Leo's Answers
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Ask Leo!
Leo Notenboom
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*** Contents
*** This Week's New Articles on Ask Leo!
Can I prevent a file from being deleted?
Can I prevent a file from being deleted? I have a file that is
encrypted so that only I can read it. Now the problem is that although
no one can read it, they can still delete it. I want to prevent that
file from being deleted.
|
The short answer is no. You can't prevent it.
The longer answer is you can make it more difficult, but if someone
is determined to delete the file, they probably still can.
Continue reading: "Can
I prevent a file from being deleted?"
http://ask-leo.com/can_i_prevent_a_file_from_being_deleted.html
* * *
How does flushing DNS help resolve some issues, and while
you're at it what's DNS?
I suddenly started to encounter 'time-out' error messages with
certain sites - yours being one of them! On looking further, I could
not find any logic to the dozen or so sites I regularly visit being
unavailable. I tried accessing these sites through an online proxy -
the sites loaded. I re-booted and ran all the adware / spyware / virus
programs - all to no avail. I managed to Google the problem and found
some obscure forum with the response 'go to command line prompt and
type "ipconfig /flushdns" ' which I duly did. Perfect - problem solved
- but why did I need to do this, what is a DNS flush and how can I
avoid this problem in the future?
|
Well, I can't really say why that fixed your problem, since a reboot
is also another way of flushing your DNS. In fact, it's one of the many
reasons that so many tech support folks insist you reboot as the first
step when investigating just about anything.
But you seem to indicate that a reboot actually didn't help.
But, conceptually at least, it sometimes can help, and it's much
faster than a reboot.
Continue reading:
"How does flushing DNS help resolve some issues, and while you're at it
what's DNS?"
http://ask-leo.com/how_does_flushing_dns_help_resolve_some_issues_and_while_youre_at_it_whats_dns.html
* * *
How do you remove wireless connections in
Vista?
In my neighborhood there are several wireless networks. All of these
are unsecured. As the signal of one of these is stronger than that of
my own router, my laptop sometimes attempts to connect to this other
network. I am running Vista and have repeatedly deleted all the
neighboring networks from the list in the network center. Nevertheless,
it reappears the next time I start up the laptop. Are there other ways
to remove this competing network than just deleting it from the
list?
|
Deleting it might well be exactly the wrong thing to do.
I believe what you really want to do is leave it in the list, but
tell Vista not to use it.
Continue reading:
"How do you remove wireless connections in Vista?"
http://ask-leo.com/how_do_you_remove_wireless_connections_in_vista.html
* * *
Can I move my system drive to another computer and have it
work?
I would like your take on installing a C: Hard drive from one
computer into another computer. Would that computer boot up normally
with the C: Hard drive from another machine?
|
This is a classic case of "maybe".
Ultimately, it might work, and it might not. Or something in
between.
It depends on how similar the two machines are.
Continue reading:
"Can I move my system drive to another computer and have it
work?"
http://ask-leo.com/can_i_move_my_system_drive_to_another_computer_and_have_it_work.html
* * *
How do I format and partition my new external hard
disk?
I have a new 500GB external USB hard drive and would like to format
and partition it. How do I do that?
|
Well, to begin with, you may not need to. Most come pre-formatted as
a single partition.
But if it didn't, or if you don't like the default setup, changing
it is easy. And of course you'll want to do this before you load that
disk up with data.
Continue reading:
"How do I format and partition my new external hard disk?"
http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_format_and_partition_my_new_external_hard_disk.html
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*** Featured Comments
A sampling of some of the comments that have been posted recently on
Ask Leo!
* * *
Can
I install programs on an external drive?
Vik writes:
How to protect my data on my portable hard drive, from infections,
while connecting to other people's pc ? Thanks for any info.
If your hard drive (or USB thumb drive) has a physical "read-only"
switch to prevent writing to the device, use that. Unfortunately, not
many do these days for some reason.
From a purely pragmatic point of view the answer is that you really
can't ... at least not with 100% certainty. The best steps to take
include:
-
ONLY connect to PCs you absolutely trust
-
turn off "auto play" on your own computer
-
virus scan the drive immediately on connecting it back to your own
computer.
Leo
*
How do I transfer my email from one ISP to another?
Bevin writes:
Leo,
When you say PC based program are you referring to something like
Outlook (not Outlook Express)? I am not sure I understand your term
'web-based email' Since I have all my emails stored on my PC, I assume
from what you are saying that Outlook must be acting as a client since
I can backup and archive my emails. Am I correct in this?
Thanks,
Bevin
Bevin: a "PC Based" email program is, as you say, a program like
Outlook Express or Outlook or Thunderbird or any of several others that
run on and typically download email to your PC.
A "Web Based" email is something like Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, GMail and
others where you manage your email by visiting a web page in your web
browser.
Some ISPs provide both approaches to viewing your mail.
