Articles in Category: ask-leo.com
These are articles that have been migrated from the old “ask-leo.com” site but have NOT yet been cleaned up or otherwise updated. They’re here primarily as a reference. We’ll be updating the more important and popular ones over time.
Why does my ISP-given email account fill up if I don’t use it?
Different ISPs keep your email for different lengths of time… but you
really needn’t worry about it!
Microsoft Security Essentials says I’m at risk, but won’t scan because it’s out of date. What do I do?
Normally, Microsoft Security Essentials should handle updating itself
properly, but reinstalling might do the trick.
How Do Different Memory Options Interact with One Another?
There’s memory and then there’s memory. I’ll look at the difference between system RAM and video memory and how they’re used. And ReadyBoost makes an appearance.
How do I disable the touchpad if it’s not in my Control Panel?
The first suggestion is to make sure that you’ve got the correct device
drivers installed for your mouse and track pad.
Google search does nothing. How do I fix that?
Sometimes “drive-by toolbar downloads” can interfere with the way that your
browser handles search and/or the Google.com page. We’ll look for a fix.
How do I resize this partition that Windows can only resize so far?
What’s probably happening is that some files are in the way that Windows
either won’t or can’t move.
Why doesn’t Flash work in IE9?
Something’s wrong with Internet Explorer in this case. There’s certainly
no easy way to replace it, but it can possibly be repaired.
If I don’t login to my Hotmail account, will it take up any space on my computer?
Hotmail is a web-based service. As long as you don’t login to Hotmail,
there’s nothing that’s going to get downloaded to your computer.
Why are you using Chrome instead of Firefox?
It really boils down to personal preference. Today, I really have no problems
with people using any of the big three browsers.
I can’t activate Windows and I can’t access my data. What do I do?
We can (probably) recover those files, but… your data is only
in one place and you’ve run the risk of losing everything for a very long
time!
Is downloading .torrent files without downloading the files they point to a problem?
Torrent files by themselves are pretty benign. It’s the files they point to that may hold copyrights and legal implications.
How do I uninstall this search hijack that came along with another install?
Unwanted and even malicious tools can be downloaded along with free or
upgraded software. Time to run some anti-malware tools.
Why don’t email filtering rules work in my browser?
Many email services have the ability to set up rules to filter out unwanted
emails. There are many different ways to do it.
Why do some blogs have pictures next to some people’s comments?
Many blogs are using a service that associates pictures with the email addresses people use when they leave a comment. I recently added this to Ask Leo!
My computer won’t boot and I’m being advised to reformat, but that will erase my data. What do I do?
If you can’t boot your computer, that’s a problem that may only be
resolved by reinstalling the operating system.
Will installing Windows 8 clear up the errors I’m having in Windows 7?
I would not perform an upgrade of Windows 8 with the expectation that it
will make your problems go away. Best to clean up first.
Why do navigation buttons not show up on some websites?
This sounds like your screen resolution is set smaller than the minimum
required for those web pages to work, or it’s pushed off the screen.
Why does Save-As… not work in my web browser?
Save As works differently in different browsers. Printing to pdf might be a better solution.
How do I identify this flashing window at boot time?
A flashing message during boot-up is not necessarily worrisome, but it is worth
investigating.
My machine is slower than a snail. What can I do?
There are many different things that could be contributing to your system
being slow. Everything from malware to running too much software at the same
time.
Can a TV get malware from my PC?
This does not sound like a malware issue at all. I think its something much
more mundane, probably related to your power.
Why does it take so long for webpages to load?
The three top culprits to look for are: connection overload, toolbar
applications, and inadequate memory and/or caching.
How do I merge applications and settings from my old hard drive into my new?
Trying to merge desktop and application settings is more prone to failure
than anything else. A clean set-up will get you what you want.
How do I exclude irrelevant yet matching pages from a search?
It depends on where you’re doing your search. Different search engines have
different approaches to specifying “negative matches.”
What happens to streaming video if my internet connection doesn’t meet the requirements?
Short on speed? Exactly what effect that has will depend on the
technology being used by the various streaming services you’re talking
about.
