Views from Medina Road

Per C.E. Petit's comment to the previous post, I've fixed my network adapter (aka wireless receiver) problem; he suggested simply unplugging the device, then plugging it back in. That worked. I've also found two other solutions: in the network settings dialogue, disable the wireless connection, then re-enable it; this has the same effect as unplugging and plugging back in. Best, I've simply reset the PC's power settings so that the thing never goes into hibernation. The default had been 20 minutes. I can shut it down when I go to work each day if I want to, but while I'm home, I'd just as soon not have it keep conking out on me.

This morning I had another problem: I woke the machine up, clicked update in Outlook, and got a Windows error message to the effect that "symantic system network inoperable" or somesuch (I didn't write it down), with the effect being that Outlook would not download any email. I waited half the day, rebooting several times to no better effect, then phoned HP. Turned out HP no longer provides phone technical service for new PCs, so I went online and launched a technical service chat. Eventual result: some problem with the pre-installed Norton Virus utility. Turning off ingoing and outgoing email scanning solved the immediate problem -- Outlook downloaded pending emails from the server -- and even though Norton reactivated the scanning after 15 minutes, Outlook has been working ever since. HP did follow up with instructions for re-installing Norton, and suggested as a last resort contact Norton themselves to diagnose the problem with their utility. If Outlook hangs from this problem again, I'll do one or both of those.

Promise to get back to real Locus Online related content soon. Should have a review from Howard & Lawrence of CLOVERFIELD by tomorrow night, or Monday morning at latest.