Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2013 September 12

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September 12

Microsoft Works and Windows 7

Hi, I've recently upgraded to Windows 7 and want to install Microsoft Works as I prefer using this to Office. I see Microsoft are no longer producing the package, so wondered if the Works software is compatible with Windows 7. Also, which version would work best? Amazon has versions 8 and 9 for sale, as well as a version 9 that is labelled OEM. Please could someone advise me? Thanks in advance. Paul MacDermott (talk) 17:20, 12 September 2013 (UTC)

Microsoft Works was discontinued before the release of Windows 7, so Microsoft will never list it as compatible in the system requirements. However, version 9.0 was fully compatible with Vista, so it is very likely to run without a problem in 7. OEM may mean that it requires a key from a computer manufacturer in order to install - get the non-OEM (retail) version. Katie R (talk) 19:59, 12 September 2013 (UTC)

Thanks, I'll give Version 9 a whirl. Paul MacDermott (talk) 21:13, 12 September 2013 (UTC)

Just thought I'd update this. I ended up buying version 8, as Amazon wanted £79 for v9 as opposed to £29 for v8, and a friend who runs it on their PC assured me it would work. Have just received it this morning, and been installing it. All seems to be well so far. Now I can transfer all my old files from Vista and dismantle my old system. Thanks again. Paul MacDermott (talk) 10:35, 27 September 2013 (UTC)

How is this part of the keyboard called?

Is really hard to find the name of something you don't know the name of, isn't? I want to know how this part of the keyboard is called See this picture The glowing "buttons" next to the power button, they are not Fnumber buttons, they're buttons that somehow activate Eco mode, disable wireless, turn volume, mute it, and can pause a video! I want to know this information because these buttons have stopped working for me, and they're "detached" from the common keyboard buttons, I also have tried hovering over the users manual, doesn't appear to say anything about it. I cannot find help because I don't know how these keys are called. So what do you call these things? --190.156.119.159 (talk) 22:45, 12 September 2013 (UTC)

The ones that do media things are, unsurprisingly, sometimes called the "media keys". Our computer keyboard article just calls the whole section "miscellaneous". It's not a standardised thing (unlike the normal keys on a 105-key keyboard). Usually there has to be some special software (in your case something made by Toshiba) which knows a-priori about these keys and their special meanings, and performs the tasks that correspond with the labels on those buttons. Presumably, on your PC, that program isn't running. You may be able to get it from Toshiba's website. -- Finlay McWalterჷTalk 23:12, 12 September 2013 (UTC)

I suspect it's a hardware issue, since these buttons are not running, nor glowing, a driver wouldn't just uninstall for no reason, I'll try checking the BIOS, anyway, thanks a lot for your help. --190.156.119.159 (talk) 00:21, 13 September 2013 (UTC)

why have my default colors changed?

I spilled less than an ounce of cold coffee on my laptop keyboard this afternoon. I turned the computer upside down, unplugged it, and blotted the keyboard with a towel. When I turned it back rightways it had powered off, perhaps because I hit the power button without knowing it. When I rebooted it went into safe reboot mode (whatever the screen is called that says it will restart normally in a few seconds if you don't choose another option). Once it rebooted it worked fine...

except that now the borders of window dialog boxes, my safari browser, and wikipedia are now PINK instead of light blue!

...What's going on, and how can I reverse this? Nothing I have tried under themes (my desktop image also disappeared and turned to the Windows Theme until I restored the prior image) or elsewhere has helped. Thanks. Oh, in addition, the font and size on my safari bookmark toolbar has changed to a smaller one, showing a larger number of bookmarks, but at an inconveniently small type size. Oh, and PPS, I am using an ASUS with Windows 7, and the blue default colors are the ones the computer came with. μηδείς (talk) 23:17, 12 September 2013 (UTC)

Does it display odd colors on other things? (for instance, a photograph that might include the same color that the borders and dialog boxes usually do) If so, it might be liquid causing a bad connection in between the display and the graphics card. I fixed a similar problem by opening up the laptop and re-seating the plug to the display. (In my case, certain window borders went from shades of dark brown to bright green, and photos had the same symptom) Anyway, you might try looking at color test images and some photos to rule out a hardware issue. SemanticMantis (talk) 03:15, 13 September 2013 (UTC)

