Ask Leo!

What is Windows 7's "Windows XP Mode"? (And can I use it to get Outlook Express back?)

2009-11-21T14:10:36-08:00

I'm hearing a lot of backlash against Windows 7 for a completely unexpected reason; not for incompatibilities or instabilities but for the removal of Outlook Express.

Outlook Express was actually removed in Windows Vista, being replaced by Windows Mail. That, in turn, was removed from Windows 7, and replaced with ... nothing. The official approach is to download Windows Live Mail, which is very Outlook Express-like.

But it's not Outlook Express.

It turns out that, yes, Windows XP Mode might be a solution.

It's not terribly simple, but it can work.

In fact, it can work for many programs that for one reason or another simply will not work in Windows 7, but used to work in Windows XP.

Continue reading What is Windows 7's "Windows XP Mode"? (And can I use it to get Outlook Express back?)
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Why does IE7 still seem to be around after installing IE8?

2009-11-19T15:06:40-08:00

I recently reformatted my HD and reinstalled Windows XP Pro. My install disk included SP2 so after the XP install completed I installed SP3 and then IE7 in that order. Then I installed all necessary updates, patches, etc. I later decided to install IE8 and I've kept that updated as well.

Today I needed some system info so I ran a free utility called System Information for Windows. According to the printout, my machine has IE7 and IE8 installed. This surprised me because only IE8 is listed in the control panel add/remove applet.

I opened my C:\Windows folder and sure enough, it shows that I have a folder for IE7, IE8, and update folders for both.

Question 1: Does each new IE build upon previous versions during installation? I thought each IE is a stand alone product.

Question 2: Since IE8 is a Windows "product" I'm guessing it used the Microsoft Windows Installer to.... well.... install it. Shouldn't the installer have uninstalled IE7 as part if the installation process? Does the fact that it didn't mean the IE7 files have to remain?

Question 3: If I had installed IE8 over IE6 and bypassed IE7 entirely, would the IE6 files have remained instead?

Question 4: If IE8 is a separate installation and not dependent on previous versions to run properly, would it be safe to remove all IE7 folders just to add some more free space on my HD?

•

An interesting scenario that had me firing up my Windows XP / IE8 testbed to see what had happened there. I'd actually gone through the XP "original", SP2, SP3 path ... and ended up with the same results.

I'll answer those questions, and speculate a little on the how and why of the situation.

Continue reading Why does IE7 still seem to be around after installing IE8?
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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My flash drive suddenly stopped working, how do I recover the data on it?

2009-11-19T13:09:26-08:00

I have a flash disk which has been working well for quite some time. Just yesterday it refused to work. It was recognized by the computer but when I tried opening it I got the message that the disk needs formatting. I tried using it on another computer but the same message appeared. I also tried autoplay but nothing happened. When I opened the properties of the disk the file system was indicated as RAW. The data in it is very important and I need to recover it. Please advise.

•

I really have no answer for you. I honestly believe that your data is gone.

However before you leave and potentially repeat the mistakes of the past I'd encourage you to keep reading.

For anyone who uses a USB flash drive, there are two extremely important lessons to learn here.

One of which actually applies to everyone - flash drive user or not.

Continue reading My flash drive suddenly stopped working, how do I recover the data on it?
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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While do file timestamps compare differently every time change?

2009-11-18T14:13:42-08:00

Every time change (now daylight to standard), the timestamps on all files on my 3 hard disks (1 local, 2 networked) show the new time (i.e., 1 hour less in the Fall) BUT those same files on my removable disk (Cruzer 8GB thumb drive) still have the "old" time (i.e., 1 hour more in the Fall). This causes the entire set of files to miscompare when compared based on time (and I have to recopy all files (GBs) to the removable disk. Been happening for years and have never seen an explanation.

•

Years ago, one of the ways I took work home was to use an external disk and a file copying tool that copied only files that had changed, using the time stamps to determine which files should be copied.

Once a year everything changed and all files were copied, and once a year a bunch of files would be copied in wrong direction.

And, like you, it happened every time we left and entered daylight saving time.

Continue reading While do file timestamps compare differently every time change?
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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How do I get the old msn.com homepage back?

2009-11-18T10:24:11-08:00

The msn.com page has changed and there seems to be no way to revert back to the original of before Nov.13th. You can use the customization and make the selection my.msn.com and then rearrange the page to suit you - but this is still not the same as the original. Why does Microsoft impose this on people without giving a choice? Everyone I know just HATES the new version of msn.com. Is there a way to revert to the page as it was before Nov. 13th?

