www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Hi,

For the last few years my computer has increasingly been driving me mad. I use Microsoft Word (Office pro 2003) for all my text and the problem is becoming much worse. As I type I'm positive I'm not miss-keying so many times as to have lots of spelling mistakes with letters missing especially when it comes to adding double letters where only one appears; this was bad enough but now half words disappear to be joined by the following word as here; "ipointless" this should have read "it's pointless", I also get words totally different to what is expected?

I've tried a number of new keyboards including wired and wireless without any change so I'm puzled as to what is happening; just missed picking up the second "z". The computer also freezes whilst I'm typing; I know I ramble on but is my computer getting tired of so much use or is there a logical explanation which doesn't take a sledgehammer to resolve because it really is proving most infuriating. It's taking me ages to keep (just completely missed keep) going back correcting errors many which are not even picked up by the spelling checker? It's as though I'm on turbo with single finger typing and the computer fails to keep up with me?

The Office Pro 2003 is installed via CD and I select the shorter version.

Do I need to upgrade and if so any suggestions please?

Kind regards, Col.

try turning your keypad upside down in case its full off crumbs
have you tried another keyboard

Since you've tried alternative keyboards it must be the PC - more likely the software (driver) or MS Office itself.

Both types of software can be reloaded without problem (Office will have a 'repair' option when you reload the disk) and the keyboard driver is either available on your HDD already or on the disks that may have come with it. Use your control panel to go to 'system' and 'device manager'. Click on keyboard, expand it (probably shows 'standard PS/2 keyboard') double-click on the 'standard PS/2 keyboard' option and then click the tab at the top of the open box called 'driver' - and then 'update driver'.

You can also search the make/model of your PC on Google and add 'keyboard driver' to find a download (beware sites that offer the driver software but instead make you download a 'driver update' package - and then make you pay....)

I would also suggest you download and run CCleaner (free package) and clean up your PC as often the machine 'gathers' allsorts of cr@p durig normal operation and this can often make your PC run a LOT slower.

Should be no need for any keyboard drivers - I'd dare say it would end up causing more trouble than fixing.

Is it just in your web browser Colonel?

If you open Notepad, for example and type a couple of paragraphs, does it happen then too? If it doesn't, then it's most likely Office related. If it does it there too, then it's more system related.

BG

kellys_eye wrote:
the machine 'gathers' allsorts of cr@p durig normal operation

It's catching - run for the hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilllllllllllllllllllllllllllls

Well I say thank God for that!!

Just think how long your posts would be if all the letters were there


And I know you're far to sensible to take offence at that

As said you need to see if it's an office problem or if it happens across the board.

Well, if it's like my keyboard, the fingers seldom do what I tells them, or should that say what I think I tells them

Hi,

Sometimes I lose the will to live.

I was well into my replies when we lost all power wiping the text I'd spent time on; the Virgin Cable then refused to come up so not to be beaten I said to Bron pick a movie at least I can play this for you; I was kneeling down setting up the DVD when the phone rang; it was an Indian gentleman enquiring if we had accident protection insurance; the cowboys can visit him later. I had just got everything set up and immediately as I pressed "play" on the remote we lost power again; this time for an hour; it's infuriating living here on the mountain to look across the valley and see everything lit up. So we've just spent a cosy candlelight hour and I'm now typing this up in word and keep saving ready for if the power goes off again?

Back to the plot; thanks b-a for your suggestion; I've inverted the keyboard and given it a good shaking to see two wholemeal loaves and a teacake fall out; The fault persists though.

Thanks k_e for your detailed suggestions and I was going to run the office pro 2003 disc until I couldn't find it although when I don't want it I'll trip over it. Thinking about your suggestions though I thought I'd take a short cut and browsed the web for office pro updates? I might have found the cause of the problem; office pro 2003 is no longer supported by Microsoft and therefore no new updates are available which saves me a lot of time messing around? I've taken a snip of the details which I've included below. All this has jogged my memory in that when I bought this new computer I upgraded everything installing 64bit win7 and this knocked out my Outlook emails saying it didn't support this but I got around it by using the office pro which has a section allowing me to use Outlook and I've not given it any thought since but now the problem is becoming severe causing me lots of frustration.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821593

Thanks also k_e I've now downloaded and run Ccleaner taking 76.069 seconds with 3,666MB of junk removed and now its monitoring my PC and will inform me when I need to run the program again.

Thanks for your input BG; the problem appears to cover all text I key in including adding text onto UHM?

Nice one Mod6 I must be infectious?

