https://askbobrankin.com/ Need tech support? Go ahead... Ask Bob Rankin about computers, viruses, spyware, search engines or almost anything about the Internet. en Copyright 2025, Bob Rankin Mon, 05 May 2025 15:13:57 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.21 http://askbobrankin.com/askbob2.jpg https://askbobrankin.com/ A curious and perceptive AskBob reader says: “I understand why I need a firewall to protect my computer from inbound threats. But a friend is telling me I need another type of firewall, which blocks outbound traffic as well. If I have good anti-virus software, do I really need this outbound firewall?” Good question, here’s my take on outbound firewalls...

Continue reading Does a Firewall Give Extra Security? ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/does_a_firewall_give_extra_security.html https://askbobrankin.com/does_a_firewall_give_extra_security.html Security Mon, 05 May 2025 15:13:57 +0000 A savvy AskBob reader says: “I know I need to clean and optimize my hard drive every once in a while. But are there any other regular PC maintenance tasks you recommend doing on a regular basis?” Well, yes! Here are more than ten free programs you can use to clean up and tune up your Windows computer...

Continue reading Does Your Computer Need an Oil Change? ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/does_your_computer_need_an_oil_change.html https://askbobrankin.com/does_your_computer_need_an_oil_change.html Software Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:12:37 +0000 Is your wireless Internet (WiFi) connection being borrowed or hijacked by a stranger? If your home WiFi connection is sometimes mysteriously slow, it might be that a neighbor, stranger (or a malicious hacker) has tapped into your wifi. It happened to me! Read on to learn how to bust bandwidth bandits, and give digital leeches the boot...

Continue reading ZAP Your WiFi Intruders! ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/zap_your_wifi_intruders.html https://askbobrankin.com/zap_your_wifi_intruders.html Wireless Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:40:01 +0000 So, you forgot your login password for Windows 10 or Windows 11? Or maybe you 'inherited' a Windows computer and you can't log in. There's hope, but resetting a forgotten password for a Windows 10 or 11 PC can be complicated by several factors. In this article, I’ll show you how to create a Password Reset disk as a preventive measure, and also how to reset your password if you don’t have the disk. Let's dig in...

Continue reading Forgot Your Windows Password? Do This Now... ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/forgot_your_windows_password_do_this_now.html https://askbobrankin.com/forgot_your_windows_password_do_this_now.html Windows Tue, 08 Apr 2025 17:25:35 +0000 How important is it to completely delete ALL data from a hard drive before disposing of it? Savvy users understand that deleting a file doesn't really make it go away. And even formatting a hard drive doesn't guarantee that your files are unreadable. So how can you be certain that every bit of your data is gone before selling, donating or disposing of your hard drive? Here's some good news on that front...

Continue reading Erase Your Hard Drive - The Nuclear Option? ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/erase_your_hard_drive_the_nuclear_option.html https://askbobrankin.com/erase_your_hard_drive_the_nuclear_option.html Hard-Drives Fri, 04 Apr 2025 20:55:21 +0000 Are creepy marketers salivating at the chance to buy your DNA? Has Microsoft finally killed off the Blue Screen of Death? Is that text about your unpaid tolls legit? And what should you do if an AI chatbot falsely accuses you of murder? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and comment!

Continue reading Geekly Update - 03 April 2025 ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_03_april_2025.html https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_03_april_2025.html Tech-News Thu, 03 Apr 2025 19:01:04 +0000 If you're concerned about identity theft in 2025, you're not necessarily paranoid. Frequent and massive data breaches provide scammers with the personal information they need to pull it off. If someone assumes your identity they can open new credit cards, raid your bank accounts, ruin your employment prospects, or even commit crimes for which you are blamed. With so much at stake, many people are paying $20 or more a month for identity theft protection services. But are they wasting their money? Here's the scoop...

Continue reading Will ID Theft Protection Save Your Digital Bacon? ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/will_id_theft_protection_save_your_digital_bacon.html https://askbobrankin.com/will_id_theft_protection_save_your_digital_bacon.html Privacy Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:22:03 +0000 Should you consider cheating when playing chess with an AI? Why should Jurassic Park be required viewing for all bioscientists? And have all the good guys in tech gone to the dark side? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and comment!

