Something's not right with my laptop!
By John Welford
@indexer (4852)
Leicester, England
October 7, 2020 4:51am CST
The laptop that I am using to write this has suddenly done something very odd. I usually use dictation software to write my posts and other pieces - I speak into a microphone and my friendly "Dragon" writes the words on the screen for me. I then make any necessary corrections and press the Send button. I find that Dragon is usually a better typist than I am!
However, yesterday the system fell over. After working perfectly on Monday, it all appeared to be working as usual on Tuesday, with everything connected and switched on, but no words appeared on the screen. It seems that the laptop has chosen to ignore my microphone.
I have dug around the System/Sound pages and run various troubleshooters, but I can find nothing to give a clue as to what has happened - I can't see anywhere that a setting might have come unstuck.
So I'm stymied and back to using the keyboard for everything!
Can anyone suggest what might have happened? Or is it time for me to buy a new laptop?
4 people like this
6 responses
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
7 Oct 20
What version of Windows are you using? Tuesday is the day that Microsoft tend to issue updates. i wonder whether that has anything to do with the problem.
You may need to uninstall and reinstall Dragon NS so that it can reconnect to the microphone and the writing app.
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
7 Oct 20
@indexer Glad you got it to work. Windows 10 seems rather flaky when it comes to external hardware, if my experience with my printer and scanner is anything to go by. Windows seems to think that I have two printers of the same make and model but one is always offline and the other sometimes decides that it's not going to work even when everything looks ready to go. It used to work fine over Wi-Fi until after a certain Windows update, Then it just refused to co-operate.
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
7 Oct 20
Thanks for that. I'm not aware of an update being done on Tuesday, but I can see how that might be an issue. I have written to Dragon to ask for their advice and await their reply. If they advise re-installation, then that is what I will do.
(Windows 10, since you ask!)
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
7 Oct 20
No clue but hope it rights itself or you can figure what to do.
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
7 Oct 20
I've never used Dragon, or speech to type, so I'm sorry I can't answer that for you.
