The Ask Leo! Newsletter

Ask Leo! #448 – Email addresses: changing, finding, fixing, typing the wrong one and more…

Leo — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:00:00 +0000

*** Featured

How do I change my email address?

How do I change my email address?

This question (and variants of it) are incredibly common.

Unfortunately, the answer is rarely simple. Changing an email address often means one thing to the person asking and something very different to the services that provide email. Some services make the change easy(ish).

Others? Not so much.

Continue Reading: How do I change my email address?
http://askleo.com/?p=2178

•

How do I find someone's email address?

How do I find out my friend’s email address?

I’d like to get in touch with my old college roommate. How do I find out her email address?

I’m trying to get in touch with a business contact, but I’ve lost his email address. How can I find it again?

As you can tell, I often get variations of this question. Most people know someone and want to send them email, but they don’t have their email address. What do you do?

Well, I’ll be blunt. Nine times out of ten, you’re simply out of luck.

But sometimes, you can get lucky.

Continue Reading: How do I find someone's email address?
http://askleo.com/?p=2565

*** Answercast

Answercast #111 - Playing old games, wrong emails, identifying music, backup drives and more...

Do you wonder how to use Macrium to do a restore, or if you can play your old video games on a new computer? Want to learn a cool way to identify music or if it's safe to leave your backup drive connected? Having problems sending clickable links or getting the wrong emails? All that and more in this Answercast from Ask Leo!

Listen Now!
(Includes the raw transcript on which the articles below were based.)

Can I just run Macrium and do a restore?
You typically can't just run Macrium in Windows to do a restore because you'd be restoring on top of a running operating system. But yes, you can easily restore the whole machine. I'll explain.

Continue reading: Can I just run Macrium and do a restore?
http://askleo.com?p=7040

Can I create rescue disks for any point in time?
You can indeed create rescue media to restore your machine to any point in time. Rather than calling it rescue media, though, it's nothing more than an image backup.

Continue reading: Can I create rescue disks for any point in time?
http://askleo.com?p=7042

Can I play my old games on my 64-bit computer?
Games can be some of the most demanding software out there. Many older games will play just fine on newer machines, but occasionally you'll run into problems. I'll look at some of the alternatives.

Continue reading: Can I play my old games on my 64-bit computer?
http://askleo.com?p=7051

Why is email I'm sending being received by someone I'm not sending to?
This is a frustrating situation that happens regularly to businesses running email lists. More than likely someone on your list is automatically forwarding. There is one way you may be able to track down the source.

Continue reading: Why is email I'm sending being received by someone I'm not sending to?
http://askleo.com?p=7098

How do I extract and identify the music in a Powerpoint presentation?
You may not be able to extract music files from a Powerpoint presentation that is not editable. However, there is an amazing way to find out if that song is available to download.

Continue reading: How do I extract and identify the music in a Powerpoint presentation?
http://askleo.com?p=7204

Why can't people click on links I send them?
Ninety-nine percent of the time when links aren't clickable the problem is on the receiving end. It's usually because their email program is trying to protect them from something that looks suspicious.

Continue reading: Why can't people click on links I send them?
http://askleo.com?p=7229

What's the difference between typing and copy/paste?
In most cases it's Windows, not the application, that handles whether or not something is pasted in from the clipboard, or being typed in. The program that's receiving the data usually doesn't know or care.

Continue reading: What's the difference between typing and copy/paste?
http://askleo.com?p=7231

Should I wait for the next edition of Windows?
Windows 8.1 should respond to some of the issues that people expressed having with Windows 8, though not all of them. Your choice of how, when and what to upgrade may have more to do with hardware than with software versions.

Continue reading: Should I wait for the next edition of Windows?
http://askleo.com?p=7235

Is it safe to leave my external backup drive connected?
My fairly strong opinion is that if you're backing up to an external drive, leave it plugged in. Otherwise you'll be missing backups on those days you forget to plug it in.

Continue reading: Is it safe to leave my external backup drive connected?
http://askleo.com?p=7237

How do I tell someone they're entering their email address wrong?

Many websites ask you type your email address in twice for a reason: there's a high percentage of people who cannot type their email address in correctly once.

Continue reading: How do I tell someone they're entering their email address wrong?
http://askleo.com?p=7239

*** Our Sponsor

Keeping Your PC Fast & Secure

PC Matic is safe and simple to use software that automates the
regular maintenance necessary to keep your PC running like new.

Developed by PC Pitstop - relied on by millions of
computer users for award winning troubleshooting tools.

Start with a Free Diagnostic Scan Today!
https://cart.pcpitstop.com/go.asp?id=500140

Advertisement. Ask Leo about advertising here.

*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Word o' the Week

ESP

ESP is an acronym for Email Service Provider.

Just as an ISP provides your internet service, an ESP is the company or service that provides your email account, storage and ability to send and receive email with others connect to the internet.

Your email may, in fact, be provided by your internet provider, in which case it is acting as both your ISP and ESP. On the other hand many free email services such as Outlook.com, Yahoo! Mail and Google Mail are all acting simply as email providers, and thus qualify as ESPs.

Word o' the Week features a computer term or acronym taken from the Ask Leo! Glossary. If there's a word you're not sure of and would like to see defined, click here to let me know.

*** Featured Reader Comments

How do I remove ransomware?

Ken B writes:

We have had several clients come to us with ransomware infections. (Usually freaking out, due to the "FBI warning" they were getting.) While the system would refuse to boot to the desktop, even in safe mode, it turns out that the infections were poorly written (no suprise here) and we were able to boot to the desktop if the wi-fi was turned off before powering up. (Most laptops have a physical switch which can turn off wi-fi.) At that point, we were able to use our cleanup tools and remove the infection.

How do I restore a registry backup if I can't boot?

Terry Hollett writes:

This is my method: http://hitanykey.webs.com/Feb62011.html

I've had to do it a few times now for others. I prefer to use a boot CD like Hiren's but you could use the command prompt through the repair options.

Why am I getting security certificate errors?

Michael writes:

OpenDNS can cause certificate errors if you are using it to block offending domains. This happens to me often as I block a popular website that other sites reference via SSL. This often results in certificate errors where the certificate is for OpenDNS but the request was for the site I refuse to let into my house.

Another reason to try multiple web browsers has to do with certificate revocation. This is likely to be a browser configuration option and a browser that checks for revocation may well have a very different result from one that does not.

Finally, after changing DNS settings, it is not the browser cache that needs to be flushed but the DNS cache. A reboot will do this for those not familiar with the techie details of doing it manually.

*** Thoughts and Comments

Seems this was the week for email-related questions and article revisions. Email's so pervasive, important and occasionally problematic that it represents one of the major topic areas of Ask Leo! in general.

I know I'm email-centric (some would say addicted). I know that for many it's a great way to communicate - as long as things are working properly.

•

I posted a short video to the Facebook page over the weekend, asking simply "Do computers make us more stupid?".

It's a question I received over the weekend and recorded for an upcoming Answercast. Before that comes out, though, I thought it'd be interesting to see what you think. Head on over the video on Facebook and let me know in the comments there what you think.

Leo A. Notenboom
Facebook - Google+
YouTube - Twitter

*** Administration

If you have a question don't reply to this email. Instead, head over here:

http://ask-leo.com/ask

and submit your question there.

That form is the best way to get an answer. (This article explains why.)

Need more help with or have questions about the newsletter? Check out the newsletter administration page.

Help Ask Leo! Just forward this message, in its entirety (but without your unsubscribe link below) to your friends. Or, just point them at http://newsletter.ask-leo.com for their own FREE subscription!

Newsletter contents Copyright © 2013,
Leo A. Notenboom & Puget Sound Software, LLC.
Ask Leo! is a registered trademark ® of Puget Sound Software, LLC

]]>

Ask Leo! #447 – Windows Update, Change (again), upgrading an older machine and more…

Leo — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:00:56 +0000

The Ask Leo! Newsletter

*** Featured

Managing Windows Update

Windows Update is one of those more-or-less magical components of Windows that we all know should be turned on and that we all hope never causes us a problem. When it’s working properly, it’s something that we can usually just take for granted.

There’s actually more to Windows Update (or “Microsoft Update,” if you have it configured to update all your Microsoft products) than simply downloading and installing the latest security patches for us. For example, you may want some updates but you’re not aware of them.

And there may be updates that Windows Update offers that simply annoy you.

Let’s look at managing Windows Update a little more proactively.

Continue Reading: Managing Windows Update
http://askleo.com/?p=6842

•

Embracing the Most Important Attitude

Today, a couple of major online applications released user interface changes. Some of the changes are major, some are minor, but the bottom line is that what people were using yesterday is no longer available today.

I don’t have to tell you what applications those might be. Whatever they are today, there will almost certainly be other commonly used applications that change when you read this article in the future.

I get frustrated when this type of change happens.

But not for the reasons that you might think.

Continue Reading: Embracing the Most Important Attitude
http://askleo.com/?p=6178

*** Answercast

Answercast #110 - Secure Content errors, nagging Update Assistant, clicking Paypal links, older computers and more...

Ever wonder what's the easiest way to upgrade a computer or if you should get a new hard drive? Wonder why Paypal still sends email with clickable links or where certificate errors come from? Need to know if data on the cloud is deleted when you cancel a service? All that and more in this Answercast from Ask Leo!

Listen Now!
(Includes the raw transcript on which the articles below were based.)

Why does legitimate email from PayPal instruct me to click a link?
The rule is never click on links unless you are 100% certain that they are from who you think they are. The question is, how can you be certain?

Continue reading: Why does legitimate email from PayPal instruct me to click a link?
http://askleo.com?p=6811

Does my information get deleted from the cloud if I delete the associated software?
Make sure you understand how any software you use keeps personal data in the cloud and the steps necessary to delete, or secure, that data.

