Using file-sharing service is technically legal, but ...

Q: I have an 11-year-old son who wants me to allow him to use the site Limewire to download "free" movies and songs. I have heard that this is not legal, yet he tells me that he has several friends using the site. I just have a simple question: Is it legal to download songs and movies from Limewire?

Laurie Nickels

A: Limewire is a legal file-sharing service. As the company makes very clear on its Web site, however, sharing copyrighted material without appropriate permission is not legal. In order to use Limewire, you have to agree not to share copyrighted material. That presumably puts the legal burden on those who illegally share such files rather than on the file-sharing service.

Q: I seem to have a large number of folders in my Windows folder that are the results of updates to my system. The folders are $NtUninstallKxxxxxxx$. Do I need to keep these folders or should I remove them from my system?

Carl Tipton

A: You're correct that those folders, and the files in them, were created during updates to your system. They're there just in case the update causes problems. If it does, you can restore your system to its previous state using those files. If you're satisfied with how your system is running, however, you can safely remove those folders and files.

Q: A young computer-savvy relative took our computer to his home to update Windows for me, since my dial-up Internet-service provider would now allow enough time to complete the update by downloading. In the process of updating Windows, he uninstalled my 2007 Norton security program and installed Ad-Aware SE Personal. He has advised me not to reinstall the Norton program, saying it had corrupted my hard drive and caused my problems in updating Windows. Now I am getting warnings that I do now show anti-virus protection. Should I reinstall my 2007 Norton security program?

Maxine Johnson

A: First, be aware — if you're not already — that Ad-Aware isn't an antivirus program. It's just an anti-adware, anti-spyware program and that's why you're getting warnings that you aren't running an antivirus program. So, yes, I'd recommend that you definitely install a good antivirus program.

Should that antivirus program be Norton Antivirus? I won't say yes. And I won't say no. I don't know of an antivirus program on the market that hasn't been implicated in interfering on some systems with Windows updates. And most of them have gotten blamed for corrupting hard drives on some systems, but I haven't run into any documented cases of this.

For my part, I figure the risks of viruses are greater than the risks of the antivirus software corrupting a hard drive or interfering with a Windows update. If your particular system has a problem with a specific antivirus program, try another.

Fact is, the blame may not be solely with the antivirus program. There may be a conflict with the combination of that program and another program running on your system.

Q: I use Yahoo! e-mail, and for several weeks I have been forwarding spam e-mail from my bulk folder to the Inbox, where I would mark them as spam and they would be deleted by Yahoo! Lately, the spammers have been e-mailing post-dated spam and the amount of spam has actually increased. What steps must I take to stop post-dated e-mail?

Mike Bocatch, East Wenatchee

A: I sure wish I had an answer for that one. The steps one can take all depend upon your spam filter(s). I added the "s" because most ISP and company e-mail systems run spam filters and you may also have a configurable spam filter on your client e-mail program.

Of course, if you're using Yahoo!'s Web interface for e-mail, you'd be relying totally on its spam filter. In which case, your only hope would be to ask it or help.

If you're using an e-mail client, you could try its spam filter or third-party filters to seek relief.

Questions for Patrick Marshall may be sent by e-mail to pmarshall@seattletimes.com or pgmarshall@pgmarshall.net, or by mail at Q&A/Technology, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. More columns at www.seattletimes.com/columnists.