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 do I set up an Out Of Office (OOF) message?
Out Of Office or OOF messages are considered by many important to let people know when you’re away from email. Setting one up properly is difficult.
I formatted my machine and now all my programs and data are gone, how do I get them back?
Reformatting erases everything on your disk. Recovering from an accidental reformat is unlikely unless you’ve prepared.
Why didn't you restore from a Disk Image?
I recently described rebuilding a machine from scratch. I’ll look at alternatives, one of which some people expected me to use.
What are these blue lines on the left of my email?
Email programs will often automatically include the text of the original in a reply, and format it slightly differently. Some use blue bars.
Can I just copy an install CD to a USB device and use it that way?
It’s tempting to think that simply copying a bootable install CD to a USB device would work. Sadly, it’s not that simple.
Is webmail faster than downloading with POP3 over dialup?
Dialup users are frequently challenged with large emails taking forever to download. Webmail might help, but not consistently.
What do you install first?
I recently had to rebuild my Window Vista laptop after a hard disk failure. Here’s what I installed, and in the order that I installed it.
Chkdsk said my system was "dirty" – what does dirty mean?
Windows tracks unfinished business on your hard drive with a “dirty” flag. Turning off your computer improperly can leave the dirty flag set.
Why is there no Windows Live Hotmail https connection?
https is an important step to keeping the information you send and get on the web private. Hotmail uses it for login, but not thereafter.
How do I get an arbitrary email address?
You can have any email address on a domain you own, assuming you can own it, or use an email provider and take what’s available.
Why Would Installing Beta Software Cause Problems?
Installing Beta or pre-release software is, in effect, asking for trouble. One simple precaution can prevent disastrous data loss.
Dell – PC Desktops, Laptops and Accessories
Dell computers are a mainstay in my home and business. My experience over many years has been, and continues to be, very good.
What Do I Do About All the Leftovers After an Uninstall?
Uninstallers are notorious for leaving things behind. The question is why, and what you can do about it. The answer: various reasons, and not much.
How do all these "Documents" folders relate to each other?
My Documents, Username’s Documents and the My Documents folder in the Documents and Settings folder all relate … intimately.
How do I Uninstall Windows Live Messenger?
The location of the uninstaller has changed for Windows Live Messenger. I’ll walk you through the steps to find it and uninstall messenger.
Should I get an additional internal or external hard drive?
Additional internal drives have a role, but with external hard drives being cheap and common, adding storage to your system can be very quick and easy.
What are all these other pictures that appear when I view a picture from email?
Viewing a picture from email causes the email program to place that image on your hard disk, along side other pictures from other places.
How do I set up an email address for my son on my computer?
Setting up a new email account is more than just a setting on your PC – you’ll need to create a new email address with an email provider.
My work and home computers have the same IP address, how do I fix that?
Conventional wisdom says two computers can’t have the same IP address. Technically true but incomplete. The same IP can be used on different networks.
How do I recover my lost photos on my hard disk?
Recovering lost photos from a hard disk error, or a user error, can be tricky. Immediately stop using the disk and we’ll look at the next steps.
My anti-virus cleared something off my machine. Should I change my passwords?
When your anti-virus program tells you that it caught something, your next steps depend on what, when and how it was caught. And it depends on prudence.
ForwardedFunnies.com – Sooner or later, the jokes stop here.
We all get humorous emails and jokes forwarded to us. Forwarded Funnies is a collection of some of the best.
How should I protect my network and computers from my guests?
Whenever you connect a computer you don’t control to your home network you could be putting your computers at risk. I’ll describe how I deal with it.
Are there any legitimate uses for peer-to-peer file sharing programs?
P2P programs have a bad reputation because of the content they’re often used with. But P2P technology is legal and useful for legal purposes as well.
When I delete private email at work, can it still be found?
Whenever you do anything private on a work computer or network, you’re exposing yourself to snooping by the company. Even when you delete private email.
How do I access my Windows administrator account?
Windows administrator accounts aren’t intended for continual use and can be hard to find. We’ll look at logging in as administrator, and alternatives.