Continue reading: Does my information get deleted from the cloud if I delete the associated software?
http://askleo.com?p=6794

Why does my browser warn me that "Only secure content is displayed?"
Often, when a secure https site is fetching images from its unsecure http counterpart your browser will flash a security warning. It's common, but is it something to worry about?

Continue reading: Why does my browser warn me that "Only secure content is displayed?"
http://askleo.com?p=6715

Why am I getting security certificate errors?
If you are seeing this across a family of sites or just one site, it's possible (in fact it's even most likely) that it's a problem on the server's side. It may be a designer error. It may even be a malicious site.

Continue reading: Why am I getting security certificate errors?
http://askleo.com?p=6718

Will it cause a problem if Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant warns me that a program is incompatible, but it works?
It's hard to know what the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant is looking for when it gives an upgrade warning. It may be a serious problem, it may only be flagging incompatibility with other Windows 8 programs.

Continue reading: Will it cause a problem if Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant warns me that a program is incompatible, but it works?
http://askleo.com?p=6723

What's the easiest way to upgrade an older machine?
Upgrading a computer can be a lot of work, it is going to cost some money, and depends on your needs. I'll show you where to start.

Continue reading: What's the easiest way to upgrade an older machine?
http://askleo.com?p=6728

Do I need to have a separate data backup if I backup my system regularly?
If you are doing regular image backups of your computer, and incremental backups of new data you're good. But what about the files you are working on today?

Continue reading: Do I need to have a separate data backup if I backup my system regularly?
http://askleo.com?p=6814

Should I update my hard drive?
I like to follow the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." But there are some considerations here where replacing the hard drive would make sense.

Continue reading: Should I update my hard drive?
http://askleo.com?p=6829

Why does the size of my Office file grow excessively after I make simple changes?
Microsoft Office documents can sometimes grow larger as you save them. There are a few options to explore to reduce the likelihood, and the space used.

Continue reading: Why does the size of my Office file grow excessively after I make simple changes?
http://askleo.com?p=6831

Can I use a backup image to wipe free space?
There's an app for that! An easy combination of programs can help you clean a computer before you sell it or give it away.

Continue reading: Can I use a backup image to wipe free space?
http://askleo.com?p=6835

*** Our Sponsor

Like Ask Leo! on Facebook!
Are you on Facebook? Have you "Liked" Ask Leo! yet?
More than new article notification, you'll get breaking news,
random (and sometimes snarky) commentary on the tech world, and more.

Visit (and Like!) the
Ask Leo! Facebook Page

Advertisement. Ask Leo about advertising here.

*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Word o' the Week

motherboard

A motherboard is the primary circuit board in a computer. It typically has on it sockets for the machine’s CPU, RAM, and keyboard, mouse and disk controllers and the circuitry to interconnect them all. It’s also common for motherboards to now also contain additional circuitry for external connection,s such as USB, eSATA. Many motherboards also include video adapter circuitry as well.

Many motherboards, particularly those in desktop PCs, include slots into which expansion cards can be inserted to provide additional hardware functionality. Occasionally, those expansion cards or other cards that can be attached to a motherboard may be referred to as daughterboards.

Word o' the Week features a computer term or acronym taken from the Ask Leo! Glossary. If there's a word you're not sure of and would like to see defined, click here to let me know.

*** Featured Reader Comments

Why can't I see the files on a CD I created?

Angel Honey writes:

There is another possible fix / reason for this problem. I used to work in an office that used a combination of Mac / Apple and PC's computers. And we saved our client files on CD's and sometimes they would come in in a panic because their files had disappeared when they tried to open them at home. The fix was as simple as putting the CD into the same type of computer it had been formatted on. If it had been burned on a Mac putting back into a Mac showed all the files and vice versa. This comment doesn't negate any of the reasons/ solutions offered by LEO.

Are records better than CDs?

Dan Horvat writes:

You said it right, Leo, it depends on your ability to hear the difference.

The issue here is not compression, but the fact that CDs (as an audio format, not as a physical disc) cut off the frequency after a certain threshold. CDs play sounds up to 22.05 KHz, whereas the average human can hear sounds with frequency up to 20.00 KHz.

Any sound with a frequency above 22.05 KHz will not be played by the CD. It will be cut off.

Some people, not a large percentage, are able to otherwise hear the frequencies which are cut off by the CD, and for them the experience is very unpleasant, especially if they invested a lot of money in the speaker system. It's depressing, really. You know how the chimes sound like but the CD sound is different because it cuts off a portion of the sound's frequency. On an expensive speaker system the difference is more noticeable. A drum is not a drum, a guitar is not a guitar.

These people just have to set up a vinyl record system if they want to enjoy music. And then they have to deal with the imperfections of that system (scratches and the like).

I haven't yet heard of a person older than 25-30 who can still hear frequencies above 22.05 KHz though. Hearing declines with age. I, for one, could have heard the difference between vinyl and a CD clearly at age 21 - and was the only one in class who could do so - but can no longer hear it at age 32.

I can still detect sound masking easily and have therefore went through my entire life without really enjoying a recording.

All in all, I'd say the CD audio is a system which revolutionized music as it's the first format which eliminated noise. It's good enough for the vast majority of people. There is a small number of people who can not be satisfied by the 22.05 KHz cut-off because they hear the frequencies above that range.

And then there are "audiophiles", who are by default never satisfied. Their number is much, much greater than the number of people who can really tell a difference between vinyl and a CD.

If an IP address doesn't do it, then how does Google know my location?

Bob writes:

Most of the 'big' players in this game have been proven to collect more than they should, often without seeking permission beforehand. So what they can do with the information we actually provide them is a chilling concept.

These days you are bombarded with requests for e-mail addresses, phone (text) numbers, 'real' names - often being denied services if you do not provide them.

Some people don't have the information, some don't want to give it - but the so-called 'anonymity' of the internet is rapidly dwindling.

*** Thoughts and Comments

The new look is here. Still a few tweaks and twiddles to work out, but I hope that you find Ask Leo! easier to read and navigate. As always your feedback is very much appreciated - just use the ask-a-question form.

•

If you've followed me at all you can guess that I'm not panicking about the recent "revelations" about NSA (National Security Agency) supposedly having access to all sorts of our personal data courtesy of most of the major internet providers.

But that doesn't mean that I'm not concerned.

I'm not panicking for a couple of reasons. The first is my old mantra "You and I are just aren't that interesting" - if (and I want to stress if) data is being collected at the level that the original claims set out - it's unlikely to actually affect most people.

The other reason I'm not panicking is that I'm very skeptical. Not only are the claims and counter-claims contradictory, but like most conspiracies, it's impossible to imagine that something this massive across this many companies wouldn't have leaked out earlier and with significantly more concrete proof.

Nonetheless I am concerned.

I'll certainly be paying attention as more facts come to light. The hard part is understanding which are and are not actual facts.

Certainly the conspiracy crowd is taking every sliver of rumor that's ever been brought to light in the past, treating it as fact and yelling "See, we told you so!". At the other end of the spectrum are those with a vested interest in keeping whatever the details of the truth is under wraps, ostensibly for security reasons saying, in effect, "there's nothing to worry about".

There's no doubt that some amount of data collection and analysis is warranted to fight not just terror but crime in general. The concern as we watch this story unfold is where to draw the line between privacy and security, and exactly who it is we allow to make those decisions.

I encourage you to be informed, but please, please, please look for objective data, if you can find it. Rely on verifiable facts, not just the rantings and rumors of one side of the argument or another.

I guess that's my biggest concern of all: that with a loss of objectivity will come ill conceived actions that will either do absolutely nothing to address whatever issues there may actually be, or it'll all act as a diversion to allow whatever is happening to only get worse.

Leo A. Notenboom
Facebook - Google+
YouTube - Twitter

*** Administration

If you have a question don't reply to this email. Instead, head over here:

http://ask-leo.com/ask

and submit your question there.

That form is the best way to get an answer. (This article explains why.)

Need more help with or have questions about the newsletter? Check out the newsletter administration page.

Newsletter contents Copyright © 2013,
Leo A. Notenboom & Puget Sound Software, LLC.
Ask Leo! is a registered trademark ® of Puget Sound Software, LLC

]]>

Ask Leo! #446 – Backing Up, IP Addresses, AppData, DHCP and more…

Leo — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:00:51 +0000

The Ask Leo! Newsletter

*** Featured

How do I backup my computer?

How do I “back up” my computer? I am sure my question is ridiculous to you, but I honestly have no clue what I should be doing.

•

Your question’s not ridiculous at all. In fact, I’m certain that this is why so many people don’t back up: they simply don’t know how.

For something that’s as important as backing up is, that’s a little scary.

Let’s look first at what it means to back up a computer and what your options are. Then, I’ll tell you what I recommend for average users.

Continue Reading: How do I backup my computer?
http://askleo.com/?p=6643

•

Why doesn't my machine's IP address match what I'm told on the internet?

Using tools on my machine, I can see that my IP address is one thing (in my case, 192.168.1.100). But when I go to an internet site that shows me my IP, it shows my something completely different. Which is right?

•

They both are.

Your machine really has only one IP address, but it isn’t necessarily the IP address that’s used to connect to the internet.

The IP address that appears really depends on who’s looking and from where.

Let me explain the who and where that I’m talking about.

Continue Reading: Why doesn't my machine's IP address match what I'm told on the internet?
http://askleo.com/?p=2506

*** Answercast

AnswerCast 109 - Swap files, restoring registry, noisy fans, Appdata and more

Listen Now!
(Includes the raw transcript on which the articles below were based.)

Why do new windows open underneath others?
Usually a new window will open on top of previous windows. There are several things that may cause a window to "pop under" the window you're looking at.