•

I'll show folks what's up, since not everyone is seeing this today, and I'll also make some guesses as to why the changes were made, and what your options are.

The answer to the last one might well be "not many".

Continue reading How do I get the old msn.com homepage back?
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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SimpleURL - Inexpensive Domain Registration ... with Service

2009-11-15T16:15:47-08:00

As of yesterday, I own 69 internet domains. I've registered them all through SimpleURL, a service of Simple Online Solutions.

It's easy to get wrapped up around pricing when looking to register a domain. SimpleURL's prices are quite inexpensive, but certainly not the absolute lowest that you'll find around. You might be able to save a buck or two by going elsewhere.

Continue reading SimpleURL - Inexpensive Domain Registration ... with Service
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Does forwarding email introduce risk?

2009-11-14T10:23:15-08:00

I have several mail accounts. One is on an exchange server and usually accessed with Outlook, which works poorly and is not accessible from outside a certain protected network. I therefore asked for my email to this exchange account to be automatically forwarded to my mail account on Google. The exchange server administrator agreed, but now he is whining that this is a security risk. How on Earth can simply forwarding mail messages be a security risk??

•

Ah, those whiny administrators. Why can't they just get out of the way and let us do our work, right?

Having worked in a corporate environment in the past, I do understand your frustration. Not all of the decisions or rules make sense.

The problem is I can also understand your administrator's position.

It all boils down to the definition of "security risk".

Continue reading Does forwarding email introduce risk?
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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How do I change my browser home page back to what I want?

2009-11-13T10:42:07-08:00

I upgraded Internet Explorer to Version 8, and I've always had MSN as my homepage. Now, suddenly, the MSN homepage has changed to something called "Preview MSN". It has a white background. I hate it. Can I change it back, and if so, how do I do it?

•

It's actually fairly annoying, but many software installation programs these days will offer to change your browser's home page "for you" to whatever they think it should be. Sometimes they don't even ask and just do it, which to me is simply unacceptable.

Since I create and use my own custom browser home page, it's more than a little annoying when it gets changed out from underneath me.

So yes, let me show you how to reset it, and throw out a tip or two to avoid it being changed again "for you" in the future.

Continue reading How do I change my browser home page back to what I want?
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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What do I do when my backup drive fills up?

2009-11-13T08:00:00-08:00

I have what I thought was a fairly big (230GB) extra hard drive fitted to my PC which I use for backup purposes. The drive is slowly filling up with all these Incremental backups (58GB free space) left! Can I get rid of any of these old backups? If so, how do I choose?

•

No matter what tool you use, a properly configured backup is likely to simply collect more and more data in the form of backups as time goes on. If you're backing up to an external drive eventually it will fill up, no matter how big it is.

What to do, meaning what to remove, depends on the type of backup you're doing, what you expect to be able to use your backups for and what other storage options you might want to use.

Continue reading What do I do when my backup drive fills up?
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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How do I stay safe in an internet cafe?

2009-11-12T09:00:00-08:00

I've read your articles about how a secure home wireless network is important. But lets say I'm in a cafe, and I'm connected to their public wireless, is all my privacy compromised? I have a firewall and I suppose that will block any attacks into my laptop, but what about the information I send out such as online banking and the like on that public wireless?

•

You are absolutely right to be concerned.

There are steps that you need to take to ensure both your security and your privacy.

Continue reading How do I stay safe in an internet cafe?
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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If all I do is web browsing, email and video, do I still need to back up?

2009-11-11T08:00:00-08:00

Correct me if I am wrong, but I do not think I need to back-up because all I use my machine for is internet browsing, e-mail, YouTube videos, and a foreign language subscription online. I have the hard copy of Windows XP if I need to reformat and reinstall. I purposely use and run it leanly so I don't have to back-up.

•

You need to back up.

Your approach is a fine one, and you likely don't absolutely need to back up everything that I might otherwise suggest, but I still think you need to back up.

In fact, I hear often from people in your position who are very sorry that they did not.

Continue reading If all I do is web browsing, email and video, do I still need to back up?
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Leo's Answers #204 - November 10, 2009

2009-11-10T08:00:00-08:00

A Weekly Newsletter From
Ask Leo!
Leo Notenboom

Hello!

Do you have a question for me? Don't hit reply! Head instead for the Ask Leo! home page and search the site first - seriously, around half the questions people ask are already answered there. You can also browse the archives, past newsletters and more. If you still can't find the answer you're looking for then by all means ask your question here (it's the fastest way).

*** New Articles

What do I do if my machine didn't include installation or driver disks?

