Articles in Category: Administration
Items related to Leo, Ask Leo! and overall website and related operations and administrivia.
Did techs accessing my machine remotely fix Hotmail?
Whenever somebody tells me that they gave control of their computer to
an online tech support company, I get nervous… although there are reputable
companies out there.
Can I delete all these Visual C++ Redistributables?
A C++ redistributable is a run time that is used by other programs. Deleting
them could easily break a program.
Why does my camera battery die so quickly?
Batteries that do not hold a charge make a camera unusable. Several options
may help solve the problem.
Why can't I add anything to online shopping carts?
Shopping carts need to have a way to know who you are as you work your way
through the screens. This is usually done with cookies, so that is the first
place to look.
Can I delete these Earthlink Setup files?
Earthlink is an internet service provider, so you shouldn’t have files unless
you are an Earthlink customer. I’ll give you a safe way to remove those
files.
Can I extend the life of an old computer by running Ubuntu?
Ubuntu or other Linux distributions with lower resource requirements are often excellent ways to extend the life of a computer that’s not up to running current versions of Windows.
Is there an easy way to temporarily turn off online activity during startup?
When you start your computer, many programs may automatically begin checking for updates and more online. If you’re travelling, this can be inconvenient. Unfortunately, I don’t have an easy solution.
Are you sure email accounts don't get infected with viruses?
Email accounts don’t get infected with viruses… but they can be the
delivery mechanism for viruses that then infect machines. Learn the
difference.
How much does a computer programmer earn?
Of course you can guess my answer to this one: It depends…
How do I get my Bluetooth driver to stop slowing my system startup?
Is it a driver problem? Or hardware? Or what? I go through a few
troubleshooting steps to see.
Why is my download speed not what it should be?
Your download speed might not be the culprit that is slowing down your
internet connection. We’ll take a look at several possibilities.
So … what about Microsoft Surface?
Microsoft Surface is Microsoft’s entry into the tablet arena dominated by Apple’s iPad. I have decidedly mixed feelings about the device to the extent that we know what it is today.
How do I fix things on my computer left over from a virus?
If your computer is not completely restored… then you haven’t removed the
virus! I suggest a thorough course of action.
How do I get music to auto-play when email is opened?
Really? Do you want to? I strongly offer an alternative to auto-play in an email.
Is there a Windows 7 alternative to the program GoBack?
Setting your computer back in time can be done with image backups, or
perhaps, readers may have an idea for a substitute for GoBack?
If I reinstall Windows will I lose Microsoft Office?
A full reinstall wipes everything from the disk and starts the operating
system over from scratch. As always, planning ahead will save you a lot of
grief!
Why can't I access Documents and Settings in my Windows 7 backup image?
Documents and Settings folder has moved in Windows 7. Knowing where to look
and how to setup Macrium Reflect will help you find your data.
Will laptops ever have traditional keyboards again?
Keyboards are expensive pieces of hardware, and one of the areas that laptop manufacturers often cut costs. As a result, keyboard quality is one of the differentiators among laptop makes and models.
Can I read PDFs using my Kindle Reader application on my tablet or phone?
The Kindle application is actually quite a reasonable PDF reader and can be used on tablets and phones relatively easily.
Why does IE's stop button not always work?
Hitting the “Stop” button often does not stop everything. I look at why that
happens, and some alternatives.
How do I see the "Undisclosed recipients" on an email I sent?
Undisclosed recipients may be available in the headers of the sent email, or
it may be hidden.
How much sensitive information is stored on my computer when I purchase online?
There are numerous things that can be downloaded to your computer while
surfing or shopping online. It’s best to know what they are and how to manage
them.
How do I get Facebook out of my life completely?
Facebook is everywhere, so getting rid of it completely might be a little
tricky!
Ask Leo! Webinars
Ask Leo! regularly scheduled webinars are currently on hiatus. Be sure to check back often – webinars may return in the future, although perhaps on a new schedule or on an as-needed basis. Specific answers will use video when appropriate as well. Be sure to sign up for the twice-weekly newsletter to stay up-to-date. Thanks,
Why does IE give me the spinning circle for a while when I click on a link?
