Resolved Email/WPS Document Disappear While Using

A friend is having a couple of problems with Gmail and word processing documents that disappear while he is composing in them. The unit in question is Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop. OS is W10 1607 and default browser is Chrome.

• Gmail - While composing, an email will suddenly disappear from the screen and appear in Drafts. He is able to retrieve the draft and continue.
• WPS word processing - In the midst of composing a document, it will disappear and he will get a dialog box asking him to Save, Discard, Cancel. If he selects "Discard" all he has done to that point will be gone. If he selects "Save", the document may disappear completely.

My initial thought was that it was a sensitive touchpad but that is disabled and a couple of times he says that neither hand is around the keyboard when the documents act up. I also considered the possibility of a failing laptop battery so I took it out but that didn't change anything. Any suggestions?

 

Steve, I do know it's not a touch screen. TonyT - interesting point about the auto save because that may be what is happening. I will go over the programs to see if something might have gotten installed through the back door.

 

In Mozilla TB > Tools > Options > Composition > Auto-Save, time is adjustable. Has gmail got something like this?

 

retiredlearner - I searched through Gmail and couldn't find anything about auto save in the Compose function. However, after I saw TonyT's comment I looked through the programs but couldn't find anything that stood out that might have been causing the issue.

I did look into the WPS word processing feature and found that it does have an auto save feature that appeared to auto save every few minutes. I backed the timing off to 30 minutes and told him to use it and let me know if the problem gets better. Haven't heard back from him yet. If the default word processor (WPS Writer) is in any way tied into the Gmail compose function, then that could be why the Gmail is acting up. Will input more when I hear back from him.

 

Looks like rolling back the time interval for auto backup in the WPS word processor fixed the problem. My friend advised me yesterday the computer seems to be acting normally. One follow up question though, before I mark this one resolved:

Does the default word processor impact the input/compose function in an email program?

Thanks to all who have chimed in on this one.

 

That's what I thought - thanks.

 

Looks like the initial problems have resurfaced:

• Gmail - While composing, an email will suddenly disappear from the screen and appear in Drafts. He is able to retrieve the draft and continue.

• WPS word processing - In the midst of composing a document, it will disappear and he will get a dialog box asking him to Save, Discard, Cancel. If he selects "Discard" all he has done to that point will be gone. If he selects "Save", the document may disappear completely. (Added Note Jan 22 - my friend discovered a file of "documents filed due to unexpected closure" where all of his "lost" word processing documents had been stored.)

Question now: Is this an indicator of possible malware? Should I go see Broni?

 

Steve,
He is a fairly skilled typist and I had him monitor just the issue you posed. He said he has been very careful to not slide his hands and fingers around on the keyboard - to keep the palms elevated. So I don't think that's the problem. Although, I know on my own laptop sometimes it does strange things from time to time - I've always attributed it to the compactness of the keyboard and the closeness of some of the contacts.

 

Steve,
An hour ago I left a USB keyboard outside his apartment door to try today. Will let you know how it goes. And by the way, he is a two fingered typer.

 

Steve and all,
My friend has been using the keyboard I took to him for a couple of days and here is what I heard from him:

He has been using it for a couple of days now so problem may be fixed. I'll resolve this one for now. Thanks.