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.
How can I stop my anti-virus software from filling up my hard drive with updates?
Anti-virus updates (from well written anti-malware tools) should not be accumulating virus definitions on your hard drive.
Can I set a specific Microsoft Office version to open my emails?
Microsoft is configured to run only one version on a computer at a time. It
would likely become confused if you tried to configure two versions.
Can an IP address on an email tell you which country it is coming from?
IP addresses can change for many reasons; you can’t absolutely rely on them to give location.
How can I list all the email addresses that I am the alternate email address for?
It may not be possible to globally check which email is being used as an
alternate email address, other than by manually keeping track.
How do I fix my dial-up modem after being in a lightning storm?
This feels like a hardware problem. I suggest some troubleshooting
steps and repair options.
Why does it take so long to download Apple software to my PC?
Updates for iTunes or Safari are often large files and that could be causing
the long download times.
How do PCs and Macs differ? And which is best?
Both of these operating systems are great and I don’t want to argue which is
better, but I’m willing to discuss how computers operate and some of the
differences.
What or who is using up all the bandwidth on my remote camera?
Cameras use a lot of bandwidth if they are streaming to an online service.
That may be the first place to look.
Why should I pay for free software?
Free software costs someone something. If there’s a mechanism to donate, it could help ensure that your favorite free tool will be around for a while.
Why do I have “Apple Software Update” on my PC? And can I get rid of it?
Getting rid of Apple files and folders on your computer may be tricky; and
you might find you need that update.
How can I slow down a video so I can understand conversations?
There are settings in VLC player that allow you to slow down the audio speed
in a video.
Why has my Ymail account suddenly stopped working in Firefox?
Cached data in Firefox and other browsers can cause this sort of problem.
Clearing it may be the answer.
Why does this tab keep opening in my Firefox browser?
Tabs are mysteriously appearing in a Firefox browser. This could be a
miss-set homepage, or perhaps pop-ups.
Can keyloggers get my login information when I use drag and drop from Keypass?
Malware and keyloggers on your machine can do anything, which includes cut
and paste, drag and drop, screen keypads and more. Prevention is the only cure.
To be safe, you need to protect yourself from all kinds of malware.
Webinar #12 – Q&A
Webinar #12 – Q&A – will be Sunday, May 13th, 2012 at 1PM U.S. PDT / 9PM UTC.
Can I Tell If the Person Who Shares My Gmail Account Has Ever Checked the Search History?
If an account is being shared, then Google has no way of knowing who is
at the keyboard. I explore how search history works and what might be
found there.
How do I search multiple sites of my own choice?
It is not necessarily simple to do this, but personal searches can be set up with
Google’s CSE (Custom Search Engine) function.
Why am I getting so many generic comments on my website?
Constant posting into comment boxes and forums on websites is a full-time
spam problem for website owners. I look at why and how this is happening across
the web.
What should I do about the error ‘Not Responding’ when I am compacting my PST file?
Depending on the size of your PST and other factors, a compacting operation
can take a long time. I recommend when to do the operation.
Where are TCP/IP settings in Windows 7?
TCP/IP settings can be used to configure an assigned static IP address, override DNS settings, and more. I’ll show you exactly where they are.
Why am I getting “Windows delayed write failed” error on my computer?
This is a typical error for a hard drive failure… and another example of just how critical it is to have a full backup of your system.
Will your books be available for Nook and Nook readers?
As in all supply and demand issues, small publishers have to make choices of
where to publish books. I hear you, but I need to focus my energies.
Can I set up my own static IP address for my internet connection?
Your IP address is set by your internet provider so that they can identify
your computer and send you information from the internet. Changing it to set up a static IP address may not have the result that you expect.
Why does my browser show I’m still downloading a webpage even though I’ve read to the bottom?
Web pages are designed to display content elements first to give you a quick
visual representation of the page. Other things might take awhile or get stuck.
There is a quick key you can tap to stop this behavior.
How do I get rid of these new banner ads and tabs that pop up on websites?
