Andy/Photonicinduction Alive And Well

[CJay]

Printers are *EVIL* and inkjets especially are determined to prevent any tech not wearing a full NBC suit from appearing in polite society for the next fortnight!  I used to schedule inkjet repairs based on my forthcoming plans for my social life, as cleaning out the purge tank was invariably more disfiguring than prison tattoos, till one had shed sufficient epidermis. . . 

Worse than that, some of the HP ones with integrated tank/head used to develop a fault that caused the cartridge to burst, tended to happen with refilled carts more often but I saw it with brand new HP ones.

It's one of the reasons I only buy laser printers.

*edit* I should add, I'm very pleased Photonic Inducton is OK.

[bd139]

Snap. Kids have to colour their bloody homework in if they like it or not 

[Halcyon]

He's looking pretty healthy these days. Maybe he has given up the smoking? Hope to have him back some day, if not on Youtube, maybe on the forum?

[bd139]

I think the kettle full of piss probably did more damage to his lungs than the fags.

[Bud]

What is so funny? This guy needs professional medical help 

I remember him mentioning in one of his videos that he had not taken his medication for his aspergers, more like ADHD I suspect as there is no medication for aspergers. I take medication now for ADHD, beyond that what else do you expect them to do for him?

I was thinking more of a psychological help.

[The Soulman]

I think the kettle full of piss probably did more damage to his lungs than the fags.

I like to think the kettle was filled with beer.

[EEVblog]

BTW, he's in desperate need of computer help. He said he's computer illiterate and that Windows updates are just killing his machine and his video editor doesn't work. And it's just killing his enthusiam to get videos out.
Really basic stuff like this is preventing him from releasing videos 

[CJay]

BTW, he's in desperate need of computer help. He said he's computer illiterate and that Windows updates are just killing his machine and his video editor doesn't work. And it's just killing his enthusiam to get videos out.
Really basic stuff like this is preventing him from releasing videos 

Which bit of the world is he in?

I might be able to help with a bit of extra RAM, storage and some remote support etc.

[Ed.Kloonk]

Just heard from Andy
He's gone all John Wick.
I once saw him kill three washing machines in a bar with a power cord, a friggin' power cord.


Videos have been shot. He's currently in a running sledge hammer battle with a troublesome Windows video editor. The scene is not pretty.

I wanted flames.

[bd139]

I think the kettle full of piss probably did more damage to his lungs than the fags.

I like to think the kettle was filled with beer.

It was beer once.

BTW, he's in desperate need of computer help. He said he's computer illiterate and that Windows updates are just killing his machine and his video editor doesn't work. And it's just killing his enthusiam to get videos out.
Really basic stuff like this is preventing him from releasing videos 

Which bit of the world is he in?

I might be able to help with a bit of extra RAM, storage and some remote support etc.

He’s in SE London. Think it was around Gravesend area. Recognised something from one of his videos. Looks like it needs some on site magic but alas we’re all bloody locked down here 

[CJay]

He’s in SE London. Think it was around Gravesend area. Recognised something from one of his videos. Looks like it needs some on site magic but alas we’re all bloody locked down here 

Can do a lot with quick assist if the machine is capable of getting onto the 'net, he's got a failed Windows update, would need to investigate why it's failing, then clean it up and re-run it.

Don't know what spec his machine is but I've always got a few bits and pieces kicking around which may be an upgrade for him (they may also be lower spec than he already has).

[bd139]

Probably windows 2004. I know someone who just hit a wall on that. Took 14 hours to update then hosed itself entirely on rollback. Eventually he went and bought an iPad Pro 

[jmelson]

Probably windows 2004. I know someone who just hit a wall on that. Took 14 hours to update then hosed itself entirely on rollback. Eventually he went and bought an iPad Pro 

Well, he ought to be using Linux.  I'm running a system I installed in 2013 as my main desktop.  I'm going to be forced to update sometime, but haven't needed to, yet.  it has been up pretty much for 61000 hours (7 years) and I have only installed, I think, one security update.  (Yes, it is behind a firewall.)  All automatic updates are turned off.  I have a TON of custom software pluse several virtual machines running various Windows versions for tax programs and electronic CAD, so updating is very tricky.  Every decade or so I just build a whole new system, computer, OS etc. and
migrate over.

Jon

[bd139]

Oh here we go. Perhaps he doesn’t want to use Linux. As mentioned he’s not entirely computer literate. Just wants what he’s got to work. That’s usually my demand when something goes snap. As a professional Linux sort of person during the day, it’s quite frankly the worst solution for nearly every desktop consider user if you ask me. There is so much that does go wrong outside of the average sample size of single desktop power users.

