Malwarebytes Update: a reader asks… I have a pop-up at right lower corner on my Windows 10 computer from Malwarebytes saying “Version update available”. When I clicked “download and install”, it seemed to be working OK but it failed at the end, complaining that I hadn’t uninstalled the previous version. It is very persistent. If I close it, I get a “scan complete” pop-up that appears to be from Malware; and the “Version update available” pop-up always comes back a little […]
Masked Email: a reader asks… What’s the difference between Blur’s Masked Email and Mailinator? What Blur does is provide an email forwarding service. You create a temporary/permanent email address with Blur, and set that to auto-forward to your private email account. That way you don’t have to give out your private email address. At any time you can turn off the auto-forwarding. The use case for email forwarding is for communicating with someone that includes any private information (like a […]
System Restore: a reader asks… I have an HP Windows desktop computer that’s about 2 years old. It came with Windows 7 and I took the free upgrade to Windows 10. It’s been running poorly lately so I’m thinking of restoring back to factory and starting over. If I restore back to factory I’m guessing it’ll go back to Windows 7. Will I still be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free? Unfortunately, Microsoft stopped giving free upgrades to […]
Missing Mouse: a reader asks… I have a Lenovo all-in-one with a wireless keyboard and mouse. Today I’m trying to use my computer and the darn mouse cursor is missing! What should I do? How long has it been since you replaced the batteries in the wireless mouse? Generally, you can get anywhere from a few weeks to a year on a set of batteries, but different mouse models operate differently. So perhaps the first thing to try is to […]
Clone Hard Drive: a reader asks… My original 256gb C: drive is getting full so I bought a larger 1TB SSD to replace it. When I clone the drive, it creates a partition that is the same size as my current C: drive, wasting the extra space I bought. In the process of trying to figure things out I attached both drives (SSD-old and SSD-new) and got a black screen message (from Windows trying to start) saying that there was […]
5.1 audio from stereo: a reader asks… I have an old stereo system that has 5 speakers and a subwoofer. It has a built-in DVD player and when I play DVDs, it’s surround sound system. I’d like to plug in other components but the only audio inputs on my receiver are red & white RCA plugs, which I think are only 2-channel stereo. Is there a way to get surround sound audio from components plugged into this system? Such as […]
Plaintext Email: a reader asks… I use Gmail on Chrome, and would like to know how to send email as “plain text” without any formatting. These days all emails use fancy fonts and such, but I’d like to just send some emails without any of that. Is there an easy way to do this? It’s easy to do this on a message by message basis in Gmail on Chrome or other internet web browsers (IE, Firefox, Safari, etc.) because the […]
Windows7 Warning: a reader asks… I still have my Windows 7 computer and am wondering if it’s time to upgrade to a new computer with Windows 10. What are the compelling reasons to make the switch? The first and foremost reason is security. Microsoft has stopped development on the Windows 7 platform in January 2015. Since then, the only thing you’re getting from Windows Update are basic security updates, and even those will end in 2020. Since this is a […]
Kindle App Snafu: a reader asks… My Windows 10 computer has the Kindle app installed but I can’t sign in. Even though I use the correct username and password, it keeps giving me an error. What should I do? I going to go out on a limb and assume you have 2-factor authentication turned on for your Amazon.com account. That means that anytime a new app or device tries to log into your Amazon account, you have to authenticate, usually […]
File Explorer Favorites: a reader asks… I have a Windows 10 computer and when using File Explorer, I see that the frequent folders at the top change to reflect folders I’ve visited recently. Is there a way to add folders to this list so they are always at the top and easy to get to? I hate having to navigate through my hard drive to open folders that are buried inside my pictures or documents folders. Let me introduce you […]
Outlook Repair: a reader asks… I have Microsoft Office 365 installed on my PC, and Outlook 2016 isn’t working right. Is there a quick and easy fix? Without more specific information, my ability to help you is limited – ‘isn’t working right’ could cover a whole host of problems. That said, Microsoft built in an easy way to get diagnostic and recovery tools that’s right in the Outlook interface. No more having to go looking for an inbox repair tool […]
What’s wrong with my old computer? a reader asks… I have an old computer, running Windows XP. It works fine, and doesn’t seem to be having any problems. Do I need to upgrade? Why can’t I just keep using it? If you’re using that old computer for email, online shopping or banking, social networking, or if it’s connected to the internet, then the reason to upgrade is clear: security. Windows XP is vulnerable to so many online threats that there […]
