Problems with my computer

[Janiece Young]

My computer that I take to jobs has Vista.  I have been using it for quite a few years, maybe four or five.  It only goes to depositions.  It is hardly ever used to go on the internet.

Recently it I have problems with losing my realtime connection.  Yesterday it worked fine, no problems.  Today at the lunch break, I lost the realtime connection.  When this happens I have to turn the computer completely off and then reboot.

Any ideas what this could be?  I think it's some kind of a software issue but I have no idea what or how to fix it.  

Thank you,

Janiece

[Kerry F]

Janiece,

I would tend to think it's hardware.  It could be your cable from your writer to the computer is going bad.  That's what problem I've had before and I replace the cable and it stopped.  Or what you plug into from your writer to the laptop is going bad, a USB port.  Take another laptop to your next job and see if it still happens.  If it does, it's you cable is bad, if it doesn't it may be the USB port on your laptop is bad.l

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

When you say realtime connection, do you mean from your writer to the computer or your computer outputting to the attorneys? 

[Janet]

Do you have the power saving setting on all your USB ports turned off?   Since it happened at the lunch break, while the computer was idle, I would think it's related to that.

 

Do you have all of your power settings on Never?   (Never turn the display off, never put the computer to sleep, etc.)  I do for any laptop that I use for depositions.   Below is a screenshot from Windows 7.  The settings are similar in Vista.  To disable the Selective Suspend on the USB ports, that's in the Advanced Power settings.  You may already know this, but it seems like a power suspend issue to me. 

 

[Janiece Young]

Kelli,

The connection problem is from my writer to my computer.

Janet,

I checked and the power settings are all set to "never."

[Rosalie DeLeonardis]

When that has happened to me, I had to replace the cable. 

[Janiece Young]

Status report.  I tried replacing my USB cable.  Today I had no problems.  It was a short job.  Tomorrow will be a long job.  Fingers crossed.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I guess that's true.  The cable can go bad.  Forgot about that.  I should get an extra one just in case.  Good point, Rosalie!!

[Janiece Young]

Thank you to everyone who gave me advice.  I think it was a bad cable.  Today I had a 300 page job.  I used a new cable and I had no problems. 

Again, many thanks!!!

Janiece

[Janet]

That's a relief! 

I just bought a new computer today.  I looked at so many of them that my head was spinning.  I finally decided on this one:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.as...

I went for the speed and Windows 7.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

You certainly are a Toshiba lover, aren't you, Janet?  Smart move getting Windows 7 from what I understand.

I was talking to a reporter on a job today that got her Toshiba from Staples I believe she said and her internal microphone was amazing.  I couldn't believe how good the sound was.

[Janet]

I do love the sound on Toshibas.  I almost bought a Lenovo, but they didn't have it in stock.  That had great sound too.

[Janiece Young]

Janet, 

Congrats on your new computer.

I am loving Windows 7.  The more I use it, the more I like it.

J