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 machine now gives me a completely white screen. What do I do?
I’m hoping that you have backed up. If not, this is a very good reason to do so.
We don’t know that your data hasn’t been completely overwritten!
I’m Having Trouble Getting Access to a Second-hand Machine. What Can I Do?
There is no way to rename the administrator account. Windows doesn’t work
that way.
What’s my upgrade path for a machine running Windows 2000?
It’s not so much the operating system version that you’re running that
matters in this kind of an upgrade. It really depends on the power of the
hardware that operating system is running on.
Why is Windows Explorer slowing down?
There are several things to look at. One is folder size. If files are
accumulating in the folders, then Windows Explorer has to do more work to
enumerate the list of files.
How can I get data off of some very old 10MB and 20MB drives?
I would start by getting a hard drive connector cable, which is essentially a USB enclosure without a box. They’re usually multi-connected at the drive end and can plug into old drives.
Which is more secure: fax or email?
The bottom line is that I understand why email would not be HIPAA approved, but I
don’t really consider fax to be any more or less secure than plain text email.
Why am I getting spam that appears to be from my IP address?
Email headers, the place where the IP address information is stored, are
incredibly easy to falsify. Spammers do this on purpose to hide their true
location.
How do I transfer my documents and programs from my old Windows XP machine to Windows XP Mode on my new machine?
Transferring data files is easy – just copy over the files that you know you need. But programs are an entirely different ball of wax.
Is it safe to stay logged in to LastPass?
If you are worried about hackers coming in through the internet, you’re
worried about something much larger than LastPass.
How do I get “Send Mail” buttons to work on web pages?
The easiest solution is to have an email program installed on your machine
(such as Windows Live Mail) and configured to properly send email through your email account.
Why does email arrive sooner at one ISP than another?
There are so many reasons for email to travel at different speeds across servers. It’s not unusual and it’s really not something to worry about.
Will replacing my C: drive with an SSD speed up my overloaded system?
We need to focus in on what is causing your machine to be overloaded and
see what we can do about that before we start throwing hardware at the
problem.
How do I get rid of Download Accelerator remnants that are preventing me from downloading files?
I am not a fan of download accelerators for many, many different reasons.
Sometimes, they are a means for putting more advertising in front of your
face!
How do I stop spam?
The practical reality is that you can’t stop spam. The best that you can do
is deal with it as efficiently as possible using the technologies that you have
in your hands today.
Is there a reference of what services I need running on my machine?
Microsoft isn’t trying to run a bunch of software on your machine that you
don’t need. If anything, it’s the applications that come along later that do
so.
Could a technician discover my browsing history from seven years ago?
A technician certainly could stumble across this. But if they’re looking at
deleted files and that’s not part of what they’re trying to recover? To me, that’s unethical.
My machine won’t finish booting. What do I do?
Ultimately, I’m concerned that you may end up needing to see a technician
who can take a look at the machine hands on.
How do I get my browser to download where I want it to by default?
This is a very common setting, so there should be good information in the
browser’s help guides to assist you in changing the download default.
Is my browser tracking me?
Yes and no. Logging into Chrome allows you to use your settings on other
computers. Your browsing history is another matter.
My machine is slow and unstable. What do I do?
Depending on the age of this machine, it is possible that your machine is
simply trying to run too much software.
Can you recommend an anti-virus tool that will work in a 256MB system?
The fact is 256 MB is not sufficient to run any of the current operating
systems. That means that you’re in a difficult place.
Why did my PDF print with two additional pages of pornography?
One of the very first things that I would be concerned about is your print-to-PDF
technology. I’d be concerned that it was downloaded from a questionable
site.
How do I find out who’s sending me this harassing email?
I am sorry that the resources for this kind of thing are so limited… because unfortunately, online harassment and cyber bullying are very common.
Why is my email being immediately deleted as it arrives in Thunderbird?
In situations like this, my bet is almost always on the anti-malware tools that you have installed… They’re attempting to integrate just a little too tightly into the email process.
Why is the Maxthon browser always setting itself as the default browser, and how do I stop it?
