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#1
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Skype - slow/stop, and fairground lights with the minimise/restore/close buttons
When I first put Skype on this machine a couple of - XPSP3, netbook,
single core processor - it ran well enough. OK, it's not a particularly powerful machine, but as I say, it ran Skype well enough, especially in sound-only mode (which I use a lot as I have blind correspondents). As time has gone by, as both Skype has updated and I've added other stuff to the machine, Skype has grown worse and worse: up to a few days ago, it had got to the point where it worked moderately, though tended to fall over after a few minutes - but usually reconnected itself when that happened, so was tolerable. In the last couple of days, it's taken to not working at all - it comes up, but sort of freezes, not getting to the point where it shows the list of contacts. It does get past the login stage - I see that briefly. I say "sort of" freezes, because it is flickering the minimise, maximise, and close buttons, as if they're fairground lights. (Those buttons - and the Skype window in general - being of the default XP, or possibly even Vista or 7, appearance [rounded windows, blue and red buttons], rather than the scheme I've chosen for the rest of my windows, which is square windows and buttons like Windows '9x - "classic" I think they call it.) Poking around on the 'net, I found the problem - or, at least, Skype tending to take most of the CPU - was pretty widespread, but solutions aren't; there is the suggestion that it has gained bloat, of course, so I tried an older version - I got it from oldversions, where there was a note that loading a version before (I think it was) 3.6 might lose your contacts, so I went for one of the 3.6x ones. It seemed to make no difference. (Incidentally, I have upgraded the RAM here from 1G to 2G - I'd bought the 2G when I bought the machine, but not got round to installing it; I finally did so a few months ago in the hope it would cheer up Skype which had slowed by then. I haven't noticed any difference - in anything, really; this didn't surprise me since Task Manager showed my usage as normally around the 700M level or less. Obviously way back when Skype was working better, that was with the 1G.) While unloading that version (3.x), I got to the Skype page that said something like sorry to see you go, which had a button for reload, so I did - getting version 5.8.something. Which, then, worked - at least, it got as far as showing my contacts list, I didn't actually try using it. During the next day or two, I got the freeze again, and just tried a reboot - after which it came up OK again as far as the contact list. I actually spoke to someone using it after that, which worked, though not well - but did include video. Just now (well, a few minutes ago when I started this tale of woe!) I noticed my newsreader running very slow, so looked in Task Manager, and Skype was hogging the processor: I'm guessing someone tried to call me. I tried to switch to Skype, and it was doing its fairground lights with the buttons again. Any suggestion as to what I (or Skype) might have done? I've loaded various things over the last two or three years, but can't think of any one of them that is likely to be the explanation. (It's not my link - that's 6211k upload 378 download according to a mybroadbandspeed.co.uk I've just run, which is [a] not at all bad, especially for a rural location, [b] the same as it's always been.) I'm asking here as I feel I'm more likely to reach people with similar systems to me, and that there isn't really a Skype-specific support system that actually works (I tried). -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf "Bother," said Pooh, as Eeyore sneezed the crack all over Owl. |
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#2
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Skype - slow/stop, and fairground lights with the minimise/restore/close buttons
In message , "J. P. Gilliver
(John)" writes: [long tale] FWIW: I've just had a chat session with someone from Skype (which you can get via a browser, you don't have to have Skype working, in fact I don't think you can get it via Skype itself). Led me through a complete removal and reinstall, via their page https://support.skype.com/en-gb/faq/...einstall-Skype - which actually, to my surprise, even covers removal of it from the registry, which surprised me - companies don't usually take you into regedit. (That part took ages by the way!) FWIW, the reinstalled version doesn't seem to be malfunctioning, though I've only "spoken" to the test contact with it so far (but it's not freezing with twinkling lights now). Your contact list is retained (as it's kept on their server), though individual pictures of the contacts don't seem to be. (Be sure you have note of your Skype identity and password.) I can't find anywhere in it any mention of automatic upgrades - I was thinking of turning that off, if it seems to be working. _Can_ it be turned off (version 5.8.0.158)? -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf "Bother," said Pooh, as Windows crashed for the umpteenth time. |
#3
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Skype - slow/stop, and fairground lights with the minimise/restore/close buttons
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
When I first put Skype on this machine a couple of - XPSP3, netbook, single core processor - it ran well enough. OK, it's not a particularly powerful machine, but as I say, it ran Skype well enough, especially in sound-only mode (which I use a lot as I have blind correspondents). As time has gone by, as both Skype has updated and I've added other stuff to the machine, Skype has grown worse and worse: up to a few days ago, it had got to the point where it worked moderately, though tended to fall over after a few minutes - but usually reconnected itself when that happened, so was tolerable. In the last couple of days, it's taken to not working at all - it comes up, but sort of freezes, not getting to the point where it shows the list of contacts. It does get past the login stage - I see that briefly. I say "sort of" freezes, because it is flickering the minimise, maximise, and close buttons, as if they're fairground lights. (Those buttons - and the Skype window in general - being of the default XP, or possibly even Vista or 7, appearance [rounded windows, blue and red buttons], rather than the scheme I've chosen for the rest of my windows, which is square windows and buttons like Windows '9x - "classic" I think they call it.) Poking around on the 'net, I found the problem - or, at least, Skype tending to take most of the CPU - was pretty widespread, but solutions aren't; there is the suggestion that it has gained bloat, of course, so I tried an older version - I got it from oldversions, where there was a note that loading a version before (I think it was) 3.6 might lose your contacts, so I went for one of the 3.6x ones. It seemed to make no