Continue reading Geekly Update - 05 March 2025 ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_05_march_2025.html https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_05_march_2025.html Tech-News Wed, 05 Mar 2025 20:28:22 +0000 Has this ever happened to you? You visit an online store, and later get an email from that website, even though you never provided your email address? I find this disturbing, and you probably will too, when you learn how this is happening. Read on to learn the source of mystery marketing messages, and steps you can take to protect your inbox...

Continue reading Here's How Creepy Marketers Capture Your Email Address ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/heres_how_creepy_marketers_capture_your_email_address.html https://askbobrankin.com/heres_how_creepy_marketers_capture_your_email_address.html Email Mon, 03 Mar 2025 18:47:08 +0000 Are tech support phone reps deliberately wasting your time? Why are QR codes showing up on grave stones? And is it possible to become invisible online? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and comment!

Continue reading Geekly Update - 26 February 2025 ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_26_february_2025.html https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_26_february_2025.html Tech-News Thu, 27 Feb 2025 02:18:00 +0000 A clever but pernicious software technique that's been known for more than a decade is finding favor among today's malware authors, complicating the work of anti-virus developers and digital forensic analysts. Tracking down so-called “fileless malware” is to detection of regular malware what ghost-hunting is to catching a garden-variety burglar. Read on to learn about this resurgent threat and what you can do to stop it...

Continue reading Fileless Malware: Who You Gonna Call? ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/fileless_malware_who_you_gonna_call.html https://askbobrankin.com/fileless_malware_who_you_gonna_call.html Viruses Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:05:52 +0000 Do you know what's going on under the hood of your PC or Mac? Most people don’t, and most of the time they don’t need to know. But there are occasions when a detailed inventory of a computer’s components comes in handy. Read on to learn some surprising reasons why you SHOULD know what's going on inside your computer, even if you're NOT a techie. These software tools will let you “x-ray” your PC, so you can see what's inside without touching a screwdriver. Read on...

Continue reading Here's Why You Should X-Ray Your Computer ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/heres_why_you_should_xray_your_computer.html https://askbobrankin.com/heres_why_you_should_xray_your_computer.html Hardware Wed, 19 Feb 2025 16:50:26 +0000 Check out these handy Windows 10 and 11 keyboard shortcuts that can save time, wrist motions, and for some people, carpal tunnel pain. Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys (or a key and a mouse button) that, when pressed simultaneously, perform a task that would normally require moving the mouse around, clicking, and possibly navigating sub-menus. There's even a useful super-secret keystroke that very few people know! Here are some keyboard shortcuts you should know, and try for yourself...

Continue reading [TIP] Try These Windows Keyboard Shortcuts ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/tip_try_these_windows_keyboard_shortcuts.html https://askbobrankin.com/tip_try_these_windows_keyboard_shortcuts.html Windows Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:01:43 +0000 It's a common question: “How can I speed up my Internet connection?” Unless you enjoy watching paint dry, a slow internet connection can be very frustrating, especially when you're trying to stream a movie, play an online game, or download a file. Sometimes the slowdown is beyond your control; the Internet is subject to traffic jams and congestion, just like any other highway. However, there are several steps you can take to speed up your internet connection. Here's a trove of tips and tools that can turbocharge your telecommunication tranmissions. Or maybe just increase the speed of your Internet connection...

Continue reading How to TurboCharge Your Internet Connection ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/how_to_turbocharge_your_internet_connection.html https://askbobrankin.com/how_to_turbocharge_your_internet_connection.html Networking Tue, 11 Feb 2025 19:19:14 +0000 Is your favorite video game getting Smell-o-Vision in the near future? Should your web browser be reminding you to breathe? Is Mark Zuckerberg leaking oil from a loose neck bolt? And is it time to get serious about the Windows 10 end-of-life deadline? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and comment!

