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Microsoft Live made my Computer Dead (Vanity) Somewhat tongue in cheek
8/16/2016 | Fai Mao

Posted on 08/15/2016 5:46:00 PM PDT by Fai Mao

Microsoft is doing everything it can make me an Apple customer - except that Apple, in my experience is just as bad with customer service and more expensive.

I turned on my main computer, not the old laptop I am typing on now, this morning and was greeted with a request for a user name and password for a Microsoft Live account. I didn't even know I had a Microsoft live account. Something in the updates must have activated it. So, I powered up the trusty Acer Aspire with Windows 7 laptop and tried to look up the unwanted Microsoft Live account so that I could reset the password. The message I received was: "Your account has been temporarily suspended due to suspicious activity." I beg your pardon? How can there be activity on an account I didn't know I had? There was no way that I could reactivate the account without having a text sent to a cell phone and using that text message to unlock the account. I am of the firm belief that message texting (rather than money) is the root of all evil and do not even own a cell phone so I can't get a text. I called a friend and used his cell phone number. I entered everything and the computer booted, then restarted, froze, restarted again and then crashed. The disk is unrecoverable.

Not being an idiot I do not keep important documents on the internal hard-drive so I won't lose anything important but what a pain! The end result of two hours of calling a friend and going through the rigamarole and virtual hoops that I had to electronically jump through was that Microsoft Live took a machine that was working well, and did everything I needed it to do, and caused it to need a new hard drive. Thanks Microsoft, a new hard drive is just what I wanted to buy today anyway!

Years ago I took several online courses and became a certified Red Hat Linux technician because the school where I worked was talking of switching the school's machines to Linux. The switch would have saved a not inconsiderable amount of money on OS and WP programs. They didn't switch but I had the certificate anyway. I've not moved my home server to Linux because of, well; (smirk) computer games. Since most of my games are now on Steam and Steam is compatible with a Linux system that wouldn't be a problem and, other than games there is almost nothing I can do on a Microsoft platform that I can't do just as easily on a Linux program for less money. I could also setup a dual boot system with a Windows XP or Windows7 for the few things that Linux won't do. It may be time for Unbutu in my home system.

There are days I miss my Commodore-64


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Computers/Internet; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: microsoft; windows
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1 posted on 08/15/2016 5:46:02 PM PDT by Fai Mao
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To: Fai Mao

I ditched Windows completely for Linux Mint 18. It works much better.


2 posted on 08/15/2016 5:52:54 PM PDT by Dalberg-Acton
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To: Fai Mao

Do you play DOTA?


3 posted on 08/15/2016 5:53:11 PM PDT by Excellence (Marine mom since April 11, 2014)
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To: Excellence

No. I play Uncharted Waters Online, Civilization V, and various older games


4 posted on 08/15/2016 5:55:03 PM PDT by Fai Mao
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To: Fai Mao

Ah.


5 posted on 08/15/2016 5:55:44 PM PDT by Excellence (Marine mom since April 11, 2014)
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To: Fai Mao

Use VirtualBoxes for installing Windows O/Ss to run favorite programs that only run on Windoze (and won’t even run with WINE). Way easy to restore the whole virtual machine O/S and apps and data (assuming a backup) withing a few minutes.


6 posted on 08/15/2016 5:55:50 PM PDT by Paladin2 (auto spelchk? BWAhaha2haaa.....I aint't likely fixin' nuttin'. Blame it on the Bossa Nova...)
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To: Fai Mao
I too adore Windows 7 and recently spent not a small amount of money (thousands) on a number of top of the line Apple machines... All of them, to me, useless and irritating. My Acer laptop now owns its own Pelican case and I suppose I too should go Linux. I knew a little BASIC back in grade school, could it be that hard to exit Jobs & Gates' Cave?


Actually eager to jump on any Linux thread here. If YOU right wing rednecks with your guns and your bibles can do it I can too, right?




Ahem.

...Right?


7 posted on 08/15/2016 5:56:56 PM PDT by golux
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To: Dalberg-Acton

Just found out the hard way that there is no undo update in Linux. Now I’m also using Mint 18 and grabbing VMs and other stuff from the previous HD. I’ll get back to fixing LM 17.2 later.


8 posted on 08/15/2016 6:00:51 PM PDT by Paladin2 (auto spelchk? BWAhaha2haaa.....I aint't likely fixin' nuttin'. Blame it on the Bossa Nova...)
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To: Dalberg-Acton

Boy that was fast...Linux Recommendation in 3-2-—BAAMM!

