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.
My desktop PC shuts off after a period of inactivity. Why?
Computers can be configured to shut down after periods of inactivity. But if it happens without having configured it, reasons aren’t as clear.
Why does my laptop hard drive keep failing?
Laptop hard drives are made to be fairly rugged but there are limits. Here are some things to help make your laptop hard disk last as long as possible.
The problem of masquerading problems.
The problem you have may not be the problem you think you have.
Why didn't my gigabit network card result in better performance?
Gigabit network cards hold the promise of faster connections and operations. The key is knowing where your other bottlenecks might be.
What media should I use for long term archives?
Keeping digital data for a long time, say over 10 or 20 years, presents several unique problems that you’ll want to plan on addressing.
Why am I so hard on webmail?
I strongly advise against putting all your eggs in the free email basket. Why?
Is C: sacred?
C: is the most common designation for the hard drive from which you boot and which contains Windows. It doesn’t have to be C: but it’s safer if it is.
What does "the USB device can perform faster" mean?
USB comes in two versions that run at two different speeds. A faster device plugged into a slower interface works, but works more slowly than it could.
Should I maintain my external drive the same way I do my internal?
External hard drives are a great convenience, but they’re often used in different ways. As a result, maintenance needs may also be different.
Pages I visit open in a tiny window, how do I make it bigger?
Occasionally a program will open up in a tiny window, too small to be useful. We’ll look at a couple of approaches to dealing with tiny windows.
On the Likelihood of Changing Others
Some people don’t treat technology they way you would want them to. Should you try and “fix” them?
My computer's infected with a virus, how do I clean it up?
Once infected it’s difficult to guarantee that your cleaning efforts succeed. Best is to make sure that you never get infected in the first place.
Can I recover my MSN Hotmail password rather than reset it?
Many people would like to recover their current forgotten password rather then reset it. However if security’s been done correctly, it’s impossible.
Should I disconnect my modem cable when I'm not using my computer?
It’s typically not necessary, or even desirable, to disconnect your modem when not in use, but there are steps you should take to stay safe.
Can I use a USB 1.1 cable with a USB 2.0 device?
USB 1.1 and 2.0 cables aren’t all that different, and can often be interchangeable. Here’s what to look for.
Why doesn't Windows show all 4gigabytes of memory I have installed?
Installing the maximum 4 gigabytes of RAM into your computer may not result in all 4 gigabytes being available. We’ll look at why.
What about Vista SP1?
Windows Vista SP1 is on the horizon. Should you jump in?
How do I make a Windows XP boot disk?
Unfortunately you can’t just “make a boot disk”, but there are approaches that will allow you to boot from CD to access the contents of your hard disk.
How do I share documents between OpenOffice Writer and Microsoft Word?
OpenOffice is a free software suite to rival Microsoft Office. Exchanging documents between the two is not only possible, but quite easy.
How do I get Windows Picture and Fax Viewer in Windows Vista?
Windows Picture and Fax Viewer seems to have disappeared from Windows Vista. It’s still there with a different name and look.
What does "conversation timed out" mean in an email bounce?
Occasionally email will bounce with the error “timed out”. We’ll look at what that does, and does not, tell us, and what might be the real problem.
Is dial-up safer?
When you dial-up to get an internet connection you typically get a different IP address each time. Is that safer or more anonymous? Not really.
Is Privacy A Thing of the Past?
There’s privacy and privacy. Are you being tracked? Probably. Is it something to worry about? Probably not.
How do I transfer my MSN Hotmail inbox from one account to another?
After creating a new Hotmail account many people want to transfer messages from one account to another. You can’t. But there are alternatives.
What should I do about low 'memory' on my recovery drive?
Many manufacturers create a recovery drive or partition on your hard disk. Windows may warn you about low disk space on it. I’ll look at wWhat to do?
Why do I get "device … cannot be stopped right now" trying to safely remove my USB drive?
Windows tries to prevent corruption by disallowing removal of USB devices that are “in use”. Unfortunately it’s not always obvious what “in use” means.
Is spam inevitable?
Anonymity enables spam. Unfortunately it also enables many other important things as well.
Can I burn the I386 folder to a CD and use that as an install CD?
The I386 folder usually contains a copy of the files used to install Windows in the first place. You can often use it to reinstall Windows.
What's the difference between Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Hotmail and MSN Hotmail?
Microsoft has created a lot of confusion with how it names its mail products. Add the transition from MSN to Windows Live branding and it gets worse.
Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?
Firefox can occasionally complain that it’s already running when you might not see it anywhere on your desktop. It’s not lying, it’s just hiding.
Why is my MSN Hotmail Inbox suddenly empty?
I get periodic reports of email disappearing from Hotmail Inboxes. “Why” might be interesting, but more important is “What now?”
It's time to learn about network neutrality.
ISPs have the ability to stick their fingers into our internet experience and become something less than a neutral internet provider.
How do I stop constant "runtime error" messages in Internet Explorer?
It’s common to see runtime errors when visiting web sites in Internet Explorer. Unfortunately your options to deal with them are somewhat limited.
Do I need all these services my domain registrar is offering me?
When you register a domain you may be offered a plethora of extra-cost options. Which do you domain registration options do you really need, and why?
Should I change my router's password, and if so, how often?
Routers typically require a login and password for configuration that comes set to a factory default. Should you change it? Yes. How often? It depends.
Can email providers limit how much email I send?
One of the techniques many mail providers use to reduce the flood of spam is to limit how much email you can send in a certain period of time.
How long are those records kept?
Some want internet records kept forever, others not at all. What can you count on?
Did I really just win an email lottery or sweepstakes?
We all receive emails that indicate we’ve won several different lotteries. Are any of these winning notifications valid? I’ll review what to look for.
How do I make a new Windows Live Hotmail account?
Making a new Windows Live Hotmail account begins by making the option visible – by signing out of Hotmail. From there making a new account is easy.
What is disk partitioning?
Partitions are ways of treating a single hard disk as if it were many. We’ll look at why, how and when you might want to partition your hard drive.
Where did all these other temporary files come from?
Many programs will scatter temporary files throughout your hard disk. It’s usually accidental, but cleaning up temporary files becomes a little complex.
If phishers had a clue…
Most spam and phishing attempts are laughably bogus. What if they weren’t?
Should I Install Windows XP SP3?
Windows XP SP3 (Service Pack 3) is on the horizon. We look at what we can expect from it, and what you might do when it arrives.
How do I burn something to CD?
Burning files to CD is a great way to back up or to easily transfer files elsewhere. There are several burning options including Windows itself.
If I Had to Do It All Over Again… [rerun]
I reflect on the one thing I would have done differently and why I think it matters.
So, what do you think about Kindle?
Amazon’s new Kindle electronic book reader has some truly compelling features, several issues and a few surprises. It may change the way I read books.
How can I view large web pages without having to scroll right and left?
Many web pages are designed to a minimum width which is often wider than some older screens or settings. There are a few alternatives.
Should I unsubscribe from things I've signed up for to avoid spam?
Whether or not an unsubscribe link is safe to use can be incredibly difficult to determine. Here are some rules of thumb.
There's no going back
Change is inevitable, and often unexpected. So what do you do when faced with changes you don’t want?
Why can I only back up a maximum of 4 gigabytes?
When backing up large amounts of data the filesystem used on the backup media matters. FAT32 often can’t handle the way that many backup programs work.
