. See if Microsoft can help with the printing problem.

    b. IS Dept. technician wants to reload Monday with Windows XP and Office Suite 2002 and see if Microsoft can help. His boss wants it to be same as my bosses for compatibility reasons.

    c. Karen just wants the damned thing fixed. It’s been going on for a month. Does it make sense to do what my boss thinks should be done or go with what IS Dept. thinks should be done. IS wants to fix the problem properly and get it compatible with my boss and not hear about it again. My boss just wants to “hurry up” and get it done by staying with what is working for the moment for ½ of the solution.

    It makes no sense to me to work around the problem with a “bandaid” downgrade fix. Someday I will have to be upgraded and it could rear its ugly head again. Something is not right with my computer and there is no reason why I should not be able to run the same versions as everyone else.

    By the way, my boss approached the IS Mgr. Friday morning behind closed doors with “I don’t know if you know Karen very well but she will not just let this drop until it’s fixed. If it’s not fixed, we are not going to have a Happy New Year.”

    ANY RECOMMENDATIONS? THANKS. [[[hugs]]]

    Trot

    "Wicked men obey from fear; good men, from love".... Aristotle. You can love and obey Christ without intervention from an organization.

  • Simon
    Simon

    When you say "upgraded" did they really just upgrade or reinstall everything? Sounds like your machine needs to be totally wiped clean and re-installed from scratch.

    Some of the problems may be todo with the oldish printers you are using which could have iffy drivers. It's really hard to tell though without being able to sit at the machine and examine it.

    It's also worth checking what the paper sizes and default document sizes on the printers are set to - if they are different then it would explain the repagination.

    They should also look at running some diagnostic software on the hardware to check the keyboard etc... is working properly.

  • Richie
    Richie

    Simon...
    Unrelated to the issue at hand, may I ask you why do you show a picture next to your name pointing the finger at a Canadian flag?
    Just curious...lol

    Richie :*)

  • Simon
    Simon

    'cause it's where I want to be heading

    We plan on moving out there one day. Short term I will be visiting my dad there.

  • Trotafox
    Trotafox

    Simon:

    Thanks for responding.

    They gave me someone else's computer from upstairs. She got the new machine. I got her junk which was better junk than I had, supposedly. It was a completely different computer. My old CPU is still under the desk. They upgraded it to accommodate my problems with memory for the scanned material I was working with. They just installed newer software versions. It didn't like it. They reinstalled the Office Suite. Didn't help.

    Re printer driver: A month ago, I inquired as to whether or not there was a driver that needed to be downloaded to the HP LaserJet4. The technican just admitted to me yesteday that he didn't know much about the software. LOL.

    Re diagnostic software: I also asked them a month ago if it could be a keyboard problem. They shugged their shoulders and walked away. Will suggest they check the Minolta printer default formatting and see if they have run diagnostic software. I wish I could fix the darn thing myself. Talk about a waste of time.

    It's just very frustrating because I was trying to get a project out on a deadline while all of this was, and still is, going on.

    Trot

    "Wicked men obey from fear; good men, from love".... Aristotle. You can love and obey Christ without intervention from an organization.

  • Simon
    Simon

    Sounds like it's all messed up. I rarely do 'upgrade' installations as they never go smoothly. A clean install is always best.

    Us techies sometimes forget that people actually use their computers to do a job and messing with them isn't the job in itself.

    There are often other factors though such as required resources (tools / components / time) not being made available. I've been in places that expect you to fix somthing that's broken without having to spend any money and it's a right pain.

    Hope it get's sorted for you anyway

  • JeffT
    JeffT

    Sorry I can't help myself:

    Get to all the meetings and go out in field service more, that should fix everything.

    Seriously, I think you need a competent IS person to fix this. Among other things that means don't call microsoft. This is not a problem that can be fixed by reading stuff out of a manual. Sounds to me like your whole system needs to be reinstalled, or better yet replaced. Don't let them put a bandaid on it, you'll be fighting the problem until it gets fixed right.

  • Trotafox
    Trotafox

    Simon:

    Sounds like it's all messed up. I rarely do 'upgrade' installations as they never go smoothly. A clean install is always best.
    Messed up is right. Clean install..got it. The IS Mgr admitted that many people in the Company are having compatibility problems because they everyone is on different versions. He takes the blame for that. We seem to be spending so much time fighting our computers and tempers get short when you have a job to do. And you're right about the money/resources/time thing. But I have a job to do also. I try very hard to be patient with the IS guys normally but when I'm up against a deadline and ignored by IS and given excuse after excuse, I turn into a raving bulldozer. And guess who is giving me the deadline. You got it. My boss.

    JeffT:

    Get to all the meetings and go out in field service more, that should fix everything
    I tell ya what. With the time I have put in on this thing this month, I would have been way (I mean WAY) over the national average for the month.

    Seriously, I think you need a competent IS person to fix this.
    I'm stuck with what we have and that's real questionnable at this point. All 4 IS guys have been involved in this and getting nowhere.

    It seems none of them really have the time to devote to the solution. As I stated earlier, my boss told the IS Mgr (actually he's a Director and head of the IS Dept.), “I don’t know if you know Karen very well but she will not just let this drop until it’s fixed. If it’s not fixed, we are not going to have a Happy New Year.” Trust me. He wasn't kidding. I'm up against deadlines, too, and nobody, I mean nobody, messes with my ability to get my job done! The IS Mgr has finally agreed to do it right and now my boss and he are arguing about whether to give it a temp fix (my boss) or take the time to fix it properly (IS Mgr). And true to form, my boss once again causes more problems than he solves.

    Among other things that means don't call microsoft.
    I'm glad somebody agrees with me about Microsoft. When IS told me that I could call Microsoft, I just looked at them like they were crazy. In the first place, they are the IS Dept; not me. In the second place, I had visions of hours on the phone coming to no solution. Been there. I'm sure my boss would have loved having no assistant while I spent all day on the phone correcting a computer problem that IS should be working on!

    Sounds to me like your whole system needs to be reinstalled, or better yet replaced.
    I've been fighting for a fix and not just a temporary "going back to the old version fix" but it's my boss that is giving me the problem. He's a "I don't want to hear it, just get it done, while I stick my head in a hole type of person". The IS Mgr wants to reinstall Windows 2002 and Office Suite 2002 and work with Microsoft, if necessary, from there. I AGREE. And once again, folks, Karen butts heads with her boss (for the 400th time).

    By this time next week, I'll probably be looking for another job.

    Thanks.

    Trot

    "Wicked men obey from fear; good men, from love".... Aristotle. You can love and obey Christ without intervention from an organization.

  • Trotafox
    Trotafox

    Simon: What happened? My quotes wouldn't work. In trying to correct, I took out the first one and placed [CODE] in them instead. I lost all the editing area and I can't get it back. ???

    Trot

    "Wicked men obey from fear; good men, from love".... Aristotle. You can love and obey Christ without intervention from an organization.

  • bigboi
    bigboi

    Trotofox:

    The correct code at the end is juat plain [/QUOTE], not [/UNQUOTE]

    ONE....

    bigboi

    "it's like the one thing we all have in common is that we
    got played by a cult and a bunch of old men and no matter what it will
    always be a part of us no matter how much we distance ourselves from it"
    ~ Ghostquote

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