Thanks Razor; very funny and oh so true; if only I could get the keyboard and computer to work as a pair just think of the stories I could add in great detail; I've said many times I'm much better than Horlicks? Yes the problem is a full infection needing antibiotics? I hope I can finish this post before I destroy the lot because it really is annoying me in the extreme.

I used to think I was totally at fault thescruff but given the way this thing is now playing up I would have to have completely lost the plot to make so many mistakes; its missing complete words out although I'm certain I'm hitting the keys. Even if I was doing as the late Eric Morecambe and hitting the right keys but not in the right order they should appear even if completely mixed up?

It's possible I now need to junk this Office Pro 2003 as its obsolete but I'd like the new word processor to run Outlook if possible because I'm so used to it?

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shoppi ... e-software

What a coincidence to have moneysavingexpert arrive in my inbox whilst I'm discussing this problem; has anyone any experience with Google Doc's? I'm running Google Chrome which I like so could Google Doc's be my saviour and if so do I simply delete Office Pro and install Google Doc's?

Thanks everyone so far for your suggestions; I need to sort this out quick before I destroy the computer. The spell checker is also playing up missing lots of mistakes so I have to double check everything before posting.

Kind regards, Col.

Only a long shot, but............I had a similar problem with my new phone when typing, changing words I did not type, turns out it was the "predictive text" feature turned it off, all is well.

So I am wondering have you got / installed / didn't know you have installed a predictive text option.

Col, download open office for whatever windows you have. Its free and slightly better than what you have at present.

https://www.openoffice.org/

Hi,

Many thanks s-e for your excellent suggestion regarding "Predictive text". I had heard of this but wasn't familiar with it so I browsed the web for information and found this YouTube video tutorial;



Lo and behold when I checked my computer Predictive text was indeed activated so I deactivated it as follows clicking on each in turn;

All programs.
Accessories.
Ease of access.
On-screen keyboard.
Options.
Un-tick "Use text prediction".
OK.

Absolutely WOW;WOW and WOW; it worked and I can't thank you enough s-e for your long shot suggestion which proved to be the answer; I made one error in the above text and immediately spotted it knowing I had hit a wrong key but otherwise just perfect. Predictive text should be outlawed because its given me nothing but continuous misery for ages driving me round the bend and wasting many hours of my time; it became so bad I felt like destroying the keyboard and computer and I'm usually very calm and collected.

Another excellent suggestion thescruff and if I had not succeeded with disarming the Predictive text I was going to do as you suggest and download "Open office" from the link you've kindly supplied. Thank you.

The problem has been progressive; at first it just missed a letter when I wanted double letters then it started with spelling mistakes and missing other letters until now it was missing part words and then joining the following word making gibberish; I spent more time correcting than actually writing; to me Predictive text is not only a waste of time but a torture.

Hopefully by me asking this question others will benefit from my experiences. I'd like to thank you all for your useful replies and send s-e to the top of the class for the sorting problem out so easily. Thank you all.

Now I might be able to add longer posts?

Kind regards, Col.

Glad to hear you've sorted it ...

I didn't know that predictive text was even an option ??

I can't imagine why anyone would want or need it

Hi,

Thanks wine~o. I find Predictive test about as welcome on my computer as a nasty virus but worse to get rid of because any virus scan would obviously miss it?

Here's a picture of it on my computer "Use text prediction" before I disabled it; I'm glad to see the back of it; any mistakes now I know are mine.

Kind regards, Col.

Hi,

Predictive text can seriously damage your health?

Hi Bob,
This is Alan next door. I’m sorry neighbour, but I have a confession to make to you.
I've been riddled with guilt these past few months and have been trying to pluck up the courage to tell you to your face but I am at least now telling in text as I can’t live with myself a moment longer without you knowing. The truth is, I have been sharing your wife, day and night when you're not around. In fact, probably more than you, particularly in the mornings after you've left for work. I haven't been getting it at home recently, but that's no excuse I know.
I can no longer live with the guilt and I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies. My wife has known for some time now and I've promised her that it won't happen again.
Regards, Alan.

Bob, feeling anguished and betrayed, immediately went into his bedroom, grabbed his gun, and without a word, shot his wife twice in the head, killing her instantly.
He returned to the lounge where he poured himself a stiff drink and sat down on the sofa.

He took out his phone to respond to the neighbour's text and saw he had another message:-
"Hi Bob,
This is Alan next door again. Sorry about the slight typo on my last text, I expect you worked it out.
Anyway, but as I’m sure you noticed, my predictive text changed ‘WiFi’ To ‘Wife’.
Hope you saw the funny side of that.
Regards, Alan."

Kind regards, Col.

Class post Col