If you need to access your own computer or someone else's from a remote location, you probably already know about GoToMyPC, which is often advertised on radio and TV. GotoMyPC's remote access service costs $20/month. But did you know that you can do the same thing for free? Here's how...

When you replace a hard drive, what do you do with the old one? Most people give their surplus drives away to friends or charities. Some just throw them in the trash. But what about all the data on that old drive? Even if you deleted files or formatted the drive, your data might still be readable. Here's how to securely and completely erase every last bit of data from your hard drive…

"I'm planning to buy an external hard drive to use for backups. What hardware and software do you recommend for reliable and simple backups?"

Voice teleconferencing remains a staple of business despite the proliferation of alternatives such as email, instant messaging, and webinars. When you want a meeting but can’t get everyone together in the same room, it’s natural to call for a teleconference. The problem is that teleconferencing can get expensive...

When you open Explorer in Windows 7 you will see a tree of "Libraries" in the left sidebar. Libraries are a new feature of Windows 7 and may cause confusion among users of earlier versions. But Libraries are quite handy, easy to understand, and fun to work with. Here's how they work…

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

"Recently I got a popup warning me that a virus had infected my computer, and I needed to download some antivirus program to get rid of it. I did so, and later discovered it was a very slick FAKE security tool that really messed things up. How can I avoid fake antivirus programs in the future?"

"I have three email accounts, and it's a nuisance to check each one. I also have trouble keeping my address books in sync, and when I'm looking for a certain message, I have to check in three places. Is there an easy way to consolidate all my email accounts in one place?"

"I need to send a weekly fax update to a large group of people. It's tedious to stand at the fax machine and enter each number. Is there software that can do this for me?"

"I changed my Windows login password yesterday, and now I can't remember it! Is there any way to reset the windows password, so I can regain access to my computer?"

"My computer sometimes shuts down at random times. A friend said it's probably overheating. How can I find out for sure, and what can be done about overheating?"

"My computer is showing signs of age, but I can't afford a new one. What hardware upgrades do you recommend to improve speed and usability for those with older computers?"

Here's your Geekly Update for the week of November 9th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

AVG Technologies has been protecting computer users against viruses, spyware, and other malware since 1991. Its eponymous software, simply called "AVG" comes in a free version for personal "basic protection" use and a commercial version for "enhanced protection" use. The latest release is version 9. Let's take a look at AVG9 and see how it measures up to the security challenges looming online...

Here's your Geekly Update for the week of November 2nd, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on..

There's a certain segment of the population that is addicted to gizmos and gadgets. They're always waiting for the Next Big Thing. Those people are anxiously awaiting November 6, 2009, when the Motorola/Verizon Droid smartphone will be released to the masses. If you can't wait to get one in your hands, here is a sneak preview of the latest in a succession of "iPhone killer" devices…

"The fan inside my computer's power supply has started making an awful noise, and I'm afraid it's ready to bite the dust. Is it difficult to replace a power supply?"

Here's your Geekly Update for the week of October 27th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

Should you use Internet Explorer version 8, or the new Firefox version 3.5? Which is better, faster, easier to use? Read on for my comparison of the latest versions of the two most popular browsers...

"I just read something about a new security tool from Microsoft, that's supposed to be better than Windows Defender, which I use now. What is your recommendation?"

"Recently I lost my phone, and along with it, all my contacts, music, text messages and apps. It's been expensive and time consuming to reconstruct everything, so I'm looking for a way to back up all the data on my cell phone. What do you recommend?"

"When I start my computer, I always get some sort of 'error in registry' message. Things seem to work okay after that, but it makes me wonder if there is a problem that should be corrected. Will a registry cleaner fix this?"

Here's your Geekly Update for the week of October 20th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

How long will your hard drive last? Is it giving you subtle signs that a data disaster is looming? How will you know when it's time to buy a new hard drive? Here are some things you can look for...

"I'm moving to Windows 7, but I'm worried about transferring all my existing programs to the new system. I would be a major hassle to re-install all my programs… what do you recommend?"

