Lincoln

When Wendell tries to boot his PC, an error message announces a disk read error. It's as if his hard drive--with three year's worth of work on it--doesn't exist.

You could very well have a dead hard drive--or at least a very damaged one. Replacing the drive itself is relatively easy, although the current hard drive shortage will raise the cost.

Spiderowych found some private Facebook information online, and asked the Web Browsing and Email forum if the social network is safe.

I use Facebook, but I wouldn't post my credit card number there--or anything really embarrassing. You have to be careful about what information you give it and with whom you allow it to share that information.

AzharIqbal asked the Other Hardware forum how to see who else is using his computer.

Can everyone in your home or office log on to your PC as you? If so, that's the first thing you need to fix. After all, seeing who's using your PC isn't as important as controlling who has access.

Ronald Albaitis tried opening a file and got a warning that it contained "macros." He asked me what they are and whether he should be concerned.

A macro is a small, usually user-created piece of programming that runs inside another, larger program. Several applications come with macro-writing and -running capabilities.

In a continuation of last Thursday's post and skicrazer's forum question, I offer another approach to integrating Web-based email with Windows.

Windows has had a handy Default Mail Client setting for a very long time. It not only allows you to click a mailto link in your browser and go directly to your email program of choice, but it also lets you to mail a document directly from Word, an archive from WinZip, and any file from Windows Explorer.

Skicrazer asked the Web Browsing and Email forum what to change so that clicking a mailto link would bring up a Web-based mail account.

I find it amazing that this isn't simply part of Windows by now. The operating system has had a default mail client setting for a very long time, and Web-based email isn't exactly a new idea, either. Yet Microsoft has never added a way to make that mail client a URL rather than a program.

Wlpncp plans to upgrade his wife's PC from Vista to Windows 7. He asked the Laptops forum for advice.

You have two basic options: an Upgrade install, or a Custom one.

DimplesAkaKaren noticed that Windows came with two versions of Internet Explorer. She asked the Answer Line forum which she should use.

The 64-bit versions of Windows 7 and Vista come with both 32- and 64-bit variations of Internet Explorer. But the operating systems default to using the 32-bit brower.

Deedrio couldn't access a particular Web site that had never before been a problem, and turned to the Web Browsing and Email forum for help.

You've got two tasks here. First, you need to find a workaround that will let you to get to the site. And second, you need to fix the underlying problem so that you don't have to keep using a workaround.

Hajime's printer warns that ink cartridges need replacing, but other indicators deny this. Hajime asked the Printers forum for help.

When I'm shocked by the high price of gasoline, I comfort myself with the thought that at least my car doesn't run on printer ink.

Henry Maier's PC reboots when he tries to shut it down.

You can easily fix this common and annoying problem. Unfortunately, it's almost always a symptom of something more serious and more difficult to repair.

Malware infected Jazzy007's PC, and his data disappeared--even after he removed the culprit. He asked the Answer Line forum for help.

Chances are your data files are still on your hard drive; they're just hidden. The criminal who created that malware wanted to scare you into thinking that your precious files were gone. After all, in your panic, you might do something stupid--preferably something that involved throwing money in their direction. And the easiest way to create the illusion of missing files is to hide them.