Continue reading: Why do new windows open underneath others?
http://askleo.com?p=6576

Do I need a new motherboard for a new version of DirectX?
Direct X is a software package that interfaces with the graphics hardware in your machine. You probably won't need a new motherboard, but...

Continue reading: Do I need a new motherboard for a new version of DirectX?
http://askleo.com?p=6567

Why is my fan running at high speed?
A fan running at high speed means one thing: heat! The question is how do you determine the cause and cool down your machine. It might be easier than you think.

Continue reading: Why is my fan running at high speed?
http://askleo.com?p=6613

How do I remove ransomware?
Ransomware is often not easy to remove because it blocks you from your system. Restoring from a backup is the easiest recovery option, but I'll look at a few more as well.

Continue reading: How do I remove ransomware?
http://askleo.com?p=6616

What's the "Appdata roaming" folder?
Appdata roaming doesn't mean your computer has been roaming. It's nothing more than a folder designation on your machine. Why data may be put there, however, is a bit more complex.

Continue reading: What's the "Appdata roaming" folder?
http://askleo.com?p=6618

How to I stop my homepage from changing?
If your Home page keeps changing after you have set it then I start to suspect malware. Time for a thorough malware scan and cleaning.

Continue reading: How to I stop my homepage from changing?
http://askleo.com?p=6620

How much of the swap file actually gets used?
How much a swap file gets used depends on how much RAM your computer has, and what's running on it at any given time. Knowing that will also help you decide where to place the file.

Continue reading: How much of the swap file actually gets used?
http://askleo.com?p=6639

How do I restore a registry backup if I can't boot?
For a full, catastrophic failure where you cannot reboot into Windows, it may not be possible to restore a registry backup. You may need to have previously done a full system backup that you could then restore to get your machine working once again.

Continue reading: How do I restore a registry backup if I can't boot?
http://askleo.com?p=6655

Can I backup files to save space?
If you have only one copy - it's not backed up. If you delete files to save space on your hard drive make sure that doesn't leave you without a backup.

Continue reading: Can I backup files to save space?
http://askleo.com?p=6657

Can I email myself a full length movie?
Emailing a movie file sounds like it is going to be easy, but you are certain to run across limitations set by your ISP - and it's going to be slow! I'll look at a couple of other ways to do it.

Continue reading: Can I email myself a full length movie?
http://askleo.com?p=6660

*** Our Sponsor

Advertisement. Ask Leo about advertising here.

*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Word o' the Week

CRC

CRC is an acronym for Cyclic Redundancy Check. A CRC is additional information that is included with some types of data to detect, and sometimes even correct, errors in that data.

CRC’s are mathematically calculated from the data being checked. The actual algorithms are often quite complex to reduce the probability that some types of errors would go undetected, or that multiple errors would cancel each other out.

As an extremely over-simplified example, using something similar to a CRC called a “checksum”, consider the following sequence of numbers:

47, 42, 101, 1995, 2, 2013

The sum of those numbers is 4200. (Hence the term “check sum”.)

When written to some media that might suffer damage or degradation, the checksum would be included:

47, 42, 101, 1995, 2, 2013 (4200)

If something happens to the data such that it’s damaged and the numbers are inadvertently changed, then the checksum calculated would not match the checksum that was included, and thus the data would be known to be unreliable.

A CRC differs from a checksum most notably in complexity. A simple sum, for example, would not detect if the numbers were presented out of order as they would still add up to the same value. A CRC would detect that and more.

CRCs are most notably used on computer hard drives. Each sector of information written to the disk includes a CRC so that if there is a problem reading the data it can be detected and presented as a CRC error to the application or user. Checksums and CRCs are used in many more venues, however, including even credit card numbers where the last digit is actually calculated from the preceding digits to ensure correctness.

Word o' the Week features a computer term or acronym taken from the Ask Leo! Glossary. If there's a word you're not sure of and would like to see defined, click here to let me know.

*** Featured Reader Comments

Should I use Windows File Compression?

Dave writes:

Be VERY, VERY careful with Windows file compression - if you compress the C drive (or wherever your boot log lives), you have lost Windows !!!

My friend did this in Vista. and the only way I found to get it back was to re-install from a repair/recovery disc. I tried taking the hard drive out and plugging into my pc with a disk caddy, but still no joy. Happens so frequently that Dell have a thread on their help forums solely for this problem !

Is my data safe in an online backup program?

Errol writes:

All very interesting, but the reality is that once you put your files on the Net, you've lost control of them. Others may not be able to access them, but what 100% iron clad guarantee have you that you'll have access?

Furtehrmore, there's no guarantee they'll be there tomorrow and, if you delete them, is your Net back up actually deleted???

Leo writes:

Absolutely files can disappear - that's why you back up. If you backup to the cloud then they are technically redundant with what you have on your machine. Yes, there's a risk they could both have problems simultaneously, and if that's a concern you should backup differently, or add another level of backup. In practice, though, systems have generally been reliable.

What good are image backups if I can't restore an old backup to my new machine?

Ken in San Jose writes:

I do a Windows 7 image backup about once a month and a backup of my documents weekly. Recently, I did the monthly Windows updates and renewed my Norton AntiVirus program, with an upgrade to the new version. I had a problem with Norton AntiVirus scheduled scans and contacted Symantec support. A couple of days later when I did my regular Windows 7 image backup it took 3.5 hours instead of the normal 1.5 hours. I re-installed my computer from my last image backup, did all the updates again and did a new Windows 7 image backup, which went correctly. I don't know whether the original Norton upgrade, contacting Symantec support, or the first Windows updates caused the problem. But I am glad I had a image backup to fall back on.

*** Thoughts and Comments

The new look is coming. If you've peeked at the Ask Leo! Glossary any time in the past few days you may notice that things look different. Very different, in fact.

We've started rolling out the new "look and feel" of Ask Leo!, starting with the glossary. It's a simple site, and thus a good choice for the first round of updates. Over the course of the next few days and weeks you'll see that same look begin to appear on all Ask Leo! websites.

Besides looking more professional, one of my goals was to keep a clean and easy to read look to the site, with an emphasis on that "easy to read" part.

•

A reader noted that I'm "recycling" some articles.

Indeed, particularly while I've been busy with the redesign of the site I've taken a bit of a shortcut by updating some of the older articles on Ask Leo!. When I do that I make sure that these are articles that still apply, and are still the target of questions I get regularly. "Recycling" doesn't really do it justice, though, since the articles are often significantly rewritten, often brought up to date, and always run through an edit pass that simply didn't exist in years past.

And since the subject matter is still quite topical, it's just as important today as it was when originally written.

When I do that you'll find the original publication date at the bottom of the article. That's also why you might find years-old comments on an article that was just published. (I'm still working out what to do about that.)

Leo A. Notenboom
Facebook - Google+
YouTube - Twitter

*** Administration

If you have a question don't reply to this email. Instead, head over here:

http://ask-leo.com/ask

and submit your question there.

That form is the best way to get an answer. (This article explains why.)

Need more help with or have questions about the newsletter? Check out the newsletter administration page.

Newsletter contents Copyright © 2013,
Leo A. Notenboom & Puget Sound Software, LLC.
Ask Leo! is a registered trademark ® of Puget Sound Software, LLC

]]>

Ask Leo! #445 – DHCP, Printing in Outlook.com, installing software safely and more…

Leo — Tue, 28 May 2013 15:00:03 +0000

The Ask Leo! Newsletter

*** Featured

How do I print an email in Outlook.com (formerly Hotmail)?

This is another of those “representative” questions that I get a lot; more than I would expect, to be honest.

But when you think about it, with all the changes that Hotmail users have been through in the last few years, it’s understandable that the latest change to Outlook.com would lead to a lot of confusion.

It turns out it’s not hard at all to print an email in Outlook.com. You just need to get used to looking in a new place for some additional options.

Let me show you.

Continue Reading: How do I print an email in Outlook.com (formerly Hotmail)?
http://askleo.com/?p=6591

•

What is DHCP?

What is DHCP?

•

DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.

I can hear you thinking, “Thanks a bunch, but … what’s that?”

In a nutshell, DHCP is all about the request that your computer makes and the response that it receives when assigning a “dynamic” IP address.

Let’s look at that a little more closely.

Continue Reading: What is DHCP?
http://askleo.com/?p=2070

•

Installing software safely and with minimal impact

I’d wager that the number one cause of system stability issues, disk space loss, unexpected behavior, and even malware is the software that we actually invite onto our machine.

I’m not talking about opening the accidental attachment. That’s bad when it happens, but it’s not as prevalent as what I’m discussing.

No, I’m talking about the stuff that we actually ask to download - the stuff we seek out.

I’m talking about the software that we explicitly and intentionally install on our computers.

Installing software safely is all about taking a few steps to minimize the impact of what we’re about to do to our machines.

Continue Reading: Installing software safely and with minimal impact
http://askleo.com/?p=6559

*** Answercast

Answercast 108 - Obscure messages, hidden files, huge updates, Google geo-tracking and more...

Is your computer constantly rebooting, or do you have a weird message on your monitor? Did you get a huge update, or wonder how Google can find out where you are? Curious about audio compression or Ubuntu? Find out about all that and more in this Answercast from Ask Leo!

Listen Now!
(Includes the raw transcript on which the articles below were based.)

What's this obscure message on my monitor and why can't I make it go away?
Computer monitors are smart devices these days but they too can fail. It’s not always your PC showing an error, and that message on your monitor might be from the monitor itself.

Continue reading: What's this obscure message on my monitor and why can't I make it go away?
http://askleo.com?p=6426

Why can't I see the files on a CD I created?
When you can't see the files on a data disc you've created the causes can vary from exactly how you created that disc in the first place, to media quality, drive problems and even Windows Explorer settings.