I agree it's probably a hardware problem due to the coffee spill. When I initially saw this question I thought maybe it was software-level; but the instances I've seen in that case tended to concern themes and such... the coffee (some of it) probably flowed into unwanted places when you turned it upside down, causing this effect. Weird about the Safari settings, though - that sounds like something else. Unfortunately I don't use Safari but surely it has customizable fonts/sizes in its option menu? In any case, try viewing some colour testing images as SemanticMantis suggested, just to be sure. --.Yellow1996.^(ЬMИED¡) 03:34, 13 September 2013 (UTC)

No, no problems with other images or any other functioning. I doubt the coffee itself caused the issue, since there was no interuption until after I turned the computer back ovr and found it was off after I patted the keyboad down. I strongly suspect it is some sort of setting issue, as I had this happen with a previous computer, where the border colors of the Safari Browser changed from light blue to pink after a reset, no spill involved. This time it is affecting certain default font sizes, which are appearing smaller, including icons on the desktop and the bookmark bar on Safari. I tried resetting Safari to factory settings, no help. I tried Windows Control Panel Appearances, no help. I am wondering if I should try resetting Windows to factory settings. The fact this happened before with another computer running windows seven makes me think there is some underlying identifiable issue.

What happens when you select different colours under Control Panel / Appearance and Personalization / Personalization / Customize Colors? Do the borders change colour (even if different than the selected) or does it remain pink?Phoenixia1177 (talk) 04:40, 13 September 2013 (UTC)

Yes - try and see if personalization makes a difference. I don't see how it could possibly not... if the border somehow automatically reverts to pink, then we certainly have an odd problem on our hands last time I checked, coffee can't install malware on your computer... ;) --.Yellow1996.^(ЬMИED¡) 02:57, 14 September 2013 (UTC)

Did you have safari open when you were blotting he keyboard? command+, would open the settings menu (presumably there's a windows quivalent shortcut), and then you may have pressed shortcut keys for various options while you were there. Doesn't explain the window borders though... MChesterMC (talk) 08:44, 13 September 2013 (UTC)

The situation is a little odd. Yes, Safari was open when I blotted the keyboard. I was editting WP at the time, and I lost no functionality at all. But I can't find any setting within Safari that deals with the color. To be as clear as I can, it is the background on Safari where it says "File Edit View History Bookmarks Window Help" that is now light pink rather than light blue. As for Windows, the outer border is still light blue, and that will change if I choose another color setting under Control Panel / Appearance and Personalization / Personalization / Customize Colors. But the default colors or tint within the windows have changed to pink. I was considering using the snip tool to upload an image-and the snip tool's "background" colors have also turned pinkish. And when I reboot my computer, it loads up bluish, and then takes on a reddish tint for the desktop wallpaper and icons. (The effect is like removing sunglasses with a pale blue tint and putting on pale pink ones.) The fact that this has occurred at the same time the text associated with icons on the desktop and bookmarks on the bookmark bar have gotten slightly smaller assures me this is an objective change of settings somewhere. I am seeing an additional five items on the bookmark bar now that the font size is smaller. The odd thing is that changing the default text size in the browser settings doesn't return the original state. My assumption is there has to be a change in settings somewhere in windows if someone can help me identify it. μηδείς (talk) 21:13, 13 September 2013 (UTC)

Maybe it's an accessibility "feature" that got turned on. Check out Control Panel / Ease of Access (I'm in Vista so might be slightly different on Win7). My first impression was that you accidentally turned on High Contract color scheme by pressing Alt+Shift+Print Screen, but what you describe seems slightly different. Effovex (talk) 21:37, 13 September 2013 (UTC)

Thanks for the suggestions. It seems the issues are changes in various window settings. The color corrected itself when I reset the calibration to factory standard. The default fonts are still too small and the text has become quite pale in dialog boxes, but I assume I will eventually figure those out. I am surprised more computers aren't defenestrated on a yearly basis given how unobvious this all is. μηδείς (talk) 00:15, 16 September 2013 (UTC)