Ask Leo! #562 - Delays, Free Backup Software, Local Account Sign-in, Windows 10 Privacy, and more... - Confident Computing

Featured

Why am I getting a delay notification on an email I sent?

I am trying to send an e-mail to a co-worker and I keep getting the following message:

Delivery Status Notification (Delay)
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.
THIS IS A WARNING MESSAGE ONLY.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESEND YOUR MESSAGE.
Delivery to the following recipients has been delayed.

The strange thing is that it is only happening with that specific e-mail address. What does it mean, and why it is happening?

It means exactly what it says: the email you sent hasn't been delivered yet – it's delayed. The mail system will continue to attempt to deliver the email. Eventually, it'll either be delivered, or you'll get a fatal error message.

Why? Because.

Seriously, there are many, many reasons a particular email could be delayed.

If that's a problem for you, you may be thinking about email the wrong way.

Continue Reading: Why am I getting a delay notification on an email I sent?
https://askleo.com/3040

•

Can I use the free backup software that came with my external drive?

On your recommendation I recently purchased an external drive to use as a place to put my backups. I was surprised to find that it came with free backup software included. Why wouldn't I just use that instead of downloading or even purchasing something else?

I get this question a lot, so you're most certainly not alone in wondering.

Here's my take on the situation: I don't know what free backup software came with your drive.

And chances are, neither do you.

And that should tell you something.

Continue Reading: Can I use the free backup software that came with my external drive?
https://askleo.com/19892

•

How do I switch back to a local account sign-in for Windows 10?

The Windows 10 set-up and upgrade process really, really encourages you to associate your computer with a "Microsoft account", and use it to sign in to the computer from then on. Many people find this near-requirement inconvenient, and even a potential invasion of privacy. They would prefer, instead, to continue to use a local machine account for signing in.

While it's difficult, after the fact, to disassociate the computer from a Microsoft account, it turns out it's fairly easy to return your sign-in to a more familiar "local machine account".

Continue Reading: How do I switch back to a local account sign-in for Windows 10?
https://askleo.com/20106

•

Is "Windows 10 Privacy" an Oxymoron?

Continue Reading: Is "Windows 10 Privacy" an Oxymoron?
https://askleo.com/20057

Sponsor

The Ask Leo! Guide to Staying Safe on the Internet
You can use the internet safely!

Learn how to protect your computer, your data, your accounts,
and most of all, yourself!

All digital formats included.
The Ask Leo! Guide to Staying Safe on the Internet

Previous Issue

Glossary Term

bounce

A bounce is an email message sent in response to an email message that cannot be delivered for some reason. The term refers to your original message "bouncing back" to you.

A message indicating that an email message has been delayed, but may still be delivered, is sometimes also incorrectly referred to as bounce. More accurately the final message indicating that the message had not been delivered would be the bounce message.

Bounce messages are not guaranteed, meaning that not getting a bounce in response to sending an email message does not guarantee that the message has been delivered. Bounces themselves can be lost in the mail, or email providers can elect not to send them in some circumstances.

Glossary Terms are featured selections from The Ask Leo! Glossary.
Have a term you'd like defined? Submit it here.

Featured Comments

Finding the Owner of an IP Address

John writes:

There are several tools on line for getting information on IP addresses and Domain names, like ping.eu or various skype resolve or other ping resolve sites, but none will give out a users name or address people. It takes the legal system to help you get that information. Leo, thank you for your hard work and time in all matters you discuss.

How do I turn off Wi-Fi Sense (and what is it?)

Ray Smith writes:

If you tell somebody your network password, they can share it as they wish. If you type your network password into somebody's computer, they can very easily view that password and then share it as they wish. Does Wi-Fi Sense really make things less secure?

Leo writes:

It makes it accidentally less secure. If your guest proactively shares the password - yep, that's not secure. However, if your friend has no ill intent at all, he might very well accidentally share your password without knowing it if he doesn't pay attention when connecting to your network. I believe the scope of the share is also larger in this case - all his friends would have access to it if the feature is enabled.

How should I back up my computer before an operating system upgrade?

Phil C writes:

I have upgraded to Windows 10 from 7 Ultimate and am perfectly happy with it. What happens if i want at some stage after year 1 to format my hard drive and reinstall programs. Do I then have to buy Windows 10 ?

Leo writes:

Worst case I think you reinstall Windows 7 and then upgrade it again. Better would be to have an image backup of Windows 10 installed that you would just restore.

Leo's Books

Saved! - Backing Up with Macrium Reflect - 2nd Edition

Saved! - Backing Up with Windows 7 Backup

Saved! - Backing Up with Windows 8 Backup

The Ask Leo! Guide to Routine Maintenance

Maintaining Windows XP - A Practical Guide

More Ask Leo!

Facebook - YouTube - Google+ - Twitter
Amazon - GoodReads
More..

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 https://newsletter.askleo.com for their own FREE subscription!