Continue reading: Why can't I see the files on a CD I created?
http://askleo.com?p=6428

How risky it is to run Ubuntu from a flash drive?
Having a bootable version of an operating system like Ubuntu on a USB flash drive can be very handy for a variety of reasons. Since flash memory can wear out, however, it's important that you back up.

Continue reading: How risky it is to run Ubuntu from a flash drive?
http://askleo.com?p=6444

How do I automatically clean out my accumulation of backups?
Many backup programs allow you to specify that old backups be deleted. It's not always obvious how, so I'll show you in Macrium Reflect.

Continue reading: How do I automatically clean out my accumulation of backups?
http://askleo.com?p=6461

Why does my computer continually reboot?
There are many reasons a computer might get stuck continually rebooting. Fortunately there’s no need to lose data. You have several ways to get your data off there and with a little bit of luck you may get you a working system again as well.

Continue reading: Why does my computer continually reboot?
http://askleo.com?p=6484

Can an ISP tell me who's reading my email?
It's typically impossible for the average computer user to determine who's reading your email, particularly since tracing through a an IP address is virtually impossible with legal assistance. The best option is securing your account from any prying eyes from the start.

Continue reading: Can an ISP tell me who's reading my email?
http://askleo.com?p=6492

Why might an update take a large amount of space?
An update can leave a large amount of temporary files, and even the old copy of the software still on the computer. After understanding what might be left, a cleanup tool might be called for.

Continue reading: Why might an update take a large amount of space?
http://askleo.com?p=6488

If an IP address doesn't do it, then how does Google know my location?
Google can find your location through multiple datapoints that you probably don't even realize you're sharing. There's a lively and important debate about how much data entities can and should collect and correlate.

Continue reading: If an IP address doesn't do it, then how does Google know my location?
http://askleo.com?p=6497

Are records better than CDs?
Since the dawn of the digital age the argument has raged: which is better - digital or analog? CDs or vinyl? I touch on some of the issues, but the bottom line is that if you can't hear the difference, which is more convenient?

Continue reading: Are records better than CDs?
http://askleo.com?p=6502

Can I use more than one browser?
You can install as many browsers as you like. Personally, I usually install at least two if not three. However, there can be only one default.

Continue reading: Can I use more than one browser?
http://askleo.com?p=6504

*** Our Sponsor

Maintaining Windows 7 - Backing Up
Backing up doesn't have to be hard. Let me show you how.
step-by-step instructions and explanations
using both Windows Backup and Macrium Reflect.
Register your purchase to get access to bonus videos & more!

maintaining7.com
- An Ask Leo! Kindle book for all platforms.
Now also available in PDF and EPUB!

Advertisement. Ask Leo about advertising here.

*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Word o' the Week

tray

The tray, or system tray, is an area on right end of the Windows task bar in which applications and system components can place notification and other utility icons.

The tray is also sometimes referred to as the “notification area” because many applications that place icons there, including Windows itself, use those primarily for notification purposes.

Word o' the Week features a computer term or acronym taken from the Ask Leo! Glossary. If there's a word you're not sure of and would like to see defined, click here to let me know.

*** Featured Reader Comments

How do I reinstall downloaded programs?

Ken B writes:

Many companies offer you the option of a "download-only" version of the program or a "physical delivery" (ie: they ship you a CD and a box). It used to be the case that I'd usually opt for the "physical delivery" because this included a printed manual. Given that that is almost never the case nowadays (well, except for a "quick start guide" -- sometimes), I rarely take that choice any more. Instead, I do as you advise -- make a backup immediately, and keep a copy of the receipt and license key as well. (There are still the rare exceptions, where there is no extra charge for the "physical delivery" method, and the download is still available for "instant gratification".)

Unfortunately, there are some programs where all you download from the website is a small "web-based" installation program. During the install, bits and pieces of the rest of the program are downloaded off the 'net. I really dislike those installs, as there is nothing you can back up, aside from the "web-based" installation program. I have no idea what happens if you need to re-install. Or, Diety-forbid, the company goes out of business and there is no longer anywhere to install from. Even Microsoft uses such installation methods. Fortunately, they usually provide an "offline" installation version as well.

Do you recommend a transfer cable for transferring files from my old computer to my new one?

James writes:

I like the feel of a new computer or a fresh Windows install. It's like a clean slate; a chance to get right what was wrong before or improve on what you had. Sure maybe what you had works, but is it really setup the best way for your current needs? Or are you just doing what you've always done. Sure the data has got to come over, but I see no reason to worry about programs and settings.

I recently had to reinstall Windows on one of my computers. I took the time to think about all the software that used to be installed and thought about whether I really needed it. For example, I only use Excel on my laptop so what was the point of installing Excel on my desktop? The result is a sleeker machine that's not bloated with stuff I don't use.

Why do you want to bring the bloat over to your new computer?

Why is Microsoft Security Essentials constantly saying potentially unprotected?

Bob writes:

I used to see this regularly.

I set up MSE to do a weekly scan (at a time that was not intrusive) and still occasionally saw the message - until I changed one of my habits.

Now, when I get the 'windows has updates' dialog, I check the Optional updates - if there is one for MSE I tick it. Since I started doing this, I don't get the orange 'potentially at risk' icon. The other way (if you have permanent internet access, which I don't) is to tick the box that says 'check for up to date definitions before scanning' on your scheduled scan.

*** Thoughts and Comments

Earlier this week I exchanged email with the folks at Paramount Software UK, the folks who make Macrium Reflect, about their lack of an affiliate program. (As long time readers already know I decide my recommendations first and then go looking to see if perchance there's an affiliate program. My full disclosure is here.) Macrium has no such program, but I keep recommending 'em because they're good & reliable and have good support for the paid version. And I use 'em myself.

While they didn't have anything for me, they do have something for you: use coupon code NUK-WLF-58P when you purchase from http://macrium.com and you'll get 25% OFF your purchase. If you haven't yet invested in a good backup program this would be a great time. That's only good for the first 200 people to use it, and expires at the end of the month.

Heck, let me jump on the bandwagon: use that same coupon code (NUK-WLF-58P) when you purchase my "Maintaining Windows 7 - Backing Up" ebook from *my* store (http://go.ask-leo.com/m7fb) and you'll get 25% OFF of that as well. That's the ebook where I detail using Macrium Reflect, and includes access to online demonstration videos as well as all formats - ePub, mobi, pdf. That, too, is also only valid until the end of the month. (Sorry, I can't offer a discount if you buy via Amazon.)

Those are separate, independent purchases, and you certainly don't NEED to do both, but if you've been waiting to get around to backing up, it's a good combination.

See you next week,

Leo A. Notenboom
Facebook - Google+
YouTube - Twitter

*** Administration

If you have a question don't reply to this email. Instead, head over here:

http://ask-leo.com/ask

and submit your question there.

That form is the best way to get an answer. (This article explains why.)

Need more help with or have questions about the newsletter? Check out the newsletter administration page.

Newsletter contents Copyright © 2013,
Leo A. Notenboom & Puget Sound Software, LLC.
Ask Leo! is a registered trademark ® of Puget Sound Software, LLC

]]>

Ask Leo! #444 – Saving downloaded programs, Using Windows file compression, Safe backups and more…

Leo — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:00:37 +0000

The Ask Leo! Newsletter

*** Featured

How do I reinstall downloaded programs?

I recently downloaded and installed an application. It works just great, but having no CD, how do I reinstall the program in the event of a disaster?

•

There are several possible answers to reinstall downloaded programs that depend on exactly what it is you purchased and where you purchased it from.

The good news is that there’s rarely a reason you would ever lose what you purchased, as long as you took a few precautions.

Let’s look at what those precautions might be.

Continue Reading: How do I reinstall downloaded programs?
http://askleo.com/?p=4004

•

Should I use Windows File Compression?

I was wondering if I should run the Disk Cleanup utility and select the Compress Old Files option to use Windows File Compression. It is currently taking up 14372KB of space. Should I compress old files?

•

While you’re only asking about the Disk Cleanup utility, I’m going to talk about Windows File Compression in more general terms. Using file compression to save space is nothing new, even when it’s native in the file system used by Windows. Whether or not it makes sense to use isn’t necessarily a slam dunk.

In fact, without knowing more, I get to use all three of my favorite answers:

Yes.

No.

It depends.

After you’ve finishing beating your head against the computer, read on, and I’ll explain why I say all three. We’ll also discover that later versions of Windows itself have made a not-too-subtle suggestion as well.

Continue Reading: Should I use Windows File Compression?
http://askleo.com/?p=2711

*** Answercast

AnswerCast 107 - Safe backups, broken monitors, restoring computer, too many updates and more...

Do you want to copy your entire computer or backup online? Wondering what compacting your email means or why an external monitor stays blank? Looking for mysterious time on an email or a hacker? All that and more in this Answercast from Ask Leo!

Listen Now!
(Includes the raw transcript on which the articles below were based.)

Why is Microsoft Security Essentials constantly saying potentially unprotected?
The "potentially unprotected" warning seems fairly common in situations where you really are still protected. I'll cover several theories as to why it might appear.

Continue reading: Why is Microsoft Security Essentials constantly saying potentially unprotected?
http://askleo.com?p=3953

Is my data safe in an online backup program?
Whenever we use an online service, such as an online backup, we’re trusting that they’re doing what they say they do: keeping our information secure.

Continue reading: Is my data safe in an online backup program?
http://askleo.com?p=3937

Why are emails I receive five minutes out of sync?
Outlook doesn’t keep its own time. Outlook uses the system time. The real issue here is understanding where the "time" comes from when you receive an email.

Continue reading: Why are emails I receive five minutes out of sync?
http://askleo.com?p=3942

What good are image backups if I can't restore an old backup to my new machine?
Image backups are excellent protection against almost all forms of data loss. They're not really intended to make transferring to a new computer easier, though in rare circumstances they can come in handy for that too.

