Practical Help Library – Page 28 – Practical Help for Your Digital Life®

Practical Help Library

Buh-bye Facebook

May 30, 2016

Buh-bye Facebook: a reader asks… Just a quick question, I’m sick of facebook, can you tell me how to turn it off? Quick answer, visit https://www.facebook.com/help/delete_account, read the notifications and then click the blue Delete my Account button. It’s that simple. But recognize that this is a permanent action, you won’t be able to reactivate your facebook account (you can always create a new facebook account though). There are various confirmations you’ll need to go through, and possibly security hoops (if you’ve turned […]
Missing Message?

May 27, 2016

Lost Message? a reader asks… Hey Chris, I’ve been having trouble lately, in that sometimes people aren’t getting my messages. Sometimes it’s a lost facebook private message, sometimes a lost email, sometimes a text that never got delivered. Is there something going on that I should be worried about? I don’t think there’s anything new, but I do think you’re starting to experience the effects of communication overload. If it was only one communication channel, I might explore problems with that […]
Junk Gmail

May 26, 2016

Junk Gmail: A member asks… Lately, I’ve been getting alot of junk email in my Gmail inbox. I used to just get a little bit, but now I’m getting dozens of silly emails daily. Some are straight advertising like drugs from Canada, and some just have nonsense text in them. And some have file attachments or pictures in them. Why is this happening and can you tell me some simple ways I can stop this? I’m not a computer expert! Gmail […]
Password Magic

May 25, 2016

Password Magic: a reader asks… Is there an easier way to make hard-to-guess passwords that I can remember? I’ve been using various combinations of my dog’s name, names of my kids, and so on. I don’t want to use a password manager because I only go to about a half-dozen places online. So I’ve been creating one basic password and varying it for each place I go. I hope you’ll reconsider using a password manager (like https://www.lastpass.com) as that’s the […]
Robocall Block

May 24, 2016

Robocall Block: A reader asks… Hey Chris, I know I can use the DoNotCall registry to try to block robocallers, but I still get way too many on my iPhone and now I’m starting to get junk text messages. Is there any way I can block this stuff? The US Government’s Do Not Call Registry (https://www.donotcall.gov/) is a good first start at eliminating junk calls, and you can and should register every phone number you have, landline and cellphone. But That’s […]
New FIOS Router?

May 23, 2016

New FIOS Router? I just upgraded my home FiOS system. Now that I have the new Verizon router in hand, I am concerned how it will work with the Netgear wireless routers we attached to the old router. While the installation instructions look ‘stupid simple’ I wonder if I will run into challenges when I upgrade the Verizon device. I also wonder if I need to upgrade our Netgear Wireless routers -they are quite dated. I read that the best […]
Mac Firewall

May 20, 2016

Mac Firewall: a reader asks… I recently switched from using an old Windows laptop to a Macbook Pro. I’m still learning how to use it, and I have a question. Isn’t there some firewall I need to turn on, and don’t I need an internet security program? Thanks for any advice you can share! Congratulations on getting your new laptop! Switching from one to the other (either way) is more about finding the new places where the same old controls […]
Landline-less Fax

May 19, 2016

Landline-less Fax: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I have a problem that’s probably more common than I think. Here’s my situation: I live in a condo and don’t have a landline, just a cell phone. I have a computer and internet service at the condo. On rare occasions I need to send out faxes, but often need to be able to copy and scan things to my computer. Is there a multi-function device that will do this for me – […]
Why Update?

May 18, 2016

Why Update? a reader asks… It seems like every day some part of my technology needs to be updated. It’s a real pain, especially when I’m working on something and a popup hits my screen saying I need an update to something or other. Just yesterday my Norton told me I have to upgrade to a new version. Do I really need to do these updates? Short answer, yes. In almost all cases, an update to a software program, operating system, […]
Change your Batteries

May 17, 2016

Change your Batteries: a reader asks… How often should I change the batteries on my remote controls and other battery-powered devices? Does it hurt them to run with low batteries? How about a primer on how to deal with batteries? Smartphones, cordless telephones, electric shavers, remote controls, garage door opener clickers – we’re surrounded by many small devices that run on batteries. Here’s a simple but often overlooked tip on what to do when they don’t work very well – change the battery! Read on […]
Stop Win10 Upgrade