Continue reading Geekly Update - 04 February 2025 ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_04_february_2025.html https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_04_february_2025.html Tech-News Tue, 04 Feb 2025 18:38:57 +0000 According to a report produced by Javelin Strategy & Research, identity theft affected over 15 million U.S. consumers in 2023, with losses over $23 billion. Spikes have been noted in 'new account fraud' and 'account takeover fraud' -- two of the most damaging types of ID theft. I haven’t found stats for 2024 yet, but we can assume they’re equally dismal. Read on for my tips on avoiding fraud and identity theft, and see if you've made any mistakes that can make it easier for scammers to victimize you...

Continue reading 12 Identity Theft Mistakes (how many have you made?) ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/12_identity_theft_mistakes_how_many_have_you_made.html https://askbobrankin.com/12_identity_theft_mistakes_how_many_have_you_made.html Privacy Mon, 03 Feb 2025 19:51:38 +0000 Has Siri predicted the winner of the 2025 Super Bowl? Is a powerful new Chinese AI chatbot a threat to the rest of the world? Will the Blue Triangle of Death be showing up on your electronic device? And what happened to those mystery drones? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and comment!

Continue reading Geekly Update - 29 January 2025 ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_29_january_2025.html https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_29_january_2025.html Tech-News Wed, 29 Jan 2025 18:53:29 +0000 A teenager and his parents were arrested this week, charged with running a scam involving ATMs and card skimmers that impacted over 900 people. And that's just one recent example. The biggest threat to financial networks is not ransomware, phishing, or denial-of-service attacks. It’s “ATM skimming,” the illegal capture of debit card data and PIN numbers by a “skimmer” device inserted into an Automated Teller Machine (ATM). Here's how to spot a skimmer and how to protect against this type of scam...

Continue reading [ALERT] ATM Skimmer Scams On The Rise ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/alert_atm_skimmer_scams_on_the_rise.html https://askbobrankin.com/alert_atm_skimmer_scams_on_the_rise.html Finance Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:17:00 +0000 Has the new U.S. president unveiled an interstellar teleportation device? Will artificial intelligence cure cancer in 2025? Should naughty robots be punished with pushups and squat thrusts? And how does one take a good photo from the window of a space craft that's moving at 17,150 miles per hour? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and comment!

Continue reading Geekly Update - 23 January 2025 ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_23_january_2025.html https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_23_january_2025.html Tech-News Thu, 23 Jan 2025 16:17:56 +0000 A concerned reader asks: “Bob, I'm worried that I might have a computer virus. My computer will sometimes stop and a warning says I have a virus, and I must call a number on the screen. Then supposedly they will walk me through the process to fix it. Is this true? I have antivirus installed but still, it pops up now and then.” Is this virus alert real or rogue? Here's my diagnosis...

Continue reading Is This a Fake Virus Alert? ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/is_this_a_fake_virus_alert.html https://askbobrankin.com/is_this_a_fake_virus_alert.html Viruses Tue, 21 Jan 2025 17:10:55 +0000 Has the arrival of way-too-cute robots lulled us into a false sense of security? Will AI make it way too easy for cybercriminals to trick us? Is Microsoft pretending to be Google? And why are mice wearing virtual reality goggles? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and comment!

Continue reading Geekly Update - 15 January 2025 ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_15_january_2025.html https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_15_january_2025.html Tech-News Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:13:17 +0000 So, you got a new computer, or maybe you're looking to spiff up your current model. It's a good idea to remove all those non-essential programs that came preloaded, and then install the best freeware for everyday computing. Here are some of my top free software recommendations for your computer. Read on!

Continue reading [RECOMMENDED] 10 Free Software Programs ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/recommended_10_free_software_programs.html https://askbobrankin.com/recommended_10_free_software_programs.html Software Tue, 07 Jan 2025 19:52:59 +0000 Did you catch Part One of my “Best of 2024” series? Well, buckle up, because today I’m serving up another round of ten wildly popular AskBob articles! These gems were carefully curated with assistance from a network of quantum robots, secret nodes on the blockchain, clandestine satellite feeds, and some AI software I may or may not have 'borrowed' from a guy named Vinny who works at the Large Hadron Collider. I hope you'll dive in, leave your own comments, and share them with your email buddies and social media contacts. Let's go!

