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.
Are forced upgrades a bad thing?
Like Hotmail users, sometimes you have no choice but to upgrade. Sometimes that’s ok, sometimes not. But you should expect it.
How do I UNinstall a program that's not in the add/remove list?
Any program of even moderate complexity should include an uninstaller. If one does not, uninstalling can range from trivial to downright scary.
How do I install programs if I'm not the administrator of the computer?
Many programs require that you be administrator in order to install. If you’re not, you have few options. Most boil down to: be the administrator.
Can I save programs I download from the Internet?
When purchasing software in a store you get a box and a CD or DVD. If you download your software you should take extra steps to save your purchase.
How do I know which program is used to open a particular type of file?
It’s not always obvious what program should be used to open certain types of files. There are clues if you know where to look and what to look for.
Why I hate DirectX
DirectX has a problem, and it’s common industry wide.
Why do people make viruses?
Viruses used to be mostly just techie/nerdy accomplishments, but of late viruses have become a booming business due to spam.
Where did file associations go in Windows Vista?
Several things are slightly different in Windows Vista, and the location of the File Associations dialog is just one.
WGA phones home – and no one answers.
WGA – just another form of DRM that ends up potentially harming legitimate users.
From where can I download Outlook Express 6?
Outlook Express 6 is part of Internet Explorer 6. But if you’ve moved on to IE7, then Outlook Express 6 can be difficult to locate and download.
From where can I download Outlook Express 6? (old version)
Outlook Express 6 is part of Internet Explorer 6. But if you’ve moved on to IE7, then Outlook Express 6 can be difficult to locate and download.
I accidentally deleted my Recycle Bin in Vista – how do I get it back?
It turns out to be fairly easy to accidentally delete the desktop Recycle Bin in Vista. Getting the Recycle Bin back is easy, just not obvious.
How do I find out who's at a particular IP address?
Internet users often want to identify who someone else might be with only an IP address to go on. It’s just not something you and I can do.
How do I remove the Documents item on my Start Menu?
Documents, or my Recent Documents, is Windows trying to be helpful by making it easy to access recent work. Sometimes it’s a little too visible.
Why does Windows have a registry?
There are many potential ways to store program and system settings. Windows uses the registry. It’s very complex, but its intentions were good.
Tracking Bookmarks
How do you keep track of your bookmarks? I’m trying del.icio.us.
What is "LSA Shell" and why is it an "Export Version"?
LSA Shell is an important Windows component that unfortunately shows up in some virus related error messages. “Export Version” has a murkier history.
How do I move from web-based email to email on my desktop?
Moving from a web based free email service to downloading email to your desktop is a smart move, but often not as easy to do as we’d like.
What should I be doing to maintain my computer?
We all hear about anti-malware solutions we should be implementing, but what other things should we be doing to keep our PCs running smooth?
Why can I not find a file that Windows search tells me is there?
In an effort to avoid confusion, Windows will hide certain files and folders by default. Naturally that often leads to more confusion.
I hate to harp on backups, but
A poll of Ask Leo! readers shows some good, and some scary, results when it comes to backing up.
How do I remove a file that my anti-virus says can't be quarantined?
Anti-virus programs are good at removing more problems, but occasionally they can’t. We’ll look at approaches to manually dealing with the issue.
I have multiple winlogon.exe files on my machine, and one's taking up a lot of memory – what do I do?
It’s quite possible to have more than one winlogon.exe, but knowing which are good and which are suspect isn’t always clear.
My computer has a virus infection; how much has been compromised?
Once infected it’s often difficult to know what malware has done to a machine. What you do next depends on your concern and some legitimate paranoia.
Is a 1 gigahertz 256 megabyte Windows XP Home machine good enough for on-line use?
As machines get older and older the latest software upgrades demand more and more. There are ways to maximize an older computers abilities.
The most frustrating thing I hear…
I hear many things as people ask me questions, but there’s one thing that stands out as most frustrating because it’s so needless.
How do I tell Windows where my I386 folder has moved?
You can move the I386 folder, but in order to keep Windows File Protection happy, you’ll need to update a registry key as well.
How can I reject email from unwanted senders?
Rejecting email from specific unwanted senders turns out to be surprisingly difficult unless your mail provider or email program supports it directly.
Why does one contact keep signing in over and over to MSN Messenger?
If one contact keeps popping up as newly-connected in MSN Messenger, it’s likely that he or she has a connectivity problem.
Is there a way to refurbish an inexpensive printer?
Inexpensive printers are great, but when it comes time to repair, your choices are somewhat limited.
Disk Crash: a backup and recovery story
A hard drive died. I review the steps I took, and what finally saved me in the end.
How can I get the IP address of someone I'm instant messaging, and does it actually identify them?
Instant messaging programs often do not actually connect directly to the other person. Even when they do the IP address doesn’t tell you much.
How do I change the icon of a desktop shortcut?
Creating a shortcut is easy and there’s an interface for changing the icon. Though not obvious, there’s a large selection of icons to choose from.
Does Sharing a Computer Mean that I’m Sharing My Google Web History?
It’s actually difficult to maintain privacy on a shared computer. Google’s web history is one reason, but your browser’s history is another.
What is thumbs.db, and can I delete it?
Thumbs.db is a thumbnail cache used by Windows Explorer to speed up some types of folder displays. You can delete it and prevent more from appearing.
Why can't I access the Documents and Settings or Local Settings folders in Windows Vista?
Two previously standard folders, “Documents and Settings” and “Local Settings”, appear to be locked in Windows Vista. The reason: they’ve been moved.
Vista, or not?
Vista’s cool and all that, but is it a compelling upgrade?
Why can't I enable the Run command?
The option to display the Run command on your Start menu is controlled by options that themselves can be hidden. We’ll look at restoring those options.
How do I translate a URL to an IP address?
Mapping a domain to an IP address is very easy with several tools, both on your machine and on the internet. I’ll look at the two I use.
Where can I download Windows XP?
Windows XP can probably be downloaded from illegal file sharing sites, but a) that’s illegal and b) there’s no product key. There’s one alternative.
I'm being notified of an intrusion attempt, what should I do?
Intrusion attempts are actually common – you’d be surprised at how much internet traffic is due to infected machines trying to infect other machines.
Are You Ready for Your House to Burn Down? [rerun]
Hopefully it will never happen, but being prepared is a must.
How should I clean my computer?
A lot of time and thought goes into cleaning your hard disk, applications and so on. But what about the box itself and other attached peripherals?
Chkdsk runs on every boot, but fails, and my system is unstable. What can I do?
Chkdsk will run on boot if the system has detected problems with your hard disk. If it fails the problem may be serious and can result in instability.
How do I play this video file?
Video formats are a confusing mess. Fortunately there are a couple of ways that you can often get downloaded videos to play without too much fuss.
Out of Office Replies are Evil [rerun]
Yes, they are. Really.
Why am I getting password reset mails for my Hotmail account?
Getting unsolicited password reset requests for your Hotmail account could be someone trying to hack you, or it could just be a phishing attack.
Should I convert my FAT32 drives to NTFS?
FAT32 and NTFS are two different file systems or ways of storing data on hard disks. Each have pros and cons. I tend to prefer NTFS, and explain why.
Do I still need anti-virus software if my computer came with a security suite?
Many computers come pre-configured with security suites. I’ll look at why you might or might not want to keep them, and why they might not be free.
What does "check system fan" mean?
Your system fan is an important component of your system. If the fan fails your system could fail or some components could even be damaged.