Continue reading: What good are image backups if I can't restore an old backup to my new machine?
http://askleo.com?p=3963

Can I simply copy everything on my drive in case something bad happens?
There are in fact utilities that can do an actual clone of your computer, but I would prefer you move to a more traditional image backup system.

Continue reading: Can I simply copy everything on my drive in case something bad happens?
http://askleo.com?p=3967

What does it mean when my email program asks if it should compact my email?
Compacting should be completely transparent. It makes files smaller and potentially makes access of email a little faster. There is one dramatic exception.

Continue reading: What does it mean when my email program asks if it should compact my email?
http://askleo.com?p=3972

What's the easiest way to restore my machine to original factory settings if I didn't get discs?
If you don't have installation or recovery media then you'll need to take additional steps to prepare for the day you might need to reset to factory settings. Additional steps using software that I hope you already have.

Continue reading: What's the easiest way to restore my machine to original factory settings if I didn't get discs?
http://askleo.com?p=4031

Why doesn't my external monitor work?
You plug a new monitor into a laptop with a broken screen and still can't see anything! You may need to tap a few magic keystrokes to turn it on.

Continue reading: Why doesn't my external monitor work?
http://askleo.com?p=4040

How do I find who hacked my email?
It's natural to want to find who hacked your email and why. Begin by recovering your account and securing it. But then, just let it go. There's almost nothing you or I as individuals can do to find out who hacked you.

Continue reading: How do I find who hacked my email?
http://askleo.com?p=4044

If I copy a file to another drive will it be fragmented the same way?
Fragmentation is about how a file is stored on a disk and is not preserved across a copy. In fact, in some cases you can defragment a hard drive using copy.

Continue reading: If I copy a file to another drive will it be fragmented the same way?
http://askleo.com?p=4052

*** Our Sponsor

Advertisement. Ask Leo about advertising here.

*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Word o' the Week

compression

Compression is the process of running data through a mathematical algorithm which results in data that contains exactly the same information, but ideally using less data, i.e. resulting in a smaller file.

The key to any compression algorithm is that when decompressed the original data is recovered, exactly.

Most often we compress data contained in files on our computers. A compression program such as WinZip, 7-zip, gzip, WinRAR and many others, reads the file to be compressed, runs the data it contains through the compression algorithm and writes the result to a new, typically smaller file.

A compression algorithm is that mathematical function, of which there are many; zip, rar and gzip are three common examples. Any program that understands a specific algorithm can typically compress or decompress files interchangeably with other programs that understand the same algorithm. Many programs, 7-Zip being one good example, have the ability to understand several different compression algorithms.

Many compression programs, WinZip and similar being examples, double as file archiving programs. In addition to compressing files these programs bundle multiple compressed files into a single output file, referred to as a compressed archive.

It’s worth noting that all compression algorithms have worst-case scenarios where running data through the compression algorithm produces a result that is larger than the original. While possible, with most common algorithms it’s actually relatively rare.

Word o' the Week features a computer term or acronym taken from the Ask Leo! Glossary. If there's a word you're not sure of and would like to see defined, click here to let me know.

*** Featured Reader Comments

Can I install Windows XP on a machine that comes with Windows 8?

Ken B writes:

There are a couple of other choices:

First, if your computer supports it, you can install "XP Mode", which is Microsoft's "official" way of running XP within Windows 7 (and, I assume, 8).

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/install-and-use-windows- xp-mode-in-windows-7

Second, though this may be "too techie" for many people, is to install a "virtual machine" on your system. I have used Oracle's "VirtualBox" to run numerous operating systems on my system. (There are other VMs out there, but this is the one I'm using.)

https://www.virtualbox.org/

Yes, this requires that you find a legal XP install, but you would need that no matter what method you use. (Microsoft's "XP Mode" includes a legal copy.)

I happen to like choice 2, because it lets me run multiple systems on a single box. (Of course, I'm a geek, so I like having things like MS-DOS 6, Windows 3.1, Windows XP, and several flavors of Linux available at the click of a mouse.)

I'm a fan of approach #2 as well, though as you say it is a bit techie. Unfortunately I don't believe XP Mode is available in Windows 8. (Though I would assume it's preserved if you do an upgrade install of Windows 8 on top of Windows 7.)

-Leo

Is it safe to use a mobile banking app over an open Wi-Fi connection?

Michael writes:

Even if a tablet/smartphone app is using SSL that does not mean it is being used correctly. Lots can go wrong and a couple studies have shown that it does go wrong. App developers make some brutal mistakes.

A VPN is a good idea but not perfect. While it should protect you from snoops in your immediate vicinity, the VPNs available to consumers do not offer end to end encryption. I have tried using a VPN on both Android 2.3 and 4 and its a big pain. I ran into assorted coding errors by Google that my VPN provider had to work around. And on Android 2.3 it required entering two passwords to make a connection.

In contrast VPNs on iOS worked great for me.

Does installing lots of programs destabilize my computer?

James writes:

I slightly disagree with Leo.

Installing software can sometimes also cause problems. Not rot, but it seems that so many programs these days like to put themselves into StartUp or the Run registry key so that they run when you boot up your computer.

They say they are doing you a favour by pre-loading some components of the software so that it runs faster when you go to use the software. But the reality is, sometimes you are just turning on your computer to check your email and don't need five different programs to take the time to load up into memory or check for program updates (e.g. Flash) and slow down your computer.

I recently started from scratch on my Windows XP computer and I took the time to evaluate how I used that computer (I also have a laptop that I use regularly) and look at what software I was putting back on the machine. If another piece of software duplicated a task, I only installed one. I only use Excel on my laptop, so I didn't bother to install Excel on the XP computer, for example.

What I ended up with was a cleaner machine that is quicker to boot up so I can do what I really turned the computer on for, not what some software vendor thinks I might want to do.

Actually you raise a very good point with respect to start-up pollution.

-Leo

*** Thoughts and Comments

You broke my server!

Actually, I'm going to blame registry cleaners (yes, registry cleaners) for breaking the Ask Leo! server last week.

No, I didn't run one (the server runs Linux where there is no registry), but shortly after the newsletter came out last week the Ask Leo! server buckled under the load.

Twice.

I think a lot of people wanted to read all about registry cleaners, and many wanted to leave their opinion. There was no shortage of opinions on the topic.

So, imagine that your computer was slowing down or had a problem of some sort, and there was a dial on the side of it that you could adjust. In fact, three dials: number of CPUs, amount of RAM and amount of disk space. Simply by adjusting those dials you could give your computer more (or less) of those resources.

That's why I like virtual machines and virtual servers. Over the weekend I twisted a (virtual) dial, and the Ask Leo! server rebooted and came back up with twice as much RAM (the real culprit in last week's problem, I believe), a second CPU and a bunch more disk space.

Virtual servers like those that I use, actually live on significantly more powerful hardware that typically has many CPUs, oodles of RAM and buckets of disk space. When the virtual server is created a portion of the available physical resources are dedicated to the virtual machine. "Twisting the dial" means nothing more than changing the allocation.

Pretty cool stuff.

And a shout out to the folks at LiquidWeb's Storm On Demand, the server hosting that I use, for rebooting my server each time it failed, before I even noticed.

See you next week,

Leo A. Notenboom
Facebook - Google+
YouTube - Twitter

*** Administration

If you have a question don't reply to this email. Instead, head over here:

http://ask-leo.com/ask

and submit your question there.

That form is the best way to get an answer. (This article explains why.)

Need more help with or have questions about the newsletter? Check out the newsletter administration page.

Newsletter contents Copyright © 2013,
Leo A. Notenboom & Puget Sound Software, LLC.
Ask Leo! is a registered trademark ® of Puget Sound Software, LLC

]]>

Ask Leo! #443 – The Best Registry Cleaner? How to remove malware, blocking suspicious downloads and more…

Leo — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:00:56 +0000

The Ask Leo! Newsletter

*** Featured

What's the best registry cleaner?

What would be the best software to buy to fix and clean the Windows registry?

•

There is no “best” registry cleaner.

There are a wide variety of opinions on registry cleaners and PC cleaning tools. Many people believe that they’re valuable and important tools to keep your system running smoothly.

My opinion’s a little … contrary.

Continue Reading: What's the best registry cleaner?
http://askleo.com/?p=2710

•

Changing Windows Explorer Settings

Windows Explorer is a ubiquitous, yet under-appreciated component of Windows.

For many people, Windows Explorer is their primary interface to Windows itself. It’s where they locate and open documents, music, and other files. It’s where they perform copy and sometimes even backup operations.

And it’s one of the primary tools often used when maintaining their system.

Unfortunately, Windows Explorer comes with default settings that are intended to make the system less confusing and more friendly, but often make it less than informative and sometimes even downright dangerous.

Let’s look at changing a few settings and setting a few defaults. I’ll throw in a speed tip as well.

Continue Reading: Changing Windows Explorer Settings
http://askleo.com/?p=3777

•

How do I remove malware?

One question that shows up almost every day in the Ask Leo! inbox is how to remove malware.

Every day.

The scenarios may be different, but the problem is the same: a machine has been infected with spyware, a virus, or some other form of malware and that machine’s owner is having a tough time getting rid of it.

And it often happens with anti-malware software installed that “should” have taken care of it before it got to this stage.

Hopefully, that’ll never be you. If it is, let’s review the steps that I recommend for removing malware and reducing the chances that it’ll happen again.

Continue Reading: How do I remove malware?
http://askleo.com/?p=3811

•

Can I move my old computer's hard drive to my new computer?

My sister has a computer with Windows 98se. However, it is crashing on her. She got a new computer with the latest Windows. My question is, can she install her old hard drive with 98se onto her new PC so she can transfer her files over to her new hard drive? She is very illiterate when it comes to computers.

•

The good news is that a working hard disk that was formatted for use by any prior versions of Windows can certainly be read by Windows versions that come later. Your Win 98 disk can be read by Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.

