The Help Desk
Q: I have two boxes of old floppy disks. Is there a safe and secure way to get rid of them?
— Marlene Walton
A: I'm assuming the floppy disks you mention are 3 1/2-inch disks rather than the ancient 5 1/4-inch disks. One way to destroy these disks is to pry open the outer plastic case then remove the flexible piece of circular plastic inside and cut it with scissors. Burning these disks would destroy them but create toxic smoke.
For those having hundreds of these disks to destroy, a faster way would be to place them in a bucket and add paint remover or some similar liquid (paying attention to the possibility of fire and avoiding dangerous fumes).
Q: Why does my computer need Microsoft updates seemingly every day? And how can I find out what software is causing lots of "computer thinking" noise, usually soon after I boot up?
— Don Nelson
A: As far as the updates, it's just an attempt by Microsoft to keep up with all the adware and spyware out there. Often they are to update Microsoft's Defender anti-spyware program with new malware to screen.
As far as programs that click and chatter away when you start the computer, you can use that same Defender program to check out what's happening and — if needed — stop some programs from running at startup. Open Windows Defender (if you type that program name into the Windows help menu, it'll provide an easy link), then click on Tools and then Software Explorer. Select the Startup Programs category and you'll see a list of programs. If you want to stop one of them, you can click on Disable.
Q: I have heard, several times, of people who have had their computers crash or slow down and had it repaired by a person who tells them the modem has a virus. ... He removes the modem and then reinstalls it.
— Leonard Rosenbaum
A: Modems don't get viruses. So either the technician is wrong or the people relaying the story are not doing a good job of it. In any case, I'd suggest that your friends take their computers to a different shop next time.
Q: I put photos on a CD-R quite some time ago. Now when I put the CD in the drive, it freezes the machine. Photos put on a more recent CD still work.
— Ron Ferrigno
A: CDs burned at home aren't nearly as stable as DVDs and CDs produced commercially. All sorts of things can ruin them, including scratches, dirt, too much exposure to strong sunlight, heat and defects in manufacturing.
Some CDs can be rescued. Here's a page that offers tips: www.acronis.com/resource/tips-tricks/2005/repair-damaged-cd.html.
HAVE A QUESTION?
Please send your questions to Bill Husted at tecbud(at)bellsouth.net. While he reads every e-mail, not all are answered. E-mails are selected for publication based on the likelihood that the answers will be of general interest.