How come every time you agree to an update of some website or service you’re using, it screws up thirteen other things? Or is it just me?
I use IOBIT’s Advance SystemCare as a tool to keep my computer clean of spyware and junk files and so forth. Several months ago I began having trouble with all sorts of memories being wiped out.
In both my Word and Excel programs, the feature that retains recent documents I’ve opened would be wiped clean every day or two. I’d go into Options and click the number I wanted it to retain, and it would work for the rest of that day and maybe the next day, but then it would be wiped clean again.
My email accounts and Facebook, Twitter, and HootSuite would all suddenly require me to sign in each time, even though I checked the box to remain signed in. After much frustration, I went to my tech guy, and we sat down together to try to figure out what was wrong. Through much trial and error, we discovered that checking the feature in Advanced SystemCare called “Privacy Sweep” caused all these erasures.
As soon as I unchecked that feature, the “recent document” feature in Word and Excel began working properly once more. The sign in procedures didn’t respond quite so immediately, but I kept checking “Keep me signed in” and FB, etc., eventually got the message and remembered me.
Everything went fine for several months. Then a week or so ago, Advanced SystemCare asked me if I’d like to upgrade from version 7 to version 8. I said yes, and downloaded the upgrade. Unfortunately, I didn’t stop to think that the updated version might automatically have “Privacy Sweep” checked. Sure enough, the next time I pulled up Word, the recent documents were erased. Same with Excel. Both my email accounts along with Facebook, Twitter, and HootSuite suddenly required full sign-ins each time.
It took me a day or so to realize what had happened, and I unchecked the “Privacy Sweep” immediately. Word and Excel responded as soon as I unchecked it, but I’m in my third or fourth day—or maybe more for all I know—of having to sign in to my various accounts. *sigh*
What internet things have you done that produce unintended consequences? Or am I the only one who does these things?
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David N Walker 
My computer works best by never using updates unless I Google them up first to see exactly what they update, Many updates are improvements to the program writers but not to the user. I removed all virus protection exception for Norton and everything worked better. More than one virus protection, including the one that comes installed by Microsoft will cause the anti-virus program to be in conflict and “fight each other for space, fixes, and settings”. Be cautious when installing any new programs; they can and will change your internet settings, check boxes for you, and send out your e-mail address to a thousand places. Like all technology, it is open to the bad guys, the scrupulous people, the hackers, and anyone and everyone looking to make a buck at your expense. It’s kind of like a gun, nothing wrong with a gun but in the wrong hands it is evil.Same thing with computers and technology. God Bless all.
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Thanks, Steve. My primary problem is me. I do things without knowing the consequences and get myself into trouble.
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I was having lots of problems for awhile. Problems like not being able to log in to sites I had been logging into for months, or not allowing me access to certain places I had gone lots of times. I called Microsoft, and they solved all my problems in one phone call. Certainly not for free. It cost me $160 but I haven’t had a problem since. Oh, and that cost included a life-time anti-virus/spyware program that they update every week. Microsoft said I had some sort of bug keeping me from entering certain sites.
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The internet is rife with problems for those of us who aren’t tech-savvy. Glad you got your problem addressed, although I’m not sure I’d have been willing to pay the $160. I’m a bit of a cheapskate.
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I sympathize too, David. I don’t understand most of my computer snafus.
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Is that in our genes or our ages ,Sis?
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I’m always apprehensive about changing things on my computer. Almost all the time, I ask you first before jumping in. Just know that I sympathize with you.
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It’s sad that you need help from someone as un-savvy as I am, but I’m glad to help.
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