Computer Problem
Peter E Carney
Recently, I had difficulty signing onto many, but not all, webpages. Twitter, Facebook, Apple forums, and my own blog were examples. However, I was able to sign on to my bank. It didn’t matter whether I used Safari, Chrome or Firefox. When I attempted to sign on to a site, it looked like a successful sign on, until I was returned to the same or similar sign on page.A few days prior I had an issue with my computer constantly going to sleep. At the Apple Store, they re-installed the operating system, which took care of the sleep issue, but the sign on problem remained.
I could sign on to my Twitter account on my computer using an app and smartphone. I could sign on to Facebook using an app on my smartphone. So, the accounts, usernames, and passwords appear fine.
Trying to address the issue, I have, in most cases, multiple times,
a) reset the browser cache,
b) deleted all cookies,
c) turned the pop up blocker off,
d) repaired disk permissions,
e) ran keychain first aid (no problems found)
f) uninstalled Chrome and reinstalled it
g) disconnected router, plugging computer directly into cable modem
h) tried a different user account
i) rebooted the computer, and
j) several other things.
When all that failed to resolve the problem, I took my laptop to the Genius Bar at an Apple Store. In addition, to the sign on issues, they (actually had two different Geniuses working) were unable to connect my laptop to their network via WiFi. I use an ethernet connection at home, so I didn’t see the WiFi issue. They concluded what I had previously concluded, namely, some critical system file was deleted or corrupted, or a key setting somewhere was changed. Like me, they were unable to pinpoint the source.
As I had two up-to-date Time Machine/ Capsule backups on two different drives, including a portable I brought with me, they wiped the hard drive clean and returned to system to its pristine out of the box condition. I then restored my settings, applications, and files from the back up drive, save for some network settings they told me to exclude.
RESULTS: (1) My sign on problem has gone away, (2) It appears my laptop is pretty close to where it was before the issues, (3) While my applications all appear intact, their key codes / product keys / passwords / authorization codes / whatever were not transferred back to the re-stored system, and (4) My Windows virtual system was not re-stored.
If you know an easy way that would allow me to re-store that which is missing, but avoid re-storing the changed or corrupt file, please let me know. Thanks.
Apple helped me at no cost, even on a three plus year machine (out of warranty). They even replaced the battery which appeared to be swelling up in an odd (not good) way for free. All in all, I’m pretty pleased to resolve the problem without losing any data or applications. Yeah, looking up all the software codes is tedious, but I can certainly live with it.
February 15, 2011
I could sign on to my Twitter account on my computer using an app and smartphone. I could sign on to Facebook using an app on my smartphone. So, the accounts, usernames, and passwords appear fine.
Trying to address the issue, I have, in most cases, multiple times,
a) reset the browser cache,
b) deleted all cookies,
c) turned the pop up blocker off,
d) repaired disk permissions,
e) ran keychain first aid (no problems found)
f) uninstalled Chrome and reinstalled it
g) disconnected router, plugging computer directly into cable modem
h) tried a different user account
i) rebooted the computer, and
j) several other things.
When all that failed to resolve the problem, I took my laptop to the Genius Bar at an Apple Store. In addition, to the sign on issues, they (actually had two different Geniuses working) were unable to connect my laptop to their network via WiFi. I use an ethernet connection at home, so I didn’t see the WiFi issue. They concluded what I had previously concluded, namely, some critical system file was deleted or corrupted, or a key setting somewhere was changed. Like me, they were unable to pinpoint the source.
As I had two up-to-date Time Machine/ Capsule backups on two different drives, including a portable I brought with me, they wiped the hard drive clean and returned to system to its pristine out of the box condition. I then restored my settings, applications, and files from the back up drive, save for some network settings they told me to exclude.
RESULTS: (1) My sign on problem has gone away, (2) It appears my laptop is pretty close to where it was before the issues, (3) While my applications all appear intact, their key codes / product keys / passwords / authorization codes / whatever were not transferred back to the re-stored system, and (4) My Windows virtual system was not re-stored.
If you know an easy way that would allow me to re-store that which is missing, but avoid re-storing the changed or corrupt file, please let me know. Thanks.
Apple helped me at no cost, even on a three plus year machine (out of warranty). They even replaced the battery which appeared to be swelling up in an odd (not good) way for free. All in all, I’m pretty pleased to resolve the problem without losing any data or applications. Yeah, looking up all the software codes is tedious, but I can certainly live with it.
February 15, 2011