Leo's Answers #106 - December 7, 2007 - Confident Computing

Leo's Answers
A Weekly Newsletter From
Ask Leo!
Leo Notenboom

Hello!

*** Contents

This Week's New Articles on Ask Leo!
A Word from our Sponsor
This Week's Most Popular Articles
Popular Articles from the Archives
Thoughts and Comments
Newsletter Administration

*** This Week's New Articles on Ask Leo!

How do I make a new Windows Live Hotmail account?

How do I make a new Windows Live Hotmail account? Since MSN Hotmail changed to Windows Live Hotmail everything's different.

This continues to be one of my most frequently asked questions.

Many people think it's obvious, but as I said in a previous article, if hundreds of people miss "the obvious" - is it really that obvious?"

And there are also a few "catches".

Continue reading: "How do I make a new Windows Live Hotmail account?"
http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_make_a_new_windows_live_hotmail_account.html

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

I have a disc which 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 two ways to deal with a disk image: put it on a disk, or make it look like you put it on a disk.

Continue reading: "What are iso files, and how do I open them?"
http://ask-leo.com/what_are_iso_files_and_how_do_i_open_them.html

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What is disk partitioning?

What is disk partitioning and how do I use it?

Most folks actually never need to worry about disk partitioning. Your machine will have come pre-configured and that configuration is probably just fine for most uses.

There are some times when it might make sense to revisit how your hard disk is used at the lowest level, and that's where partitioning comes in.

Continue reading: "What is disk partitioning?"
http://ask-leo.com/what_is_disk_partitioning.html

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Where did all these other temporary files come from?

About once a week I go into Internet Options and delete temp files, cookies and history. I also run the disk cleanup utility. I use CCleaner and run it in default mode to clean out system temp files, memory dumps, file fragments, etc. And finally, I open up a command prompt (as you suggested in a previous article) and run cd /d %TMP% and rd /s . to really clean things out.

Then today I read an article that said to use the XP search function and search for *.tmp, *.chk, ~*.* - the article said be prepared to be amazed at how many temp files it will find.

I ran the search and it found 116 files taking up more than 1.2GB of space on my computer!! My questions should be obvious: with all the other cleaning tools I've used, where the @#$%&! did these come from, why haven't they been previously deleted? Some go back more than a year ago when I had to reformat/reinstall XP!

You know, I'd forgotten about all those files when I wrote that prior article about deleting files in the Windows temporary folder.

In a way, I'm somewhat surprised that the Disk Cleanup Utility didn't at least make an attempt. But then again, I also understand why it couldn't possibly get it right 100% of the time.

Continue reading: "Where did all these other temporary files come from?"
http://ask-leo.com/where_did_all_these_other_temporary_files_come_from.html

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If phishers had a clue...

Most spam and phishing attempts are laughably bogus. What if they weren't?

Continue reading: "If phishers had a clue..." Article Includes Audio
http://ask-leo.com/if_phishers_had_a_clue.html

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How do I pick the right tools to protect my system?

Protection against viruses, spam, Spyware, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, is becoming even more critical as time goes by. I am running MS XP Professional (SP2), but am uncomfortable in relying solely on MS products and technology for protection. But, the number of products out there today, claiming to be able to provide same, seems to be expanding exponentially, so:

How does one go about deciding on what product to use in removing the vermin and protecting against future infections?
What criteria (aside from price) could (or should) you use in making one's decision and product selection?
Would a bundled application (all defenses in one) be necessarily more effective than several standalone products?
Finally, is there some location on the Web where one could find truly valid, independent assessments/reviews of products out there today?

A number of good questions that I think a lot of people share.

If we're paying attention at all, we're constantly getting told "protect yourself!". Great. With what? There's a ton of crap out there, to put it bluntly, how should you decide what to buy?

I'll tell you how I decide.

Continue reading: "How do I pick the right tools to protect my system?"
http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_pick_the_right_tools_to_protect_my_system.html

*** A Word from our Sponsor

Free Gift Tags to Print for Christmas and Hanukkah!

http://www.FreePrintableGiftTags.net

Advertisement. Ask Leo about advertising here.

*** This Week's Most Popular

The ten most popular articles in the last 7 days on Ask Leo!

*** Popular Articles from the Archives

Three years ago I bought a new computer. Unfortunately when it arrived, there was a problem. The lessons learned then are just as applicable today.

What if my new computer doesn't work?

You've shelled out the money and ordered your machine. You anticipate its arrival, and when it finally does show up you quickly open the box, set it up, and start to install applications and customize the system to your liking.

But what if your brand-new, just out-of-the-box system has a problem?

Well, it just happened to me. Let me tell you my experience so that you can see the issues I faced, and the steps I took to fix them.

Continue reading...
What if my new computer doesn't work?
http://ask-leo.com/what_if_my_new_computer_doesnt_work.html

*** Thoughts and Comments

I want to thank everyone who sent their condolences last week on the death of my father. I can't reply to each and every one of you, but I want you to know that I deeply appreciate all your well wishes.

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You might notice a new section in the newsletter this week: This Week's Most Popular Articles. You'll notice it on the Ask Leo! home page as well, where it's updated in real time.

I was actually doing some work for a friend who wanted this functionality on his web site, and decided that it was pretty darned cool and extremely interesting to see what's popular in any given week. So, I decided to implement it on my own site as well.

It's an interesting snapshot of what's hot in the tech support and internet world. I've naturally been privy to this information in other forms for some time already, so the current results aren't a surprise. I do think it'll be interesting to see how they change over time.

Anyway, I'll run with it here for a while and then decide if it's worth keeping.

Oh, and you might be interested in my friend's sites as well: Allen Wyatt's Word Tips and Excel Tips. I know a lot of you are Microsoft Office users, and I also know how daunting Word and Excel can be. Run, don't walk, to Allen's sites for lots of great tips and solutions.

•

Speaking of friends, I stumbled into this earlier today: The Starbucks Prayer. Yes, I'm that Leo. Now you understand why Buy Leo a Latte exists.

And yes, you can also get this for yourself:

Ask Leo! Coffee Mug

... though I'm not entirely sure why you would. I just had a few made for fun.

Smile

'till next time...

Leo

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The Latest: at Forwarded Funnies: "Do it yourselfer"

Some of Leo's other sites: The Ask Leo! Store, Leo's Online Business Card, Taming Email, MovableType Tips, Leo's Blog, Buy Leo a Latte (or a Beer), A Letter To Myself, Dolls and Friends, Corgwn.com

*** Newsletter Administration

Do you have a question? A comment, perhaps? Newsletter subscribers can visit http://ask-leo.com/askleosubscriber.html to submit your comments and questions. That page is only mentioned here, so I'll know it's from someone who's taken the time to read this far!

I'll be honest: I'll try to respond, but I get a lot of questions every day - I just can't answer everyone. Rest assured, though, that even if you don't hear from me directly, every email gets read.

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