May 16, 2016

Stop Win10 Upgrade: a reader asks… Dear Chris: On my “in box” I just got notification that Windows 10 is being installed without my even asking for it…On Thursday…What should I do? I don’t need a new fangled system….hopefully it won’t affect my word processing stuff…I like things as they are going along…I have a 6-year old HP laptop with Windows 7. Ok, you have till Thursday to cancel the Windows 10 upgrade, and since you have an older Windows […]
Blue Screen of Death

May 13, 2016

Blue Screen of Death: a reader asks… I was working along, doing my thing on my Lenovo Thinkpad and got a blue screen – unexpected error. I restarted normally and am now having regular blue screens. Have done all updates and run malware, virus scans – all I can do at the novice level. My 3rd blue screen didn’t clear on its own and I had to shut down the computer and start it back up again. Never a good sign. […]
Older Eyes

May 12, 2016

Older Eyes: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’m 77 and have a Windows 10 laptop. My eyesight isn’t what it used to be and I’m having trouble seeing everything on my screen. I’m always losing where my mouse cursor is on the screen, and the text is so darn small that I can’t read easily. What can I do to make using my computer easier? Don’t feel like it’s just you, most people over 40 have trouble seeing what’s on […]
My Passport Mac-ified

May 11, 2016

My Passport Mac-ified: a reader asks… I just got a new My Passport 2tb external storage drive from Staples. I want to use it with my MacBook Pro which has El Capitan on it, with the Time Machine app. When I plugged it in and tried to set it up in Time Machine, I got a warning “Are you sure you want to erase the backup disk “My Passport”? Erasing will destroy all information on the disk and can be […]
Windows Updates?

May 10, 2016

Windows Updates? a reader asks… Chris, I was working along, doing my thing on my laptop and got a blue screen – unexpected error. I restarted normally and then started running scans. When I ran the Bitdefender vulnerability scan, I got the window – Bitdefender says I’m missing some critical updates. Funny thing is that I did not get a notice from Microsoft Update. Was I supposed to go out and manually check for updates?? Should I now download the ones […]
Lost my Mac Calendar!

May 9, 2016

Lost my Mac Calendar! a reader asks… I’m so mad at myself! I’ve been using the iCloud app on my PC to sync my calendar and contacts from Outlook to my iPhone. I got an iMac and setup the Calendar app, everything looks good. Except I accidentally deleted my calendar! I looked and it’s empty on my iPhone and in Outlook on my PC too! Am I toast or can I get it back somehow? Whoops! Don’t beat yourself up […]
Mac to HP, Hello?

May 6, 2016

Mac to HP, Hello? a reader asks… Hi Chris, I have a 2011 Macbook Pro with OS X Mavericks and an HP Officejet 6700 all-in-one inkjet printer. I installed the HP software on the Mac. Up until a week ago, everything worked reasonably well, I was able to print (but not scan) from the Mac. I also have a Windows PC that was able to print and scan. After coming back from a weekend away, I found that my Mac […]
PUP appfish

May 5, 2016

PUP appfish: a reader asks… Hi Chris, after taking your advice and installing Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, I got my first malware alert – should I always delete what it finds? It found 2 items on my Windows 7 Dell laptop. If you check the Malwarebytes’ program settings under Detection and Protection you’ll see a section called “Non-malware Protection’ where you can choose how Malwarebytes treats things that aren’t guaranteed malware, but could be harmful to your computer. These are Potentially Unwanted […]
Office Key?

May 4, 2016

Office Key? a reader asks… I bought Microsoft Office 2010 online awhile ago, and have misplaced the order information with that all-important product key. I now have a new computer and would like to install Office 2010 on it. I was able to find the installation program, so I can install it, but I’m stuck on the product key part to activate Office. I still have my old computer with Office 2010 activated on it, but I can’t find the […]
Windows 10 Upgrade – Now?

