Q: Yesterday I built a desktop computer from parts that I’ve acquired over the past few years. While installing software today, I noticed that the power source wasn’t plugged all the way into the video card, so I pushed it in more tightly, and bam: The computer suddenly shut off, and it won’t turn back [...]

Q: In Windows Vista, I’m now seeing a small window appearing at the screen’s bottom-right corner saying, “Windows has blocked some startup programs.” How do I get rid of this message? A: You’re seeing yet another annoying Windows Vista feature. When you try to run some programs, Vista’s User Account Control (UAC) normally steps in, [...]

Q: I was scanning my laptop for potential threats, and the scan results stated there was a “threat agent” on my laptop. I know what a threat is, but what’s a threat agent. Is there a difference? A: The word “threat” usually stands for a category of things that pose a potential danger. Viruses, worms, [...]