May 22, 2008 | computers, hardware
The same problem has now turned up twice in two weeks. So far I’m not aware of any recent update or change that makes this happen, but keep this in the back of your mind in case it comes in handy. The symptom is a black screen and a blinking cursor after the...
May 19, 2008 | computers, Internet, OneCare, security, Vista, WinXP
The best security software will not protect you if you click “OK” and install something from a web site. Adware/spyware was at epidemic levels until a couple of years ago when Microsoft released Windows Defender and the antivirus vendors reluctantly...
May 15, 2008 | computers, hardware, Vista
We have learned a lot about Windows XP in the last seven years. I can work deeply in Windows XP with confidence, and I’ve developed a pretty good collection of tools for troubleshooting – some from third parties but a lot that are included with Windows XP...
May 11, 2008 | computers, Microsoft, security, WinXP
Every time I think Microsoft is going to learn a lesson and show some communication skills, it makes another misstep.Windows XP Service Pack 3 is a collection of previously released security patches and updates, with a handful of new features and absolutely nothing...
May 5, 2008 | broadband, computers, Internet, mobile, network, security, wireless
If you have a wireless notebook, there’s yet another way the bad guys can get past your defenses.When you connect to a wireless access point, normally you’re in “infrastructure” mode. Network traffic to all the computers using the wireless...
Apr 23, 2008 | computers, mail, Microsoft, Office, OneCare, photos, security, software, Vista, web_services
Microsoft is working on a package of software and online services that might be exactly right for students and home computer users. Although Vista includes important features out of the box, it does not include Microsoft Office – Word, Excel, and Powerpoint....