This week's articles & videos
I've heard of people buying hard disk after hard disk because they're afraid to delete old backups. Of course it doesn't have to be that way.
The other extreme - overwriting yesterday's backup with today's - isn't ideal either.
This weeks featured article How Long Should I Keep My Backups? goes over some of the things you might want to consider for a pragmatic middle-ground.
Also this week: what to do when you don't get the newsletters you signed up for, how to find out who owns an email address that's bugging you, and what to look at if your computer does nothing when you turn it on.
In addition to videos accompanying the articles above, this week on YouTube I address this situation where you know (dammit!) your password is right -- except it's not; what people can tell from your IP address, and the edited version of the most recent Ask Leo! Live covering Gmail.
The TEH Podcast
Gary and I discuss the lifetime value of a computer as he prepares to retire one of his, and I share that my 12 year old desktop continues to serve me well in its "retirement" role. I discuss the SSD and HD I have on order for my current desktop machine, transferring data "old school", and the Pixel 4a that's on its way for my wife. A little space talk, Harley Quinn talk, and a recommendation for a podcast episode interviewing Pearls before Swine author Stephan Pastis. That's TEH 108: Terabytes in an envelope, computer values, space geeks and cartoons.
Disappearing Books!
Just a heads up that I'll be removing several books from The Ask Leo! Store at the end of the month. An assortment of reasons the biggest being that some are a little more out-dated than I'm comfortable continuing to sell, and I don't really have the time right now to give them the update they deserve.
Both of the "Saved!" series of books on backing up, the online privacy guide, The Best of Ask Leo! anthologies, and perhaps a couple of others will disappear from the shelves on September 1.
I mention it here in case you want to grab a copy before they disappear. (And, if they do end up getting revised in the future, "updates for life" will still apply: you'll automatically get that new digital copy if and when it's released.)
That's The Ask Leo! Store. Don't forget to use your discount code included near the bottom of every emailed newsletter.
-
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Wear a mask. Be kind.
Featured
How Long Should I Keep My Backups?
Having a regular backup system in place is critical -- but then what? I'll look at how long you might want to keep those backups, why, and how long I keep mine.
This Week on Ask Leo!
 | Why Am I Not Getting the Email Newsletter I Signed Up For? Three Steps to Improve the SituationOver-aggressive spam filtering can cause email newsletters and other messages to fail to appear in your inbox. I'll look at why that is, and three steps you can take to improve the situation. |
•
 | How Do I Find Out Who Owns an Email Address? The Reasons It's Hard, and the Steps to TakeFinding out who owns an email address is difficult at best. There's little you can do on your own, but if you're being harassed, law enforcement may help. |
•
 | My Computer Does Nothing When Turned On; How Do I Fix It? Something to Look at, and Something to Listen ToA computer that does nothing when you turn it on can be very difficult to diagnose. Spinning disks and blinking lights don't mean as much as you might think. |
This Week on YouTube
Subscribe to Ask Leo! on YouTube to get the latest on YouTube.com. Your subscription (and "Likes") help others find Ask Leo!, and the the answers they're looking for.
 | Why Do I Get Spam Not Addressed to Me? How Spammers Do It, and What Steps You Can Take?? Spammers use many techniques to slide their garbage into your inbox. BCCing you on messages is a common way.https://youtu.be/YwnP57Gdk1Q |
•
 | I Know My Password is Right, But I Can't Sign In. What Do I Do??? I Know My Password is Right, But I Can't Sign In. What Do I Do?https://youtu.be/riJ5TJ6ic88 |
•
 | What Can People Tell from My IP Address??? People can tell very little from your IP address. For example, they cannot tell who or where you are. How much they can tell varies a great deal.https://youtu.be/LLGF08oRND4 |
•
 | My Computer Does Nothing When Turned On; How Do I Fix It?A computer that does nothing when you turn it on can be very difficult to diagnose. Spinning disks and blinking lights don't mean as much as you might think.https://youtu.be/jtzCb60BSPc |
•
 | How Do I Find Out Who Owns an Email Address? The Reasons It's Hard, and the Steps to Take?? Finding out who owns an email address is difficult at best. There's little you can do on your own, but if you're being harassed, law enforcement may help.https://youtu.be/1NfZonUaoy8 |
•
 | An Overview of Gmail - Ask Leo! LiveGmail is perhaps the most used email service anywhere, yet many of its settings and features remain undiscovered by many users. In this Ask Leo! Live session I walk through the Gmail user interface, and settings, and discuss some of its hidden gems.https://youtu.be/H8zc-jlNKd0 |
•
 | How Long Should I Keep My Backups??? Having a regular backup system in place is critical -- but then what? I'll look at how long you might want to keep those backups, why, and how long I keep mine.https://youtu.be/IwyR7YEx-Jg |
•
 | What If I Lose My Second Factor??? When you lose your second factor, there are two things to be concerned about: getting into your own account -- for which you should be prepared -- and someone else having access to your second factor -- which isn't as scary as it sounds.https://youtu.be/wbXSdHZDW8A |
•
 | Why Am I Not Getting the Email Newsletter I Signed Up For? Three Steps to Improve the Situation?? Over-aggressive spam filtering can cause email newsletters and other messages to fail to appear in your inbox. I'll look at why that is, and three steps you can take to improve the situation.https://youtu.be/mQUzzZT8JhQ |
•
 | Why Is My Hard Drive Not Showing in Windows File Explorer??? Occasionally, attaching a drive to a computer will appear to work, except the drive's nowhere to be found. I'll walk through one common solution.https://youtu.be/5qjcm67uYP8 |
•
 | What is Defragging and Do I Need It In Windows 10? What It Is, Why It Is, and What You Need To Do?? Defragging rearranges the layout of files on your hard disk for faster access. Chances are you need do nothing at all.https://youtu.be/s4vtVsw5u0c |
•
 | Tip of the Day: Customize the Command PromptIf you spend any significant time in the Command Prompt, you may want to customize its appearance to be a little more to your liking.https://youtu.be/TeDURoTFKos |
•
 | Tip of the Day: The Power of Right-clickRight-clicking is a shortcut to a wide variety of functions appropriate for whatever you've selected.https://youtu.be/XcOndx_9fAM |
Share Confident Computing!
Share the confidence: forward this (without your unsubscribe link at the bottom) to your friends! They'll thank you! (And so will I!)
Did someone forward this to you?
to get your own copy each week. It's FREE!
For Ask Leo! Patrons
The Ask Leo! Tip of the Day
A feature exclusively available to Ask Leo! Patrons Bronze level & above.
- Tip of the Day: Always Remember You're a Target
- Tip of the Day: the Many Uses of Echo
- Tip of the Day: See Who's Elevated
- Tip of the Day: Your Computer's Serial Number
- Tip of the Day: Never Just Pull the Plug
More Ask Leo!
Become a Patron
Ask Leo! Books
Facebook -
Twitter -
YouTube -
More..
Leo's Other Projects....
HeroicStories Since 1999, HeroicStories brings diverse, international voices to the world ' reminding us that people are good, that individuals and individual action matter. Stories - new and old - are published twice a week.
Not All News Is Bad - Each day I look for one story in the current news of the day with a positive bent. Just one. And I share it.
leo.notenboom.org - My personal blog. Part writing exercise, part ranting platform, it's where I write about anything and everything and nothing at all.
Newsletter contents Copyright © 2020,
Leo A. Notenboom & Puget Sound Software, LLC.
Ask Leo! is a registered trademark ® of Puget Sound Software,
LLC
