OT - Daltonista need some help from computer savy people

ajaan

Tom sent me the following email about a problem he has trying to reply to messages and PMs. If anyone can help please post here. Personal items edited out.

Hi, Don ~



Hope you don't mind my using it for an OT reason, but I've been unable to PM anyone or start/reply to any threads since I installed my new PC on Valentine's Day.



But I also wondered if I can pick your brain (or you could pick others on the forum) to see if there's a known solution to my problem?

Take a look at this small screen shot: http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u60/themugster/miscellaneous 1/?action=view&current=screen1.jpg

That little placeholder icon with the "x" in it is all I get when I open the start or reply to thread screen, or when I try to compose a PM. My cursor is nonfunctional in the pane and I can't enter anything where I should be able to type. It's like dead space.

Have you encountered anything like this before on the forum?
If not, could you float my question and see if anyone knows of a cure?
I'm guessing it's related to some sort of setting on my new PC, but I can enter all sorts of things on
other websites with no problems. (eBay, Amazon, etc.)

Will be glad to send a better image as an attachment if you think it would be helpful for posting on the forum.

Grateful for any help you can give me, Don!
Many thanks!
Tom

satootoko

Fixed image:




But no help here on how to fix the problem!

spoon

Looks like Microsoft Internet Explorer. Try to download and install a different browser (Firefox - Opera) and see if the forum can be fully accessed through that. It could be that the default security settings for MSIE are on overdrive and preventing access to forms. I'm a bit out of touch on the settings but you may find the culprit by tweaking the settings in Internet Options.

JimK

I tend to agree with Spoon. Firefox is a much better and secure browser. I hardly ever use Internet Exploder anymore...
Another thing (and I don't know what function the x that is missing uses) is perhaps he needs to install Java or Java functions. Perhaps one of the moderators might know??
Good luck!
Jim

Daltonista

Whew! Back in the saddle!
Thanks for your help, guys. I did switch to Firefox, and the problem disappeared.
Will check into Java settings someday, I suppose, but that would be trial-and-error only.
I did notice a lot of unfamiliar add-ons in the IE settings, many having to do with XML,
so maybe I'll try turning a few things off.
I'm blaming MS Vista for all my problems these days...XP was much less user-hostile.
Thanks again...especially you, Don, for putting me in touch with help.
Best ~
Tom

IloiloKano

<< <i>I'm blaming MS Vista for all my problems these days...XP was much less user-hostile. >>


Yeah, but they make up for a bad operating system with cute commercials, don't you think? They seem to think so.

ajaan

I have no problem with Vista.