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June 10, 2005
Dear CNET members,
Each week, I receive hundreds of questions from readers, and some of you sound in desperate need of computer advice. This newsletter limits us to one question per week, but you can find the answers you need in our community forums, where hundreds of wonderful members and moderators are always willing to help. So register and post your questions, and always explain your problem in detail to get the best solution.
Today's question is from Wayne, who is having difficulty accessing his old hard drive in his new computer. This week's winner, Miguel K. of Columbus Ohio, is a six-time winner in our Q&A. He has done a fantastic job of answering Wayne's hard drive issue. So, congratulations, Miguel! However, computer-related issues almost never have black-and-white solutions, so Wayne, if Miguel's great recommendation still doesn't solve your problem, please check out this week's honorable mentions and other advice from members and let us know what worked for you. Those of you who have other suggestions can join us in this week's discussion. Thank you, everyone!
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Member Question of the Week
My old computer died, so I bought a new one. I took my old hard drive out of my old computer to use it as a second hard drive in my new computer and to access the data stored on my old drive. After installing the old hard drive on my new Windows XP Home edition computer, I find that the only task the Disk Management feature will let me do is format my drive. Can anyone help or tell me how I can access the information on my old hard drive? My old drive had Windows XP Home edition on it also. Could this be the culprit?
Submitted by:
Wayne S.
Wayne, let's not jump the gun and blame the folks in Redmond so quickly! In all likelihood, you are dealing with a hardware issue.
Windows XP's Disk Management utility is designed to enable you to perform disk-related tasks such as initializing new disks, and creating and formatting new volumes. Having said that, you should have been able to open or explore the contents of the drive through it, just like you would through My Computer. If the only option you were given was to format the old drive, your operating system might be detecting the hardware but not recognizing it correctly. Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell from your description whether the drive is being detected at all. What you are experiencing...
Submitted by:
Miguel K. of Columbus Ohio
For
Miguel's efforts, we're sending him his choice
efforts, we're sending him his choice of any
Help.com Learning CD.
Community Buzz
 Each week we take a look at topics discussed in the forums.
Best regards and enjoy!
Now that Microsoft's Antispyware has been on the market for a while, many of you have used it. Well, do you love or hate it? Is it effective, and does it do what it's supposed to? If you've used it, please let us know if this program is worth the download.
More from Viruses & security alerts forum
Is buying OEM software safe?
Many software titles are expensive and there's always a temptation for people to buy OEM (original equipment manufacturer) software advertised for cheap. But is it worth taking the risk? Find out in this discussion, wherein a member is tempted to buy OEM software from a vendor, and see what our members advise. If you had any prior experience with OEM software, please tell us about it.
More from the Computer newbies forum
Cookies, anyone?
No, not the chocolate-chip type, but small data files that are written to your hard drive by some Web sites when you view them in your browser. So what are the benefits of cookies? Are they harmful or are they good? Our member tontoe just recently stopped deleting cookies altogether because he thinks they are useful; is he wrong or right? If you understand the ins and outs of cookies, educate us about them and let us know if they are beneficial or harmful.
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How often should I scan for viruses?
Do you scan your computer for viruses once a week, monthly, or never? What's your advice for this member who never scans the computer for viruses? Chime in and tell us what your routine is.
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Another toolbar, but for security
We are all aware of the browser toolbars available from Google or Yahoo, but what about those for security, such as the ones that warn you ahead of time if the Web site you're visiting is not what it seems or one that reports on phishing Web sites? See what others have recommended, and if you have suggestions on one that works for you, let us know about it.
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Mac nugget: Macs go Intel
With the recent announcement that Apple is shifting over to Intel chips, what are some of your expectations with this big change? Will it be better or worse for Apple users? Some of our members are already creating waves in this discussion, so check it out and state your own opinion.
More from the Mac hardware forum
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Check out next week's question:
With more people spending more time in front of their computers, carpal tunnel syndrome and other computer-related injuries are becoming widespread. Do you have suggestions for using computers in a way that avoids these problems? Where do I go for one-stop information about ergonomics and products that can lessen ergo problems, such as reviews or tests of different products (chairs, mouse trays and pads, keyboards)? How about advice regarding posture and seating measurements relative to the monitor and desk?
--Submitted by:
Doug J.P.
If you have the answer,
e-mail us at messageboards@cnet.com.
If we choose your response, you'll get a
free Help.com CD.
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After purchasing a new hard drive, what do you do with the old one?
(Please click on button to vote) |
 Use it as a slave drive
Chuck it in the trash
Reformat it and sell/donate it
Throw it in the closet
Smash it to smithereens
with a hammer (tell us why)
Make a wind chime
out of it (wow, please show us how)
Other (tell us what you do with it)
Last week's poll results
Has your home computer ever been hacked?
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