Tech: YouTube driver?

Subject: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Gurney
Date: 22 Mar 16 - 10:52 PM

OK, so I'm still on WXP, but it was working fine until I tried to listen to a song on YouTube. Then it said I hadn't the correct driver, and WinZip (apparently WinZip) offered to update my whole array of drivers. I downloaded the program, and it said that I have 26 outdated drivers , and offered to do one (unspecified) free and required payment for the others. Payment cost also unspecified. Then it started badgering me to take the 'deal.'
I'm suspicious because I've used WinZip in the past, free, and because I didn't know I HAD 26 drivers. I also used YouTube regularly.

So, am I being conned, or has YouTube changed their required driver?
To something available only on a modern OS?

Of course, I have been thinking of updating the whole computer, which dates from W98 days apart from memory, but I'm old-school and unashamed of it, and 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!' I also have a wife who hates it when I "change something" on the thing.
Advice gratefully received.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 12:10 AM

Sounds like something's not quite right. YouTube doesn't need your computer to have a driver. You may need to update Shockwave, which is what your computer uses for videos, but it's free, and usually you get told you need to get a current version when you try to view a video. Of course, I haven't had XP for about 12 years, so I'm not sure about what it might be telling you.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 12:19 AM

I need to keep some old XP PCs to run late 1990s proprietary music software on..
eg.. midi controllers for 1990s hardware samplers & synths.

But I really wouldn't want to risk going online net surfing with XP.
Besides which those old PCs just no longer have the processing power to cope with modern media rich processor / ram greedy bloated websites..

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Andrez
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 03:40 AM

As I understand WinZip is a program that compresses and expands compressed files. Thats its sole role and its certainly not about updating drivers: paid or unpaid.

My 5 cents worth would be to delete the program you have masquerading as WinZip.

If you had virus protection software that supports XP and still provides compatible updates you may be reasonably safe out there on the world wild web.

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Gurney
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 06:05 AM

Well, Thanks.
Jeri and Andrez, that was my understanding too, But the information that I needed an updated driver came on the first time YouTube didn't work, and the WinZip suggestion with it. I will look into Shockwave.
I deleted the program because it was nagging me, but YouTube still doesn't work. I'll have to warn them.

Punkfolkrocker, I don't surf much, just this site and a couple of lyric sites, and some business sites sometimes. Mostly we use it for Emailing. However, the main reason I'm reluctant to update is that Her Indoors is a bit resistant to a complete change of OS, and also Windows' newer systems don't seem to receive universal approval at all, as evidenced here today. Like you, I also have some good but outdated programs, particularly a great tuner for if I ever get around to tuning my concertina.

I guess I got a virus, and one that my (free) virus killer couldn't kill. A species of ransom-ware. I'll tell them too, but it is a Korean Program, and as I'm still on XP.....

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Gurney
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 06:06 AM

11pm here. Tomorrow.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Newport Boy
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 06:31 AM

I recommend Avast antivirus (free) for WinXP. Avast will continue to support XP until 2017. After that, no one knows.

I only use XP in a virtual machine - if it gets infected, I switch back to last week's snapshot.

Phil

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Gurney
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 03:04 PM

Newport Boy, I've used Avast in the past (pure poetry, eh?)and found it good, but in one instance it allowed a worm to attack me, so I switched to AVG. Of course, it just depends on when you boot up the computer (and it updates) whether the supplier has written an antidote to any particular threat. Since here we are 12hrs in front of Britain, 18hrs+ in front of America, I supposed that with the location of AVGs writers that we might get a jump on new virus'. Usually do, because this is the first infection for years.
Job to do, so I'll put AVG through and try later.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Andrez
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 06:00 PM

Would it be possible to find an update for Her Indoors IT skills? If so you might want consider having a look at moving to Win 7. That wasn't too bad an OS from Microsoft. Actually its the last one I'd recommend, the more recent iterations of the Microsoft OS is best summarised in one word: BOLLOCKS!

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Gurney
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 06:00 PM

Well, I've got the video back because the main effect of the interference is that it switched off the sound, (Oh, -Duh!) but it is still choppy and spluttery. Is there a name for that effect?

