Ask Leo! #488 - Opening ISO Files, Will XP Have a Very Bad Day?, Running without a Net, OpenOffice and more... - Confident Computing

*** Featured

What are ISO files, and how do I open them?

I have a file that contains some information. I want to open it, but I apparently don't have the right program installed on my computer. The file type is .iso. How can I open it?

An ISO file is just a disk image.

There are three ways to deal with a disk image:

Put it on a disk.
Make it look like you put it on a disk.
Pretend it's something else.

Continue Reading: What are ISO files, and how do I open them?
http://askleo.com/?p=3228

*** Answercast

Answercast #149 - Trying to save XP, sudden spam, malware quarantine, OpenOffice and more...

Are you trying to come up with a solution to the end of XP support? Are you suddenly getting a bunch of spam, or are you looking for an alternative to Microsoft Office? 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 my machine so slow after a recovery from malware?
Not only is malware written with bad intent, but it is often written badly. It can leave a mark on your computer's performance even after it's been removed.

Continue reading: Why is my machine so slow after a recovery from malware?
http://askleo.com?p=13642

Will preventing XP from reaching the internet keep me safe?
Keeping an XP computer off the internet will also prevent it from keeping any anti-malware tools up-to-date. You may end up less safe than you think.

Continue reading: Will preventing XP from reaching the internet keep me safe?
http://askleo.com?p=13645

Is OpenOffice a viable alternative to Microsoft Office applications?
Depending on how you will need to use your word processing program, you may be able to find a good alternative to Word in free software.

Continue reading: Is OpenOffice a viable alternative to Microsoft Office applications?
http://askleo.com?p=13647

Why am I suddenly getting spam in my inbox?
It can be very frustrating if it suddenly seems like spammers have found you. There is one thing may help your email provider catch up and slow the deluge.

Continue reading: Why am I suddenly getting spam in my inbox?
http://askleo.com?p=13652

Can I delete what my anti-malware program puts in quarantine?
Quarantine gives you the option to "rescue" files you might want. Of course there is one way to make sure you always have an extra copy of everything...

Continue reading: Can I delete what my anti-malware program puts in quarantine?
http://askleo.com?p=13654

Can Windows XP even run without a network?
An XP machine can run without a network. But would it still be useful?

Continue reading: Can Windows XP even run without a network?
http://askleo.com?p=13657

*** Our Sponsor

Maintaining Windows XP
A Practical Guide

End Of Life Sale!

Sticking with Windows XP?
Let's make it last even longer!

PDF now 50% OFF the cover price.

Maintaining Windows XP - A Practical Guide

*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Featured Reader Comments

I Know Less than You Think I Do

Old Man writes:

Your article reminded me of something Albert Einstein once said: Don't fill your head with what is written somewhere. Just remember where it's written. Also, early in my first military career a sergeant told me that things keep changing, so rather than memorize things, just remember where to find the information. These two pieces of advice have been with me ever since.

The second thing is to use what you already know as a building block to learn something new.

Thirdly, learn how to research. Often manuals and help files prove to be invaluable. Also, frequently there are forums where users can ask a question and get useful help from other users. The major problem I have with search engines is they have to be too exact or provide way too many 'matches' to be useful. Of course, it always helps to subscribe to newsletters, such as AskLeo. The only problem there is remembering which article had the information I need.

I, too, am frequently asked how I knew how to do something. Truth is, I didn't. It just seemed logical, or was a lucky guess based on experience with something similar. If faced with the same problem again, I usually have to experiment until I find out how I did it the last time - or two, or three.

No day is a waste if you either learn something new, or teach someone else something.

James writes:

I can certainly relate to what Leo says. At work we use custom software and part of my job is to support my coworkers when they have questions or error messages they can't resolve. To make things more challenging, I don't use all parts of the software in my job.

People think I know everything. The reality is, like Leo says, I don't know everything. I know how it's supposed to work, so I have a baseline to compare it to. And so some of my suggestions are just guesses. But they are educated guesses.

Is it safe to download from download sites?

Mark Jacobs writes:

I've been using Ninite for years and have found it to be a great resource. It automatically downloads and installs about 100 of the most popular freeware programs, including most of the free programs recommended on Ask Leo!, while automatically rejecting all of the foistware and browser hijacks. You don't have to download all of them; you just check the boxes on their website for the ones you want. I use it especially when I'm setting up a new computer. It saves hours of time as you don't have to do anything after you've chosen the programs and run Ninite.

I'm drowning in spam. What can I do?

Griffy2 writes:

I firmly agree with Leo about sending a favorite email to all in the BCC mode of the email header. You only sacrifice your email address and not the friends in your address book. You can do this also:

establish a new email address named "Undisclosed" and your email address. Then it will look like

From: Undisclosed

To: Undisclosed

And the spammers get nothing

*** Leo's Blog

Will April 9, 2014 be a Very Bad Day for Windows XP Users?

Transcript (Lightly Edited)

Hey everyone, I'm Leo Notenboom for askleo.com.

I had someone ask me a question this morning. Basically, they pointed me at an article from an online publication called networkworld.com. The title was "Targeted attacks spotted in the wild exploiting Windows XP zero-day". The article goes on to talk about the possibility that:

"Malware authors today are sitting on their XP zero day vulnerabilities and attacks, because they know that after the last set of hot-fixes for XP is released in April 2014, that their exploits will work forever ¦"

Continue Reading: Will April 9, 2014 be a Very Bad Day for Windows XP Users?
http://askleo.com/?p=13662

•

Additional Comments

Just a quick note to let you know that Saved! Backing Up with Macrium Reflect is out.

Saved! Backing Up with Macrium Reflect and Saved! Backing Up with Windows 7 Backup together both update and replace my older book Maintaining Windows 7 - Backing Up.

Important: If you already own Maintaining Windows 7 then you already own the replacement books. Simply register your book if you haven't already (there's a link in the book), and then go to the registered owners page. There, below the companion videos and other bonuses are download links for the PDF versions of both new books.

Also Important: If you don't own Maintaining Windows 7 you have until April 1 to buy it. That way you'll get all three books - Maintaining Windows 7, Saved! for Windows 7 Backup and Saved! for Macrium Reflect - for the price of one.

Maintaining Windows 7 will be removed from store shelves on April 1.

For more information on each:

Leo
Leo A. Notenboom

Facebook - YouTube - Google+ - Twitter

*** Leo's Books

Saved! - Backing Up with Macrium Reflect

Saved! - Backing Up with Windows 7 Backup

The Ask Leo! Guide to Routine Maintenance

*** Administration

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.askleo.com for their own FREE subscription!