The not-so-bad news is that you’ll have to open the box, extract the drive, and do something with it.

I’ll admit it – that’s not for everyone.

Continue Reading: Can I move my old computer's hard drive to my new computer?
http://askleo.com/?p=2424

*** Answercast

AnswerCast #106 - Making a secure website, asking for phone numbers, changing usernames and more...

Do you ever wonder if listing a recovery phone number is a good idea or if you should change all your user names? Want to make your website secure or password protect a USB drive? Do you need Windows Live Essentials or a file transfer cable? All that and more in this Answercast from Ask Leo!

Listen Now!
(Includes the raw transcript on which the articles below were based.)

How do I change a website to be an https secure site?
Setting up an https secure website is both simple, and complex. The HTML doesn't really change but you'll need different hosting for the secure layer as well as a certificate to provide the security of https.

Continue reading: How do I change a website to be an https secure site?
http://askleo.com?p=3641

I canceled a suspicious download. Am I safe?
Cancelling a suspicious download in progress typically prevents any part of the download from impacting your machine. Unfortunately there are still a few problems we should look out for.

Continue reading: I canceled a suspicious download. Am I safe?
http://askleo.com?p=3644

Do Gmail preview images pose a security risk?
Gmail occasionally includes preview images of attachments that are included with an email. Rather than being an additional risk, when present, these preview images can help keep you safer.

Continue reading: Do Gmail preview images pose a security risk?
http://askleo.com?p=3646

Why do services like Google and Microsoft ask for a phone number?
Many online services request that you provide additional information such as your phone number. I'll look at how that's typically used and why it's a good thing.

Continue reading: Why do services like Google and Microsoft ask for a phone number?
http://askleo.com?p=3648

Do I need Windows Live Essentials?
Windows 7 often comes with several pre-installed components that were part of the Windows Live Essentials package. They're not required to run Windows, and can be uninstalled or replaced with more recent components.

Continue reading: Do I need Windows Live Essentials?
http://askleo.com?p=3650

How do I open an .isc file in Outlook.com?
Outlook and Outlook.com are two different and unrelated programs. But once we get past a possible typo, they can both handle ics, not isc, files.

Continue reading: How do I open an .isc file in Outlook.com?
http://askleo.com?p=3652

Where do attachments live once they're sent?
Once an email is sent it, and the attachments it might include, are copied to a sequence of servers until they reach the destination inbox. Most importantly, once it leaves your machine, it leaves your control

Continue reading: Where do attachments live once they're sent?
http://askleo.com?p=3654

Do you recommend a transfer cable for transferring files from my old computer to my new one?
Transferring information from an old computer to a new one is a problem we all face every so often. I'll touch on a couple of approaches, and then describe what I do, and recommend.

Continue reading: Do you recommend a transfer cable for transferring files from my old computer to my new one?
http://askleo.com?p=3656

Would changing user names result in additional security?
Common wisdom is that you should change passwords periodically; so should you change user names too? My take: common wisdom is wrong from the start.

Continue reading: Would changing user names result in additional security?
http://askleo.com?p=3658

How do I password protect a flash drive?
Password protecting a flash drive isn't easy. Aside from purchasing a flashdrive with encryption built in, I'll look at a couple of approaches using free software.

Continue reading: How do I password protect a flash drive?
http://askleo.com?p=3660

*** Our Sponsor

Advertisement. Ask Leo about advertising here.

*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Word o' the Week

shovelware

Shovelware is a derogatory term applied to the additional unasked-for and unwanted software that often comes with new machines, or in other unexpected situations.

The term derives from the metaphor of using a shovel to transfer or add large quantities of something, as in “shoveling in even more software”.

Ask Leo! #442 – Security Software Recommendations, My Surface Pro Thoughts, Longer Passwords, Microsoft Messenger and more…

Leo — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:00:35 +0000

The Ask Leo! Newsletter

*** Featured

What Security Software do you recommend?

What security software should I use? How about a firewall? And what about spyware? Should I use one of the all-in-one packages that claim to do everything? Is there anything else I need?

•

As you might imagine, I get these questions like this all the time. As a result, I do have recommendations for security software and techniques to stay safe in various articles all over Ask Leo!.

To make your life a little easier, here’s a short version that sums it all up.

Continue Reading: What Security Software do you recommend?
http://askleo.com/?p=3517

•

Microsoft Surface Pro: the Good, the Bad and the Awkward

I was very intrigued when the Microsoft Surface Pro came out. The size and shape and the combination of it being both a PC and a tablet had me very interested in understanding whether or not this was something that was going to succeed.

Rather than being some kind of in-depth review (there are plenty of those elsewhere, I’m sure), these are simply my impressions after two months of having my Microsoft Surface Pro.

My emotions are mixed. I really want this device to succeed because it represents what to me is an incredibly interesting hybrid device – both tablet and PC. With that hybridization comes a tremendous amount of potential and power, and I’ll explain why I say that momentarily.

Unfortunately by trying to be both it’s possible that the Surface Pro fails to do either exceptionally well.

Good, perhaps, but not exceptional.

That may or may not be enough.

Continue Reading: Microsoft Surface Pro: the Good, the Bad and the Awkward
http://askleo.com/?p=3560

*** Answercast

Answercast #105 - Longer passwords, keeping Messenger, bounced emails, wrong websites and more...

Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could always keep your favorite old versions of software, or always have a super long password. Would you like an easier way to manage recovery discs? Have you heard the scare about Geotagging? All that and more in this Answercast from Ask Leo!

Listen Now!
(Includes the raw transcript on which the articles below were based.)

How do I find the IP address of the person who created a Gmail account in my name?
It's not going to be easy. Only law enforcement has the ability to get full IP address information. The curious thing is, how do you have access to the email?

Continue reading: How do I find the IP address of the person who created a Gmail account in my name?
http://askleo.com?p=3697

How do I remove myself from a website I didn't ask to be on?
What you did in this situation is exactly what I would have done: start by contacting the website and asking to be removed.

Continue reading: How do I remove myself from a website I didn't ask to be on?
http://askleo.com?p=3589

How do I change the default install drive?
In this scenario, the real issue is that your C: drive is full. What I recommend you do is clean it up.

Continue reading: How do I change the default install drive?
http://askleo.com?p=3593

Why am I getting bounced notices to messages I didn't send?
Spammers want to send email that looks like it’s coming from someone who may be trusted. They want it to look like it’s coming from you - and you end up getting the bounce notifications.

Continue reading: Why am I getting bounced notices to messages I didn't send?
http://askleo.com?p=3606

Is geotagging my photos a bad thing?
When you take a picture, your camera saves “metadata”, or data about the picture. Geodata can be used to place an image in a geographical location.

Continue reading: Is geotagging my photos a bad thing?
http://askleo.com?p=3626

Do I need to make a new rescue disc every time my backup software updates?
If you don’t have a rescue disc, just find another machine and make one. You don’t need to make one every single time you update the software.

Continue reading: Do I need to make a new rescue disc every time my backup software updates?
http://askleo.com?p=3632

Is there some way I can keep Windows Live Messenger?
The most important thing is to determine which messaging program the people you want to talk to will use.

Continue reading: Is there some way I can keep Windows Live Messenger?
http://askleo.com?p=3662

What if a password is limited to only 8 characters?
Some devices, sites and software use passwords that are limited to 8 characters. Today that's often insufficient, but I'll look at what steps you can take to increase security.

Continue reading: What if a password is limited to only 8 characters?
http://askleo.com?p=3603

So is a long password of repeating characters good or not?
The problem is that we don’t know what approach hackers are using to break your password. So, to be safe, the best password is both long and complex.

Continue reading: So is a long password of repeating characters good or not?
http://askleo.com?p=3679

How do I detect web beacons in email?
A web “beacon” or “bug” is simply something in an email that reports back to the sender that you’ve opened the mail.

Continue reading: How do I detect web beacons in email?
http://askleo.com?p=3685

*** Our Sponsor

Advertisement. Ask Leo about advertising here.

*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Word o' the Week

Form factor refers to the size, shape and perhaps other physical characteristics of an object.

When applied to computers and related devices it typically refers to a “class” of device, such as a tablet, a laptop, a desktop and so on. You might see a device described as having a “tablet form-factor”, or having the “form-factor of a desktop”, in each case referring to its overall physical characteristics.

There are no absolute definitions of specific computer-related form factors which can lead to some confusion. For example the terms “notebook” and “laptop” might, or might not refer to the same general overall size and shape depending on who’s using the term and in what context.

Word o' the Week features a computer term or acronym taken from the Ask Leo! Glossary. If there's a word you're not sure of and would like to see defined, click here to let me know.

*** Featured Reader Comments

There's Just No Need to Hate Windows 8

James Morris writes:

My complaint about Windows 8 is really about the entire direction Microsoft is going.

I am running a business. I need a "Business Class" operating system. When I purchase an operating system labeled "Pro", I expect to get Business Class.

That is not what Microsoft is delivering. Every now release adds more time to the process of preparing a PC for my users. Stripping out the games, turning on "real" networking, etc., and now I have to provide 3rd party tools so my desktop users can have a desktop readily available to reach their desktop applications.

Sure, Windows 8 can be coaxed into being business desktop friendly, but why should professional users have to waste time doing that? Why can't Microsoft actually deliver a "Professional" grade opsystem right out of the box?

By the way, have you noticed the Windows 8 ads? They are all about your 10 year old child painting pictures of flowers, and other very unbusinesslike activities.

Where are the examples of running MRP, Accounting, Engineering, or serious 3D CAD applications?

It seems like business users, who are really the backbone of Microsoft's income, have been relegated to unwanted stepchild status.

