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Perhaps everyone else knows this, but I don’t.

bbearren wrote:

Every time you transfer the software to a new device, you must remove the software from the prior device.

What is the mechanism for ‘removing the software from the prior device’ (the MS record of license assignment, I assume) when a motherboard has died and been replaced?

“Nine out of 10 doctors say Acid Reflux is mainly caused by computers.”
But Dr. Ten nails it: It is caused by using a soldering iron and acid-flux solder when resoldering the CPU. IOW: a pebcacle (spellings are variant).

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/15/digital-tripwire-helped-state-uncover-chinese-hack-00115973

All thanks to ‘Big Yellow Taxi’: How State discovered Chinese hackers reading its emails

The State Department relied on a clever alert system to uncover and unravel an advanced Chinese spying campaign that involved breaches of officials’ emails.

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oldfry, Cybertooth

Alex5723 wrote:

We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt.

Objection, your Honor! I don’t have Office, and – from all the hullabaloo and gripes concerning here it – won’t. $$$ and maintenance churn are uncivil.

Notepad (and Kedit) are fine for TXT.
But I use WordPad for more-than Notepad formatting. Occasionally refractory, but usable.

/s/ Oldtimer

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Charlie

“and now I can’t reach the sites”.
Which sites: clicks.aweber.com ?

The Hosts file is located at %windir%system32driversetc and can be edited using Notepad.

The I’m-dropping-the-back-slash bug bit again.
Should be [ %windir%\system32\drivers\etc ],
or in full [ C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc ].

Note that this is the folder within which is the file named [ Hosts ]. It has no file-type.

The last two weeks I’ve had to add a couple of filters, in Thunderbird, to a couple of my email addresses. These could have been combined into one. I haven’t investigated to see if this could be done in a webmail access.

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WCHS

1. In Firefox, have you done a ‘create a new profile for testing’? It is possible that there has been some inadvertent change within the FF Profile.

2. When you DO create this new Profile, First Thing – in the Address Bar, key in [ about:config ], and look at (filter on) the entries for [ Google ]. Note which ones, if any, are in bold. These are the ones changed from the default settings (not bold). Any ending with ‘lastupdatetime’ or ‘nextupdatetime’ are normal.

3. With this fresh testing profile, see if you still have the hijack problem.

4. If not, then use your existing (normal) FF, and check about:config.
5. But if you do, then a FF uninstall-and-reinstall may be next.

When there is a constant – there is a solution in a Thunderbird Filter.

1 – Create a Filter
2 – At the bottom of the default list of labels (Subject, …), is Customize.
3 – Here, insert the Header Label of inspection (X-Originating-Ip)
4 – ‘Match any’; select that newly defined Label / Contains / [40.95
5 – You may need to experiment with various criteria (they OR and AND, depending).

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WCHS

iudith: Please clarify. Are the keyboard and mouse separate devices, each with its own cable-and-plug? Or is is there only one USB cable into the computer for both?

Have you tried just removing the fluorescent tube? It may not help, but it is one less variable to be considered.

Extension cord from another room: You’ve verified that that outlet is on another breaker circuit? We’ve been assuming that the power for the computers’ complex and the power for the overhead light are both on the same circuit.

alejr: A ‘blocking’ foil. Wouldn’t this need to be grounded/earthed to the computer chassis/frame? Mice and KBs often are plastic. If ungrounded/unearthed, isn’t it possible for any RF to be reflected off of something – and thus be inconclusive? I’m still wondering about some grounding/shielding aberration, which could permit some kind of resonance.

Thank you; you’ve cleared several thoughts.
5 revisited. Can you remove the fluorescent tube from the fixture and flip the switch?

Depending upon your account sensitivity – do read about PW strength. There is no format “minimum” requirement. For testing I’ve used just a single letter.

And think too about creating a Hint. Who else might understand it?

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LHiggins

The government and military (US at least) have different levels of security classifications for programs, not necessarily meaning computer programs though they are not excluded, but for aircraft, missile, etc.

To test the regulation ability of the power supply to a lower input voltage, and incidentally (maybe) its ability to accommodate voltage dips and spikes –

Can you temporarily plug into the power strip/surge suppressor (if there is a shortage of receptacles you’ll have to unplug something else for a bit)
13. an extension cord with a lamp (desk lamp?), preferably ~100 watts or…
14. a high-wattage device such as a toaster, portable electric heater, or a hair dryer (but perhaps not on its highest setting)?
But check the nominal total watts of the testing load vs. the wattage (or current) rating of the strip/suppressor. Also verify the circuit breaker feeding the circuit can handle the entire load – all the wall receptacles on the breaker.
{watts = volts * amperes} Add ’em up.

Then cycle the lamp/toaster/whatever, on and off.

15. Is there another keyboard, or mouse, that you can swap in? A spare, or from another computer? (Checks if the problem is in the port or associated with the device.)

I agree the USB circuits are the most likely suspect, but other possibilities must be discounted first. This will help the technician too as he doesn’t have the time to run such exhaustive tests.

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Cybertooth

1. Is there any difference if the power cords for the various devices are swapped around to other wall receptacles in the room?
2. Can you run an extension cord to the computer from another room?

The light switch is described as a ‘regular old one’. At one time there were ‘quiet’ switches, which had a small, tilting, tube of mercury which closed the circuit.
3. Do you know ‘for sure’ that this switch indeed internally is only mechanical?
4. The room light: incandescent, fluorescent; single, multiple?
5. If incandescent, any change if the lamp is unscrewed and switch is still flipped? (Florescent fixtures typically are wired, not unpluggable.)
6. Are the light switch and the problem-computer outlet all on the same circuit?
That is, both are fed from the same circuit beaker? (Cf. Q2.)

You’ve perhaps already stated and I’ve missed it – keyboard and mouse.
Awkward to test.
7. Can you operate (with difficulty!) with only a keyboard or a mouse; and that from a back or a front USB port?
Perhaps both are needed at times even to get running, but can be unplugged during test scenarios.

Concerning your macro environment.
8. There is mention of ‘local’ considerations. Are you free to expand on that?
9. Is this in a house, or in a business, or a commercial area?
10. Are there any radiating devices or transmitters in the vicinity?
11. Is there a television in the room?
12. Is the computer near/against a wall, or is it in an open area?
13. – 99. Reserved for future use.
All these questions are to probes to see if there may be an RF and/or grounding issue.

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Cybertooth