Hey Leo, I just bought a new laptop and I was very disappointed when I found out that my computer didn't have any drivers or cd-roms. As a consumer, can I demand to the manufacturer to send me a copy of the cd-roms system back up? I read about the c:\I386 but I feel like I should have a copy of the system without having to make a copy myself ... am I correct on this?

The only right you have as a consumer is the right to take your business elsewhere if you don't like the practices or service of the vendor you're using. The vendors are actually under no obligation to give you CDs in addition to what's pre-installed on your system, as long as they didn't somewhere state that they would. As we've seen in recent years, they often don't, presumably as some kind of cost cutting measure.

That being said, there's at least one potential confusion in your question that I want to clear up, and before you walk away from your vendor some alternatives that I'd encourage you to pursue.

Continue reading: What do I do if my machine didn't include installation or driver disks?
http://ask-leo.com/C3917

* * *

How can I sign a digital document without needing to print it?

I am often asked to return a signed and dated copy of a pdf contract. The only way I know to do this is to print it on paper, sign and date it and then re-scan it. Is there some way do this (to create a replica of my signature, the current date, and sometimes a printed version of my name) that doesn't require a scanner and printer and avoids the use of paper?

It's possible, though sometimes it's not as easy as we might like.

But aside from the technical aspects of what you're attempting, the more practical aspect is simply this: it might not be valid to do so.

And honestly, when it is valid, it kinda scares me.

Continue reading: How can I sign a digital document without needing to print it?
http://ask-leo.com/C3914

* * *

Is changing my password enough?

I regularly hear from people who've had their email or other online account compromised, who somehow are able to recover access to it and change their password, only to have the account stolen almost immediately again.

The problem is actually quite simple, though the solution is a bit of work.

First, you have to realize that while someone else has access to your account they have access to everything related to that account.

Second, you have to realize that because of that, changing your password just isn't enough.

Continue reading: Is changing my password enough?
http://ask-leo.com/C3913

* * *

How many copies are made when I email a picture?

When I insert pictures into an email from my hard drive and then send that email, are those pictures saved to my hard drive again? And when I receive a reply with the same pictures inserted, are the pictures now on my hard drive three times?

Quite possibly. Plus one, even.

It's going to depend on your email program, and what options you may have selected, and how the picture was inserted into the email.

Let's run down the variations.

Continue reading: How many copies are made when I email a picture?
http://ask-leo.com/C3910

* * *

Why is Outlook Express sending multiple copies of my email?

There is something strange going on with my Outlook Express version 6. When I send an Email with an attachment it's sent something like 40 times! Of course, while sending that mail I notice on my screen nothing at all about this curious fact. It seems to me - but I certainly do not know why or how - that probably my Outlook Express duplicates that mail and delivers it 40 times! I checked my configuration but I see nothing strange with that. Can you tell me what is the problem and how to solve this?

I did a little research, and I'm finding a couple of common causes.

The good news here is that either should be easy to fix.

Continue reading: Why is Outlook Express sending multiple copies of my email?
http://ask-leo.com/C3909

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*** Comments

A sampling of some of the comments that have been posted recently on Ask Leo!

* * *

Is keeping an image backup of my cleanly installed machine a good idea?

Al Lowe writes:

I follow a similar plan, but add one more: I use a one-line DOS command to update a straight file for file backup on an external hard drive of everything! That way, when I mess up just a simple file or three, I can go get it directly from the similar file structure on the external drive without messing with a restore program.

This command in a batch file will copy only those files that have changed since the last time the batch file ran. It takes a while the first time, of course, but after that, it takes just minutes. It's all in one line, of course:

xcopy C:\ "Q:\Backups\Laptop" /D/S/R/Y/H/I/C/EXCLUDE:C:\batch\NObackup.lst > "C:\Backup.lst"

You can omit the EXCLUDE command, but I don't bother backing up temp dirs, etc.

And you can then look in C:\Backup.lst to see every file that got copied.

If you wonder what all those parameters mean, open a DOS prompt and type xcopy /? and it will explain them and many more.

I've been using this approach for 20 years. It's simple, effective, and fast.

This is similar to a technique I use to backup some of my machines. The limitation is that this will not backup your operating system. If you suffer a complete system meltdown your data will have been saved, but you'll still be faced with a complete reinstall of the operating system and all applications. (A price I'm willing to pay, but only for, as I said, some of my machines.)

-Leo

Why is my "generic volume in use" when removing my external hard drive?