BTW - Signing into your Live Account does not crash your hard drive. Not using it for a very long time and then starting it up was the more risky action in this case. Of course you had no choice....Apple computers used to eat hard drives all the time. I don’t know if they have fixed it up, but there was something about OSX that caused drives to fail every couple of years. I have replaced many Apple hard drives on my own mchines and others and only replaced maybe one or two on Windows.


9 posted on 08/15/2016 6:01:50 PM PDT by BRK
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To: Dalberg-Acton

I like windows 10 got on fast ring for the anniversary update. Thing is I neglected to turn off the new build preview.A new preview version came through last Saturday. I installed it and it bricked my Dell Laptop. My mistake. Reloading W10 is a breeze compared to the old days with disks/cds.


10 posted on 08/15/2016 6:03:18 PM PDT by UB355 (Slower traffic keep right)
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So I don’t create a new thread, has anyone had there profile picture and landscape picture from Twitter not appear on Firefox? I can’t see anyone’s profile photo or mine.


11 posted on 08/15/2016 6:03:52 PM PDT by TakebackGOP
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To: golux

Buy a new HD for your computer to give Linux a good test drive.


12 posted on 08/15/2016 6:05:51 PM PDT by Paladin2 (auto spelchk? BWAhaha2haaa.....I aint't likely fixin' nuttin'. Blame it on the Bossa Nova...)
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To: Fai Mao

Not sure if you were using Windows 10 but they require a “Microsoft live account” which is basically whatever email address you used when you logged in for the very first time, has to be either outlook or hotmail..Im guessing what happened is that you tried activating the computer with an email account that did not match what you had on your laptop so it suspended you..you might have to reinstall windows, its annoying but its windows :(


13 posted on 08/15/2016 6:08:21 PM PDT by Sarah Barracuda
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To: Fai Mao
I didn't even know I had a Microsoft live account. Something in the updates must have activated it. So, I powered up the trusty Acer Aspire with Windows 7 laptop and tried to look up the unwanted Microsoft Live account so that I could reset the password.

Dumb question - why would you look for an account you didn't know you had - or even remember you signed up for?

Do you reply to Nigerian emails too? ;-)

14 posted on 08/15/2016 6:08:50 PM PDT by TomServo
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To: Sarah Barracuda
Not sure if you were using Windows 10 but they require a “Microsoft live account”

No they don't

15 posted on 08/15/2016 6:10:00 PM PDT by TomServo
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To: Dalberg-Acton
I ditched Windows completely for Linux Mint 18. It works much better.

I just installed a beta vpn client on 18. Easy. The only thing I miss is something as fast as Convert x to Dvd.

16 posted on 08/15/2016 6:12:43 PM PDT by Stentor
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To: TomServo

when I installed mine it asked for a Microsoft email address maybe cause I was upgrading from Windows 8


17 posted on 08/15/2016 6:15:23 PM PDT by Sarah Barracuda
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To: Fai Mao

[There are days I miss my Commodore-64]

I have one, in the original box, as the original owner of it, that I could sell you.

;)

I bought it brand new.

I might still have the cassette drive and Jupiter Lander.


18 posted on 08/15/2016 6:16:18 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Be a blessing to a stranger today for some have entertained angels unaware)
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To: Fai Mao
Microsoft is doing everything it can make me an Apple customer - except that Apple, in my experience is just as bad with customer service and more expensive.

Lost me right there. My MacBook Pro is six years old and I've only had one problem ever. The video display crapped out. I made appt. with Apple Store and they fixed it for free and were very pleasant about it.

As for being more expensive. Yes, in the same way a Mercedes is more expensive than a Ford Focus. You drive your Mercedes for 10 years and then sell it to somebody else. You drive your Focus for five years and have it towed to the junkyard.

19 posted on 08/15/2016 6:17:24 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (It is a wise man who rules by the polls but it is a fool who is ruled by them)
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To: Fai Mao
I bought a cheap Acer 8 months ago. I just used it for checking emails and coming here and keeping up on facebook. A Windows 10 update was forced on it last month and killed my computer. It has never worked since. I took it to a computer guy and he thought the hard drive might have fried but not really sure. Looking at getting an Apple. Any suggestions? 🍎
20 posted on 08/15/2016 6:19:33 PM PDT by Cowgirl of Justice
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