Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
A Weekly
Newsletter From
Ask Leo!
Leo Notenboom
Hello!
Do you have a question for me? Don't hit reply! Head instead for the Ask Leo! home page and search the site first - seriously, around half the questions people ask are already answered there. You can also browse the archives, past newsletters and more. If none of that leads to an answer you can ask your question here.
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*** New Articles
Is it OK to use this random wireless network that I just found?
My internet connection went down on a Friday, and the service rep gave me a service call time for Monday, maybe. My HP notebook has wireless capability so I turned it on and checked what wireless networks were available. There are 3 secured and 1 unsecured wireless networks. I am able to logon to the unsecured wireless network, a NETGEAR network. The signal is low and only about 500K but works. Am I breaking the law by using someone else's wireless network? Is there a way to find out where this wireless network is and who owns it, hopefully it is a free public wireless network? Am I in any danger from using this wireless network? I am not doing anything that requires a password, and I have Windows Firewall, Norton antivirus, and Windows Defender running on my computer.
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What you're doing is very common. With so many open wireless hotspots around it's a temptation that's frequently too hard to resist, particularly when you're in need.
And yet, resist it you should.
There are a number of problems that arise from connecting to an unknown but open hotspot.
Continue reading:
Is it OK to use this random wireless network that I just found?
http://ask-leo.com/C4290
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My computer logs out immediately on login, what do I do?
My PC cannot go past the Log in screen. As soon as I log in, the pc accepts the password and then immediately logs off again. There is no way for me to also run any diagnostic program as well to determine the cause.
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This actually happens frighteningly often. I've encountered it at least once, and will describe what caused it and what I did to recover.
However...
There are potentially several reasons that this might happen. My specific example might be an interesting example that'll help you diagnose your problem ... or it might not help at all.
In which case, I have a different suggestion which is what I really recommend anyway.
Continue reading:
My computer logs out immediately on login, what do I do?
http://ask-leo.com/C4289
* * *
How do I remove a document stuck in my printer's queue?
I'm trying to delete a document in the queue of my printer, but I can't. It writes "deleting", but it never finishes, I've tried to cancel the same from the field of my printer but it doesn't disappear, restarting my computer, restarting the document, turning off the printer, unplugging the cables, still I can't. What else can I do? It doesn't allow other documents to print!
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When you print a document, say from your word processing program, that document is not sent directly to your printer. Instead it gets placed in a queue. The idea is that then once placed into the queue, the printer software will come along notice that there's something in the queue that needs to be printed, and print it.
Sometimes the queue gets "stuck", for lack of a better word.
And it can be really, really frustrating.
Continue reading:
How do I remove a document stuck in my printer's queue?
http://ask-leo.com/C4288
* * *
How do I get the password for a computer I purchased at a garage sale?
I purchased a comp at garage sale but they did not know main password is there a way I can get this free. Hope I did not throw my money away.
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I'll assume you mean the Windows login password.
I'll show you how you can bypass that and set your own - it's really not that hard.
And then I'll tell you why you really, REALLY, REALLY don't want to do what I suspect you're planning to do.
Continue reading:
How do I get the password for a computer I purchased at a garage
sale?
http://ask-leo.com/C4287
* * *
If I get this particular backup device, can I then use it to restore my entire system?
If I get [some specific backup device], does that mean that I can then somehow use it to restore my entire machine if it crashes completely?
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Yes, but...
The device alone is not enough. In fact any device, alone, is not enough.
There's more - much more - to restoring a complete system than just having backups. Besides the device, you need to have taken the right backups, and have the right tools with which to restore.
Continue reading:
If I get this particular backup device, can I then use it to restore my entire
system?
http://ask-leo.com/C4286
* * *
How many failed product key attempts do I get before I have to call Microsoft to install Windows?
How many attempts are allowed to Activate a new Windows OS before it forces a phone call to MS? Over the years, I've owned many computers with XP, and like a fool, I just put the CD's into a case with little description. I did write down the Product Keys but failed to keep them with the CD's. Dumb, I know, but it happened. I want to format one laptop and install fresh, but when the Windows installation prompts for the Product Key, I have eight legitimate keys, but not certain which one fits this CD. I could try all eight to see which one works, but I've heard that after "X" number of attempts, Windows will allow no more, and I have to call MS. Do you know what is "X"?
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No, I don't.
But the good news it that it probably doesn't matter, because I think you're comparing Apples and Oranges.
Having the right product key to go along with your CD isn't quite what you think it is, and on top of that, while it's a part of activation it's not the part you think it is.
Good and confused?
Let's fix that.
Continue reading:
How many failed product key attempts do I get before I have to call Microsoft
to install Windows?
http://ask-leo.com/C4285
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*** Comments
Why should I use a different computer to send anonymous email?
Vincent writes:
Shall I ask the obvious then...?
Why on earth would you want to send an email to someone, going out of your way
to make sure the person on the other end can't find out who the email comes
from?
I wonder...
Aside from illegitimate uses like harassment, the most common scenario for a completely legitimate need to send anonymous email are things like whistle-blowers - folks we need to be able to report information without fear of it adversely affecting their jobs, or worse.