A spinning circle means that something is busy happening and you need to
wait. If this is actually causing a problem, the first place to look is in your
add-ons.
Should I use Facebook to login to other sites when offered?
Many sites make it easy to login by using a Facebook application. It’s easy, but is
this really safe?
How do I make checkboxes work on the web?
Checkboxes should be pretty easy: check the box and save, but there are a
few things that could be keeping the settings from being remembered by your
computer.
Does having too many files on my computer slow it down?
Lots of files on your computer is not going to slow it down. There are
several other factors to look at that may be causing your performance issues.
Can you give away a Kindle book after you're done reading it?
Amazon’s Kindle includes a couple of different concepts of borrowing or sharing books, but giving a Kindle book that you’ve purchased to someone else doesn’t appear to be possible.
Why did the first track of my newly burned audio CD not play properly?
Burning CDs can occasionally be a little touchy. A combination of minor issues with players and records can add up to intermittent problems.
Should I consider Ubuntu Linux over Windows 7?
Ubuntu is a good operating system, depending on what you are wanting to do
with your computer… and there is a way to try it without making any changes
to your computer!
Opening Phishing Holes with New Top-Level Domains
In addition to .com, .net, and the like, it’s now possible to purchase custom generic top-level domains. I’ll review what this means and why it’s cause for concern.
When does installing a hard drive into an external enclosure make sense?
Sometimes, hard drives just go bad and the data is lost; and sometimes, it is
recoverable. I talk about the signs of a physically damaged drive.
So many accounts are getting hacked, there must be something wrong at the provider – can you get their attention?
So, I can’t just call up Yahoo. But I will tell you what is the likely cause
of all these breaches.
Can I interchange laptop power supplies from the same manufacturer?
The life of a battery can be increased by using the right power supply, but
with a proper match, they can be interchanged.
How do I get my browser window larger after something made it small?
Browsers will remember the size and location that they were in when they were
last closed. They can easily be changed to the size you prefer.
How do I download only certain emails from my Yahoo account?
Yahoo does not offer a solution for this on the software side, but there are
a few methods you can use to save those important emails.
Why do I get new pages in tabs when I leave a site?
Many websites try to create operating revenue through ads in pop-up windows.
This, however, sounds like a pop under.
How does a digital product sell out?
The concept of a digital product selling out is a little difficult to comprehend, until you factor in two other things: marketing and support materials.
Why is there a ghostly icon on my desktop when I edit a Word document?
Editing a Word document creates temporary files. Depending on your settings and the location of your original document, those temporary files can become visible.
Why are pictures on my laptop only showing if the original SD card they came from is inserted?
It is possible to create shortcuts to files, rather then move the files
themselves. What to do if those shortcuts can’t reference the files later?
Windows Media Player keeps crashing, what do I do?
Uninstalling and reinstalling often solves these kind of problems. You will
want to make sure you do it thoroughly.
Why do I have constant disk activity from Chrome?
Constant disk activity could be caused by Chrome updating in the background.
There are a few steps that can be done with Process Explorer to help further
diagnose the problem.
Why does my printer not print the middle of the page?
Old printers can go bad in a number of ways, including print heads,
cartridges, and more. Here are a few troubleshooting steps to go through.
Why does my internet connection not work right away?
Sometimes, it takes awhile for a computer to sort everything out and get
online. The exact cause will depend on the equipment and specific
configuration.
How do I export and import my contact lists folder structure?
Transferring data between email programs can be tricky. You may have to
re-organize.
How do I get SFC to work if it calls for my original CD which I don't have?
System File Checker needs an original installation media of some sort to do
its job. Fortunately, there are alternatives to having the original CD.
Will using history or remembered passwords bypass malware and keyloggers?
The best (and only) way to stop keyloggers is to prevent malware from
installing itself on your computer. Malware can see everything…
I forgot my BIOS password, how do I get into my machine?
Many computers are built with the BIOS password protected from reset… for
good reason. There may be a way to still recover your data.
How do I remove password protection from an Excel document?
I won’t tell you how to crack an Excel password, but I will tell you a
better way to keep it protected.
