Most Recent Entries

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Why Are My Incremental Backups So Large?

Incremental backups can be larger than expected, and that's okay.
2025-03-31 - #19762

Let’s Chat About: Civility

I find myself reacting more to those who are less then pleasant when they leave their feedback.
2025-03-30 - #179634

A New Unit of Measurement?

In which we use the world's bestselling book to make gigantic numbers a little more tangible.
2025-03-29 - #18758

Protecting Your Data: Why I Avoid Most Pre-Installed Security and Encryption Software

External hard drives often come with security and backup software. I'm not convinced it should be used.
2025-03-28 - #179153

Restore the Right-Click Menu in Windows 11

The change to the Windows 11 right-click menu is annoying to many people. We can fix that (for now).
2025-03-27 - #179134

Why Email Forwarding is Broken and What to Do Instead

Learn to pull your email together rather than push it.
2025-03-26 - #179142

The Email Tracking Myth: Why You’ll Never Reliably Know If Your Message Was Read

We often want confirmation that an email has been opened, delivered, or read. In the age of spam, it's not possible with any accuracy.
2025-03-24 - #18771

Let’s Chat – About Experiments and Fear

Why ask and wait, when you could just experiment?
2025-03-23 - #179450

How to Send Email from Your Own Domain (Without Getting Blocked)

Anti-spamming measures complicate email. This makes sending "from" your custom domain a little trickier.
2025-03-22 - #178975

BitLocker vs. Cryptomator: Why I Use Both (and When You Should, Too)

Use different tools for different purposes.
2025-03-21 - #178937

Why Might a Backup Program Talk About Sector by Sector Backups?

Backup programs occasionally tell you that a partition will be backed up sector by sector. We'll look at why and what it means.
2025-03-20 - #178870

Microsoft Killed WordPad. Here’s How to Revive It.

WordPad is being removed from Windows 11. We can get it back.
2025-03-19 - #179007

Why Doesn’t My New, Empty Hard Drive Show All the Advertised Space?

Terms used to measure disk space can be ambiguous. A megabyte may mean one thing to you and another to your computer.
2025-03-17 - #2304

Why Does My Microsoft Account Have Two Passwords?

It can seem like your Microsoft account has a split personality. We'll examine when that might happen, why, and what to keep in mind when it does.
2025-03-15 - #178789

What Happens If I Lose My Microsoft Authenticator App?

Microsoft Authenticator is not necessarily two-factor authentication, but the two do share one important characteristic: the need to prepare for loss.
2025-03-14 - #178753

How Do I Eject My USB If the “Device Is Currently in Use”?

The "This device is currently in use" message can be annoying and confusing if you're not using the device. We'll look at how to proceed safely.
2025-03-13 - #178694

How Do I Recover From Turning the OneDrive Backup “Feature” Off?

OneDrive's backup "feature" is confusing even when it comes to turning it off.
2025-03-12 - #178741

Where Can I Download Windows?

You can download some versions of Windows from legitimate sources. If you have a legal retail product key, this can be your replacement media.
2025-03-10 - #5052

Let’s Chat About Microsoft

I reflect on Microsoft, and some of their many disappointing decisions that would indicate average consumers aren't really on their radar.
2025-03-09 - #179112

Why Am I Getting “We Received a Request to Reset Your Facebook Password”?

Why they happen, and what to do about them.
2025-03-08 - #35868

Someone’s Sending From My Email Address! How Do I Stop Them?

Email spoofing is rampant. Spammers can send email that looks like it came from you, and there's little that you can do about it.
2025-03-07 - #1887

Does a VPN Protect Me From Telemetry and Other Data Gathering?

VPNs don't impact data tracking or collection. We'll look at why that is and what you might want to do about it.
2025-03-06 - #178489

What’s the Difference Between Windows 10 and Windows 11?

As we approach the end of Windows 10 support, it's worth asking the question: what's the difference, anyway?
2025-03-05 - #178677

How Can It Be Safe to Give My Information to Anyone?

If we listen to the news, we might never leave the house, much less go online. I'll review why that kind of thinking is opportunity lost as well as how to stay safe.
2025-03-03 - #18269

If AI Is Plagiarism, Then We Are All Plagiarists

Thoughts on AI, and plagiarism, in a first, less formal ... Ask Leo! chat? Coffee talk? Ramble? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
2025-03-02 - #178836

How Do I Switch to a Local Account Sign-in for Windows?

