Articles in Category: Administration
Items related to Leo, Ask Leo! and overall website and related operations and administrivia.
How do I make sure that my deleted data is really gone?
There are approaches to data recovery that can sometimes retrieve deleted data. To ensure that your data is really gone requires a few extra steps.
Are free online backup services worth it?
There’s a new class of online storage available for free that can be used for remote backups. Should you use them? As part of a larger strategy, maybe.
How do I stop someone from sending me harassing email?
Stopping someone from sending you harassing email is harder than you might expect. Techniques to blocking harassing email are imperfect, at best.
A Cold Day in RAM
A new hardware exploit could allow RAM contents to be viewed even after powering down.
Can I switch from Windows Vista back to XP?
Windows Vista comes preinstalled on most new computers these days. You can typically revert to Windows XP if you like, but not without a little pain.
What programs should be running on my machine in the background?
When you run Windows a large number of processes run. Some are optional, some not. Unfortunately there’s no clear way to tell which should be which.
WiFi Everywhere
It seems like WiFi hotspots are almost everywhere, with more coming.
Do I still need Internet Explorer updates if I don't use it?
Internet Explorer is a browser but it’s so tightly a part of Windows that it ends up being much more. As a result, you probably want those updates.
How do I change the location of the My Documents folder?
The My Documents folder is typically in a very specific place for each user in Windows XP. The good news is you can move it, and it’s easy to do.
Why does my HTML email look different to the recipient than it does to me?
HTML email is often used to make email visually appealing. Unfortunately HTML email often does the opposite depending on the recipient’s email program.
Should I upgrade from Windows 98/Me?
Windows 98 and Me are no longer being supported. If you’re having problems it might be time to upgrade. Perhaps even if you’re not having problems.
The most effective upgrade.
The upgrade that’s most likely to affect your experience might not be what you think.
How can I be sure that there isn't "legitimate" spyware on my machine?
Monitoring software, used by parents and corporations, act very much like spyware. Ideally anti-spyware tools will tell you if they’re installed.
Why can't I login to this website until the page is fully downloaded?
Sometimes you can begin using a web page before it’s fully downloaded, sometimes you can’t. We’ll look at one common reason why that might be.
Will adding RAM to my system solve my problems?
Windows loves RAM, but whether or not adding RAM will resolve the issues you’re experiencing depends on the issues. We’ll look at an example.
MicroHoo?
My thoughts on the Microsoft bid to acquire Yahoo.
Why did my mail get sent to my friends old email address?
Sometimes updating your address book isn’t enough to flush an old email address from your email program. We’ll look at what else might be a factor.
Should I upgrade to IE7?
IE7 has been out for over a year now, and while continuing to run IE6 remains an option, there’s no real reason not to upgrade.
Can I do my backups over the internet?
Backing up to a service or server across the internet can be a useful part of a larger backup strategy, but the technique does have important limits.
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?”