Can my Wi-Fi slow down my internet browsing?
Several things can slow a browsing session. Wi-Fi is one of them, but I certainly
wouldn’t limit my investigations to just the Wi-Fi.
Why do I keep getting these illegible letters I’m supposed to decipher when sending email?
Those are CAPTCHA tests are to prove that you are a real human and not an
automated computer trying to send spam, but it shouldn’t happen on every email.
How do I go back to plain http for Google Plus?
It should be completely transparent. Without knowing exactly why you
consider it to be annoying, I’m going to recommend that you leave it set.
Word’s Save-As menu disappeared. How to I repair it?
Microsoft Office programs menus are completely customizable. I’m not exactly sure
what happened to you, but it should be something you can fix.
Can’t we just charge spammers per email they send?
Unfortunately, there is no simple way to trace spam to a specific place and
charge them. There just isn’t.
Should I install another firewall if I can’t turn on the Windows firewall?
My real concern here is the fact that you can’t turn the Windows firewall
on. That’s bad!
How do I un-write-protect this USB thumb drive?
The fact that you’re trying to format the device tells me that it’s not a
file system permissions issue. Formatting should just work.
Is it worth getting a high-speed router or switch?
Your internet connection is controlled by your ISP and the devices that your
ISP provides, but there are some advantages from faster equipment.
Why does scripting not work in Firefox?
By and large, Firefox should run JavaScript just fine. We’ll check a few
settings that might be causing the problem.
Is there any chance that Hotmail will revert these broken “improvements” they’ve made?
Hotmail only moves forward! If you don’t like their service, there ARE alternatives!
How do I stop this auto play audio from playing after I delete the email message that had it?
A media player, such as Windows Media Player, is probably playing in the background. The trick is switching over to that program and shutting it down.
How do I load my floppy-based backups if I have no floppy drive?
A USB floppy drive is a simple answer to getting your data off old
disks.
Can I just give people remote access to my machine to view my vacation videos?
Opening your machine to the public is a path fraught with peril and
something to be avoided at almost any cost!
CHKDSK is stuck after 48 hours. Is this a problem?
A CRC error and CHKDSK failure are signs of a hard drive that is on its way
out. Recovery and replacement is the way to go.
Why is my audio choppy?
This could be anything from out-of-date drivers to an overloaded computer.
We’ll look at both.
Why does the name not match the email address on this email I just got?
More than likely, your friend’s email has been hacked. Spammers use this type of email cloaking to fool people into clicking on their links.
Why does legitimate anti-malware software interfere with my browsing?
Anti-malware software tries to insert itself between you and “possibly
malicious” links and webpages on the internet… it often does that less than
perfectly.
Why am I getting replies to emails I sent months ago?
When you suddenly start receiving suspicious emails from an old friend, the
first thing to think of is spam. Don’t click on anything!
I get a blue screen when setting up Windows XP. What do I do?
Problems installing XP’s service pack 3 could be coming from either hardware or software. Getting that machine cleaned up is the first step.
TeamViewer – Powerful Remote Access Software, Free for Personal Use
TeamViewer simplifies remote access over the internet and supports a wide range of devices. While somewhat pricey for commercial use, TeamViewer is free for personal use.
How do I remove this hijack of my search engine?
You will need to start taking the basic steps for removing malware from your
machine. Even if it wasn’t intended as malware, it is acting like it.
Can I install Office 2010 and keep Outlook 2007?
Trying to run two versions of Microsoft Office at the same time usually does not
work well. Better to pick one version and stick with it.
How do I get my two monitors to display at different maximum resolutions?
Windows is capable of displaying two monitors each at their recommended
resolution. Changing the monitor settings may do the trick.
If an automated backup might automatically backup malware, shouldn’t I backup manually when I know things are clean?
Backing up manually will not give you better options in recovering from
malware. In fact, it could easily be worse than an automated system.
How do I free up space on my recovery drive?
Recovery partitions are meant to only hold system recovery files. It
shouldn’t be written to and doesn’t need more space.
