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Using old G4 to submit CT600 company tax return to HMRC, unable to submit

This is an odd one, was wondering if anyone else has come across this problem


I'm nurturing an old G4 as my main computer, as I still want to use the old Cinema Display monitor.


Last year (April 2012) I prepared my Company Tax Return CT600 for the HMRC, was able to download the HMRC document (designed for Adobe Reader), change the Trust settings as instructed in the HMRC leaflet, and complete the form. I made a number of attempts to submit it - there is a link to click on the last page of the return to submit. I got the rainbow wheel for several minutes, then a "submission failed" message from the HMRC "helpdesk". Repeated calls to the Helpdesk produced no help, but the comment that they were looking at some problems with the software and compatability with old MACs.


I should say that I'd used their online service on the same computer for all the other company tax affairs, and my own self assessment tax, with no problems at all.


Because they were unable to solve the problem, they offered me the chance to submit a paper return, for that year only. However, I went to my neighbour who runs Windows Vista, and he was able to submit the form for me with no difficulty after he had changed the Adobe Trust settings as instructed.


I assumed that HMRC would have addressed the compatability issue - if that's really what the problem is - by this year. But no - tried to submit for the current year, and same problem, rainbow wheel, followed by the "submission failed" message from HMRC, timecoded, so presumably the form at least tried to submit itself it to their servers.


So before I go round all my friends' computers with the file and try again, I just wondered if any vintage MAC enthusiasts who run small companies might have come across this one and found a work-around? Or could it be an ISP issue, though never had problems submitting any other kinds of forms online to any other organisations. I'm interested in finding out if there is a solution!

Power Mac G4, Mac OS X (10.5), Adobe Reader 9.4.0

Posted on Mar 17, 2013 8:23 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Mar 18, 2013 2:31 PM

Hi, no real idea, but I think they may be using Java or Flash?


See if it's disabled on your Mac...


Out-of-date versions of Adobe Flash Player do not include the latest security updates and will be disabled to help keep your Mac secure. If Safari 5.1.7 or Leopard Security Update 2012-003 detects an out-of-date version of Flash Player on your system, you will see a dialog informing you that Flash Player has been disabled. The dialog provides the option to go directly to Adobe's website, wh


ere you can download and install an updated version of Flash Player.

Additional Information

If you need to re-enable an out-of-date version of Flash Player, you can do the following:

1. Navigate to the /Library/Internet Plug-Ins (Disabled) folder.

2. Drag "Flash Player.plugin" into /Library/Internet Plug-Ins.

3. If the browser is running, quit and restart it.



http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5271


http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5241?viewlocale=en_US

http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en-GB&answer=142064

http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/How%20to%20turn%20off%20Java%20applets

5 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Mar 18, 2013 2:31 PM in response to cathyq1

Hi, no real idea, but I think they may be using Java or Flash?


See if it's disabled on your Mac...


Out-of-date versions of Adobe Flash Player do not include the latest security updates and will be disabled to help keep your Mac secure. If Safari 5.1.7 or Leopard Security Update 2012-003 detects an out-of-date version of Flash Player on your system, you will see a dialog informing you that Flash Player has been disabled. The dialog provides the option to go directly to Adobe's website, wh


ere you can download and install an updated version of Flash Player.

Additional Information

If you need to re-enable an out-of-date version of Flash Player, you can do the following:

1. Navigate to the /Library/Internet Plug-Ins (Disabled) folder.

2. Drag "Flash Player.plugin" into /Library/Internet Plug-Ins.

3. If the browser is running, quit and restart it.



http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5271


http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5241?viewlocale=en_US

http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en-GB&answer=142064

http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/How%20to%20turn%20off%20Java%20applets

Mar 18, 2013 4:50 PM in response to BDAqua

Oh, that's a very interesting suggestion, which definitely seems a possibility.


Because the newest Firefox version isn't compatible with my old G4 (eventually I am going to have to let it go, I know!) I have been using an old version of Flash - recent versions of Flash not compatible with my set up, updates only available for Intel Macs and newer models.


This meant I lost the option to run the BBC iPlayer last year, until some clever G4 owner put up a work around they had created online. So that's what I'm using for Flash, and it therefore might not show up as an error or disabled, since it "appears" to be a new version of Flash, but really isn't.


Hadn't thought of that, but it could definitely fit the symptoms. I've been very curious to know what the problem might be. In the end my kind neighbour submitted the return for me for this year, but I am going to look into the Flash issue for the next time - assuming I'm still nurturing my G4 nex


Many thanks!

Mar 18, 2013 5:28 PM in response to cathyq1

TenFourFox is the most up to date browser for our PPCs, they even have G4 & G5 optimized versions...


http://www.floodgap.com/software/tenfourfox/


SeaMonkey seems pretty fast also, with many options...


http://www.seamonkey-project.org/


http://www.seamonkey-project.org/releases/


The last really supported Flash for PPC was 10.1.102.64, but if it's for like Facebook or such, people have been fooling FB to think they have a leter version installed.

Texas Mac Man's Flash hack/post...


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3599648?tstart=0


Flash player 11.1 hack on PowerPC - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3558589?answerId=16990862022#16990862022


Might be later ones around also... saw 11.3 I think.


(If you are running a PPC Mac with Flash Player 10.1.102.64 and are having problems with watching videos on FaceBook or other sites, contributor Texas Mac Man suggests the following solution which fools the site into thinking that you are running the latest version:)


Download this http://www.steelbin.com/FPforFBPPC.zip to your desktop, unzip it, and replace the current Flash Player plug-in which is in your main/Library/Internet Plug-Ins folder, (not the user Library). Save the old one just in case this one doesn't work.


You should also consider the Shockwave Player, which displays Web content that has been created by Adobe Director, much used for multimedia: For PPC Macs: http://get.adobe.com/shockwave/


See in each Browser which version of Flash it thinks it has...


http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/155/tn_15507.html


I think I read the latest hack allowed BBC Player even.

Mar 18, 2013 5:36 PM in response to BDAqua

Very nice! Going to explore all these options. I do want to keep my G4 running as long as possible, it's the machine I first used when I changed from PC, and I have a great fondness for it, it pretty much does everything I want to do on a computer (well, except submit the tax return!), so I don't feel any great desire to change it.


I really dislike the reflective surface on the newest iMac monitors, and find the Cinema Display monitor just right for me both in size and on screen colours. Very happy to find a community online which wants to do the same, and is happy to share G4 knowledge.

Using old G4 to submit CT600 company tax return to HMRC, unable to submit

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