There's Just No Need to Hate Windows 8

James writes:

Nothing in the first half of your article made me think I should switch. In fact if running Classic Shell makes it work and act the same as Windows 7, I just couldn't see the point of anyone upgrading unless they had touch/tablet hardware.

After reading the first half of the article, I was glad to see your number one recommendation was to not do anything, unless you have a reason to switch.

I've never been one to run out and get the latest and greatest. In fact my Windows 98 PC is still sitting on the floor here collecting dust (much to my wife's dismay). I think I used that until just prior to the Vista launch, when I got a Boxing Day special on a XP PC. XP is still doing fine and I have no plans of leaving XP. I would probably need a hardware upgrade if I did.

There's Just No Need to Hate Windows 8

Lester writes:

FINALLY! A sensible and reasonable article on Windows 8. I upgraded both of my machines before low priced upgrade vanished. I've had very little problem and I like it. I also installed an SSD on my laptop and it really sizzles now. I didn't even bother turning it into Windows 7 with a start button replacement. I just use the start screen for a few things and switch to the desktop for the rest.

Honestly, the anti- Win 8 vendetta is disturbing to me. Something is bad is happening to our nations when people can't accept the challenge of something new and learn to thrive with it. We need people who can take up challenges like this and enjoy them. Otherwise the Chinese will walk all over us. THEY know how to accept a challenge. We're too lazy for it.

*** Thoughts and Comments

I had someone ask if my security software recommendations article was still accurate, since it was dated a couple of years ago. The short answer is yes, but I took that as a reminder that it's an article worth updating every couple of years even if nothing substantive changes. That's this week's What Security Software do you recommend? I did take the opportunity to add a few thoughts about what to do when you can't download, and of course my ever present reminder to back up.

Also this week: I bought myself a Microsoft Surface Pro while on my sabbatical. I've been playing with it and using it off-and-on ever since. I finally took the time this weekend to write down my thoughts about the device. You can see those at Microsoft Surface Pro: the Good, the Bad and the Awkward.

Be sure and tell your friends about Ask Leo! and have them subscribe to the newsletter. It's your word-of-mouth, shares and links to the site that are an incredibly important, and highly appreciated, part of what keeps it going.

See you next week,

Leo A. Notenboom
Facebook - Google+
YouTube - Twitter

*** Administration

If you have a question don't reply to this email. Instead, head over here:

http://ask-leo.com/ask

and submit your question there.

That form is the best way to get an answer. (This article explains why.)

Need more help with or have questions about the newsletter? Check out the newsletter administration page.

]]>

What is “clicks.aweber.com”?

Leo — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:01:05 +0000

Aweber is the service that I use to send The Ask Leo! Newsletter. I’ve used them for years, and they are highly respected in the industry. I honestly can’t think of a better company to work with.

One of the things that Aweber supports, as do other email sending services, is the ability to tell which links people click on. “clicks.aweber.com” is the internet domain that they use to perform this function.

How do they do that and why do I let them?

Let me explain…

How click tracking works

When I put a link to something in my newsletter, say a link to http://buyleoalatte.com, that link is replaced by Aweber with a link of their own that begins with http://clicks.aweber.com/ followed by information that tells them exactly which link it was that was clicked, and who clicked it.

When someone clicks on that link, it’s http://clicks.aweber.com that gets requested. That server records the information about the click, and then automatically and transparently redirects the user to its actual destination – http://buyleoalatte.com in my example case.

You click on a link and get to where you’re supposed to go, clicks.aweber.com simply acts as an intermediary to record the fact that the link was clicked.

Why I let click tracking happen

I don’t pay as much attention to the data as I should but here’s the idea:

By understanding which links get the most clicks, I can tell which articles – and perhaps more importantly which types of articles – people are most interested in. It’s one data point that basically tells me to “do more of that”.
By noting who is clicking on links I know who’s actually interested in the newsletter, and who’s getting it but never bothering to look at it. More on that below.

It’s important to realize that almost any newsletter you sign up for anywhere, any time – be it a newsletter from your favorite tech web site, your utility company, or breaking news site – can and probably does something similar, and for much the same reason. It’s a way we as newsletter publishers have of seeing where we’re succeeding and where we could do better.

Isn’t this some kind of privacy thing?

It’s important to realize something that I’ve said over and over again… as an individual your activities just aren’t that interesting. Sorry.

I don’t think anyone has any particular interest in looking at what you, specifically, are or are not clicking on. Even if I did have some kind of bizarre curiosity at an individual level with tens of thousands of subscribers I just don’t have the time to do it.

On the other hand, the trends shown by rolling up all that data on tens of thousands of individuals is very interesting. This is the data that tells me things like only a handful of people bothered with this article, but almost everyone looked at that one.

I’m not looking at you as an individual, but the aggregate data is exceptionally helpful and valuable to me.

What’s that about whether or not I’m interested?

As I’ve also said repeatedly, there’s no 100% reliable way to determine if an email has been opened.

But we can get close.

If I include an image in the newsletter (as I do – my logo for one, my signature at the bottom for another), the act of fetching that image to be displayed tells Aweber that you opened the newsletter.

However, if, like many people, you have images turned off by default (and you see text like
“Ask Leo! – Be sure to allow image display for the best viewing” where the logo should be) then that technique doesn’t work. However if you click a link that also tells Aweber that you must have opened the newsletter to even see the link. That’s called an “inferred open”.

Why do I care so much about opens?

If you’re getting the newsletter but never opening it, that tells me you’re not interested. If too many people do that I need to know that what I’m doing isn’t what they want.

What’s worse, though, is that the major email service providers also see which emails you open and don’t. If they see that a lot of people subscribed to my newsletter never open it then that affects my “reputation” and my deliverability with that service. Put another way, if enough people never open the newsletter it gets sent to spam more often.

That’s why every spring or so I actually unsubscribe those people that haven’t opened the newsletter in “a long time”. Since they never opened it, they weren’t interested, and they never even notice that they’d been unsubscribed.

What about clicks.aweber.com problems?

Occasionally it appears that some security software, ad blocker or perhaps even malware causes clicks.aweber.com to be blocked, which means that when you click on one of my links that uses it you get some kind of “sorry, you can’t get there from here” message.

Thanks to a reader, I’ve confirmed that the MVPS host file replacement is one example, as it does indeed block clicks.aweber.com.

Let me be clear: I believe, strongly, that this is an erroneous and unwarranted block. clicks.aweber.com is safe.

That being said, I’m not going to argue the point. If you like you can simply remove any aweber.com domains from the hosts file and you should be just fine. If you elect to leave it in place, then you won’t be able to click on some or perhaps all of the links in my newsletter, and the newsletters of other aweber customers. In my case you can simply read the latest newsletter on the web.

Ask Leo! #441 – Why don’t people back up? Password reset disks, Office 2013 subscription, running without a net and more…

Leo — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:00:40 +0000

The Ask Leo! Newsletter

*** Featured

Why don't people back up?

I recently posted a recommendation for a specific backup program, but it got me to thinking about backing up in general.

It’s a common topic here on Ask Leo! and for a good reason. Not a day goes by that I don’t see somebody suffering for lack of a backup. Not a day goes by that I don’t see somebody who could have avoided a serious problem simply by having had a backup.

So why don’t more people back up?

Continue Reading: Why don't people back up?
http://askleo.com/?p=3388

How Do I Create a Windows 7 Password Reset Disk, and Why Would I Want To?

Since the day that password protection was invented, users (and the people that help them) have been dealing with the “lost password problem.” You know how it goes; you or someone you know can’t log in to their account because they can’t recall their password.

Take it from me, it happens. A lot.

For a long time – at least since Windows XP and probably before – Windows has included the ability to create a password reset disk that you can use in cases where you’ve forgotten your Windows login password.

There are a few prerequisites to using this tool. The most important one is you must create the disk before you actually need it.

Continue Reading: How Do I Create a Windows 7 Password Reset Disk, and Why Would I Want To?
http://askleo.com/?p=3395

*** Answercast

Answercast #104 - IE8 errors, advertising popups, defragging D, telling you are hacked and more...

Listen Now!
(Includes the raw transcript on which the articles below were based.)

How to tell if your email, computer, or Facebook has been hacked
It's actually quite difficult for the typical user to tell if their computer is being hacked. Email and Facebook are another story.

Continue reading: How to tell if your email, computer, or Facebook has been hacked
http://askleo.com?p=3414

Why do I get script error messages in Windows 8 and not prior versions of Windows?
The tiled browser seems to be a different version of Internet Explorer. From what I can tell, it has reduced features and is less functional when compared with the normal Internet Explorer.

Continue reading: Why do I get script error messages in Windows 8 and not prior versions of Windows?
http://askleo.com?p=3433

Is the Office 2013 subscription really worth it?
When Microsoft Office included the Office 2013 subscription on Windows 8 as something that home users could purchase, I had the same reaction. Then I did the math.

Continue reading: Is the Office 2013 subscription really worth it?
http://askleo.com?p=3440

Should I defrag the D drive on my Windows XP?
If you have a heavily used drive, make sure that it’s getting defragged on a regular basis. If it’s not getting used that heavily, there’s no harm in defragging it, but I wouldn’t go out of my way.

Continue reading: Should I defrag the D drive on my Windows XP?
http://askleo.com?p=3444

Why is Norton preventing me from installing Classic Shell?
The problem is that some third-party download sites (not all) actually add software to your download. It could be possible that Norton is correctly preventing you from downloading viruses.

Continue reading: Why is Norton preventing me from installing Classic Shell?
http://askleo.com?p=3447

Why is a website telling me I need IE8 when I already run IE8?
It might be the website's fault. It might be the browser's fault. Either way, start by trying a different browser.

Continue reading: Why is a website telling me I need IE8 when I already run IE8?
http://askleo.com?p=3450

Does Windows support drives larger than two terabytes?
Windows certainly does support large drives, at the worst you may have to overcome some formatting issues.