Leo
*
Thunderbird - A Free, Open Source, and Powerful Email Client
Novice writes:
my question is email client versus web based access. is it necessary
or better to have an email program? i use webmails and never felt the
need. i have tried windows live. i like its vista look but i find web
based access faster.
at least in gmail (web) i can filter items and send them to whatever
folders i create. i can access such sorting from any place unlike in
the case of email programs.
am i not utilizing the mail programs efficiently or do i actually
not need them?
im talkin about home use. i have lotus notes at work and cant change
that.
Ziggie writes:
I use gmail's web client because it's convenient and syncs easily
(as in, it's the same everywhere cuz it's web based).
But as Leo has pointed out before, what if Gmail were to go away
tomorrow? What then?
If you don't care, then web based is perfect for you.
If the thought causes heart flutters, that's where Thunderbird comes
in. I leave Thunderbird open on my computer simply to download and
backup mail. No, it's not organized very well, if at all, but it's
backed up. If gmail were to disappear I'd be inconvenienced (as it is
my primary email address), but I would have all my email.
I rarely ever have to look for messages in Thunderbird. And it's
nice to have it there if I need it.
Ziggie answered before I could 
. I'll also point
out this article: How do I backup my
GMail?.
Thanks,
Leo
*** This Week's Most Popular
The ten most popular articles in the last 7 days on Ask Leo!
- How
do I make a new MSN Hotmail account?
-
How do I delete history items from my Google tool bar?
-
How do I put a picture in a comment on myspace.com?
-
How do I put a picture into the caption of a picture on
myspace.com?
- What is
Silverlight, and do I need it?
-
What are MSN HotMail's POP3 and SMTP settings for Outlook
Express?
-
My desktop Recycle Bin has disappeared - why, and how do I get it
back?
-
What are the POP3 and SMTP settings for Hotmail?
- How do I
hack into someone's account?
- How
do I change my MSN Hotmail password?
*** Leo Recommends
Thunderbird
A Free, Open Source, and Powerful Email Client
Mozilla's Thunderbird is my choice for email. I use it all day every
day, and I can heartily recommend it as an often more powerful and
capable replacement for mail programs like Outlook Express, Windows
Live Mail and many other desktop email applications.
The feature list is long, but I want to call out some of my favorite
features and some of the things that personally draw me to Thunderbird
and cause me to make it my recommendation for almost anyone using a
desktop email program.
Continue reading:
"Thunderbird - A Free, Open Source, and Powerful Email
Client"
http://ask-leo.com/thunderbird_a_free_open_source_and_powerful_email_client.html
•
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 from the Archives
It's nice to be generous, but it's
important to understand the risks.
If I let my neighbor share my WiFi, can they see my network
traffic?
|
I have a
home network with 3 computers (two desktops connected with ethernet
cables to Linksys router; laptop is wireless). The wireless signal is
encrypted and I gave my next door neighbors my network key so they can
wirelessly connect just to check email, do banking, etc. They are not
on my home network, but can they still see where I am surfing (such as
my bank site with passcodes, etc.)?
|
Well, let me at least make one correction to what you've laid
out:
If you've given them access to your wireless access point, they are
on your home network. What they can see depends on a couple of things,
but to be blunt: I hope you trust them.
Continue reading...
If I let my neighbor share my WiFi, can they see my network
traffic?
http://ask-leo.com/if_i_let_my_neighbor_share_my_wifi_can_they_see_my_network_traffic.html
*** Thoughts and Comments
Last week's ad for 123 Inkjets had a bad coupon code, and even
called out a bad expiration date. (Sheesh, you'd think I'd have noticed
that at least.) I've got a request in for a new coupon to share, but
haven't yet heard back. Sorry for that little mix up. I'll post an
update here when I get it.
*
Are you using the latest version of your web browser? I hope so, but
apparently many are not. A research paper shows that over 40%
of web surfers are using browsers with known vulnerabilities. While
Internet Explorer has the highest insecurity rate, all browsers are
represented to varying degrees.
One of the (many) things I feel like I sometimes harp on too much is
keeping your system up-to-date. That includes your web browser as well
as the operating system itself, and to be fair, just about every
application you run. Yep, it can be a minor annoyance, but it's
important to keeping yourself and everyone else safe on the
internet.
*
As always, thanks for subscribing, for reading, and for your
feedback. If you appreciate this newsletter or the site, one of the
best ways you can say "Thank You!" is to link to Ask Leo! or
simply to tell a friend or colleague. Just send folks to askleo.net.
'till next time...
* * *
A selection of Leo's articles are available for free re-use at
http://articlesbyleo.com.
Some of Leo's other sites: The Ask Leo! Store, Leo's Online Business Card, Forwarded
Funnies, Taming Email,
MovableType Tips, Leo's Blog, Buy Leo a Latte (or a Beer), A Letter To Myself, Dolls and Friends, Corgwn.com
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Copyright © 2008, Leo A. Notenboom & Puget Sound Software,
LLC.
Continue reading
Leo's Answers #137 - July 22, 2008
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Source: Leo's Answers #137 - July 22, 2008
