Apps, Operating Systems (Windows, MacOS, Linux), or pro level software.
Software
Why Can't I Log Into Windows?
Episode 1750
George fromGeorge has an old HP laptop running Windows 7. He recently ran a restore, and it didn't work. He's tried several times. Now, when he loads Windows, the admin account comes up as "locked." Leo says to try restoring using Windows 7 natively, not the HP software. In fact, get the Windows Media Creation Tool and upgrade to Windows 10. Then install it over Windows 7. This should authenticate and fix whatever is wrong. He can then redownload the drivers specific to the laptop model.
Why Doesn't My Mic Work After a Windows Update?
Episode 1750
Joe fromJoe got a vintage world war II 16mm movie camera for Christmas and managed to get in contact with the original owner's family. They sent him the accompanying movie projector along with many other artifacts of the owner's experience in WWII. He's been looking for the double perforated film that it uses, and after months of searching, he found the film for it.
Joe is having issues with his microphone mixer app after a Windows update. Leo says that an update of the third-party soundcard driver should be able to restore access to it. Thanks, Microsoft!
Should I upgrade to macOS Big Sur?
Episode 1747
Jim fromJim recently bought a Mac Mini to do freelance video editing. He also recently got a MacBook Pro laptop from work to do editing at home. He had to roll back to Mojave after problems in Catalina. Should he update to macOS Big Sur? Leo says no. Big Sur has problems right now, and if you're using your Apple products for working, there's no rush or advantage to upgrading the OS.
Big Sur is a huge change, and is primarily written for Apple Silicon Macs. So if there's no real need, why rush?
How can I make Windows 10 look like Windows 7?
Episode 1746
Jacob fromJacob uses a classic shell with Windows 10 to make it look more like Windows 7. Leo says that the free Classic Shell is old and hasn't been updated for a while. So it's a security risk. Leo recommends StarDock. For further customization, they also make Windows Blinds and several others. You can get the entire library of utilities to customize your Windows OS for under $30.
Can I run Windows and Linux on my computer?
Episode 1746
Hasan fromHasan has been having issues using Citrix on his Windows machine. Leo says that Citrix works on Linux, so Linux is an option if you're sick of Windows problems. But if you want to use Windows, make sure you're running the latest version of Windows 10. But it will also clobber Linux if you want to keep that as well. So install Windows first, then install Linux for a dual boot system. Leo recommends Manjaro, but you'll have to disable secure boot on Windows.
Apple Announces Silicon Macs, but Big Sur has Privacy Concerns
Episode 1745
Apple announced their M1 based Apple Silicon Mac laptops this week, including the 13" Mac Air, 13" Mac Pro, and the Mac Mini. Leo says it's the first generation, and that's causing many to wait. Leo also says that RAM is limited to 16GB because it has been wired into the logic board. Called Unified Memory Architecture, it's known to be faster. So maybe we don't need as much RAM moving forward as we think.
Why can't I use Windows XP and my old programs?
Episode 1744
Richard fromRichard is having issues with Windows XP and his password. Leo says that Microsoft has stopped supporting Windows XP, and Richard shouldn't use it online anymore. And if Richard can't use some of his programs, it's probably time to move on to new versions. Office, for instance, Leo recommends using Office365. FrontPage is dead. Money is dead.
Leo says Richard needs to upgrade to Windows 10 if he wants to do anything moving forward and look for more updated apps for the apps he's been relying on with that old machine. The web has just moved on.
What Do I Do to Give an Old Laptop To My Grandkids?
Episode 1743
Jimmy fromJimmy wants to recycle his old laptop by giving it to his grandkids. Leo says he will want to wipe the drive. There is a temptation to give it as is so that they'll have programs, etc. But it's far more secure to wipe the drive and start over. The good news is that Windows 10 is an entitlement for the computer, not the user. So he can use the Windows Media Creation Tool to put Windows 10 on a USB and then format the drive and reinstall Windows.
Can I Run Linux on Mac?
Episode 1741
Manny fromManny is looking to get a new MacBook Pro. Leo says we're only about a month away from the new Mac laptop announcement, so it'll pay to wait. What can he do with his old Macbook? Put Linux on it? Leo says that putting on Linux is doable, but there are always some issues with Apple Hardware. The old the machine the better, and it would pay to google the distribution he's looking at and Macbook Pro and see what issues pop up. Leo's favorite for the Mac is Manjaro.
How Can I Easily Record a Podcast?
Episode 1741
Phil fromPhil produces a podcast for his church and wants to streamline the process so it can be done in his absence. Leo says that Anchor.FM has the simplest podcasting tools. It can record from a computer or phone and it'll automatically publish the podcast. Auphonic is another.
