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.
Repair or Replace
The decision to repair or replace a computer isn’t always as easy as we think.
Is this receipt for software I didn't order valid?
One popular Internet scam is to make something look like an honest mistake that would let you download something expensive for free. Don’t fall for it.
What is Remote Desktop?
Remote Desktop allows you to use your Windows machine remotely, almost as if sitting in front of it. Coupled with a VPN solution, it’s very powerful.
Can I delete the contents of my TMP folder?
Windows maintains a folder for temporary files but it doesn’t always get cleaned up. With a little care you can delete the temporary folder’s contents.
Hardware Can Break
It’s a fact that not everyone keeps in mind.
How do I change the location of Windows temporary files?
Windows maintains a location where programs can put temporary files. Sometimes you might want to change that location, and it’s fairly easy to do so.
How do I make a picture smaller?
Images from cameras are often too big to display on websites, they’re often bigger than people’s screens. We’ll look at resizing and cropping photos.
I use Internet Connection Sharing and someone was able to see my main computer – why?
Internet Connection Sharing allows you to share the internet connection of one computer among several others. There are risks if not set up properly.
What are Warez? They appear to be free, but are they safe?
Warez, or pirated software, while free often comes with an exceptionally high cost in the form of viruses, spyware and more.
Vulnerabilities When Old Meets New
It’s trivial to falsify a signed document when FAXed.
How do I receive email on different accounts into different folders in Outlook?
Outlook can be configured to access multiple email accounts, but by default throws all email into a single inbox. Outlook rules can help.
What is TCP/IP v6?
TCP/IP currently has a limit of 4 billion IP addresses, and that’s not enough. IPv6 blows away this limitation.
Is plain text email safer?
HTML email can include embedded malware, plain text cannot. So just how risky is HTML formatted email?
Could my power supply be causing memory errors?
Computer power supplies can fail, and not always in sudden and obvious ways. Failures can be gradual, and can manifest in many different ways.
Your hard disk is more likely to fail than you think.
A recently released report from Google has some disturbing information.
I've been accused of sending random emails – could I have a virus?
Infected machines are thought to be a leading cause of spam today. What you should do if you’re infected, and how to keep from being a spammer.
Will reinstalling Windows too often trip up Windows Product Activation?
Windows Product Activation, or WPA, is an anti-piracy measure that tries to ensure a product is only installed legitimately. But what does that mean?
Can people get my phone number from my web page?
Registration information for domains or web hosting services can sometimes be public. We’ll look at how to keep your information private.
Should I Send Error Reports to Microsoft?
When you get a fatal error, you’re often prompted to send the information to Microsoft. Then what?
How do I scan a document into Excel?
Scanners are handy ways to get information from paper into your computer. However spreadsheets are highly structured which makes things very difficult.
What's the best way to revert from Windows Vista to run applications that don't work?
Windows Vista can have trouble running some applications. There are several options for running Windows XP, from a re-install to virtual machines.
How can I duplicate my existing letterhead in Word?
Many businesses have existing paper stationery that they’d like to have available directly in a word processor. Unfortunately converting’s not easy.
Can I install programs on an external drive?
An external drive is just another drive to Windows. Setting up programs on a drive that can be removed, however, warrants some care.
Posting on the bathroom wall.
Would post your phone number on a bathroom wall? Then why do so many people do the internet equivalent?
How can I open Office 2007 files in older versions of Office?
Office 2007 introduces a new XML based file format for its documents. There’s a download for older versions off office to read and write the new format.
Is my anti-virus database up to date?
Keeping the database of viruses that your anti-virus program uses up to date is critical. Here’s why.
What's a good way to get a permanent email address?
Each time you change your ISP or place of employment your email address can change. Instead, get your own domain and permanent email address.
Where did my edited attachment go?
You get an email with an attachment, you edit the attachment and your work disappears. Why that happens, and how to work around it.
How do I find the list of BCC'ed recipients in outgoing email?
BCC’ed recipients are not visible to the other recipients. But if you’re the sender you probably see the BCC line on messages you’ve sent.
Are attachments stored in my Outlook PST? How can I remove them, if they are?
The ability to send other files as attachments to email is very useful, but also results in bloated email folders and in Outlook’s case, PST files.
How can I tell what program is making or accepting TCP/IP connections on my machine?
Your machine can open TCP/IP connections to other machines, or it could be waiting for other machines to connect to it. Here’s how to see what is happening.
What's the best way to publish an email chronicle?
One great use of the internet is historical preservation. There are several ways to post an email chronicle, but each requires a little work.
Am I Too Hard on Hotmail?
No. And it’s not only Hotmail that I’m hard on.
How do I keep myself safe from others on my LAN?
We put a lot of emphasis on keeping ourselves secure from internet threats. But what if the threat is on our own network? How do we stay safe then?
Is it OK to leave software I don't use on my machine?
Software often accumulates on your machine, and much of it remains unused. You can leave it alone, but there are things to check for.
What's this 1394 network adapter on my machine?
If your computer has Firewire, you’ll see a 1394 network adapter in your configuration. It can be used for networking, but I don’t recommend it.
How do I contact MSN Hotmail Customer Service?
If you encounter problems with MSN Hotmail, it’s natural to want to contact customer service. Not easy, perhaps not helpful, but it is possible.
Change Your Password – No, not that one…
You probably need to change a password, but not the one you think.
Can I mark my files so that they can be read, but not copied?
Record companies have been wanting to do this for years: make files that you can use but not copy. If that’s what you want, you, and they, are doomed.
How do I get a .reg file to install?
Normally double clicking on a .reg file will add its contents to the registry. If not, there are other ways, including re-enabling that functionality.
How do I get rid of the Quicktime Icon in the Windows System Tray?
Every time you update Quicktime, it reinstalls the Quicktime Icon in the System Tray. Annoying. And apparently unavoidable.
Does email coming from the same IP address imply that it was the same computer?
IP addresses are encoded into email headers. But if you get two emails from the same IP address you can’t assume that they came from the same computer.
Why am I getting email addressed to someone else?
Not a day goes by I don’t get email addressed to someone else with my address nowhere to be found. The reason? Spam.
Identity Theft of Another Form
Cyber Bullying often involves an all too common problem: a much easier form of identity theft.
Can a website cause my computer to get a "blue screen of death"?
The blue screen of death can happen for many reasons, usually hardware failure of software bugs. Issues with web sites, however, is not one of them.
Do I need to do something about the upcoming change to Daylight Savings Time?
The rules for Daylight Savings Time in the United States change in 2007. Most people need do nothing, but it’s important to know if you’re most people.
Is there a way to easily open email that's been forwarded multiple times as attachments?
A lot of forwarded email is forwarded as an attachment. When forwarded multiple times, each as an attachment, opening the original can be difficult.
Is it safe to connect a drive infected with a virus to my computer?
Mounting a disk drive on your system can expose you to various types of malware, most notably viruses. We’ll look at steps to do so safely.
Why can't I open a certain file that's on a CD?
CD’s are great for backup and storage. However CD-R’s are not so good for files that you need to directly access from certain programs.
What does "BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE" mean?
PGP SIGNED MESSAGE means that a message has been cryptographically signed. That means who signed it can be verified, and tampering can be detected.
