Tech: Shared Laptop Problem

Subject: BS: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,Dazbo at home
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 04:03 PM

Hi there, not been on this site for a while as my work PC seems to have banned mudcat!

Anyway, I have a problem with my home laptop. It's an HP that I've had for about 4 or 5 years and runs Windows Home Vista and share with my wife. The problem has only just occurred and I'm baffled.

I can log into my account no problem but when my wife tries to log into hers the screen says welcome for a few seconds then changes to Logging Off and logs her off. I've tried numerous reboots, I've created a new account on the PC but the same thing happens.

My account is the administrator account but I can't find, or even have any ideas, on how to rectify this problem.

Can any of you Mudcatter our there have any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks

Darren

Subject: RE: BS: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,#
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 05:24 PM

Darren, message Mr Red. He's a guru of things computer.

Subject: RE: BS: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,Dazbo at home
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 05:33 PM

I will do but as a temporary fix (restores to earlier system updates didn't work for some reason) making my wife an administrator too has let me in - don't know if this is a permanent fix though

Subject: RE: BS: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,#
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 05:40 PM

Well, that's good, Darren. I too have an HP laptop which is as old as yours. I hate the darned thing. It does stuff-something I think about me resting my left hand on the SW corner of the keyboard--and I lose posts before them (I just lost 'I post'). Been making things real slow on this machine. Good luck with the problem which it seems you've fixed :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Shared Laptop Problem
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 06:00 PM

You could also dedicate different browsers to the mudcat logon, i.e., you use Chrome, she uses Firefox. That's how I deal with multiple accounts on sites where I have different accounts I use often enough that I don't want to bother logging in and out and back in.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 06:03 PM

I'm pretty sure the log on he's talking about is Vista, where somebody has to log off before somebody else can log on. I'd guess that's what's happening. If there's an option to "switch user"?

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 08:11 PM

Vista is easily a problem (especially "home" version) - it was never very good as an operating system and one that a lot of people skipped entirely. The ones to skip were Win ME and Vista. I bought computers in the ME era and switched over to the more robust Win2000 as soon as possible.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 28 Apr 15 - 01:49 AM

Maybe some ideas here
http://www.vistax64.com/general-discussion/221912-standard-user-account-just-logs-off.html

I used to use XP as a non-admin user and the usual problem I had was with programs that didn't work except as admin. These might have been installed as admin but failed when run as a limited user. I sometimes found that changing the limited account to admin, logging it on and running the program, then logging it off and changing it back to limited sometimes worked.

Not Vista and not the same problem as yours, but might work.

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Apr 15 - 04:34 AM

Install a good Linux desktop :-)

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: Mr Red
Date: 28 Apr 15 - 04:56 AM

Mr Red has no real answer but it has been mooted about making the second user as an Administrator. Worth a test, even if you don't keep it. You trust your wife don't you?
For Mudcat, an alternative browser would allow two people to remain logged-in (eg Chrome & Firefox)

As to my knowledge on PCs - I only know what I know, my Vista (ho ho) is not large.

Computers are a vast subject these days, and I doubt any one expert knows more than 20% (of a given OS!). It was reckoned that Win 98 represented a Million man-hours of coding. Take that to be before the security updates!

FWIW I still use a Vista laptop for off-line work, video editing eg. It is OK - just.

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 15 - 02:36 PM

I just helped my next-door neighbor purchase an Asus Win8.1 touchscreen laptop. It makes sense that together we looked at what is out there, what her needs are, and I see what she's getting because I'm the one who does the troubleshooting when needed.

The Linux suggestion is good for someone who is computer savvy, but a user on an old computer with a Home version of a crummy OS doesn't seem to fit that description. Nothing personal, just not everyone has the time or interest to learn all of the stuff to solve some of these problems on their own. Microsoft isn't supporting that software any longer, and there are probably all sorts of security issues associated with using old software on today's web sites. It really is time to upgrade to something, so either learn about the Linux for this computer or evaluate the condition of the computer, the price of new software (will this machine support Win7 or 8.1?), vs the software offered with new equipment. The Asus my neighbor bought was under $600. I'll teach her how to use the new OS (she had Win 7 on the previous computer) and set up security and other software for her. You can get away with mostly free software once you have purchased the OS separately to upgrade or as part of a new machine. What data is on the computer, what will be lost of malware or ransomware gets in? Where is everything backed up? It's time to ask those questions now that the computer appears to be beginning to fail.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: Stanron
Date: 28 Apr 15 - 03:00 PM

SRS

Actually Linux makes sense on an old machine. Compared to the commercial alternatives, modern Linux systems are light on resources. It can be installed on a machine that can't take modern Windows.

Linux Mint, with the Cinnamon desktop, is probably the closest you will get to the classic Windows appearance. It's currently on version 17.1 I think. It is very simple and straightforward to install. If you can boot from a CD/DVD drive you can try it out before actually installing it. It will run rather slowly from a DVD but you can test it well enough.

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Apr 15 - 04:07 AM

I was not aware the Vista was not still being supported in fact Apr 2017 is the official version of the deadline (providing SP1 has been installed - though as I understand it, SP2 encompasses all previous updates). see here
However I suspect the the HP incarnation has added another layer of complexity.
Unless the user is adept at searching the registry I doubt there is much else that can be done. Setting the second user to Administrator should be within most peoples' capability. It will be in the the Control Panel.
Control Panel > User Acounts and Family Safety > Double Click the User account > Change Account type > check Administrator. See how that performs.

