h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Another computer question.

My laptop - with Windows Vista Basic - has worked very well up until about a day and a half ago. Suddenly it started taking ages for pages to open (both on Firefox and Chrome) and then I started getting "problem loading page" and "connection has timed out" windows.

I can still load pages but it's very hit and miss - and actually more miss than hit. And it's driving me nuts! The other laptop - with Windows XP - is working fine, so I'm guessing it isn't the adsl connection.

Oh, and I was also getting a pop-up window with a warning message saying that some startup programs have been blocked. But I think this started happening after the loading problems.

Anyone else having a similar problem with Vista? Or have any idea why this is happening and what I can do about it?



az

Ooooh, I think I may have solved my own problem by rebooting the adsl router. After doing this the Vista laptop is suddenly quite zippy and opening pages in a split second.

Will see if this lasts ...



az

Rats! It started doing it again.


az

Just to check something... Is it slowing down when your other machine is turned on and connected to your router or is it completely independent of the other machine's status?

At this moment the other machine is in hibernation mode.

But I think I noticed the router not being as "flashy" as usual awhile ago ... maybe it's the router or the connection?

az

although Vista is in the picture, I'd vote for the router. I use ADSL and a wireless router (but not Vista). Sometimes I lose the internet connection but still have network communications with my other computers -- I reboot the ADSL router and things are fine. Sometimes I loose the wireless and a reboot of the computer fixes it, sometimes I reboot the wireless router and it's all back.

J and I both have laptops on one router. Sometimes his wouldn't connect while mine was fine, other times neither would work. I kept resetting, rebooting, pulling the plug for ten mins at a time etc. Eventually I rang BT and they told me to change the 'channel' I think they called it to a stronger one. That worked for a while, again, one laptop ok, one not (think it was my Vista more than his XP that was playing up), until I called again and was told it was an external problem and they'd sort it and get back to me.

There were a lot of BT vans working on holes in the ground about 10 mins drive from me around that time.

"Sometimes I loose the wireless and a reboot of the computer fixes it, sometimes I reboot the wireless router and it's all back"

Did you do that on purpose, anhaga? *Loose* the wireless! One of my peeviest peeves ... gaaaah!

I was having some "external problems" awhile back, Mina, and had to call Telefónica several times. But in those cases I lost everything - internet and television (my tv service is also through the router). They were always able to fix it quickly, within about 15 minutes. So it could be something similar this time.

Today the Vista laptop is all zippy again. Well, as long as it ain't broke I won't try to fix it.


az

"I was having some "external problems" awhile back"

"awhile"? One of my peeviest peeves ... gaaaah!

Your problem is obvious.

You need to buy some wires to connect your wireless connection to your computer so that you stop loosing it

az

Um, great idea MP ... *backs away slowly*



az

Yeah, my bet's on the wireless playing up. Always trouble.

I think you're right, Bouncy. So far today, no problems at all. And all the router lights are all flashy like they're supposed to be.

It's just weird how it affects one laptop and not the other. Actually, including the three neighbours next door (who also use my router but are away at the moment) there are almost never any problems.

Technology, eh?

az

so while we're talking wireless routers... how come my (connected by cablee to the router) desktop which is normally zippy and fab, taking yonks to load anything?

Is it slowed down by being connected to a wireless router? (all lights on the modem until it wants to do something, when it all goes silly and all bets are off)

It's happening again ... since last night.

XP laptop working fine, Vista laptop slow as molasses and usually just gives up trying to load pages.


az

My Vista laptop has started missing random letters when I type. It's only 15 months old (so out of warranty - of course).

Luckily the problem is easily solved by administering a USB keyboard!

Deb