The ad still comes up with YouTube, despite my manually removing it from the computer, so it may be that That site is the source.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 24 Mar 16 - 03:46 AM

In a week or so Chrome ends support for Windows XP. After that Firefox will be the only browser for XP which is maintained and secure. Which doesn't mean XP itself is secure. So if you must use XP, use Firefox.

Read more here.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: GUEST,BobL sans cookie
Date: 24 Mar 16 - 04:21 AM

I, too, get "outdated driver" ads from time to time on my Windows XP system, which I ignore as spam bait since (a) genuine updates would have come from MS, and (b) they no longer do them for XP.

For some months, YouTube pop-ups warned of coming incompatibility with Internet Explorer 8, and now this just plays the sound but no picture to go with it. A laptop which I bought secondhand & upgraded to Windows 10 fared no better, it was OK for a while but when I try to play U-bend videos I now get the message "An error has occurred. Please try again later." Very informative. So at last I bit the bullet and bought a new system with W10 and IE11, which - so far - is working fine.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Gurney
Date: 24 Mar 16 - 04:18 PM

Dave Ro, I do use Firefox almost exclusively, although I have two more browsers on board 'just in case.' Years ago, I was using IE and an attack on it paralysed it for a while, and having no other browser, I could do nothing until a friend gave me a disk copy of another browser.

BobL, the effect I was troubled with was that YouTube videos just stayed blank, with the message, but then the music from the video would play several minutes later, out of the blue, when I was on another site.

I'll have to go the new computer way, it seems. But not until I have to. Or maybe the idea I had long ago, with a 'on/on' switch and two different OSs, one being Linux.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 25 Mar 16 - 01:45 PM

a practical cost effective suggestion....

For basic net surfing and video/music media streaming I have been using a cheap [ approx £35 ] Android media box off Amazon
for when I can't be bothered getting my arse off the sofa to go upstairs to the proper computer room..

It has proven reliable and fast & easy to use over the last 6 months or so.

Connects to Living room TV via HDMI for full Hi Def video playback.
Though would expect it to work with converter boxes for other kinds of monitors ?.

Just requires a cheap [approx £10 ] wireless keyboad / mouse pad.

There are loads of these devices on Amazon.. many seemingly rebadged OEM boxes from the same factory.
Avoid the ridiculously over priced brands.

This is the one I'm using:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=riorand+mx3


The factory loaded image of Android & apps [including kodi] works straight out the box.
But it's advisable not to try system updates as the box has been tweaked at factory
to operate a little outside the realm of official Google Playstore restrictions.

Though new apps can be downloaded from playstore if you have a free account.

eg Chrome Browser.


If you don't care about updating to the latest version of android or more up to date apps,
it's good value for money if it only functions for a couple more years....

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 25 Mar 16 - 01:59 PM

btw.. I got one with 2 gig ram rather than 1 Gig.

The older 1 Gig version should be avoided, even if it looks too cheap to resist.

I also connected mine up to our fast ethernet wired network...

Never even bothered to find out if the on board wi fi works effectively.......

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 25 Mar 16 - 03:40 PM

.. before I forget again...

one proviso.. I would not trust the security of these boxes with any personal or financial info.

Certainly not since the recent Android 'Stagefright' exploit

I only use it for general net searching and media streaming [eg youtube through browser rather than app]

therefore, no emails or anything that requires log in passwords.

The google playstore account is in fake name.
Definitely don't want to risk google synching any real personal account details.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 25 Mar 16 - 06:17 PM

I frequently get an ad on YouTube telling me that a driver needs to be updated. It doesn't say WHAT driver, and I take that as a strong indication that it doesn't actually know or care what drivers I have and it's just trying to con money out of me. So I just close that window whenever it appears.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 25 Mar 16 - 08:11 PM

I am getting the same ads suggesting I need to update drivers on YouTube on 3 different computers and operating systems, none of which are on XP, and all of which are up-to-date so I doubt if it has anything to do with XP.
I assume it is spam, or may well be a malware-loaded program so don't touch it with a barge-pole! Maybe should report/complain to Google!

