We’ve all heard the phrase, spoken in frustration, “This #*&@^$ computer has a mind of its own!”
While this may or may not be true, we nonetheless do a little technological therapy this week and get into the “mind” of a couple of computers.
Q: I have a Dell Inspiron running Windows Vista that won’t sleep. I’ve gone into all the computer settings and set them to sleep and experimented with different power settings without success.
I then went onto the Dell Web site and did a search, trying to find a solution to the problem, which then directed me to the Microsoft Web site where they talked about a “workaround” that had something to do with my wireless mouse. I understand the wireless mouse could be the problem, but I’m not clear on how to perform the workaround they speak of.
Is there anything you can do to clarify this?
A: Well, maybe. First of all, there is a preponderance of evidence to support the wireless mouse being the “no-sleep” culprit and you can perform a very simple task to determine if the mouse is at the center of the issue. Simply remove the wireless mouse adapter from the computer – remember to use the Safely Remove Hardware utility located in the System Tray on your Desktop – and plug in a USB or PS2 wired mouse. If the computer sleeps, you’ll know the wireless mouse is the problem. If not, additional diagnosis will be necessary.
The workaround you discovered is one of many and may or may not work depending on the particulars of your specific issue. This being said, as it relates to the mouse’s functionality, you can perform the following: Go to Control Panel > Device Manager > Mice and Other Pointing Devices (right-click your specific mouse) > Properties > click on the Power Management tab and uncheck “Allow this device to wake the computer” If this still doesn’t accomplish the task, as always we are only a phone call or e-mail away.
Q: Something unusual has started to occur. Web sites I have always accessed are now telling me, “There is a problem with this Web site’s Security Certificate.” Do I need to do something or is this a computer glitch?
A: The answer to your question is both.
It sounds like you may have had a power outage or some type of power surge that threw off the system clock. Check your computer clock settings, which can be found in the System Tray by double-clicking on the time/date. This brings up the Date and Time Properties window. Simply change the day, date and time to reflect what is accurate. Insure Time Zone is also accurate.
And last, that ‘time.windows.com’ is in the Internet Time window Server selection box.
Wayne Nelson and Jeremy Self own and operate Wired Northwest, LLC in Redmond. Submit your questions to: techtalk@wired-nw.com.
