Santander - Current_Account - Problems_using_on-line_payment_mechanism_on_Windows_Desktop_Computer

SalveForOldSores

greyteam1959 said:

OP
I presume that you are using Windows Defender & have done a Malwarebytes scan ??

No. Haven't used those. I do have a third party AV package provided by the ISP which seems to be operating correctly.

However, yesterday, as the problem still persists on this desktop, whilst none of my other computers which run W11 & W10 exhibit this issue, I concluded that perhaps the desktop storage had been corrupted.

So I ran SFC /Scannow and Chdsk nand they reported no issues.

I then unloaded Rapport and reloaded with the latest version - no change in the corrupted payments window

I downloaded Java . . just in case a module was missing, still no change.

I'm stumped.

Now faced with wiping the storage and re-loading Windows 11 and all my apps again. 

So, although I'm not keen on using Malwarebytes from past experience (Wasps round a honey jar syndrome), I suppose I've not nothing to lose if the other alternative is a storage wipe.

I'm sure this was down to a Windows update on the 13th of the month (I'm unable to remove it now)

SalveForOldSores

grumbler said:

dealyboy said:

(i) it works on your laptop, with same version of Windows, same network

Was it the same?
"I just tried access through MS Windows 10 on the lappy and  . . wait for it . . . . no problem at all accessing the payments page."

Yes, the lappy is dual boot, W10 and W11, and I was able to access the payments poage for individual payees and they were displayed and operated correctly.

SalveForOldSores

I'm wondering whether its the first manifestation of "This computer does not support W11" syndrome triggered by this update on 13th (Ha !).

Both the desktop and the lappy are officially not W11 compliant but were ISO'd in place from a USB.

flaneurs_lobster

Have you tried removing Rapport? Used to be notorious for mucking with peoples online sessions.

piker57

I would echo that FL. I remember installing it many years ago at the suggestion of Norwich & Peterborough BS. It was absolute bobbins! Now every time it pops up with Santander it’s a no-brainer No Thanks

SalveForOldSores

I think I've sorted it.

There was a duplication of function conflict between the  web protection software provided by the ISP's  anti-virus package (Norton) and the same function executed in by VPN provider (Nord) - I was unaware of the existence of the latter.

Anyway,turn-off the web protection software in Nord (Leaving the VPN set to Nord Lynx) and the Santander individual payees payments pages appear as they should and the loading of applications returns to normal.

Nord provides the option to institute web-protection in a lite mode, so being curious, I enabled lite mode to observe the effect.
I found that I was still able to access Santander's individual Payees payment pages and that the speed of page loading was as normal. However, adopting this option seems to have slightly  slowed down page loading in other applications including the Money Saving Experts site !

There's nothing like a "Cold-soak" overnight to determine whether the improved situation endures. 

If it does then I will attempt a re-install of Rapport . . fingers crossed . . lets hope there's no function duplication here.

What's needed (and would save time and shed loads of anguish) is a software version of the British Pharmacopeia contra-indicated medications/drugs list, so you could avoid this sort of software conflict - but I suppose that won't ever happen as intellectual property in software will be made, in part, open access contrary to strict commercial interest.

flaneurs_lobster

Uninstall Norton, dont reinstate Rapport. 

Windows Defender will do the job just as well, perhaps with an occasional sweep with Malwarebytes. 

Are you sure you need a VPN? Does your employer insist on it's use? 

Other than that, don't click on crap links and you'll be fine. 

 

AmityNeon

How were you unaware of your VPN software’s additional features? When I suggested disabling anti-malware and all forms of web protection for testing purposes, that obviously included NordVPN’s Threat Protection which was notorious for causing network issues, conflicts with existing antivirus, as well as high CPU usage, although Nord claims to have recently patched these (since they split the function into Web Protection and File Protection).

Learn what’s running on your system and how they interact, and be prepared for broken websites without placing blame on the bank, its customer service or an OS update. If you don’t like DIY resolution, stop running so much software.

SalveForOldSores

AmityNeon said:

How were you unaware of your VPN software’s additional features? When I suggested disabling anti-malware and all forms of web protection for testing purposes, that obviously included NordVPN’s Threat Protection which was notorious for causing network issues, conflicts with existing antivirus, as well as high CPU usage, although Nord claims to have recently patched these (since they split the function into Web Protection and File Protection).

Learn what’s running on your system and how they interact, and be prepared for broken websites without placing blame on the bank, its customer service or an OS update. If you don’t like DIY resolution, stop running so much software.

As they say, Nord VPN's anti-malware capability, was, until yesterday "All News to me".I hadn't had any real problems with Nord VPN over the last year of use. If I had been aware of the problems with Nord etc, would I have  needed to expend all the effort in trials and posts of the last week ?

Furthermore, it didn't occur to me, logically, why you would need anti-malware if the user is effectively doing point-to-point communications down a sealed tube and the tube hasn't any holes ?

You got to remember, that ordinary joes like me, for the most part, only deal with the software finished product when its operating "Hot, straight and normal".

 Malfunctions as I have experienced over the last two weeks are a rarity . . thank gaude.

Secondly, you'll be surprised to learn that I don't spend every waking hour trawling enthusiast "Bit-Twiddlers" hang-outs on the web  for the latest info on software defects. Though I do it occasionally, when the need, as here, arises. Most people like me don't know where to go for such info in the first place, and such visits as occur are conditioned by the occurence and need to rectify a specific defect  . . . . so our knowledge, if any, is fragmented and intermittment and not determined by the enduring  general interest of the enthusiast.

You'd think, as a customer, that software companies wouldn't put their customers in this position where software they released, for purely commercial gain (And not for love),  duplicated and/or conflicted with other providers software. but it does. The commercial ethic prevails over all others , including matters technical or .  . . . .do they do  no testing at all ? Bless.

Perhaps what is needed is an  industry standard or assurance, that compels software houses, to issue customer warnings, with the actual software packages, about possible conflicts. I mean to say, hardware producers knock out lists of tested compatible equipment  . motherboards, processors, memory etc. But, then again, the first order retail computer industry has to do at least that or the game doesn't start. Pity that the poursuivants in software can't do the same.

Anyway, back to the moutons.

 After an overnight "Cold Soak" I re-started the desktop and went to the Santander site, payments section. All was OK, including the payment mechanisms. 

So I re-installed Rapport. On first start-up, it blocked Nord VPN from communicating with its own server (Presume that's the element that blocks contacts with unrecognised/determinable servers), but that cleared after a restart. And now, for the time being, things are operating correctly.

So, yet another interesting interlude with the retail toy computing industry put to bed.

eskbanker

SalveForOldSores said:
You got to remember, that ordinary joes like me, for the most part, only deal with the software finished product when its operating "Hot, straight and normal".

I'd suggest that you're not really an 'ordinary joe' if you're going some way beyond vanilla 'out of the box' operation with the likes of:

SalveForOldSores said:

Both the desktop and the lappy are officially not W11 compliant but were ISO'd in place from a USB.