Linux looks to me to be a huge learning curve for a user that just wants the beast to work.

And just to show how easy it is to be fooled: I keep the Vista machine plugged into a second screen and if that screen is not switched on and the Control Panel is not showing - panic! Until the second screen is switched on. Doh!

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,Dave the Gnome
Date: 29 Apr 15 - 06:11 AM

Linux looks to me to be a huge learning curve for a user that just wants the beast to work.

Depends what you want to do, Mr R. If you are browsing, word processing, emailing, in fact, anything that is not playing Windows based games, it really is a doddle. Even the latter is achieveable but needs a bit more thought. If you just want 'a beast that works' I would second Stanron's recommendation of Mint. It is just Windows that work :-)

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 29 Apr 15 - 06:22 AM

The OP seems to know that different users can have their own windows accounts, and the difference between an administrator and a limited account. This makes them more computer-literate than about 80% of Windows users IMO, and well able to handle a modern Linux system. Linux is not hard to use, just different. An old XP or Vista-age machine would get a new lease of life - and be far more secure. But you need a lightweight version of Linux.

BUT they would need help to install and familiarise with it and that's hard to find unless a relative uses it. Some UK Linux User Groups put on events at the time of XP's demise where you could try it out and get a local mentor.

And, of course, it depends what you want to run on it: it's not a good choice if you need Windows-only applications.

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 29 Apr 15 - 08:18 AM

My own choice of desktop is KDE but those wanting something lighter may like to look and lxde or xfce desktops.

---
As for ease of setting up, I find OpenSuse easier than say Ubuntu. Some of that is because I am more familiar with it but I also find Yast handy for some configuration tasks.

I know it seems to go against the grain but I also prefer OpenSuse's implementation (Yast software management/Zypper) of an RPM packaging system to the ones I've tried on Deb based systems. I'm not so fond of Fedora's RPM system though.

Each to their own of course and with Linux, one is quite free to try several distributions and desktops to find one that suits them best.

I guess it can seem a lot for someone new to Linux but my own feeling does tend towards encouraging them to try a few live distributions before settling on one to install.

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,Dave the Gnome
Date: 29 Apr 15 - 09:10 AM

KDE is OK but, for obvious reasons, I would recommend Gnome :-)

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 29 Apr 15 - 10:28 AM

It's a new name to be but Ratpoison might be the most appropriate one here at the momemnt...

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 29 Apr 15 - 11:30 AM

GUEST,Jon wrote: ... those wanting something lighter may like to look and lxde or xfce desktops.

I use OpenSUSE and xfce; an XP user would be quite at home with it. But neither lxde nor xfce is the default with SUSE - KDE or Gnome is, and KDE is very fancy and requires a more powerful machine. It's why I said a newbie would need help with the install. And it's the installation which often causes problems to a beginner - minor problems or unfamiliar terminology can cause them to give up.

I've never used Ubuntu or Mint so can't comment on their installers.

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 29 Apr 15 - 12:02 PM

As far as I can remember, Ubuntu is quite simple to install with very few options. I don't know how OpenSUSE's "automatic configuration" might compare as I prefer to be asked the questions and do make some changes to the defaults. As you say though, going that way may be a bit much for a newbie to Linux.

At home, our own move was from Win2K to Linux. I gave my parents the choice of buying XP or trying OpenSuse. They opted for the latter and out of the two desktops I offered (Gnome being the other) felt happier with KDE.

They (coming up to 80 now) have never had to do a Linux install but I'm not sure they had done a Windows one either (I did it for them and prior to that, another brother did...). The only real change in the system maintaince sort of direction is than the number of "Jon - can you have a look at this, something's gone wrong" type "call outs" reduced significantly with the move to Linux. I think a more stable platform also helped them gain confidence.

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: Stanron
Date: 29 Apr 15 - 12:14 PM

I've got the KDE Mint 17.1 on my backup PC. Both Mint KDE and Mint Cinnamon are a doddle to install. You just follow the prompts for language and time zone and make a careful note of your user name and password. The tricky bit comes if you do a dual install and you are asked for partitioning choices. I usually use a new or wiped hard drive so there is no problem. Linux does not call your drives C, D or E. it has names like sda1 and each partition is treated like a separate drive so sda1 and sda2 are partitions on the same drive. Another drive might be named sdb1. This doesn't matter if you install on a fresh hard drive, you just accept the default options. I use a USB hard drive to store files I want to keep. I back up my browser favourites every so often on this and attach it to my new system after the install so it is never in danger. You don't have to worry if the very expensive system you buy turns out to be rubbish. Linux is free. (you can donate to the project if you want to) If you don't like the version you have just try another.

Subject: RE: Tech: Shared Laptop Problem
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 29 Apr 15 - 12:49 PM

"Linux does not call your drives C, D or E. it has names like sda1 and each partition is treated like a separate drive so sda1 and sda2 are partitions on the same drive."

The drive is sda. sda1 is a partition on sda.

Outside installation and reorganisation, we don't usally spend a lot of time thinking about drives on Linux. A folder say /jon could be a folder on the same drive as the operating system, on a different drive, even on a network drive and it could be moved from one of these phyiscal locations to another without upsetting anything.

I don't know what Windows is like these days but having to have the drive letter change (eg. C:\jon getting moved to be D:\jon") at least used to be a right pain.