The Best of Ask Leo!
Articles selected (and updated) and sent to The Best of Ask Leo! email subscription available at http://bestofaskleo.com.
How Do I Change My Microsoft Account Phone Number?
Mobile numbers are an important component of Hotmail and Outlook.com security. I’ll review how to change the mobile number and keep it up to date.
How Do I Stop My Neighbor Using My IP Address?
If it’s certain a neighbor is using your IP address without permission, you need to take steps. But first you need to make sure.
How Do I Connect My Desktop to Open Wi-Fi Nearby?
Wi-Fi hotspots make for a convenient connection. To connect, you need proximity, a little hardware, and most important, permission.
“Chkdsk Cannot Run Because the Volume Is in Use by Another Process”
Chkdsk checks your disk for errors at a low level, requiring exclusive access to the disk to do so. “Chkdsk cannot run…” means it doesn’t have the exclusive access it needs.
Restoring an Image Backup from One Computer to Another
The concept seems simple: take a system image of one machine, restore it to another, and avoid lengthy setup time. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
Why Shouldn’t I Use the “Report Spam” or “Junk” Button?
The “Report Spam” and “Junk” buttons serve an important function in the war against spam. However, used improperly they can do more harm than good.
Phishing: How to Know It When You See It
Phishing is a way scammers trick you into providing personal and financial details. Phishing opens the door to identity theft and more.
How Do I Permanently Close My Account?
I often hear from people wanting to close an email account for one reason or another. The problem is that closing an email account is often the wrong solution to their real problem.
How Do I Protect Myself from Other Computers on My Local Network?
Many households have computers used for sensitive things sharing a network with less trustworthy users. Here’s how to increase your security.
Never Attribute to Malice . . .
Malicious intent is commonly understood to be the cause of technological trials and tribulations. It’s usually the wrong assumption to make.
How Should I Back Up an Encrypted Disk?
Backing up an encrypted hard drive shouldn’t be difficult, but it’s important to understand what you’ll get.
5 Reasons Your Closed Email Account Sends Spam
Closing an email account is many people’s first reaction to seeing spam sent from their account. It rarely helps, if it’s even possible. I’ll explain.
My External HDD Shows Not Formatted — But It Has All My Data!
Occasionally, when moving a drive to another machine it’ll show up as unformatted. I’ll look at some possible causes and actions to take.
How Pixels, DPI, Resolution, Picture Size, and File Size All Relate
Photographic images have a number of characteristics that we often don’t consider or understand. I’ll review how digital pictures are constructed and stored, and what you need to keep in mind when sharing or publishing.
Is it Safe to Delete This File?
When running out of disk space, considering what you can delete makes sense. I’ll look at the steps to determine whether a file, such as a .dat file, may be important.
9 Ways Your Account Can Be Compromised, Even with a Super-strong Password
Strong passwords are important, but they don’t protect you from everything. I’ll look at other ways your account can be compromised.
Why Does Word Tell Me a Document Changed When It Hasn’t?
It’s sometimes hard to tell why Word thinks a document changed even though you haven’t done anything to it. I’ll look at a few clues.
How to Get File Explorer to Display Details by Default
Windows File Explorer defaults to a simple view of files on your machine that isn’t secure. Changes these settings as soon as you can.
How Do I Change the Browser Home Page in Windows 10? Take Control with Quick Instructions for Edge, Firefox, and Chrome
Sometimes installers change your browser home page “for you”. Other times, homepage content changes. I’ll show you how to be more productive and set your homepage to what you want.
Can I Tell If Someone Blocked My Texts and Email?
Email and texting usually works, but when it doesn’t, there’s just no way to tell if someone has blocked you.
How Do I Copy Text from a Copy Protected Website?
Assuming your intent is legal or at least moral, it’s not hard to copy content from a webpage that attempts to prevent it.
Online Shopping: Just How Safe Is It?
Online shopping is ubiquitous, and yet some avoid it completely. Why are some people afraid to shop online when it’s arguably safer than offline?
What Can I Disable in Task Manager’s Startup List?
Task Manager shows many of the items that run automatically when you start your machine. What you need and what you don’t depends on many factors.
Do I Need All These Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables?
Scroll through your installed apps and you’ll find a pile of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables. Are they wasting space? Can you remove them? I’ll explain what these entries actually do, why there are so many, and the surprisingly simple answer to what you should do about them.
What Can People Tell from My IP Address?
Curious what someone can really learn from your IP address? The answer is “not much.” This quick read explains what your IP does and doesn’t reveal, why location lookups are often wrong, and when only your internet provider—or law enforcement—can dig deeper.
Why Am I Not Getting the Email Newsletter I Signed Up For? Three Steps to Improve the Situation
Over-aggressive spam filtering can cause email newsletters and other messages to fail to appear in your inbox. I’ll look at why that is, and three steps you can take to improve the situation.
Using Disk Cleanup in Windows 10
Disk Cleanup in Windows 10 is a handy tool for freeing up space on your hard drive. I’ll show you how it’s done and what to clean up. It’s one of the first places I recommend people turn when they’re running low on disk space.
I Deleted a File by Mistake. Can I Get It Back?
Sometimes, it is possible to recover a file deleted by accident. Stop using the disk, check your Recycle Bin, and perhaps pull out an undelete utility.
Creating a Backup Image Using Windows’ Built-in Backup
I don’t think much of the Windows backup utility–but any backup is better than no backup. Let’s take a look at how to use it.
Is There a Real Alternative to Windows?
Only Windows is Windows. There are alternatives, but whether they’re right for you depends on you.
Are PCs Doomed?
While the ratio of PCs to mobile devices may change over time, I believe PCs will not be going away any time soon. They’re just too darned useful.
How Should I Set Up My Home Network?
A home network allows you to share a single internet connection, as well as data and devices, between multiple devices. I’ll review the basics components of a home network and some steps to take as your network grows.
Is It Time to Start Using an Adblocker?
Advertising on the internet is broken. It might be time to think about using adblockers and supporting your favorite websites in other ways.