Ian writes:

Hi Leo,

As a tip, I created a folder called "My Downloaded Applications" and inside placed two subfolders called "Bought" and "Freeware" respectively. It now contains every bought or free application or codec Install File I've ever downloaded, including current updates to software originally supplied on disks. I copy this folder to all my machines and when reformatting, it's one of the first folders to be transferred to the clean copy of Windows. Then, once Windows is installed and running, everything else needed to bring that machine up to the same state of functionality as my others is all available from that one convenient folder and nothing vital gets overlooked. Another tip is to download any information webpages that accompanied the application downloads and save them together in individual subfolders so you've got all the install notes and caveats to hand too.

How do I transfer my data if I do a clean install of Windows 7?

Mark writes:

I made 2 backups (1 image and 1 manual file copy including the entire documents and settings folder), but after installing win7 it was all still there under windows.old. Don't take this as an excuse not to back-up as anything can happen when installing an OS. Use the not hard to find Easy Transfer migwiz.exe from your win7 DVD to back-up your settings and migration will be much easier.

Yes, windows.old is what's left behind if you elect not to reformat your hard disk at installation time. I prefer to use the OS installation as an opportunity to really clean up and remove everything that I'm no longer using and anything that isn't needed for the new system.

-Leo

*** Leo Recommends

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Email Service Provider for email newsletters and more

If you're a spammer, you can stop reading now. AWeber will not help you.

On the other hand, if you're considering setting up a CAN-SPAM compliant email mailing list, AWeber may be the solution for you.

AWeber is an Email Service Provider (ESP) that provides bulk and sequence emailing services. The most common example might be periodic newsletters: for example I use AWeber to send out my newsletter every week to over ~~25,000~~ 87,000 subscribers.

Not to sound too "marketing-ish", but AWeber leads the industry in an incredibly important measurement: deliverability.

Continue reading...
AWeber Email Service Provider for email newsletters and more
http://ask-leo.com/C3407

Each week I recommend a specific product or resource that I've found valuable and that I think you may as well. What does my recommendation mean?

*** Popular Articles

If one is good, two must be better, right? Not always...

Can I run more than one anti-virus program? Anti-spyware program? Firewall? Should I?

With regards to firewalls, anti-virus programs and anti-spyware programs; can I have more than one of each of these programs installed in my computer? For example, I run ZoneAlarm; does that mean I should I turn off Windows firewall?

I've touched on this before but only addressed anti-spyware programs. The question is more common and more general than that, so in this article I'll tackle all of the big three: firewall, anti-spyware, and anti-virus.

Naturally, the answer on running more than one each of those three categories is different, and varies depending on exactly what you're doing.

Continue reading...
Can I run more than one anti-virus program? Anti-spyware program? Firewall? Should I?
http://ask-leo.com/C2833

*** Thoughts and Comments

My Windows 7 saga continues to be a relatively good one. It's been nearly two weeks and I'm still quite happy. The majority of things I care about all just work.

Not that there haven't been hiccups. I mentioned my printer driver issue last week. This week I encountered at least one crash in a video editing applications (haven't tracked that down yet), my favorite FTP software doesn't quite work (working with the vendor on that one), and - perhaps the silliest - the HP16C calculator emulator that I just love appears to work, but the display remains blank. Apparently it's emulating a broken LCD.

It's way too soon for me to just blanket endorse Windows 7. There's still too much to learn about it, and it needs to build up a track record before I'd feel confident actually recommending it. Many people ask "do I have to upgrade?" and of course the answer is no. If you're happy doing what you're doing with what you have, then keep on doing so.

I have built up enough confidence to say this though: if you're on XP, and you plan to upgrade - just skip Vista completely. There's no need. Windows 7 is probably a safer upgrade overall.

'till next time...

Leo A. Notenboom

Your comments are always so helpful...
- Alta

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What do I do if my machine didn't include installation or driver disks?

2009-11-08T08:00:00-08:00

•

That being said, there's at least one potential confusion in your question that I want to clear up, and before you walk away from your vendor some alternatives that I'd encourage you to pursue.

Continue reading What do I do if my machine didn't include installation or driver disks?
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Get the Ask Leo! Newsletter in your inbox every week.

How can I sign a digital document without needing to print it?

2009-11-07T08:00:00-08:00

•

It's possible, though sometimes it's not as easy as we might like.

But aside from the technical aspects of what you're attempting, the more practical aspect is simply this: it might not be valid to do so.

And honestly, when it is valid, it kinda scares me.

Continue reading How can I sign a digital document without needing to print it?
Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Get the Ask Leo! Newsletter in your inbox every week.