How did you clean up your friend's infected machine?
A friend brought me his machine infected with several viruses. I’ll review the steps I took to clean it up.
How do all these options for connecting to the internet differ?
With so many alternatives, it’s easy to get confused. I’ll present an overview of the many ways you can connect to the internet.
Why won't this "Your Computer Is Infected" warning go away?
If you’re getting messages that you computer is infected, it might be. But you MUST be skeptical and extremely careful about the steps you take next.
How do I clear history from my Google search?
When you visit the Google search engine and start typing, you’ll likely see a dropdown list of search terms. Those might be history, or something else.
If my Windows XP is not genuine, can I download an older version for free?
It’s tempting to pirate an older version of Windows to replace an illegal copy of a current version. Unfortunately, it’s likely just as illegal.
How Do I Replace My Laptop Keyboard?
Replacing a laptop keyboard is possible if you know what you’re getting into. Through photos, I’ll show you how I replaced my wife’s laptop keyboard.
ImgBurn – Free CD/DVD Burning Tool
ImgBurn is a free, powerful burning tool that can be used to burn files and ISOs to CD/DVD/HDDVD/Bluray discs, or to create images of them.
Why shouldn't I include my email address in a Twitter post or 'tweet'?
Twitter is fairly new and currently very popular communications tool. Along with popularity comes abuse in the form of spammers.
What's the risk of connecting to the internet without protection?
Connecting to the internet without protection in place is a very dangerous thing to do. Fortunately, this danger is very easily dealt with.
How do I get Windows Explorer to show folder names in its taskbar buttons?
If you have multiple Explorer windows open it can be difficult to see which is which from the taskbar buttons. There’s a setting for that.
Why does my anti-malware software say a link is suspected phishing?
Anti-malware software examines links to see if they go where they claim to go. The problem is that valid links can be mislabeled as phishing attempts.
Does accessing my computer's hard disk over the network impact the computer's performance?
In most cases, remote file copies to and from a machine impact that machine very minimally. However, there are scenarios that might be noticed.
My anti-virus performed a virus removal but I still have a symptom, how do I get rid of it?
Your anti-virus program may claim successful virus removal, but if symptoms remain then clearly the job’s not really done.
Should I get Windows Vista or XP?
When purchasing a new machine if offered a choice, Windows Vista may or may not be a clear choice over Windows XP. We’ll look at the issues involved.
I Accidentally Deleted My Recycle Bin, but Got to Thinking: Do I Even Need a Recycle Bin?
The Recycle Bin is a convenient safety net for accidental deletions. The cost is low, and the value can be very high. But it’s not required.
Can my computer get a virus from my camera?
Cameras are not likely to themselves be infected by a virus, but without care they can act as carriers, transferring viruses from computer to computer.
How Do I Add a Signature with a Picture to My Emails?
The ability to add a signature to email depends on the email program you use. Whether or not you can include an image also depends on that program.
How can I be sure my actions aren't being logged on this computer I'm using?
When using a public computer it’s practically impossible to know for certain that your activities aren’t being logged.
refdesk.com – A Comprehensive, Free and Family-friendly Internet Reference Portal
refdesk.com is a reference portal containing links to hundreds, if not thousands, of quality reference resources on the internet.
Do people really still fall for this stuff?
It seems with all the constant news and awareness about spam it would disappear as people fail to fall for it. Sadly, that’s nowhere near the case.
Why isn't my wireless operating at full speed?
Wireless equipment is advertised as carrying data at a particular speed, but the part that’s not highlighted is that the conditions must be right.
What's a Volume Name?
A volume name is a descriptive name that you assign to disk. Some utilities require that you enter it before they’ll do something risky or destructive.
How do I convert to NTFS?
Converting a disk drive or partition from FAT32 to NTFS is fairly easy. We’ll look at when you might want to, and the few options for converting back.
What do I do if a program requires 16 bit color?
Some graphics intensive games may be written to require your video be set to 16 bit color. If you’re running something else, it’s an easy change.
