Security certificate issues
 

I have an older PC, with windows XP. We had a transformer blow down the street from us, and when I brought the computer back up, none of my banking or credit card websites will let me log in. i just get this on my screen - "There is a problem with this website's security certificate". I don't think Microsoft even supports XP any more. I have tried disabling my firewall, and setting all security settings back to default level. Any ideas?

I get that message 90 times a day.
I just click "go there anyway" or whatever.
Your address bar turns pink, that's about it.

You can probably go into Tools/Internet Options/Content (tab)...
...there's a Certificates button. Maybe you can add them as a trusted source or something.

Thanks Flint, done all that. I can force my way through to Amazon, etc, but no go on the bank sites.

Change banks.

LOL! Actually 2 banks and 2 credit card companies.

Swap computers with lumberjim?

Usually there is an option to download a new security certificate.

My problem is (I think) with my PC rather than the bank(s), because it only happened after the power outage.

The time changed. Check the time.

LOL did that too, but the time change happened before the power outage we had

The suggestion was that the date time clock changed date and time. Not daylight savings time.

If you think it is a hardware problem, then execute the comprehensive hardware diagnostics that any responsible computer manufacturer provided for free. Also check the system (event) logs for reports of that damage that Windows is working around. Also find and check Device manager. If you think PC hardware is damaged, then use the various information sources that report that damage.

In which case, the security certificate is intact; is not defective.

That's not a serious problem. All you've got to do is remove the old certificate, and install the new one when you go to their website. The one you got when you first went to the site is probably expired and it has nothing to do with the power outage unless the certificate got corrupted. Were you on the bank site when the power went out?

I'm with UT. The date or time is wrong on the computer... the browser isn't liking certificates because it thinks they have bogus dates.

:smack: Thanks so much UT and SD. I reset the time and date after the power outage but neglected to notice that it was set to 2003! Problem resolved.

Yea! Problem solved!

Problem not yet solved. A power outage must never cause that date time clock to change. It implies a battery failure or some other problem exists. A problem easily identified quickly if you don't try to fix it by just swapping parts. Power outage will not change the date on a functional machine.

thanks tw, I know this PC is obsolete (5 yrs old), but will have to do until I get a new one next year, unless you have any other suggestions do-able by a computer idiot like me.

It is surely a battery failure which may or may not be user-solvable. Some other settings may have also changed but if the system seems to run, you can limp along in that state until you have the money to send it to me to fix.

It's a trade off though. isn't it? She can spend a lot of time and aggravation and money to fix a possible battery problem, or she can spend 30 seconds changing the date back the next time the power goes out. I know what I would choose.

I think that is the way to go glatt, I don't want to spend anytime or money to fix a 5 yr old, $500 dell PC

Thanks btw UT, but fixing this thing would be like putting lipstick on a pig

I had my computer worked on once, and after I got it back there was a certain type of game I couldn't save. The save option came up, but it wouldn't do anything. (I was downloading free rpg type games like Final Fallacy.) It wasn't until I had a problem with another type of game that said something cryptic that made me look at my clock and I saw the year was set to 8002. I don't know how or why, but fixing it fixed the problem. It really is time for a new computer, though.

LOL @ 8002. Something that futuristic should have worked really well!

You'd think! :)

The time would have taken 30 seconds. Far more complex with the simple knowledge and tool to eliminate the problem.

However we do not fix things to save time and money. We fix things to learn. A changing date time is a precursor to other and future problems - such as a disk drive that cannot be accessed. Some simply solve these problems by purchasing a new machine. A solution to avoid labor of learning.

Which Dell is it? Perhaps we can fix from afar.

yeah well, thats me. lazy as hell.

More interesting, the clock has no way to store 8002. Data time clocks measure by counting seconds from a fixed date - typically a day in 1981. No date time clock has the ability to count seconds up to 8002.

BTW, that knowledge also says why the millennium fears were total nonsense in 2000. Why would a count that changes from 596937607 to 596937608 cause a computer crash? Because too many _new_ without first learning the facts. Fear due to technical ignorance was a primary reason for panic and predictions.

Curious because a date time clock cannot store the number of seconds for the year 8002. Implies a problem elsewhere - ie somebody wrote software with a defect - that used signed rather than unsigned integers. IOW the defect date also identified another problem with that computer.

I'll look into it. I have no idea what model it is

Solution is provided here:
http://tinyurl.com/5hr96r

For Dells, you don't look at the silly names such as Inspiron or Vostos. Find the Service Tag number. Enter that (seven alpha) number in Dell. It shows you everything unique to your machine AND all relevant updates awaiting your curiosity. Date time clock functions would be listed under BIOS.

However I would not bother. Fixing things - especially BIOS - without first identifying a problem is the classic recipe for disaster.

I'm not sure what you just said...but I think it means I need a new computer. That is for sure! Mine has seen better days.

Any suggestions from those in the know? I like my Dell, it's served me well. (I know I'm a poet.)

I think he was saying the PC couldn't have come up with 8002 by itself, but you already said you'd had it worked on, so obviously that person set it wrong.

Heh...he probably had some whiskeys while he worked on it. ;)

No, in this case, TW is correct. Remember the year 2000 issue for mainframes? PCs have a similar limitation for the year 2038.

Your computer has no way to store a date beyond 2038, so there must be something going on if you've seen the date 8002. Are you sure you weren't being dyslexic (for 2008)?:D

Well, like I said, an error in one game led me to look at the calendar and after I changed the date to 2008 I was able to save my free download rpgs again.

I'm no techie, but the date said 8002. I'm pretty sure. I think. I'm almost positive. Now I'm doubting myself. ;)