-Leo
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Saul Mcleod writes:
MY account too has been closed for weeks and no response, months of job applications and years of contacts lost, can I sue?
Of course you can sue. The question is, will you win? I'm no lawyer, but I'm guessing you won't. Hotmail is a free service, and the terms of service that you agreed to when setting up the account I'm sure hold Hotmail free from any responsibility for data loss. This is why I so strongly recommend against free email accounts as the only place to keep important information. Those job applications and contacts should have been regularly backed up somewhere else, preferably on your own PC.
-Leo
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Does leaving my external hard drive connected put its contents at risk from malware?
Dsu writes:
I disagree here Leo. Assuming that this is the writer's only backup it should be disconnected when it is not in use. If something fries the computer's hard drive it will be likely to take out the USB drive too. Backups should be kept physically away from what they are backing up.
If this really is his only backup, clearly he's not taking all the steps he should I agree, but I want him to remain as likely as possible to continue backing up. That means removing all the barriers possible, which means leaving it plugged in so that backups happen.
In addition to this backup he should be doing the offsite/firesafe/whatever thing, but in practice I believe he's more likely to a) not do backups regularly if it's not plugged in, and b) encounter a problem where a daily backup would be the solution. The firesafe/offsite solution, while important is less likely to be needed.
-Leo
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Can my ISP turn off my modem if I use bittorrent?
Darkice writes:
MY ISP Did the Same Thing, I got up in the morning brewed my coffee sat down to watch my morning youtubes and the net was off with a message saying My net had been disable and to contact customer Service, I did and they told me 2 movie files had been reported DL on my IP, I was told to Uninstall Torrent Software then call them back and if file sharing was off they would reconnect me, seems off that they can force you to Uninstall a legal Program or track your downloads talk about invasion of privacy, not to mention I run an Open Wifi, so it could have been any one who DL off my IP..
You probably gave them the right when you accepted their terms of service. Another lesson: don't run an open WiFi.
-Leo
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Is it worth upgrading to Windows 7?
Coly Moore writes:
My old PC dies and I bought a new one that had Windows 7 and I love it. I guess this is a minority view here? But I find it superb. I haven't found any of my old programs that won't run if set to use compatibility mode. In general Windows 7 is much more helpful in case of problems - which have been very few. I love the GUI with the transparent window frames. That feature greatly increases the visibility when you have a log of windows up. And many other cool things like 'Pin to task bar'.
I don't believe you are in the minority. I believe that the majority of people running 7 are happy, and thus have no need to come here to complain. It's kind of like TV news that way - you only hear the bad news, but the good news is too common place to be news.
-Leo
*** Leo Recommends
Belarc Advisor
Detailed information about your computer's hardware and software
Is there a way or a tool to tell me what the computer's specs are?
*
Indeed there is.
There are various tools, including Windows itself, that will report on various aspects of your computers configuration. Most focus on one or two specific aspects, though, and make it difficult to form a picture of your computer as a whole.
Belarc Advisor is a PC auditing program that examines your computer and produces a one-page report of all the hardware and software installed on it.
A very comprehensive report.
Here's an image of just a portion of the report on my desktop machine:
Continue reading:
Detailed information about your computer's hardware and software
http://ask-leo.com/C3526
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Each week I recommend a specific product or resource that I've found valuable and that I think you may as well. What does my recommendation mean?
*** Popular Articles
I get this question surprisingly often. I'm not sure where people are coming up with all these pictures of documents that they want to convert, but regardless, it's not as simple a conversion as they might expect.
How do I convert a ".tif" file to a Word ".doc" file?
Is there a way to convert a file received as file.tif (originally a Word text .doc) to file.doc?
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Yes and no.
The problem is that your ".tif" file may have started out as a Word document, but it's not a Word document any more. Far from it, in fact.
Continue reading...
How do
I convert a ".tif" file to a Word ".doc" file?
http://ask-leo.com/C3012
*** Thoughts and Comments
It's not quiet ready yet. I still have a little polish to apply around the digital edges, so to speak, but that product I mentioned last week is inches from completion.
So I'll at least tell you what it is...
It's the Ask Leo! 2009 Archive.
A single PDF that contains every article published on Ask Leo! last year. No ads, no clutter, just one place to have it all, on your PC. Forever.
And while people have always told me that size doesn't matter (repeatedly) I was blown away by the fact that it's nearly 1,000 pages long! I had no idea that a years worth of content would add up to so much.
I'm really pleased with the results.
Keep an eye on the store and it should appear this week sometime. It'll be on sale (40% off) for a limited time, and you can use your newsletter subscriber discount code (near the bottom of every emailed copy of the newsletter) for an additional 20% off.
I've been so tempted to Twitter about it, or post to Facebook about it, but no ... as a newsletter subscriber you're hearing about it first. I'll wait a day or two after it's released before making any announcements.
And yes, I'm planning on doing at least 2008, and then making this an annual product.
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'till next week...
Leo A. Notenboom
*** Administration
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Leo A. Notenboom & Puget Sound Software, LLC.
•
Article C4292 - May 4, 2010
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.