Continue reading AskBob's Best of 2024 - Part Two ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/askbobs_best_of_2024_part_two.html https://askbobrankin.com/askbobs_best_of_2024_part_two.html Reference Mon, 06 Jan 2025 17:34:32 +0000 I want express my sincere THANKS to YOU and the 130,000+ others who have subscribed to the AskBob newsletter since 2005. This year I celebrated the 19th anniversary of this newsletter, and there are over 3000 articles here now. Many of you are regular readers and contribute comments, which I love. And since I love numbers almost as much as words, I asked my robot to scan the server logs to find the most popular articles of the year. Here are ten of the top articles for you to review. I hope you'll check out each one, leave your own comments, forward this to a friend, and tell them to sign up for more AskBob in 2025!

Continue reading AskBob's Best of 2024 - Part One ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/askbobs_best_of_2024_part_one.html https://askbobrankin.com/askbobs_best_of_2024_part_one.html Reference Fri, 03 Jan 2025 19:37:02 +0000 Have you experienced ASCII art? Long before the graphical World Wide Web was invented in the early 1990s, people were creating computer images that required no special hardware or software to view. ASCII art is composed only of plain text characters, and can be sent by e-mail without attachments. Take a stroll into Internet history, enjoy some ASCII art, and learn how to make your own…

Continue reading [WOW] ASCII Artwork - An Internet Treasure ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/wow_ascii_artwork_an_internet_treasure.html https://askbobrankin.com/wow_ascii_artwork_an_internet_treasure.html Cool-Stuff Fri, 20 Dec 2024 18:28:56 +0000 Your mouse hovers over a link... your trembling finger is poised to click... but then you stop to think. Is there danger lurking behind that link? Do you know how to tell right away if a website (or link) is going to lead you into a world of hurt? A single click can trigger an unwanted download, a malware infection, stolen login credentials, ransomware, or identity theft. Here are some practical tips and tools you can use to click smarter...

Continue reading The Click That Could Cost You ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/the_click_that_could_cost_you.html https://askbobrankin.com/the_click_that_could_cost_you.html Security Thu, 19 Dec 2024 19:07:37 +0000 Hey... did you know? At midnight on March 31st, the Internet will be temporarily shut down for the annual Spring Cyber Cleaning? Read on to get the scoop on this, Abraham Lincoln's opinion on fake news, and other dubious “facts” about computers and the Internet...

Continue reading 14 Computer Facts That Are Not True ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/14_computer_facts_that_are_not_true.html https://askbobrankin.com/14_computer_facts_that_are_not_true.html Reference Wed, 18 Dec 2024 14:33:48 +0000 Is December the best month of the year to shop for a new or used car? Are chip shortages still affecting auto prices and inventory? Today I have some some tips for car buying that will help you save money and get the car you want. You may not even have to set foot in a dealer showroom. Read on...

Continue reading The Best Time to Buy a Car is... ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/the_best_time_to_buy_a_car_is.html https://askbobrankin.com/the_best_time_to_buy_a_car_is.html Auto Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:22:14 +0000 Recently I wrote about the Windows 10 "end of life" situation, and gave some tips on how to move forward. One of those ideas was to move on to Windows 11, but many PCs don't meet the strict hardware requirements that Microsoft has imposed. Now they say you CAN install Windows 11 on your older PC, with a few caveats, of course. Let's look at that, and another idea that might work even better for you. Read on!

Continue reading Is This a Better Alternative to Windows 11? ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/is_this_a_better_alternative_to_windows_11.html https://askbobrankin.com/is_this_a_better_alternative_to_windows_11.html Windows-11 Wed, 11 Dec 2024 17:48:09 +0000 Less than two percent of U.S. homes have only a landline without cellphone service. Millions of consumers are 'cutting the cord' of landline phone service and switching to cellular or VoIP (Internet calling) services. If you’re one of the holdouts, you may be forced to give up your beloved copper-based phone line. Here’s an update on why landlines are doomed, and a look at some alternatives you should be considering…

Continue reading Telcos Pulling the Plug on Landlines? ... ]]> https://askbobrankin.com/telcos_pulling_the_plug_on_landlines.html https://askbobrankin.com/telcos_pulling_the_plug_on_landlines.html Telephony Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:49:39 +0000