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Mar 16 - 09:18 PM

The pop-up ads that appear over the face of YouTube videos are so often for unnecessary software. I'm surprised Google's YouTube would accept ads for such crap...or is it somebody other than Google/YouTube that is allowing these ads?

Despite my refusal to give our college interns administrator accounts on our staff computers, somehow they have downloaded some of that crapware onto our staff computers, and I have fits trying to get rid of it.

If you don't know the company or individual that produced the download, don't download it.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Gurney
Date: 25 Mar 16 - 11:52 PM

The problem that I had was that a YouTube video wouldn't load, just a blank space without sound. This, combined with the 'notice' (as I thought it was) that the drivers needed updating and the music from the video coming later, when I wasn't even on YouTube, combined with the Winzip name which I trusted, and the fact that I was expecting my XPpro to fall over at some stage, convinced me to download the program. When I did, it was obviously promotional bumph and I removed it again, started this thread, took virus protection measures, fiddled with YouTube controls, and eventually got normal service back. As normal as it gets with this slow old machine. Then I emailed Google/YouTube and expressed my displeasure a little bit, and suggested they look at this thread.

All the advice has been good, sensible, and supportive, and I thank you all. Mea culpa entirely for being so naive. But it looked so convincing initially, with no video. Don't YOU fall for it.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Andrez
Date: 26 Mar 16 - 01:42 AM

Perhaps there might be some value in exploring simple browser protection through using Google Adblock or similar software extensions? I use several of these and they have significantly minimised annoying ads and such like. Best of all they also block Google analytics and similar programs as well. Worth a thought anyway.

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Mar 16 - 03:12 AM

If you're having problems viewing YouTube (or any other Website, for that matter), the first and safest thing to do is to try another browser. If that does the trick, go back to your favorite browser and clear the cache or "saved files." And if that doesn't work, try yet another browser until you find one that works.
Don't install supplemental programs unless you know what you're getting into.

Our staff at the women's center had trouble getting into their Web-based email. I couldn't solve the problem, so I finally gave in and called tech support. He gave me all sorts of solutions that didn't work, and finally we gave up. Then he suggested that I try another Web browser. That did the trick. I really like Google Chrome, but it's the fussiest of the browsers and can often have problems. Firefox is the Old Reliable, but even it has problems sometimes.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Mar 16 - 04:00 AM

I do not like SOL cookies.

Youtube has made some changes this past year regarding Adobe Flash Player and HTML5, and browsers. The UK has other issues. Here are some recent articles.

www.eccorem.com/apps/youtube-all-flash.html


www.phys.org/news/2015-07-opinion-chrome-youtube-firefox-hot.html


www.groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/mozilla.support.firefox/BrZd3ImOsqU


www.raymond.cc/blog/hidden-list-of-visited-websites-by-flash-player/


Run a search and set the limit to "within the last year" and "Flash Cookies AND Youtube"

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Mar 16 - 04:22 AM

What are "SOL" cookies? Does that mean that if you get one on your computer, you're "Shit-Outa-Luck"?
America wants to know.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 26 Mar 16 - 04:49 AM

He meant LSO cookies - Local Shared Objects, aka Flash Cookies - not actually cookies but with similar properties. They used to be used to track you - maybe still are, but there are newer ways now that Flash is less ubiquitous.

In one of the links www.groups.google.com should be groups.google.com BTW

In Firefox you can enable built-in Tracking Protection - see here.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Mar 16 - 04:55 AM

In other words, Dave, they're very close to being "sol" cookies....

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 26 Mar 16 - 05:25 AM

So close Mr Google knew what he meant.

'Sol' reminded me of Whole Wheat Radio.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube driver?
From: JHW
Date: 26 Mar 16 - 06:39 AM

"I, too, get "outdated driver" ads from time to time on my Windows XP system"
Thanks for that. I just had such on the Met Office weather page.
New to me and I assumed some sort of con and next site I chanced to look at was Mudcat and here's a thread with the answer!
And yes I still use only my XP laptop. Everyone else likes sawn-off screens but I like my full height 4:3
I have long hair too