Windows 10 and 11 setup want you to log in with a Microsoft account. I'll show you how to restore a local account sign-in.
2025-03-01 - #20106

How to Create an Image Backup in EaseUS Todo Free

An image backup is the best protection you can have. Here's how to do it using a reliable, free program.
2025-02-28 - #178321

Cryptomator vs VeraCrypt: Which Do You Want?

Cryptomator and VeraCrypt are both excellent encryption tools. We'll look at how to choose the right one for your situation.
2025-02-27 - #178308

How Do I Store Files on My Computer and Not OneDrive?

OneDrive complicates an otherwise straightforward situation.
2025-02-26 - #178431

What is IMAP and How Can It Help Me Manage My Email?

IMAP is a protocol that makes dealing with email on multiple devices much easier.
2025-02-24 - #5965

Can I Use an External Keyboard with My Laptop?

Go ahead. Plug it in. External keyboards are useful for many things.
2025-02-22 - #8856

Why Didn’t Microsoft Fix the Bug I Care About?

I'll look at why some bugs might never get fixed -- even those you consider important.
2025-02-21 - #18480

Why I’m Switching to Signal

Signal's the current gold standard in keeping your conversations truly private.
2025-02-20 - #178123

OneDrive Backup Versus Using OneDrive for Backup, Even Though OneDrive Isn’t Backup

The word "backup" is used in confusing ways when it comes to OneDrive. It's worth understanding how it all works so you can choose what's best for you.
2025-02-19 - #178091

What Happens at Windows 10 End of Support?

The end of support for Windows 10 means Microsoft will no longer issue security updates. Here's how to continue using it safely.
2025-02-17 - #145971

Am I Wasting My Time Reporting Scam and Spam Emails?

Reporting spam in your email program with the spam button is critical. Reporting it by forwarding it somewhere isn't going to do any good.
2025-02-15 - #8457

Using OneDrive as an External Drive

Here's another way to use OneDrive online storage without ever installing it on your PC.
2025-02-14 - #177993

If Offered, Which Do I Want to Download: .exe or .msi?

If you're offered an .exe file or an .msi file when downloading, I'll help you choose the one you really want.
2025-02-13 - #177972

Getting Rid of Copilot in Microsoft Office Apps

There's an easy way to turn off Copilot in some Office apps. Others require a harder way.
2025-02-12 - #177814

If I Could Tell You Only One Thing…

What's most important to know about keeping your computer secure?
2025-02-10 - #22985

What Happens When I Mark Something as Spam?

Marking spam as spam is an important tool in the war against it. Exactly what happens when you do so is clouded in mystery.
2025-02-08 - #5330

What is Secure Delete?

Secure delete is one approach to making sure your files can't be recovered.
2025-02-07 - #27809

How to Back Up 1Password and Why You Should

Backing up is important, and that includes your password vault.
2025-02-06 - #177851

Should I Always Sign Out of My Online Account?

It is safe to stay signed in to your online account as long as you're protected from a few specific scenarios.
2025-02-05 - #5310

Are Free Email Services Worth It?

Free email services and accounts are convenient and ubiquitous. They can be used safely if and only if you take responsibility for that safety.
2025-02-03 - #2217

Change for the Sake of Change?

People often complain that the latest update to their favorite software is just "change for the sake of change". I don't think so.
2025-02-01 - #19522

Are Backup Images More Fragile Than Just Copying Individual Files?

I'm often asked if backup images are more susceptible to failure than storing the contents as individual files. My take: not really.
2025-01-31 - #18693

Do Not Search for Support Phone Numbers

You want a phone number to call. Scammers known this and try to insert themselves in the process.
2025-01-30 - #177623

Should I Update to Windows 11? (January 2025 update)

The end of support date for Windows 10 is getting closer. What does that mean to you, and do you need to upgrade to Windows 11?
2025-01-29 - #135037

What’s a Screenshot, and How Do I Take One?

A screenshot -- an image of your computer screen saved as a picture -- can eliminate a lot of frustration.
2025-01-27 - #2080