There may not be a way to turn that off. If you’re not using Maxthon as your
primary browser, I’m not sure there’s a reason to have it on there at all.
Is it safe to keep Outlook Express?
I personally consider Outlook Express a ticking time bomb. As you accumulate
more and more email, the risk of encountering a problem goes up – but there is
one way to protect yourself.
Why can’t I download PDFs in IE9, but I can in Chrome?
To help diagnose the problem, try a two-step approach. Separate downloading
the file from opening the file with Adobe Reader and watch for error
messages.
How do I burn an audio CD?
Audio CDs use a completely different format than the data CDs or DVDs you might use in your computer. As a result, they require a different approach to create.
My ex-friends tell me they can read my email, that it’ll go to them. Is that possible? What do I do?
If friends (especially ex-friends) are looking at your email and they have
access to your account, I would seriously consider that you treat this has a
hacked email account.
I found what appears to be a crash report for MsMpEngine, what should I do?
There probably isn’t any kind of a lasting problem. As long as Microsoft
Security Essentials is running and running properly, I think you’re fine.
Does having my video card on the motherboard mean I can never upgrade?
The neat thing about this is that you’re one step away from a dual-monitor
system without really even trying.
Why do I get an I/O device error when I try to create a system image?
The error message is literally telling you exactly what’s wrong: there was
an input/output error on the device.
How Do I Display the Full List of Recipients in My Sent Email?
Exactly how you go about displaying recipients depends dramatically on
what specific email service you happen to be using.
How do I get IE8 to remember my email password?
Instead of your browser, what I suggest that you use is a program like LastPass to remember your passwords for you.
How do I properly secure a mobile broadband hotspot?
Mobile security is important. There are several things you’ll want to do to secure your hotspot.
Can my mobile phone calls be listened to?
While it’s possible that cellular calls can be listened in on, it’s one of those things where somebody would really have to go out of their way for it to happen.
Why does a file grow dramatically after I add only a small amount?
To me, the problem sounds like Fast Save, a feature of the program that you’re using to edit the file; it’s a feature that is easily turned off.
Why does only half of my email scroll?
Sometimes, video drivers have issues that can manifest in this type of unwritten screen. We’ll check for drivers and upgrades.
Should I partition my external drive?
Partitioning creates an artificial restriction on the disk that you must choose
to begin with. There is a better way to organize a drive.
How do I disable https?
You don’t want to eliminate https. That’s eliminating the security that you
want. There are better ways to deal with website security warnings.
Can I create a true factory fresh image without even the initial customizations?
This requires backup software with rescue media (a boot DVD or CD) that allows you
to perform not only a restore, but an actual backup.
Who is it safe to give my passwords to?
When we talk about not giving your password out to others, you should remember to keep it private, keep it safe, keep it secret, and keep it secure.
What is the IP address 127.0.0.1 and why is it called localhost?
The local host address is a quick way to fool browsers into connecting to
software running on your local machine, instead of some remote software.
Is there a way to ask people to let me know they’ve seen my message?
This falls into the bucket of etiquette rather than technology. Any technology-based solution is doomed to failure because of spammers.
Why can’t I send email via my MiFi?
The problem here is that many ISPs specifically block email transmission to
anything other than their own email servers.
Why is all my email downloading again after reinstalling Outlook?
A problem like this really depends on how Outlook was originally configured, whether you are using POP3 or IMAP, and how the email server is set.
How do I retrieve pictures from a machine that won’t boot?
If I were in your shoes, I would open the box, take out the hard drive, and
put it in an external USB enclosure.
Does DBAN really erase everything?
Technological nit-picking aside, I feel very confident that running DBan erases the hard drive, but it’s important to use DBan properly and make sure it erases the entire hard drive.
Why don’t toolbars installed in IE show up in Chrome?
Adding a browser after toolbars have been installed can cause some unusual
behavior that is tricky to diagnose.
I’m told that IE8 is using too much memory. What do I do?
I don’t have a specific solution for this memory problem, but I will
describe a couple of different things that may be contributing.
