Long gone, but now back… sort of. :)
Even as Windows 11 is coming down the pike, some readers are still having trouble getting their PCs to upgrade to the current version of Windows 10! But whether you’re updating Win10 or moving to Win11, here are several steps you can try — ranging from simple to severe — if your PC refuses a…
An AskWoody Plus reader questions whether data is safe when traveling over common AC electrical circuits. Plus: Yet more tips from your fellow subscribers on hard-drive destruction, salvaging — and maybe even revival! Those are the topics of my column in this week’s AskWoody Plus. Also in this week’s AskWoody Plus edition: PATCH WATCH: Hello! Has…
Following my recounting of decommissioning a failing hard drive, readers share their real-world tips on drive destruction. If there’s a creative way to ensure that an old drive never gives up its secrets, it would appear AskWoody readers have tried it. But a nail gun? 🙂 More on do-it-yourself hard-drive destruction is the subject of my column…
Sometimes, Wi-Fi just won’t fly Steel-framed walls in my new apartment made Wi-Fi connections ludicrously slow and unusable in the home office. The router’s “SON” (self-organizing network) features didn’t help. But a hardware end-run got the office communicating again. That’s the subject of my column in this week’s AskWoody Plus. Also in this week’s AskWoody…
After a reasonably comfortable night in a small cabin (see previous New Zealand posts), we joined the group for breakfast — fixings for make-your-own hot or cold breakfasts are included in the Haka tour; but lunches and dinners are on your own — and then we headed out for a long and interesting day. First,…
Win10’s built-in Windows Defender has matured into a top-ranked anti-malware tool, based on independent testing (e.g. AV-test.org info). But several of its default behaviors can be downright irritating. Here’s how to tweak Windows Defender with a few buried settings and a Task Scheduler change. Plus: Does Adobe Flash Player really need as many updates as it claims?…
Reader Sheldon Doskie asks: “Hi Fred, Great to see you back! Are you aware of a problem when trying to update the latest virus signatures of the Malwarebytes free version? I keep getting ‘unable to access update server,’ then after a minute or so, the current date followed by a 2-digit number is displayed as…
First, scan the “possibly infected” system using an external, self-contained, bootable, DVD- or flashdrive-based anti-malware tool. (Examples; many are free.) Boot and run the suspect PC from the anti-malware DVD or flash drive — not from the possibly-infected hard drive. The anti-malware tool then runs, scans, and cleans all the files on the hard drive….
Q: “Why does tech support think that formatting your hard drive is the only solution for all your PC problems?” (via Quora) A. Holy smokes! Who told you that? If that’s your experience with tech support, you really should change techs, brands, stores — or wherever it is you’re getting that advice. Formatting a drive…
Q: Does Windows have a feature that can count my daily keystrokes? (via Quora) A: Not built-in, but there are many, many add-on apps that can. Here are just a few example apps for counting user-input activity — number of keystrokes and mouse clicks, distance of mouse travel, etc.: KeyCounter: KeyCounter – DonationCoder.com Keycounter (different…
