Hello!

Use your password manager for more than just passwords? Why, yes, yes you can. (And, you know I do.)

Hub? Switch? Router? Do you know the difference? Why you might want one over another? What's the Difference between a Hub, a Switch, and a Router? has the answer. Interesting tidbit: this is an update to what was for many years the most viewed article on Ask Leo!. (I "blame" students researching their homework.)

Undelete. What an awesome concept for when something bad happens. Sometimes it even works! But it helps to understand why it so often doesn't.

Finally, just a reminder that Just Do This: Back Up! is still on sale for 25% off, and you can also use your newsletter subscriber's coupon code (shown near the end of every emailed newsletter) for additional savings.

I hope you find this week's newsletter helpful...

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How Can I Use a Password Manager for My Security Questions?

How do password managers handle random security questions? I've never seen this mentioned in any of the articles that I have read. Am I still going to have to maintain a readily available list of security question answers?

Not surprisingly, password managers are all about passwords. More specifically, they're about automatically saving and entering your username and password when you need to log in. When it comes to security questions, often also referred to as “secret questions” — well, that's just not their job.

But that doesn't mean they can't help.

Continue Reading: How Can I Use a Password Manager for My Security Questions?
https://askleo.com/65608

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What's the Difference between a Hub, a Switch, and a Router?

What's the difference between a hub, a switch, and a router?

In a word, intelligence.

Hubs, switches, and routers are all devices that let you connect one or more computers to other computers, networked devices, or even other networks. Each has two or more connectors called ports, into which you plug the cables to make the connection.

Varying degrees of magic happen inside the device — and therein lies the difference.

Continue Reading: What's the Difference between a Hub, a Switch, and a Router?
https://askleo.com/1862

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Why Can't I Undelete these Files?

Before my power supply blew, I'd deleted a huge folder of pictures and subfolders of pictures to the Recycle Bin. After I retrieved my computer from the shop, the folder was emptied from the Bin. So, I performed 2 system restores, which I later found doesn't restore files. Then, I downloaded data retrieving software which allowed me to look at my deleted data.

In deleted data, I can see my current folders in “pictures” and the files I deleted from them, and I can see one deleted folder from “pictures”. The one deleted folder is an earlier version of the huge folder the computer shop deleted, but not the exact folder they deleted.

It's been exactly 5 days since I've had my computer back. Even if some of the pictures in it were overwritten, some still wouldn't be, right? The software doesn't list ANYTHING which was in that folder (or the folder itself) …and at least 400 pictures were in there.

Why can't I see that folder, or other folders I've deleted from pictures? Why can I see only the earlier version?

Given the scenario you've described, I'd honestly be surprised if you found any pictures at all.

It's easy to view undelete utilities a little too optimistically. We should be surprised when they work, not the other way around.

Let's look at why your scenario is so problematic, and what steps I'd take in a last-ditch effort to retrieve your data.

Continue Reading: Why Can't I Undelete these Files?
https://askleo.com/65655

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