Ergo you’re trading one set of problems for another one with less people who can solve them. That happens to be convenient for me because I get paid more for the specialist knowledge but it’s quite frankly wrong for the majority.

As for not running updates, that’s stupid. Don’t do it. I’m not even going to sit and spoon feed this past reminding people that a similar analogy of “smoking didn’t give me cancer” 

[Zero999]

I'm not the most computer literate person and I have no problem with Linux, as a desktop. I don't know much Bash, because I don't need to. If I get stuck, I can normally find a solution by Googling it.

I wonder if anyone nearby could help him? If it's for work purposes, then it's within the COVID-19 rules. He could just pay a nominal amount, to tick the COVID box, just so no one gets fined.

[wilfred]

Does anyone recognise the video editor? What would cause it to show the red exclamation mark icon instead of (I assume) a thumbnail of the video clips?

Changing OS doesn't sound useful and, especially not to Linux, for a computer illiterate person.  Focus on the problem symptoms.

It could be a bug in the video editor or as simple as a Windows option to always show an icon instead of a thumbnail if the video editor software takes a lead from the OS settings.

[CJay]

Does anyone recognise the video editor? What would cause it to show the red exclamation mark icon instead of (I assume) a thumbnail of the video clips?

Changing OS doesn't sound useful and, especially not to Linux, for a computer illiterate person.  Focus on the problem symptoms.

It could be a bug in the video editor or as simple as a Windows option to always show an icon instead of a thumbnail if the video editor software takes a lead from the OS settings.

It's Pinnacle Studio and the red exclamation mark usually means it can't find the source material because the file has been moved or deleted apparently, I guess it's possible he's got a failed disk or maybe malware.

Agree a move to Linux is a bad idea, people can whine about how MS is bad, how Linux is so awesome etc. but it's not a useful comment to suggest moving to a complete new OS and away from all the familiar apps.

[TheAmmoniacal]

I can see that his files are stored under his user directory in Windows, more than one recent windows update has messed up those directories, see:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/why-has-the-latest-windows-update-moved-all-my/2f2070ab-3c6f-4417-8c5f-33980cb728c9

https://www.stellarinfo.com/blog/windows-10-update-causing-user-file-deletion/

It's possible that the video files have been moved into a sub-directory or something.

Personally I don't do anything important on Windows anymore, moved onto linux (Pop_OS!) 2 years ago for my main workstation. Of course it's not something I would recommend for just anyone.

[Zero999]

I wonder if it would make sense him moving to Mac? Perhaps someone could help him to set up a hackintosh, so he can use a lot of his existing hardware?

[Red Squirrel]

Linux and Kdenlive might be an option too.  It's not the most full featured editor but I find it's more stable than anything in windows I've ever worked with.  For the type of videos he makes it's probably good enough.  Best of all it's free so he can try it and if he does not like it he can move on.   Linux Mint is pretty easy to use if you're only doing basic desktop stuff.

[Brumby]

I'm with the simple wisdom expressed here..... Changing platforms is not something some people can handle at all well - and Andy should not be expected to.  It's like saying his car has a flat tyre and he can't get the wheel off - so he should get a different car.

Please - all he needs is a little help.

[EEVblog]

I wonder if it would make sense him moving to Mac? Perhaps someone could help him to set up a hackintosh, so he can use a lot of his existing hardware?

It just needs windows to be fixed or reinstalled.

[CJay]

So, anyone able to get in touch with him?

As stated, happy to try and help.

[Zero999]

I wonder if it would make sense him moving to Mac? Perhaps someone could help him to set up a hackintosh, so he can use a lot of his existing hardware?

It just needs windows to be fixed or reinstalled.

That's true, but how long will it be before it goes wrong again?

I've had to fix my dad's PC a couple of times in the last year. The problem is Windows 10 randomly decides to uninstall some of his software, which it doesn't like, every now and then. Unfortunately I can't do it remotely, so reluctantly go to his house, which I'm not sure is allowed given the current circumstances, but it's more important than ever that he has his PC at the moment. I hope going to relatives' houses to perform essential work, such as repairing their PC and replacing a smoke alarm battery: at one point the damn thing kept going off and my dad didn't feel comfortable with climbing a ladder to do it himself. Of course we all wore masks, kept at least 2m distance, I used hand sanitiser and cleaned everything afterwards.

[EEVblog]

It just needs windows to be fixed or reiand reliable nstalled.

That's true, but how long will it be before it goes wrong again?

With the exception of Windows 3.11, Windows 10 has been the most robust and reliable release I've used.
There is probably some hardware or other conflict that is preventing Windows update from installing so it just reverts back every time.