Why Change Password? a reader asks… I don’t do a lot online, and don’t need a password manager. I have maybe a dozen online accounts to keep track of, and use the same password with variations for each website. I keep reading about hackers getting “troves of passwords” but don’t see how that really would affect me. So why should I go and change my passwords like everybody recommends? I’ll give you the two biggest reasons why you should re-think […]
Quick Restart: a reader asks… I saw this on someone else’s computer, how can I get it? What I saw was a desktop icon labeled Restart. When double-clicked, the computer restarts right away without having to click Start then the Power icon, then the Restart menu item. I have a Windows 10 PC. It’s pretty straightforward to do, first you create a shortcut on your desktop, then you assign the restart action, and finally you change the shortcut icon to […]
Gmail Mac Mail Mismatch: a reader asks… Coach: My email (gmail) says I have over 1m junk emails. I can not find them, if in fact they exist. I constantly delete my junk mail but the number of junk mail supposedly on my mac desktop (Sierra) continues to grow. This started about two weeks ago. If Google has a problem affecting us we know how difficult it is to reach them. Can you suggest a remedy to turn my junk number […]
Ransomware Prescription: a reader asks… Ok, now I’m worried. I’m reading about how widespread the ransomware scare is, and how it’s growing exponentially. Today I just read about another one coming that will be even bigger and harder to detect. What should I be doing to protect myself? I have a Windows 10 computer, and run Windows Update automatically. Just my opinion, but it’s only a matter of time before hackers will engulf the planet in ransomware. It’s too easy […]
Your Login Credentials: a reader asks… I’m going crazy with all these passwords! I know I’m supposed to have a separate password for everything, and my passwords are supposed to be long, random and complicated-impossible to guess. I also know I’m supposed to use a “Password Manager”. It’s all just too hard. So what else can I do? You may have put yourself in a catch .22 situation. You want to be security-conscious, but doing so is overwhelming to you. […]
Bad Wi-Fi: a reader asks… I have been experiencing frequent disconnections on smartphones (both android and iphone) at my home and it happens in the peak times of internet usage. At that time, i have checked and found out that my link was being fully utilized i.e. choking. But the problem is when I got connected to WiFi, few seconds later, it says “Connecting to WiFi…” and this happens quite frequently on all devices but only for 2 to 3 […]
PDF on Mac: a reader asks… I have a Mac with El Capitan. I’ve got some financial forms to fill out, and have downloaded them. When I open them, I can’t fill out the forms. Do I need some special program? Portable Document Format (PDF) types of files are easily transportable and generally usable on just about any type of computer. The file format was created by Adobe who makes and sells the Acrobat software program to create PDFs and […]
Extra Battery: a reader asks… I have a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and am going on a trip soon. I would like to use the phone as an e-reader on the plane when there’s no place to plug-in and recharge the battery. Should I get an external power/battery? One I could pick up easily before I leave tomorrow? If so, what would you recommend ?? The Samsung Galazy Note 4 has a removeable battery, so most owners buy a spare battery […]
iPhone Time-Out: a reader asks… Here is a question I haven’t found the answer to: IPhone 6–I have the phone set to time out and go dark at 5 minutes. If I do not use the phone for a minute or two, it goes dark and I have to then open it with either my fingerprint or inputting my password. Before if it went dark, all I had to do was press the home button, but now that brings me to the […]
iPhone Text Size: a reader asks… I have an iPhone 6s that my son got me. It’s nice and all, but the text size is just a smidge too teeny-tiny for my old eyes. Is there an easy way to make the text a little bigger? Yes, and it’s easy to make this change. There are a ton of accessibility settings you can try out, but lets focus on just the one to make text a tad larger. Tap the […]
iPhone Sync: a reader asks… I have an iPhone 6s connected to my office Microsoft Exchange account. Things have been working pretty well for a long time, but I’m starting to notice that sometimes a calendar event I put on the iPhone doesn’t get sync’ed with Outlook on my computer, and sometimes when I reply to emails on my iPhone, I don’t see the reply in my Sent Items folder. What can I do to fix this quickly? The simplest […]
Outlook Password: a reader asks… I was using my Windows 7 PC with Outlook 2010 running and all the sudden a little window pops up asking for my Verizon password. I shut it down and kept working but it keeps coming back! What should I do? Here’s a picture of the window. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you were typing something when that window came up. Anytime Outlook has trouble connecting to your email […]
