InformationWeek Stories by Fred Langa

Langa Letter: XP's No-Reformat, Nondestructive Total-Rebuild Option

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 00:00:10 EDT

Fred Langa shows you how to completely rebuild, repair, or refresh an existing XP installation without losing data, and without having to reinstall user software, reformat, or otherwise destructively alter the setup.

Langa Letter: The OS Inside The OS

Mon, 1 May 2006 00:00:04 EDT

Fred Langa shows how a simple tweak turns XP's low-level Recovery Console into a complete, standalone mini-operating system--in effect, an XP DOS!

Langa Letter: XP's Little-Known 'Rebuild' Command

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 00:00:10 EDT

There's an easy fix for "Missing HAL.DLL," "Invalid Boot.Ini," and several other fatal startup errors, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: A Complete Terabyte File Server For About $500

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 00:00:10 EST

Fred Langa shows you how to get amazing file server capacity at an amazing price.

Langa Letter: How To Safely Add Or Replace A Hard Drive

Mon, 13 Mar 2006 00:00:04 EST

Want to expand your PC without having to rebuild your operating system? Fred Langa shows you how to do that--and more.

Langa Letter: Another Hidden Gem: The Windows Disk Management Tool

Mon, 27 Feb 2006 00:00:04 EST

Create, delete, and format partitions; change drive letter assignments and paths; help set up disk mirroring and RAID; and more--all with this free Windows tool.

Langa Letter: Deep-Geek File And Disk Tools

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 00:00:04 EST

A major brain-fade forces Fred Langa to search for the most powerful recovery tools he could find.

Langa Letter: XP On Your Thumb Drive

Mon, 23 Jan 2006 00:00:04 EST

Fred Langa offers a step-by-step and illustrated guide on how to boot XP from an ordinary USB drive.

Langa Letter: 5 Essential Steps To PC Security

Mon, 16 Jan 2006 00:00:04 EST

As the new year begins, Fred Langa says keep these items in mind to help prevent data theft, identity theft, and private information falling into the wrong hands. These steps will give you 365 days of safe computing.

Langa Letter: 10 Critical Factors When Buying A New PC

Mon, 9 Jan 2006 00:00:04 EST

Fred Langa outlines and explains his top decision points when purchasing new desktop hardware.

Langa Letter: Free Tools For Road Warriors

Mon, 5 Dec 2005 00:00:04 EST

Not everyone has (or wants) a GPS. These Web-based alternatives Fred Langa searched out make even complex route planning a snap!

Langa Letter: A Complete PC Maintenance Checklist

Mon, 21 Nov 2005 00:00:04 EST

Fred Langa offers a comprehensive plan for keeping your PC in absolute top-notch condition.

Langa Letter: Readers Rate Desktop Firewalls

Mon, 7 Nov 2005 00:00:04 EST

Fred asked; you answered. Here are readers' top recommendations for the best desktop firewalls.

Langa Letter: Testing 10 Windows 'Registry Cleaning' Software Packs

Mon, 10 Oct 2005 00:00:04 EDT

Fred Langa tries to make sense of wildly disparate claims, and rates the best free and commercial products.

Langa Letter: Analyzing New Kinds Of Image-Sharing Services

Mon, 26 Sep 2005 00:00:04 EDT

If videos or photos are part of your work, these new services can help, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: GPS Update

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 00:00:05 EDT

Remember when cell phones went from fat, bulky, exotic devices to slim, must-have, everyday tools? That's what's happening to GPS technology right now, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: Software Suites Versus Standalone Tools

Mon, 22 Aug 2005 00:00:05 EDT

The new version of ZoneAlarm illustrates both sides of the debate, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: A Must-Have Repair And Recovery Tool

Mon, 8 Aug 2005 00:00:05 EDT

If you ever have to recover files from an unbootable drive or try to bring a dead PC back to life, here's a free, zero-footprint tool you shouldn't be without, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: Converting Audio Files? Let 'Er Rip!

Mon, 25 Jul 2005 00:00:05 EDT

Readers suggest more MP3 and audio-file tools than you can shake a memory stick at!

Langa Letter: How To Build Better Passwords

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 00:00:05 EDT

Stronger passwords don't have to be hard to create or use, Fred Langa says. Here are tools and tips that can help.

Langa Letter: How To Ensure Remote-Control Security With XP

Mon, 6 Jun 2005 00:00:05 EDT

XP's built-in Remote Desktop, Remote Desktop Web Connection, and Remote Assistance are great tools, Fred Langa says, but only if you carefully manage their security implications.

Langa Letter: Laptop Setup Secrets

Mon, 23 May 2005 00:00:05 EDT

You can gain space, security, and performance with these time-tested tricks for setting up a portable PC, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: Google's New Tools: Proceed With Caution

Mon, 9 May 2005 00:00:05 EDT

Before you embrace all of Google's new technologies, Before you embrace all of Google's new technologies, consider the privacy implications. Google's stuff is great, Fred Langa says, but don't get carried away with the novelty of it all.

Fact, Fiction, And Firefox Security

Mon, 18 Apr 2005 20:41:00 EDT

Firefox is a good browser, says Fred Langa, but it's a long way from bulletproof--and mass-market success may teach open-source software fans some hard lessons about real-world security.

Langa Letter: The Pros And Cons Of Firefox

Mon, 18 Apr 2005 00:00:05 EDT

Firefox is a good browser but not the panacea its most ardent fans think it is. While Microsoft's IE gets most of the attention for its security vulnerabilities, the reality is that Firefox (like other open-source products) has security flaws of its own of that readers need to be aware of, Fred Langa notes.

Langa Letter: How To Test And Tune Your Online Connection

Mon, 11 Apr 2005 00:00:10 EDT

From simple tune-ups to total overhauls, here's information from Fred Langa to help you get the most from your network, cable, DSL, or dial-up connection.

Langa Letter: Little-Known Options For Syncing Files In Windows

Mon, 28 Mar 2005 00:00:05 EST

Do you work on files in more than one location or on more than one PC? Here's an overview of tools built right into Windows that can help.

Langa Letter: Rust Never Sleeps: How To Deal With Moisture And Corrosion In Your PC

Mon, 14 Mar 2005 00:00:05 EST

PCs in non-air-conditioned spaces may need special care. Fred Langa offers a series of options for providing that care and ensuring the longevity of your PC.

Langa Letter: Getting The Grunge Out Of Your PC

Mon, 28 Feb 2005 00:00:06 EST

Fred Langa cleans the dirtiest PC he can find, and along the way shows you how you can easily tackle yours.

Langa Letter: Curing Laptop Overheating

Mon, 14 Feb 2005 00:00:05 EST

Sometimes, Fred Langa says, fixing a too-hot laptop/notebook computer is as simple as "Whooosh!"

Langa Letter: Speed And Security Via A RAM Drive

Mon, 31 Jan 2005 00:00:05 EST

While it's not a panacea, judicious use of a RAM drive can make your PC faster and safer, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: Make The Most Of That New PC

Mon, 17 Jan 2005 00:00:06 EST

Here's the info you need to ensure long, safe, trouble-free computing whether you're starting the year with a brand-new PC, or with an older, used PC that's new to you.

Langa Letter: Year-End PC Tasks

Mon, 20 Dec 2004 00:00:04 EST

A little simple maintenance now can help prevent many headaches next year, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: Norton Antivirus And The Single-Layer Defense Fallacy

Mon, 6 Dec 2004 00:00:05 EST

A simple hack can disable Norton's script blocker. Fred Langa's solution not only works around that problem, but many others as well.

Langa Letter: Why Freeware's A Solution, Not A Problem

Mon, 22 Nov 2004 00:00:05 EST

Open-source, GPL, and other forms of freeware sometimes run afoul of myopic company licensing standards. But any organization that's cutting itself off from GPL and other legitimate forms of licensed freeware is seriously hurting its own business, Fred Langa says.

Why Is 'Free' So Frightening?

Fri, 19 Nov 2004 14:57:00 EST

Any organization that cuts itself off from GPL and other legitimate forms of licensed freeware is seriously hurting its own business, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: A New Way To Slim Down Windows XP, Including SP2

Mon, 8 Nov 2004 00:00:05 EST

A classic tweaking tool that began life as the freeware 98 Lite gets updated to work with XP SP2. In tests, it helped slim down a Windows XP installation by more than 50%.

Langa Letter: Favorite Tools, Utilities, And Add-Ons

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 00:00:05 EDT

What ''must have'' software do you install on your PC? Here's Fred Langa's list of his personal favorites.

Langa Letter: GPS Advances

Mon, 4 Oct 2004 00:01:00 EDT

A lot has changed in the year since Fred Langa last looked at Global Positioning System--GPS--technology. There's much to like, and many new features to take advantage of.

Langa Letter: How To Save An Hour (Or More) On XP Installs

Mon, 20 Sep 2004 00:00:05 EDT

Prepatch your XP Setup CD once, and never have to install SP2 again. Fred Langa walks you through a 16-step process.

Langa Letter: Real-Life Experiences With XP's SP2

Mon, 6 Sep 2004 00:00:12 EDT

Forget the ivory-tower pundits--here are first-hand reports from the trenches, relayed by your peers who've already installed the new Service Pack.

Langa Letter: Solving USB Boot Problems

Mon, 16 Aug 2004 00:00:06 EDT

Sometimes, getting a PC to boot from a USB device can seem like black magic. Here's help!

Langa Letter: The Promise--And Problems--Of The New Windows Update

Mon, 12 Jul 2004 00:00:05 EDT

XP and Windows 2000 users soon will get a new version of Windows Update. Here's the full story, and remember, this is beta software, so be careful, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: What's Behind The USB Drive Revolution

Mon, 21 Jun 2004 00:00:04 EDT

These small drives can generate huge payoffs in convenience, maintenance, and security. Fred Langa examines the various types and their strengths and weaknesses. He finds there's much to like.

Langa Letter: Cool And Quiet: Warm-Weather Follow-Up

Mon, 7 Jun 2004 00:00:05 EDT

After detailing multiple approaches to keep your PC cool and quiet, Fred Langa goes a step further, testing a water-cooling system and seeking to address warm weather and high-stress applications with a thermostatic power supply.

Langa Letter: Follow-Up To Linux's Achilles' Heel Column

Mon, 17 May 2004 00:00:05 EDT

Fred Langa addresses the most-voiced criticisms of his recent review of Linux problems, including claims that sound isn't that important in business computing. He also posits that high-priced commercial Linux vendors are on a suicidal course, unless they lower prices to accentuate their advantages over Windows.

Langa Letter: How To Safely Store And Manage Passwords

Mon, 3 May 2004 00:00:05 EDT

We all struggle with keeping and securing passwords for the various accounts and systems we access. Here are 17 reader-recommended free and low-cost password-storage solutions, plus two more from Fred Langa.

Langa Letter: Linux's Achilles' Heel

Mon, 19 Apr 2004 00:00:04 EDT

New Linux distros still fail a task that Windows 95--yes, 95!--easily handles, namely working with mainstream sound cards. That sends the cost of commercial, paid versions of Linux dramatically higher.

Langa Letter: Virtual Excellence: Microsoft's 'Virtual PC' Is Too Good Not To Check Out

Mon, 5 Apr 2004 00:00:05 EDT

In this introduction to the technology, Fred Langa says Microsoft Virtual PC provides a viable alternative to dual booting and should be a solid choice for software testing, evaluation, and support.

Langa Letter: Cool and Quiet, Part III

Mon, 22 Mar 2004 00:00:05 EST

Fred Langa wraps up his exploration of the causes--and cures--of noisy PCs. His step-by-step process, including successes and failures, ensures you won't make mistakes as you work to make your PC cool and quiet.

Langa Letter: Cool and Quiet, Part II

Mon, 8 Mar 2004 00:00:05 EST

Fred Langa continues his exploration of the causes--and cures--of noisy PCs. His solutions include some measures that you may consider counterintuitive but he proves why they'll work with your PC.

Langa Letter: Cool And Quiet, Part 1

Mon, 23 Feb 2004 00:00:04 EST

Fred Langa finds ways to silence his PC's noisy fans while still keeping the PC well cooled.

Langa Letter: Successful Updates Despite Very Slow Connections

Mon, 16 Feb 2004 00:00:05 EST

Fred Langa shows how some simple workarounds let you bypass bottlenecks when keeping your PCs up to date.

Langa Letter: Ten More Ways To Make Windows XP Run Better

Mon, 26 Jan 2004 00:00:06 EST

Fred Langa examines free add-ons and utilities that further refine and improve your operating system.

Langa Letter: E-Mail--Hideously Unreliable

Mon, 12 Jan 2004 00:00:06 EST

A recent test by InformationWeek columnist Fred Langa shows that up to 40% of valid E-mails never reach the recipient. Here's what it all means to you.

Langa Letter: Three Important End-Of-Year Tasks

Mon, 15 Dec 2003 00:00:07 EST

Fred Langa recommends taking advantage of the slower pace of the holidays to perform three essential tasks.

Langa Letter: Web-Host Outsourcing

Mon, 1 Dec 2003 00:00:04 EST

Fred Langa explores the pros and cons of outsourcing Web sites and spotlights reader recommendations for finding the perfect Web host.

Langa Letter: Solving Automatic Maintenance Problems

Mon, 17 Nov 2003 00:00:06 EST

Fred Langa explains how to address problems with Windows XP automation, looking at XP's self-maintenance tools and techniques.

Langa Letter: Time To Check Your CDRs

Mon, 3 Nov 2003 00:00:04 EST

Fred Langa explains how to ensure that your recordable CDs remain archived for a decade or longer.

Langa Letter: Make Windows XP Self-Maintaining

Mon, 27 Oct 2003 00:00:08 EST

Fred Langa explains how to automate Windows XP tools and tasks that normally require manual intervention.

Langa Letter: Enough Already: Microsoft Must Change

Mon, 29 Sep 2003 00:00:04 EDT

Fred Langa wonders if Microsoft will do what it takes to greatly improve its software development processes and improve its product security.

Langa Letter: The Danger In Auto-Reply Messages

Mon, 15 Sep 2003 00:00:03 EDT

Don't let your ''I'm away'' and other automatic messages come back to haunt you. Fred Langa has a solution.

Langa Letter: Three Technologies Worth Watching

Mon, 1 Sep 2003 00:00:01 EDT

After months of hands-on use, Fred Langa updates his experiences with powerline networking, GPS, and white-box PCs.

Langa Letter: System Setup Secrets For Windows XP

Mon, 28 Jul 2003 00:00:00 EDT

Fred's real-world, step-by-step advice for setting up a Windows XP-based PC in ways better than the defaults.

Langa Letter: The Perfect Rescue Tool, Part II

Mon, 7 Jul 2003 00:00:02 EDT

Fred Langa wraps up the explanation of how to make a custom, bootable CD containing the right tools to fix just about any system trouble.

Langa Letter: The Perfect Rescue Tool

Mon, 23 Jun 2003 00:00:02 EDT

Fred Langa explains how to make a custom, bootable CD containing the right tools to fix just about any system trouble.

Langa Letter: Easy Encryption

Mon, 2 Jun 2003 00:00:02 EDT

Fred Langa looks at the universe of products that help you protect sensitive files and data from prying eyes and hackers.

Langa Letter: Microsoft's Problematic Updates

Mon, 19 May 2003 00:00:03 EDT

Windows Updates sometimes cause more harm than good. What's the best way to handle them?

Langa Letter: Getting the Right Linux Footprint

Mon, 5 May 2003 00:00:50 EDT

It's never been easy to install Linux, but Fred Langa explores the best available tools and finds reason for hope.

Langa Letter: 10 Great, Free Tools

Mon, 21 Apr 2003 00:00:45 EDT

Fred Langa evaluates 10 valuable, commercial-quality software tools that are available just for the asking. It's not the same old freeware.

Langa Letter: Your Next PC: Legacy Free?

Mon, 7 Apr 2003 00:00:00 EDT

IBM's PC AT has cast a shadow over PC system architecture for more than two decades. Thanks to advances such as Intel's EFI, PC vendors are on the verge of breaking the legacy bottlenecks. Kiss your BIOS goodbye.

Langa Letter: XP Professional's "Remote Control" Option

Mon, 24 Feb 2003 00:00:00 EST

Fred Langa explains how this little-known feature of Windows can be a life-saver if used cautiously.

Langa Letter: White-Box PCs Revisited

Mon, 10 Feb 2003 00:00:00 EST

In Fred Langa's view, some generic PCs are now good enough for use as full-bore production desktops.

Langa Letter: Linux Has Bugs: Get Over It

Mon, 27 Jan 2003 00:00:00 EST

Fred Langa contends that some Linux proponents harm their cause by hiding from the facts--it's just as buggy as Windows XP.

Langa Letter: Powerline Networking Comes Of Age

Mon, 13 Jan 2003 00:00:00 EST

Fred Langa explains how to use your existing electrical wiring to network the PCs in your small business, workgroup, or home office.

Langa Letter: It's Curtains For Windows 95

Mon, 16 Dec 2002 00:00:00 EST

Fred Langa bids farewell to Win95 and Win 3x, two operating systems that literally changed the world but will no longer be supported by Microsoft.

Langa Letter: Lindows: Beyond Windows, Before Linux

Mon, 2 Dec 2002 00:00:00 EST

Fred Langa test-drives the latest version of this Linux-based Windows work-alike operating system to see if it's ready for prime time.

Langa Letter: Real-Life Spam Solutions

Mon, 18 Nov 2002 00:00:00 EST

A new generation of anti-spam tools is just around the corner. But until then, these spam blockers and handlers may be the next best thing.

Langa Letter: Wireless Poachers, Wireless Guests

Mon, 4 Nov 2002 00:00:00 EST

Sharing your wireless connection should be a conscious choice, Fred Langa says. Too often, it's accidental.

Langa Letter: Solving Word's Hidden ''Phone-Home Fields'' Problem

Mon, 21 Oct 2002 00:00:00 EDT

Microsoft's "hidden field" patch still leaves a back door open. Here's Fred's free two-click solution to close it.

Langa Letter: USB-To-Whatever

Mon, 7 Oct 2002 00:00:00 EDT

Fred Langa illuminates the pervasive but little-understood world of USB, explaining how to hook it up to non-USB systems and peripherals--even in DOS!

Langa Letter: To Sleep, Perchance To Hibernate...

Mon, 30 Sep 2002 00:00:00 EDT

Fred Langa sorts out your PC's sleep, standby, suspend, and hibernate modes, and also explains how choosing the right power state saves you money.

Langa Letter: Traveling With Laptops In The Post-9/11 World

Mon, 9 Sep 2002 00:00:00 EDT

Fred Langa offers 10 tips for speeding your electronics gear safely through even the most rigorous security searches.

Langa Letter: Microsoft's Controversial New EULA Terms

Mon, 19 Aug 2002 00:00:00 EDT

Fred Langa looks at the new language in Microsoft's End User License Agreement, and shows how you can protect yourself against unwanted software updates.

Langa Letter: A Real-Life GPS Road Test

Mon, 5 Aug 2002 00:00:00 EDT

Fred Langa recently spent two weeks navigating through Europe using a GPS and a laptop. Here's how you can use this emerging technology for your next road trip.

Langa Letter: Maximizing ''System Restore'' In WinME and WinXP

Mon, 15 Jul 2002 00:00:00 EDT

Depending on how you use it, this component can be a help--or a hog!

Langa Letter: What's Bugging You?

Mon, 17 Jun 2002 00:00:00 EDT

An InformationWeek survey shines a bright light on software bugs and other quality issues.

Langa Letter: 'Magic' Fixes

Mon, 3 Jun 2002 00:00:00 EDT

When all else fails, an offbeat or nonstandard technique just might get things working right, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: Error-Free Business Travel

Mon, 29 Apr 2002 00:00:00 EDT

With today's affordable GPS units, Fred Langa says, you'll never again miss a turn--or a meeting.

Langa Letter: Firewall Feedback

Mon, 15 Apr 2002 00:00:00 EDT

Fred Langa tests the new crop of desktop firewalls, makes his recommendations--and wants to hear about your experiences.

Langa Letter: Silent Censorship

Mon, 1 Apr 2002 00:00:00 EST

Beware this column! No, there's nothing scandalous in Fred Langa's advice, although some poorly-made E-mail and content filters would think so.

Langa Letter: That's The Company's PC

Mon, 4 Mar 2002 00:00:00 EST

To what degree can an employee modify or add software to a company-supplied computer? Fred Langa examines the ethics and issues.

Langa Letter: In Praise Of White-Box PCs

Mon, 18 Feb 2002 00:00:00 EST

Sometimes, Fred Langa says, an ultracheap, generic PC is just the right tool for the job.

Langa Letter: January's XP Surprise: The Giant Paperweight

Mon, 21 Jan 2002 00:00:00 EST

Fred Langa warns new Windows XP users of the consequences of failing to "activate" the operating system with Microsoft. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Langa Letter: Ten Resolutions For Better Computing In 2002

Mon, 7 Jan 2002 00:00:00 EST

Fred Langa details several proactive steps to take to keep your PC running smoothly all year long.

Langa Letter: Rethinking 'Software Bloat'

Mon, 17 Dec 2001 00:00:00 EST

Fred Langa takes a trip into his software archives and finds some surprises--at two orders of magnitude.

Langa Letter: Ten Ways To Make Windows XP Run Better

Mon, 10 Dec 2001 00:00:04 EST

Fred Langa suggests how to optimize Windows XP for your own work style so you don't have to live with its default settings.

Langa Letter: The 10 Best And Worst Things About Windows XP

Mon, 19 Nov 2001 00:00:04 EST

Fred Langa provides his personal likes and dislikes about Microsoft's newest operating system. Check them out, then add your picks to the list.

Langa Letter: The End Of Anonymous Surfing?

Mon, 5 Nov 2001 00:00:04 EST

Microsoft's Passport and its competitors are making it harder than ever for computer users to keep a low profile, Fred Langa says.

Langa Letter: Fine-Print Follies

Mon, 15 Oct 2001 00:00:04 EDT

The current flap over FrontPage is just part of the story, Fred Langa says. The fine print is far more damaging in other companies' end-user license and terms-of-service agreements.

Langa Letter: More Instant-Messaging Security Holes

Mon, 1 Oct 2001 00:00:04 EDT

Fred Langa warns that hyper-aggressive IM installations may end-run your online safeguards.

Langa Letter: The Best PC Help, Reference, And Test Sites

Mon, 17 Sep 2001 00:00:04 EDT

Fred Langa provides a list of 85 useful Web sites--and that's just for a start. Add your favorites to his definitive list of outstanding online resources.

Langa Letter: 1,000 Posts Later: WPA Update

Mon, 3 Sep 2001 00:00:04 EDT

Fred Langa's last column about Windows Product Activation generated more than 1,000 messages in his Listening Post forum. This week, Fred presents some of the most thought-provoking and informative topics, along with a technical update.

Langa Letter: Is Your Data Disappearing?

Mon, 23 Jul 2001 00:00:04 EDT

Backup tapes can go bad in as little as a year or two. What about CD-Rs?

Langa Letter: Has Spam Won?

Mon, 9 Jul 2001 00:00:04 EDT

Don't let spam win! Take back your mailbox with these anti-spam tools.

Langa Letter: The Web-Bug Boondoggle

Mon, 25 Jun 2001 00:00:04 EDT

Don't be suckered in by the latest security hysteria. "Web bugs" aren't the threat you fear they are.

Langa Letter: Good And Bad Online Security Check-Ups

Mon, 11 Jun 2001 00:00:04 EDT

Fred Langa found some great sites for testing system and network security. Discover what you can learn about your system security just by pointing and clicking.

Langa Letter: How Much Protection Is Enough?

Mon, 4 Jun 2001 00:00:04 EDT

oo much or too little online security can lead to a world of trouble. Here's a solution.

Langa Letter: The "Dead Drive" Security Loophole

Mon, 14 May 2001 00:00:04 EDT

You may get a nasty surprise if you send your system out for repairs! Consider your options.

Langa Letter: Message In A Bottle

Mon, 30 Apr 2001 00:00:04 EDT

Hidden or undisclosed ISP policies put your E-mail at risk. Here's what you can do about it.

The Explorer: None Like It Hot

Mon, 12 Mar 2001 00:00:00 EST

Excessive heat is a CPU's worst enemy. Here are software utilities that can help.

Ten Ways to Make Windows Me Run Better

Fri, 2 Mar 2001 00:00:00 EST

Ranging from the simple to the extreme, here's what you can do to unleash Win Me's hidden power.

The Explorer: Find the Coolest Windows Tools

Mon, 26 Feb 2001 00:00:00 EST

Here's a collection of great -- and mostly free! -- system tools and editors.

The Explorer: What's The Best E-mail Client?

Mon, 12 Feb 2001 00:00:00 EST

Outlook Express is free and popular, but many readers believe others are better.

The Explorer: System Setup Secrets Updated for 2001

Mon, 29 Jan 2001 00:00:00 EST

Fred's newest PC forced him to modify his time-tested ''system setup secrets''. Here's the scoop!

The Explorer: The Nearly Secret DMA Can Speed Up Your Drives

Tue, 16 Jan 2001 00:00:00 EST

Why don't more people use this fast, free speed-enhancement?

The Explorer: Time To Change Search Engines?

Thu, 4 Jan 2001 00:00:00 EST

Don't carry old online searching habits into the New Year!

The Explorer: What Do You Do With Old AOL CDs?

Mon, 18 Dec 2000 00:00:00 EST

Some serious -- and fun -- suggestions from your fellow readers.

The Explorer: Do AOL6 and MSN Explorer Destabilize Your System?

Mon, 4 Dec 2000 00:00:00 EST

Tracking what these major new products do during installation.

The Explorer: Readers' Choice: Password Tools

Mon, 20 Nov 2000 00:00:00 EST

Hundreds of tips and tools for managing passwords!

The Explorer: Automatic Update Services -- Yea or Nay?

Mon, 6 Nov 2000 00:00:00 EST

Taking a long, hard look at BigFix, Dell File Watch, and others.

The Explorer: Batch File Bonanza

Mon, 23 Oct 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Download 84 free reader-created batch files that'll solve problems on your PC.

The Explorer: Save Your Butt With DOS: Pulling It All Together

Mon, 9 Oct 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Here's how you can build your own batch files -- or alter those of others.

The Explorer: Bullet-Proof Your Windows Setup

Mon, 25 Sep 2000 00:00:00 EDT

It's fast, easy, and inexpensive with this technique!

The Explorer:Scrub Your Hard Disk Clean: Part 2

Mon, 11 Sep 2000 00:00:00 EDT

More ways to clean up -- including Cookie sweeping and Registry compacting!

The Explorer: Scrub Your Hard Disk Clean

Mon, 28 Aug 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Easy ways to recover up to gigabytes of wasted space!

The Explorer: Save Your Butt With DOS: Part Three

Mon, 14 Aug 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Here's a boatload of great files to finish stocking your DOS toolkit!

The Explorer: Save Your Butt With DOS: Part 2

Mon, 31 Jul 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Make a custom boot disk -- while you still can!

The Explorer: Save Your Butt With DOS

Mon, 17 Jul 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Every version of Windows -- even the ''DOS-free'' ones -- can benefit from a top-notch DOS toolkit.

The Explorer: Resource Leaks, Part Four: Final Fixes

Mon, 3 Jul 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Once you've plugged the leaks, take the time to fine-tune your setup.

The Explorer: Resource Leaks, Part Three

Mon, 19 Jun 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Five Steps That May Plug Your Leaks, Once And For All.

The Explorer: Resource Leaks, Part Two

Mon, 5 Jun 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Fred tests a dozen "memory optimizers" and finds some surprises.

The Explorer: Resource Leaks, Part One

Mon, 22 May 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Crashes can sometimes be traced to sloppy programs that "leak" memory.

The Explorer: Fred's Favorite Four-Letter Word: "Free"

Mon, 8 May 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Who doesn't like free, especially when it comes to top-quality software?

The Explorer: Torture Testing Netscape 6.0

Mon, 24 Apr 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Fred puts Netscape's latest browser through the wringer.

The Explorer: Curing Sloooooooow Restarts

Mon, 10 Apr 2000 00:00:00 EDT

Hardware and software tweaks can make your PC start much, much faster.

The Explorer: Secure Your PC Online, Part Four

Mon, 27 Mar 2000 00:00:00 EST

Fred ties up some loose ends from the previous installments, and discusses some new, cool and free security tools.

The Explorer: Secure Your PC Online, Part Three

Mon, 13 Mar 2000 00:00:00 EST

Building on Parts One and Two, Fred now shows how to make your PC nearly impregnable.

The Explorer: Making Your PC Secure Online, Part Two

Mon, 28 Feb 2000 00:00:00 EST

In Part One, we showed how to adjust your network settings for better security. Now we'll look at free and commercial add-on products and services that do even more.

The Explorer: Four Myths of Online Security

Mon, 14 Feb 2000 00:00:00 EST

Make sure your PC is really secure from 'Net-based hacker attacks -- without spending a dime.

The Explorer: You've Got Problems, AOL

Mon, 31 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

Yow! Hundreds and hundreds of you posted or e-mailed replies to my AOL 5.0: The Upgrade Of Death? column.

The Explorer: AOL 5.0: The Upgrade of Death?

Tue, 18 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

My first experience with AOL 5.0 was in early winter when I tried to upgrade from AOL 4.0 to AOL 5.0. I'll spare you the details, but after trying every trick I knew to get the system working properly after the upgrade, the punchline was "Format C:\".

The Explorer: 10 Resolutions For Better Computing In The New Year

Mon, 3 Jan 2000 00:00:00 EST

Ten things you can do to help ensure trouble-free computing for all of the year 2000.

The Explorer: Open For Business: BT2K's Final Version

Mon, 20 Dec 1999 00:00:00 EST

All Web browsers can go bad over time... and many do. No matter how perfect your original setup is, the more you use your browser, the more likely it is you'll end up with add-ons and plug-ins that will change the way it works possibly introducing a serious problem into your once-pristine setup.

The Explorer: Soup Up Your Hard Drive with DMA

Mon, 6 Dec 1999 00:00:00 EST

Several weeks ago in my newsletter, I suggested that readers check to see if their hard drives were set up to use DMA (direct memory access) because using DMA can reduce the load on your CPU by up to 40 percent during disk operations. When I activated DMA disk access on my system, I saw an immediate 15 percent increase in hard drive speed with no ill effects whatsoever. Many, many readers reported similar or even greater increases.

The Explorer: Five New Access-Sharing Solutions

Mon, 22 Nov 1999 00:00:00 EST

Eighteen months ago, I wrote in Windows Magazine: "Today, new hardware -- and most interestingly, incredibly inexpensive 100-percent software solutions -- make it almost ridiculously easy to share Internet access among Win9x machines. lthough 18 months is a long time, the concepts discussed in that article haven't changed an iota.

The Explorer: Microsoft's Loss Is Not Consumers' Gain

Mon, 8 Nov 1999 00:00:00 EST

You've no doubt heard that the initial "findings of fact" in the DOJ/Microsoft antitrust case were announced last Friday (Nov 5) and that they were extremely harsh and deeply critical of Microsoft. These findings were based on several key points, and some of them clearly are true.

The Explorer: A Bevy Of Boot Disks

Mon, 25 Oct 1999 00:00:00 EDT

A boot disk be a lifesaver. But many people never bother with making a boot disk, or at best, accept the generic, limited boot disk that Windows offer to create during installation.

The Explorer: By the Bootstraps

Mon, 11 Oct 1999 00:00:00 EDT

In a recent issue of the LangaList I casually mentioned a few DOS commands that could cleanup some of the garbage files that Windows sometimes won't delete on its own, even if you use the "Cleanup Wizard" and such. The reader response was very, very eye opening.

The Explorer: What to Do With Your Old PC

Mon, 27 Sep 1999 00:00:00 EDT

Sooner or later, we all face the question of what to do with an old PC, and here are a dozen separate steps or approaches that just may help you eke more life from that older system.

The Explorer: Real-World Answers About Virtual Memory

Mon, 13 Sep 1999 00:00:00 EDT

The previous "System Setup Secrets" column generated a boatload of responses and sparked some great questions-and-answers. But some of the follow-on topics were extremely complex and practically begged for a more in-depth discussion on their own: Windows' Virtual Memory was at the top of the list.

The Explorer: Fred's System Setup Secrets

Tue, 31 Aug 1999 00:00:00 EDT

Call me a slow learner. But over the years I've had to develop a series of defensive strategies to cope with the inevitable problems and hassles of hardware and software failure -- especially because I test a lot of hardware and software, and regularly make my PCs blow up. (In a figurative sense, of course.)

The Explorer: New BT2K Beta Posted!

Mon, 16 Aug 1999 00:00:00 EDT

Once again, many, many thanks for all the great BT2K feedback! Hundreds of you have sent in outstanding suggestions on everything from how the navigation buttons should be grouped to solving the "why don't people use the Help files?" question I posed several weeks ago.

The Explorer: Windows' "Short Date Format" Scare

Mon, 9 Aug 1999 00:00:00 EDT

I've gotten maybe 50 e-mails in the last week about a "new" Y2K issue--maybe you got one, too.

Ten Ways to Make Windows 98 Run Better

Wed, 1 Jul 1998 00:00:00 EDT

We all have 'em: favorite tweaks, tricks, and fixes we use to make Win98 work better or faster. Here are ten of the best.