Articles in Category: Administration
Items related to Leo, Ask Leo! and overall website and related operations and administrivia.
It's time to learn about network neutrality.
ISPs have the ability to stick their fingers into our internet experience and become something less than a neutral internet provider.
How do I stop constant "runtime error" messages in Internet Explorer?
It’s common to see runtime errors when visiting web sites in Internet Explorer. Unfortunately your options to deal with them are somewhat limited.
Do I need all these services my domain registrar is offering me?
When you register a domain you may be offered a plethora of extra-cost options. Which do you domain registration options do you really need, and why?
Should I change my router's password, and if so, how often?
Routers typically require a login and password for configuration that comes set to a factory default. Should you change it? Yes. How often? It depends.
Can email providers limit how much email I send?
One of the techniques many mail providers use to reduce the flood of spam is to limit how much email you can send in a certain period of time.
How long are those records kept?
Some want internet records kept forever, others not at all. What can you count on?
Did I really just win an email lottery or sweepstakes?
We all receive emails that indicate we’ve won several different lotteries. Are any of these winning notifications valid? I’ll review what to look for.
How do I make a new Windows Live Hotmail account?
Making a new Windows Live Hotmail account begins by making the option visible – by signing out of Hotmail. From there making a new account is easy.
What is disk partitioning?
Partitions are ways of treating a single hard disk as if it were many. We’ll look at why, how and when you might want to partition your hard drive.
Where did all these other temporary files come from?
Many programs will scatter temporary files throughout your hard disk. It’s usually accidental, but cleaning up temporary files becomes a little complex.
If phishers had a clue…
Most spam and phishing attempts are laughably bogus. What if they weren’t?
Should I Install Windows XP SP3?
Windows XP SP3 (Service Pack 3) is on the horizon. We look at what we can expect from it, and what you might do when it arrives.
How do I burn something to CD?
Burning files to CD is a great way to back up or to easily transfer files elsewhere. There are several burning options including Windows itself.
If I Had to Do It All Over Again… [rerun]
I reflect on the one thing I would have done differently and why I think it matters.
So, what do you think about Kindle?
Amazon’s new Kindle electronic book reader has some truly compelling features, several issues and a few surprises. It may change the way I read books.
How can I view large web pages without having to scroll right and left?
Many web pages are designed to a minimum width which is often wider than some older screens or settings. There are a few alternatives.
Should I unsubscribe from things I've signed up for to avoid spam?
Whether or not an unsubscribe link is safe to use can be incredibly difficult to determine. Here are some rules of thumb.
There's no going back
Change is inevitable, and often unexpected. So what do you do when faced with changes you don’t want?
Why can I only back up a maximum of 4 gigabytes?
When backing up large amounts of data the filesystem used on the backup media matters. FAT32 often can’t handle the way that many backup programs work.
How do I click a link on a web page if I have no mouse?
Most web sites pretty much assume that you have a mouse to click on links and navigate. If you don’t, there are a few alternatives.
Are 64-bit PCs more secure than 32-bit machines?
64 bit PCs bring more power to computing, but not necessarily more security. It sometimes seems like bigger is always better, but not always.
How can I reuse or erase a "dead" hard drive?
Your options for what to do with a dead hard drive depend on the cause of death, and the possibility of resuscitation.
Does MSN Hotmail or Windows Live Hotmail keep a log of when I signed in?
Web services often log activities and usage information. Exactly how much is logged and what it takes to access the logs is typically not known.
Vista, one year later.
A year after its release, how does Vista look in hindsight?
Can an anonymous proxy service capture my email password?
Anonymous access or proxy services provide a level of anonymity by hiding your IP address from sites you visit. A malicious proxy can do a lot more.
Why do I get "Access is Denied" when trying to copy a file?
Copying a file requires that you have access to both the source file and the intended destination. There are several reasons you might not.
Why can't my machine hibernate? And how's that different than Stand-by?
Hibernate and standby are ways to save power when you’re not using your computer. Each has pros and cons. Hibernation, at least, must be enabled.
What should I back up before reformatting?
Reformatting a machine is a major operation that starts by erasing everything. Having a good backup is critical to preserving your data.
Are you being tracked online?
Advertisers are most likely tracking you, sort of. Should you be concerned?
How do I "shred" individual emails in Microsoft Outlook?
Securely deleting email messages can be important, but doing so in Microsoft Outlook is difficult, though not impossible.
How do I restore my computer back to Windows XP?
After a series of operating system changes, the your options for a true “restore” are limited, and usually involve a reinstall instead.
Can someone find my home address or telephone number from my email address?
Both you and your email provider share responsibility for your privacy. By taking care before providing personal information you can avoid its abuse.
Should I upgrade my Windows Me machine to Windows XP or Vista?
If you have an older machine your upgrade options may be limited; Windows XP might be cheaper, but both it and Vista may be out of reach.
What would you take?
Heading out the door in an emergency that might destroy your home, what do you grab? And will it be enough?
Can I remove the "ServicePackFiles" folder from my Windows folder?
ServicePackFiles contains the files updated by the Service Packs issues since your install. It can be deleted if you have the files elsewhere.
How can I recover files encrypted with Windows filesystem encryption?
The Windows encrypting filesystem ensures that only you can access your files. However if you lose your login account you could have a serious problem.
Why is my IP blocked at a website I visit regularly after I changed ISPs?
IP address blocking frequently has an unintended side-effect: you could end up paying for someone else’s bad behavior.
The problem with blocking a technology
Blocking BitTorrent is an inappropriate knee-jerk solution to a couple of problems.
Can I retrieve a deleted email from three years ago?
Several factors conspire to make recovering a file or message deleted three years ago extremely improbable. Still, there’s an extremely slim chance.
How do I uninstall Windows programs that I never use?
There are several Windows components that don’t show up on the common Add/Remove programs list. Some show up elsewhere and can still be removed.
How do I turn off the Sidebar in Windows Vista?
The Windows Vista Sidebar contains small applications that many find handy any, and others just annoying. Turning Windows Vista’s Sidebar off is easy.
How do I use iTunes music in my videos?
iTunes is a great source for music to listen to, but there are technical and perhaps legal hurdles to use it for anything else.
Why does my computer shout at me?
Windows has many sounds all of which are tied to specific events. Random sounds, including the computer shouting your name at you, is a mystery.
Do you really need anti-virus software?
Common wisdom is that you do, but the answer might surprise you.
Can I get Internet Explorer 7 without using Windows Automatic Update? And should I?
Automatic Update scares some but it’s the primary way most people get Internet Explorer 7. I’m not scared, but I’ll show some alternatives anyway.
How can I tell if my computer's been accessed by someone else, and how do I prevent it?
Internet security is normally about keeping us safe from the internet – but what if the risks and threats are in our home and on our own local network?
Does a file's name matter?
Renaming a file is easy, but is it the right thing to do? The answer is yes, but there are guidelines to keep the file easily usable.
Why am I not getting asked additional security questions when I expect them?
Sitekey is a technique used by many financial institutions to protect your account. How it decides to ask you additional questions can be a puzzle.
Windows tries to be helpful again.
My machine had slowed to a crawl. Why? Windows was “helping”!
How do I change my Windows Live Hotmail password?
Windows Live Hotmail changed the approach you use to change your password. I’ll provided step-by-step password changing instructions for Windows Live.
