Author: Steve Alexander
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Tech Q&A: Don’t be misled about ‘Security Essentials’
Question: I use the Windows Essentials program on my Windows 7 PC. But I’ve heard that Microsoft won’t update its antivirus/Essentials program next year. Will I be safe if I keep using it? — Don Laughrey, Maple Grove, Minn. Answer: Despite their sound-alike names, Microsoft’s Windows Essentials and Security Essentials are two different programs. Windows…
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Tech Q&A: What to do if you’re stuck in a photo viewer bubble
Question: I’ve used different programs to view JPEG photos on my Windows 10 PC. To do that, I periodically changed which program I wanted to be the default photo viewer, switching from Microsoft Office 2010 to Adobe Photoshop Elements to Microsoft Paint. Now I want to switch back to Office 2010, but Windows 10 won’t…
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Tech Q&A: A drastic way to filter out more spam
Question: I get a lot of spam. Some appears to be from name-brand companies and some seems to come from websites I visit. How can I set my Gmail to only let in email that’s from people in my address book? — Len Hritzo, Pickerington, Ohio Answer: The filters used by Gmail and other email…
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Tech Q&A: Fixing non-secure internet connections
Question: We have two phones and two tablet computers using our home Wi-Fi network. Lately all the devices have been getting a “your connection is not private” warning when going to some secure websites (they have “https” addresses) that sell airline or entertainment tickets. I use the Google Chrome browser, but I’ve had the same…
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Tech Q&A: dealing with fancy ‘HTML’ email
Question: An editor of mine in Europe has sent me an updated version of my work. But the email file has HTML in its name. How do I convert it to a Word document on my PC? — Jeffery Wilson, Anchorage, Alaska Answer: You have encountered a second type of email, one that uses HTML…
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Tech Q&A: How an online bank knows who you are
Question: Besides entering my user ID and password, my financial institution makes me verify my identity by entering a personal identification number (PIN) that is sent via text, email or phone call. Even after that, I’m always asked whether my PC is a public or private computer (it’s private). I think I’m asked all this…
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Tech Q&A: How to replace online passwords
Question: I have forgotten the Gmail password that I also used to sign in to my Barnes & Noble e-book account. I can get along without Gmail (I use AOL mail instead). But without that Gmail password I can’t download any more books for my Nook e-reader. How can I find out what my Gmail…
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How to fix problems with email settings
Question: When I reinstalled Microsoft’s Office 365, its Outlook email program unexpectedly changed my email settings from POP (Post Office Protocol) to IMAP (internet Message Access Protocol). This is an entirely different way of handling email and doesn’t match the type of mail account I have. How can I change my email settings back to…
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Telling a PC not to ask for a password
Question: My new Windows 10 desktop PC requires me to enter a password (or, in my case, a PIN or personal identification number) each time it starts up — even though I set it up not to require a PIN or password. Every time the PC starts, I get a nature scene with a login…
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What to do when a home Wi-Fi extender falls short
Question: We installed a Netgear Wi-Fi range extender in our two-story home. At first, it worked well with my Windows 10 PC, but on the third day the laptop screen went mostly dark — I could see only the mouse arrow moving. What can I do? — Jose Gonzalez, Baton Rouge, La. Answer: The problem…