Pop-up blockers are designed to catch new pages from popping up off a website,
but sometimes, they might not be able to grab ad features that are a part of the website
itself.
Should I uninstall my old Office Pro before installing a new version?
Microsoft Office is very good about installing itself over older versions
and, in fact, there is a very good reason to let it be in charge of the upgrade
operation.
How do I use my backup if my hard drive fails?
It’s wise to be prepared to use your backups to fully reinstall your machine
in the event of a hard drive failure.
What happens if I am connected to my neighbor’s wireless and my USB modem at the same time?
Don’t let your computer randomly make the choice of which connection to use.
I’ll show you how to manually determine which connection is active on your laptop.
How do I remove my D: restore partition?
Many computers come with a pre-configured restore partition, often drive D:. If you backup properly, it’s not needed; I’ll look at recovering the space.
Why does “Acquiring network address” show continuously in my icon tray?
Sometimes, the icon tray is not completely reliable. This could be indicating
nothing more than a driver bug.
Where is “Run” in Windows 7?
The Run command is used frequently by experienced computer users and can
easily be added and removed from the Start menu in Windows 7.
Why does each update of Firefox have a new version number?
Quite often, version numbers seem to be random choices of the
programmers. There might be a better way.
What’s a Noob?
It’s just a fact of life that we all have to start somewhere. A Noob is
someone at the beginning.
Does deleting and adding information to a hard drive wear it out?
Hard drives are built to expect a certain amount of use. Drives do wear out,
but a certain amount of normal use is to be expected.
Does Hotmail store everyone’s IP addresses?
Your IP address is available to every website you visit, including
Hotmail.
How do I monitor what changes in my registry?
One part of most program’s installation process is modifying and updating the registry. It is possible to see exactly what was touched in the registry.
Will agreeing to this uninstall error break my computer?
Sometimes, it’s difficult to tell what kind of components are shared by
installed programs, so it is wise to be cautious.
How do I recover my old emails and contacts from my hacked Hotmail account?
When data is deleted from Hotmail, it is often deleted permanently. Backups
and safety are always important with any free email account.
What causes my computer to fail a Smart Short Self Test, and do I have to reformat?
SMART, or Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology, could be
indicating a failing hard drive. You may have to take further steps.
How do I recover with my backup when a virus took out my boot sector?
Although it needs to be done manually in your backup program, it is possible to include your boot sector in a full backup image.
How do I stop Windows from re-installing drivers just because I used a different USB port?
Occasionally, something as simple as inserting a device into a different USB port will cause Windows to reinstall drivers again. Or will it?
Are there Now Public Links to Everything in My Dropbox?
Dropbox recently announced that you could send a web-accessible public link to anything anywhere in your Dropbox. I’ll look at the security implications.
Where does Windows Live Mail store my contacts?
Your email and contact information should be backed up as part of your
overall backup strategy. Or you may want to export them.
How to I manually update Windows XP using IE6?
You should be able to update using Microsoft’s online service, but it is
also important to keep your browser up to date.
Is it possible to find out if a bad sector has been allocated to a file?
A bad sector is a physical problem with the hard drive. Copying the file
will give you clues to its status.
Why do I have to keep updating Firefox when I can’t see any difference?
It may seem like nothing is happening when browsers and other software
programs perform updates, but don’t minimize the necessity of those security
patches.
Can I save my original System Restore point?
System Restore is convenient when it works, but it can also be a disaster when it doesn’t work. I have another suggestion.
How do I stop automatic emails coming out of Hotmail?
Emails sending automatically from Hotmail sounds suspiciously like a hack.
Or maybe it is something on your computer.
I am running out of room on my backup drive, what can I do?
There are several ways to approach storage space for backups (compression,
increments, differentials). Some will be tricky, and in the long run, a new hard
drive just might be easiest.
Can I recover the information on my hard drive by putting it in an enclosure?
An encloser is a pretty cool way to access information from a hard drive, if
you use the right connection.