"Often I compose a letter in Word, then paste the text into an email. But all the formatting (and sometimes images) are lost when my friends view it. Can I somehow capture in a file, exactly what WOULD appear on the printed page, then send that instead?"

"I've heard so many different stories about the cost of upgrading to Windows 7, that I don't know what to think. Can you clarify the Win7 upgrade price for me?"

Here's your Geekly Update for the week of October 13th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

"I work in a busy office, and often the fax machine is a major source of frustation and lost productivity. I'm no geek, but it sounds like a central fax server would save time and money. Can you get me started?"

"I'm looking for a surge protector for my computer equipment and I'm wondering if those power strip models with built-in surge protection are any good. What should I look for when trying to protect my computer from lightning strikes?"

Office Web Apps is Microsoft's answer to Google Docs and other online office apps. Even if you don't have MS Office installed on your computer, you will be able to create, edit, save, and share Office documents with other people - all in your web browser...

"Suddenly my web browser is cluttered with toolbars that I never asked for. I delete them, but sometimes they come back. Why is this happening, and how do I get rid of all those unwanted toolbars?"

"I understand there are many variations on the Linux theme. I want to try Linux as a free alternative to Windows, but I feel like I'm in a diner with too many options on the menu. Can you give me a quick guide to selecting a Linux that meets my needs?"

Here's your Geekly Update for the week of October 5th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

So you were working on that big presentation for the boss, when suddenly the power went out and your computer shut down. And when you restarted the computer and ran your software it said "Cannot open file; file corrupt" or some equally sickening thing. Now what?

If you feel your computer is sluggish, what's going on? One reason could be your Windows startup programs. let's take a look at how to manage your startup programs, and pump some speed back into your system...

"I'm thinking of switching to VOIP phone service with Vonage or my cable provider. But I'm not sure if I can send a fax over a VOIP connection. Does faxing with VOIP work well?"

Many users report that Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 locks up or even crashes their entire PC, under a variety of circumstances. They want to know why. Here's the scoop...

"I tried to run System Restore and got this error message: 'System Restore did not complete successfully. Your computer's files and settings were not changed.' Uggh. Why does this happen, and what can I do about it?"

Here's your Geekly Update for the week of September 29th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

"I'm a Sprint customer, and thinking about buying a new smartphone. I like the iPhone, but it's only on AT&T. Sprint's Palm Pre also looks good, but how does it stack up to the iPhone?"

"I'm interested in learning about precious gems. But most of the sites I see are just online jewelry stores. Can you recommend any sites where I can get high quality information on gems and minerals?"

"I keep getting an error that says 'Data Execution Prevention - To help protect your computer, Windows has closed this program.' What is Data Execution Prevention, and why is it suddenly blocking programs that I've been using for years?"

System Restore is a great feature in Windows that lets you roll back the clock on system changes. Have you ever wondered how System Restore affects your computer's resources, performance and what's really going on behind the scenes? Read on...

"I hear radio ads for Stamps.com, promising the ability to print postage stamps at home, and $100 in bonuses. Is Stamps.com internet postage legit, or a scam?"

"Whenever I go to Microsoft's website, it nags me to install a thing called Silverlight. What is Silverlight, and do I really need it on my computer?"

I've heard that when a song gets stuck in your head, it's because your brain is trying to remember the words. So where do you go when you just have to have the lyrics to that song that's driving you crazy? Let's explore the options for finding lyrics on the web...

"Like most people, I do a little personal web browsing at work. But I'm wondering... Can my boss see what websites I visit?"

Here's your Geekly Update for the week of September 21st, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

"I'm considering LifeLock identity theft insurance, but are there other companies I should consider? And I've heard about do-it-yourself identity theft protection... is that a realistic alternative?"

"I'm doing some Google searches for news stories that happened several years ago. But all the top results are for the most current or most 'popular' pages on my keywords. Can I tell Google limit my search results to specific dates?"