difference. (Incidentally, I have upgraded the RAM here from 1G to 2G - I'd bought the 2G when I bought the machine, but not got round to installing it; I finally did so a few months ago in the hope it would cheer up Skype which had slowed by then. I haven't noticed any difference - in anything, really; this didn't surprise me since Task Manager showed my usage as normally around the 700M level or less. Obviously way back when Skype was working better, that was with the 1G.) While unloading that version (3.x), I got to the Skype page that said something like sorry to see you go, which had a button for reload, so I did - getting version 5.8.something. Which, then, worked - at least, it got as far as showing my contacts list, I didn't actually try using it. During the next day or two, I got the freeze again, and just tried a reboot - after which it came up OK again as far as the contact list. I actually spoke to someone using it after that, which worked, though not well - but did include video. Just now (well, a few minutes ago when I started this tale of woe!) I noticed my newsreader running very slow, so looked in Task Manager, and Skype was hogging the processor: I'm guessing someone tried to call me. I tried to switch to Skype, and it was doing its fairground lights with the buttons again. Any suggestion as to what I (or Skype) might have done? I've loaded various things over the last two or three years, but can't think of any one of them that is likely to be the explanation. (It's not my link - that's 6211k upload 378 download according to a mybroadbandspeed.co.uk I've just run, which is [a] not at all bad, especially for a rural location, [b] the same as it's always been.) I'm asking here as I feel I'm more likely to reach people with similar systems to me, and that there isn't really a Skype-specific support system that actually works (I tried). I don't have an answer for you John, but I did have a question on this relating to the Skype versions (btw, I think I heard Skype was sold to MS, but am not sure): I've been hesistant to install Skype due to the bloat, but if I did, I think I'd stick with one of the older versions, like 2.5, or 3.8 - due to the bloat. Have you considered going back to, say, version 3.8 (or 3.6, as you mentioned), now that you have cleaned it up? Will the old ones still work anymore? What's the big attraction of the new versions (for the average user)? |
#4
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Skype - slow/stop, and fairground lights with the minimise/restore/close buttons
In message , Bill in Co
writes: [] I don't have an answer for you John, but I did have a question on this relating to the Skype versions (btw, I think I heard Skype was sold to MS, but am not sure): (Or was it Google? I too had heard it'd been bought by somebody.) I've been hesistant to install Skype due to the bloat, but if I did, I think Well, it is fun when it works. I'd stick with one of the older versions, like 2.5, or 3.8 - due to the bloat. Have you considered going back to, say, version 3.8 (or 3.6, as you mentioned), now that you have cleaned it up? Will the old ones still work anymore? What's the big attraction of the new versions (for the average user)? Not sure, if anything; there's the temptation to think that it has had bugs fixed, but I don't know. As it is, I'm very inclined not to touch it for fear of breaking it again; the one thing I'd do if I could find it is turn off automatic updates. If you do go backwards, there was a note on oldversions that going back to before ITIW 3.6 might lose your contacts list. (Of course, if you're installing it for the first time, you won't have one, so that shouldn't matter.) -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf .... his charming, bumbling best, a serial monogamist terrified of commitment, who comes across as a sort of Bertie Wooster but with a measurable IQ. - Barry Norman on Hugh Grant's persona in certain films, Radio Times 3-9 July 2010 |
#5
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Skype - slow/stop, and fairground lights with the minimise/restore/close buttons
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , Bill in Co writes: [] I don't have an answer for you John, but I did have a question on this relating to the Skype versions (btw, I think I heard Skype was sold to MS, but am not sure): (Or was it Google? I too had heard it'd been bought by somebody.) I thought it was MS, but I may be mistaken. I've been hesistant to install Skype due to the bloat, but if I did, I think Well, it is fun when it works. I'd stick with one of the older versions, like 2.5, or 3.8 - due to the bloat. Have you considered going back to, say, version 3.8 (or 3.6, as you mentioned), now that you have cleaned it up? Will the old ones still work anymore? What's the big attraction of the new versions (for the average user)? Not sure, if anything; there's the temptation to think that it has had bugs fixed, but I don't know. As it is, I'm very inclined not to touch it for fear of breaking it again; the one thing I'd do if I could find it is turn off automatic updates. You mean it always prompts you for updates every time you open it? UGH! There should be an option to turn that off (I would at least hope!) If you do go backwards, there was a note on oldversions that going back to before ITIW 3.6 might lose your contacts list. (Of course, if you're installing it for the first time, you won't have one, so that shouldn't matter.) No, that won't be an issue for me. But I don't want to install it if it forces updates, or will eventually do so to even work (and I don't have a real pressing need for it just yet, but who knows.) |
#6
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Skype - slow/stop, and fairground lights with the minimise/restore/close buttons
In message , Bill in Co
writes: J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote: [] bugs fixed, but I don't know. As it is, I'm very inclined not to touch it for fear of breaking it again; the one thing I'd do if I could find it is turn off automatic updates. You mean it always prompts you for updates every time you open it? UGH! There should be an option to turn that off (I would at least hope!) No, it's very unobtrusive (I get alerts when someone in my contact list comes on or goes off line, but I opted for that; you can silence them, which is in fact the default). If you do go backwards, there was a note on oldversions that going back to before ITIW 3.6 might lose your contacts list. (Of course, if you're installing it for the first time, you won't have one, so that shouldn't matter.) No, that won't be an issue for me. But I don't want to install it if it forces updates, or will eventually do so to even work (and I don't have a real pressing need for it just yet, but who knows.) I haven't established if it does or not; I can't find any mention of "update" in its menus. Anyone else know? -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf Old soldiers never die - only young ones |
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