ThumbDrive Write: a reader asks… I received a thumb drive from someone that supposedly had some files on it for me, but they aren’t there! The sender swears he copied files from his Mac to the thumbdrive before giving it to me. I use a Windows (10) computer. What gives? Not all Mac users realize this little fact, but the ‘format’ of the thumbdrive is critical to whether or not the Mac can write files to it or not. Most […]
No Facetime: a reader asks… I’m having trouble using Facetime on my iPhone. Sometimes it works sometimes not. It seems there are certain people it won’t work with, even though they have an iPhone or iPad. And sometimes folks tell me they can’t Facetime with me. There doesn’t seem to be any pattern as to when or why. Any ideas? The two biggest reasons why Facetime doesn’t work are pretty straightforward. The first reason is that someone doesn’t have Facetime […]
Fake claim: Bose Spyphones: a reader asks… I have a pair of Bose headphones which I use on airplanes for blessed silence while in-flight. I recently read about my headphones spying on me (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/04/19/bose-headphones-have-been-spying-on-their-customers-lawsuit-claims/?utm_term=.014275e2a6c7). Do I need to worry? Umm, no. I’m calling that article and others like it ‘clickbait’. The title reads falsely. Your Bose headphones have no capability to do any spying on you. All they can do is cut ambient noise down, and when connected to your […]
Time Capsule Not Working: a reader asks… I have several older Macbook Air computers at home in the family, and I also bought a Time Capsule so they’d all automatically back up with the Time Machine app. I just checked, and none of the Macs are backing up, they say they can’t. I have Time Machine turned on and the Time Capsule is powered on and connected to my home network. What can I do to get Time Machine working […]
Mac First Aid: a reader asks… My Mac is not working correctly, I’m getting some odd errors, such as apps that won’t quit, shutdown problems, and generally slow operation. Is there anything I can do to quickly get it back up and running normally? I am running Sierra on my 2-year-old Macbook Pro. Fortunately, MacOS has a nifty utility that you can run, called “First Aid”. Older versions of OS X (the Mac operating system before the current ‘Sierra’ version) […]
My Computer’s folders: a reader asks… I have two Windows 10 computers and am worried about losing my personal files. I would also like for them to have the same exact files in the personal folders, and keep them synchronized. Is there an easy way for me to have all my personal files automatically backed up to the cloud? I use Dropbox and have plenty of space for the files, but I don’t want to have to copy everything from […]
"I'm all about helping you deal with our 21st century high-tech digital world so you can enjoy a healthy and secure digital life!"
Hi! I'm Chris Gardner, Your Tech Coach giving you Practical Help for Your Digital Life® since 1996. My job is to translate geek-speak into clear and concise advice and give you easy-to-understand how-to's and instructions about your consumer technology products and services.
Browse my library with over 1,000 of the types of questions and answers we all have about our consumer technology. Better yet, use the search bar above or pick a subject or keyword below to see a list of related posts you can read. And please sign up for my free weekly digest and occasional email alerts!
If you don't find the answer to your question in my library, ask me a question - anything about consumer technology. I answer questions large and small, from how to use Siri on an iPhone to how to protect your computer, tablet or smartphone. I take arcane language from manuals and translate that into easy-to-follow instructions. This gives you better ways to use your consumer technology - helping you get more out of the gadgets and services you already own and use.
I provide all the above, supported by my readers who find my answers valuable (patronage model). Please consider supporting me by sending any amount via 
(send to @PosiTek), or via 
(send to Support@PosiTek.net), or via 
using any credit card (no Paypal account required), or by mailing a check or cash to PosiTek.net LLC 1934 Old Gallows Road, Suite 350, Tysons Corner VA 22182.
I am not a non-profit, but your support helps me to continue delivering advice and consumer technology support to the public.
If you need more immediate or direct support, please see my 1-on-1 Tech Support page. I don't profess to know everything about everything, but I'm great at finding and giving you exactly the right answer in the way you need to hear it. Give me a try and let Your Tech Coach help you get your technology working for you, not the other way around!
Need more help using this website? Click here!
The information presented on this website and referred to in various social networking channels are the considered opinions of the authors. We accept no advertising, kickbacks or any sort of remuneration for any commercial products or services that we recommend or suggest. Furthermore, posts or links to external websites or other content do not imply endorsement, unless explicitly stated.
Any elements on this website that may be linked to or displayed, including trademarks and product/service images, are for educational purposes only under fair use copyright law. PosiTek.net LLC purchases licensing for commercial imagery used on this website via Shutterstock.com and any other imagery is licensed for our use via:
