By Kim Komando
Gannett News Service

Question: I bought my son a laptop. Is there a way it can be tracked if it is stolen?

Answer: Yes. There is software that works over the Internet to report the location of a stolen laptop. When a thief connects the laptop to the Internet, the software reports its location to a special Web site. CyberAngel (www.sentryinc.com, $60 annually), CompuTracePlus (www.computrace.com, $50 annually) and zTrace (www.ztrace.com, $50 annually) offer laptop locator software and services.

Q: I upgraded my computer's components and now the machine restarts at random, regardless of the program I'm using. Why?

A: It sounds as if your computer is overheating because the power supply wasn't designed to work with your new hardware. To determine whether you need a larger power supply, list the components in your computer and the power each requires. You will find each component's power requirements on the manufacturer's Web site. Add the required wattage and multiply by 1.8. The resulting number is the power supply wattage you need. Buy a power supply with more power than the wattage you need in case you plan to add more components.

Q: I receive e-mail touting the latest software programs at a fraction of the cost of the retail price. Are these spam offers a scam?

A: If it looks as if a deal is too good to be true, it probably is. Be suspicious of spelling mistakes and awkward English. Most counterfeiters are overseas and their English is often poor. If you can't find contact information on a site, it's a good sign that it's not legitimate. Also, the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) keeps reliability reports on most companies.

Q: I think one of my employees is surfing dating sites most of the day. If I install a snooping program, will he know I'm monitoring him?

A: Computer-monitoring programs that capture keystrokes and computer activities are designed to be clandestine, but a knowledgeable computer user could discover them by using the Windows configuration utility MSCONFIG. Employees also can use tools that uncover snooping programs, such as SpyCop (www.spycop.com, $70) and SpyDetect (www.spydetect.com, $30).

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Komando hosts a national talk radio show about computers and the Internet. To find the station nearest you broadcasting Kim's show, visit www.komando.com/findkimonair.asp. To subscribe to Kim's free weekly e-mail newsletter, sign up at www.komando.com/newsletter.asp.