Continue reading: Does Windows support drives larger than two terabytes?
http://askleo.com?p=3456

Should I be worried about the "open in other locations" message from Gmail?
This is an interesting feature in Gmail. When you’re traveling, it’s kind of fun to see where Gmail thinks you’ve been accessing it from.

Continue reading: Should I be worried about the "open in other locations" message from Gmail?
http://askleo.com?p=3540

How do I get rid of this advertising popup that keeps coming back?
If your anti-malware tools removed the malware but this browser hijack keeps coming back, then you might be doing something to invite it back on to your system.

Continue reading: How do I get rid of this advertising popup that keeps coming back?
http://askleo.com?p=3522

I run no anti-virus software and now have viruses. What should I do?
It’s very possible that your machine has become so infected that recovery really isn’t a possibility. If this is the case, the only practical solution is to wipe the slate clean and start over from scratch.

Continue reading: I run no anti-virus software and now have viruses. What should I do?
http://askleo.com?p=3526

*** Our Sponsor

The Best of Ask Leo!
Like what you see in this newsletter?

Subscribe to The Best of Ask Leo!
One complete, hand-picked article every week from the Ask Leo! archives.

The Best of Ask Leo!

Advertisement. Ask Leo about advertising here.

*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Word o' the Week

A backup is nothing more than an additional copy of data kept in a different location than the original.

If there’s only one copy of something – say a photograph on a mobile phone – then it’s not backed up. If that device were to fail or be lost, then the photograph would be lost forever as well.

Computers are excellent at making copies of digital data, and backups are one important use of that functionality.

It’s generally recommended that important data be backed up in at least one, ideally more, separate devices or media, such as an external hard disk. In addition it’s recommended that critical data also be backed up in another physical location, such as a different building or by backing it up online.

More than anything the important concept is that there never be a single copy of important data. That’s not backed up.

Ask Leo! #440 – Just how many bits do you need? Software Rot, Emptying the Trash and more…

Leo — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:00:20 +0000

The Ask Leo! Newsletter

*** Featured

64-bit and 32-bit: Which Do You Want? Which Do You Have?

The difference between 32-bit and 64-bit computers and versions of Windows remains a point of very common confusion.

It's really no surprise because the concept is actually fairly geeky and not something a typical computer user should need to worry about.

And yet, it turns out that it's important to realize that there is a difference. When installing software, including the operating system itself, using the wrong flavor can lead to anything from decreased performance to installations that don't work at all.

It's also important to know what you already have, if for no other reason than to be able to select appropriate software and possibly system updates in the future.

Continue reading: 64-bit and 32-bit: Which Do You Want? Which Do You Have?
http://ask-leo.com/C6392

* * *

*** Answercast

Answercast #103 - Improving network security, mobile apps, paying for updates, destabilizing a computer and more...

Do you wonder if you should empty your trash or turn off Network Discovery for security? Afraid to install lots of programs or use a banking app? Want to make your public hotspot safer? All that and more in this Answercast from Ask Leo!

Continue reading: Answercast #103 - Improving network security, mobile apps, paying for updates, destabilizing a computer and more...

Does emptying trash in email keep others from seeing the email I deleted?
Most individuals wouldn't be able to access emails that you've deleted... but that doesn't mean that someone at the ISP wouldn't be able to find the message.
Continue reading: Does emptying trash in email keep others from seeing the email I deleted?
http://ask-leo.com/C6401

Does turning off Network Discovery improve wireless security?
Unfortunately, network sniffing is a very simple thing to do and it has actually nothing to do with the network discovery option.
Continue reading: Does turning off Network Discovery improve wireless security?
http://ask-leo.com/C6402

Does turning off remote access keep me safer?
Turning off remote assistance is an incremental improvement. But it is a very small increment in a much larger puzzle.
Continue reading: Does turning off remote access keep me safer?
http://ask-leo.com/C6403

If I delete files from my disk drive will they be deleted from the backup?
Old backups typically will have all of the files that were on your machine at the time the backup was taken.
Continue reading: If I delete files from my disk drive will they be deleted from the backup?
http://ask-leo.com/C6404

Is there a fee for all of these updates that are ready for your computer pop-ups?
The important thing is to develop a sense so you can recognize what the Windows Update message looks like.
Continue reading: Is there a fee for all of these updates that are ready for your computer pop-ups?
http://ask-leo.com/C6405

Does installing lots of programs destabilize my computer?
Skip the apps. Install the software that you're going to use and use your computer the way you want to use it!
Continue reading: Does installing lots of programs destabilize my computer?
http://ask-leo.com/C6406

Does cleaning cookies force me to re-verify my bank login?
It's a pretty quick process to identify all the internet domains that need to be listed in CCleaner as exceptions - so that you can easily login to your favorite sites.
Continue reading: Does cleaning cookies force me to re-verify my bank login?
http://ask-leo.com/C6407

Can I install Windows XP on a machine that comes with Windows 8?
If you can find a copy of XP, and if you can find drivers for the new hardware it's possible that it may work okay.
Continue reading: Can I install Windows XP on a machine that comes with Windows 8?
http://ask-leo.com/C6408

Does having a publicly visible Wi-Fi password add security compared to an open Wi-Fi hotspot?
Using a password protected WPA2 is a minor inconvenience for a very significant level of additional security. I'll explain...
Continue reading: Does having a publicly visible Wi-Fi password add security compared to an open Wi-Fi hotspot?
http://ask-leo.com/C6409

Is it safe to use a mobile banking app over an open Wi-Fi connection?
Checking that all apps are doing it right is not feasible, but I set up a sniffer to verify that Gmail was using an https secure connection. The results?
Continue reading: Is it safe to use a mobile banking app over an open Wi-Fi connection?
http://ask-leo.com/C6410

*** Our Sponsor

Advertisement. Ask Leo about advertising here.

*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Word o' the Week

SSID

SSID is an acronym for Service Set IDentifier. More commonly, it's the "network name" that's assigned to a Wi-Fi wireless access point.

The SSID is typically broadcast by a Wi-Fi access point to announce its presence and to allow computer users to identify the access point and network that they might then connect to. Broadcasting the SSID is actually optional and can be used to keep a network from appearing in "nearby networks" types of lists.

Word o' the Week features a computer term or acronym taken from the Ask Leo! Glossary. If there's a word you're not sure of and would like to see defined, click here to let me know.

*** Featured Reader Comments

What password should I change on my router for security?

Andy writes:

The only thing I would say about the SSID is that hackers target routers with default SSIDs because they assume that if you haven't changed such a simple thing, you will most likely not have changed passwords either. As long as you've changed your passwords to something far from default and a strong password (if you're not sure, there's multiple password strength meters online) you should be fine, but it's always worth remembering and it's nice to customize the SSID anyway.

Can I remove all these updates listed in add/remove programs?

DSU writes:

CCleaner also allows you to remove the items from the list. I do that as part of my monthly running of CCleaner.

There's Just No Need to Hate Windows 8

John Browne writes:

Great article, Leo, as always. But a few things I've found via Win8 vs Win7 et al that you might not have bumped into yet.

Windows 8 Store apps (those that are represented by tiles in the Windows home page) only run as full screen or a fixed size "snapped" to another app. So this means two things: either you have one app visible or two. Period. And there's no options to resize them. So, for example, if you want to run Skype and Outlook and see both at the same time, you have very few options. For this you probably want to jump into the desktop and use the traditional version of these apps--but you'll have to find the "desktop" version of Skype, as the version that comes with Windows 8 is a Windows Store app only.

You'll also have to deal with the fact that even running Classic Shell (which I rely on completely) the charms menu will pop up when your mouse hits the side of the screen. You can cancel that behavior in the configuration of Classic Shell.

If you don't run Classic Shell and you're not using a touch-based computer you are hosed.

For me the good news is similar to what you found: under the hood Win8 is a great OS, fast, light, and robust. The UI, however, will drive you crazy if you've used Windows for any time at all. (Frankly, having used Win8RT on my Acer tablet for several months now, I'm less than awed with the touch experience compared to an iPad, but that's just my opinion).

*** Thoughts and Comments

For the past 10 years I've owned the domain ask-leo.com, and that's where Ask Leo! has lived it's happy little life.

Last year I was fortunate enough to be able to pick up askleo.com (the one without the dash). Since I got it I've had it simply redirecting to ask-leo.com so there was no real difference, and no matter what you used you got to where you thought you were going.

As of yesterday I turned that part off. askleo.com is where the new Ask Leo! will live.

Now, before you run out there to poke around (and you're welcome to do so), a couple of notes:

The look is not the new Ask Leo! design. The current look is simply me selecting and tweaking a Wordpress theme to look kinda-sorta enough like Ask Leo! that I'd be OK with it going public. It's actually the same look as answercast.askleo.com and newsletter.askleo.com.
Not everything is there. In fact, not everything will be there, but that's another discussion. For now a few articles have been duplicated out there to get a feel for how things will work. (The impact on how we put together the newsletter is pretty dramatic, for example.)
It's possible ... likely even ... that new articles will soon be posted only on the new site beginning in the very near future. That shouldn't affect you, as links will still link and the newsletter will still point to all the right places. It's just that the edges might be a little rough.
I do have a new look-and-feel being designed as we speak, so don't worry if the font's too small or the site doesn't look pretty enough, that should also change in the coming weeks.

Honestly I'm very excited to see this transition happen. While its mostly about making Ask Leo! a more professional looking site and helpful experience, the changes that you don't see, the changes on the back end that affect how we put things together are pretty darned cool as well.

So, as the disclaimer on askleo.com says, "Thanks for your patience."

See you next week,

Leo A. Notenboom
Facebook - Google+
YouTube - Twitter

*** Administration

Need more help with or have questions about the newsletter? Check out the newsletter administration page.

]]>