May 3, 2016

Windows 10 Upgrade – Now? a reader asks… Should I take the free upgrade to Windows 10 now? I keep getting that annoying popup on my 1-year-old Dell desktop PC (with Windows 8.1 running on it). My computer works just fine for me and I’ve been putting off the upgrade for a long time now. The popup says the upgrade is only free till July, so I’ve got a little time. I use a computer but consider myself a A […]
Fake Amazon Email

May 2, 2016

Fake Amazon Email: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I received this email from Amazon.com, is it legit? In a word, no. No reputable business has any business sending you a zipfile (unless you deal with them regularly and have pre-arranged for the delivery via email of a file) for any reason. In the case of Amazon, their email notifications never use a file attachment. So on the face of it without digging any deeper I can tell you with confidence […]
Mac Backup Doesn’t

April 29, 2016

Mac Backup Doesn’t: a reader asks… Hi Coach, I have a Macbook Air and recently updated to El Capitan. An annoying problem has cropped up where my Time Machine doesn’t backup to my Apple Time Capsule. It used to work just fine before the upgrade and only took a few minutes. Can you help or should I just take everything into the Genius Bar and get them to figure it out? Before you haul your equipment off to the Apple […]
Keyboard not working

April 28, 2016

Keyboard not working: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I need some hints. My Dell all-in-one (XPS 2420) computer has been working just fine for years. All of the sudden my keyboard stopped working. I’m not sure what to do. If you have the original keyboard that came with your Dell, then it is a wireless keyboard. So the first thing I’d do is check that the little power switch hasn’t been accidentally turned off. That’s the chrome slider switch in […]
Annoying Updates

April 27, 2016

Annoying Updates: a reader asks… Do I have to update Java and Adobe Flash Player all the time? It seems like every day one or the other says it needs an update. I have a Windows 7 computer with Norton 360 on it, and I don’t do a whole lot with my computer. Just surfing the web, email mostly. These constant updates are really annoying! Well, I have to tell you that yes, you do have to do those updates. […]
Mac vs. PC, again

April 26, 2016

Mac vs. PC, again: a reader asks… So my old HP is on its last leg — I can actually hear the chugging noise! I am looking at the new HP – 360 Envy 15 inch screens. I like the idea of tablet and PC functionality. Then in the back of my mind I wonder if now is the time to make the switch to an Apple platform? I’d like to hear your thoughts. It’s an age-old question of Mac […]
No Spin Hard Drive

April 25, 2016

No Spin Hard Drive: a reader asks… I need a quick primer on hard drives please. SSD versus a standard hard drive. Why would I want to pay more for less space? In two words: reliability and performance. a traditional hard drive uses spinning platters inside the drive and a little arm that moves about to find the data bits stored on the platters. Those moving parts are subject to encountering (or causing) errors when the hard drive is moved […]
iPad disabled, options?

April 22, 2016

iPad disabled, options? A reader asks… Hi Chris, my father somehow managed to lock up his iPad. Not only can he not unlock and use the iPad, but he doesn’t even see the number keypad when he turns the iPad on. It’s a 3rd generation iPad and he has a Logitech bluetooth keyboard. He’s had it about 2 years, and recently we updated it for him to iOS8. He’s had it working just for several weeks, and all of the sudden […]
Cloud Backup Backup

April 21, 2016

Cloud Backup Backup: a reader asks… Hey Coach, can you help me? I use Dropbox and made a mistake. I deleted a file from my Dropbox and I need to get it back. The deletion has already synchronized across all my computers and devices so the file isn’t there anywhere anymore. Is there a way to get it back? In a word, yes! Dropbox keeps 30 days worth of backup on your files, and they make it pretty easy to […]
Fake Blue Screen of Death

April 20, 2016

Fake Blue Screen of Death: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’ve been getting the dreaded “Blue Screen of Death” on my computer at odd times, usually about once a day or every few days. Here’s a screenshot. Should I call the support number listed? I’m very worried my computer is really messed up. Also, how did this happen, I’m using the protection programs you recommended! Stop, do not proceed. This is a scam. I’m glad you sent me a screenshot. […]
Mac Photos to Dropbox

April 19, 2016

Mac Photos to Dropbox: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I recently switched from Windows to a Mac. I’m having trouble working with photos. On the PC when I plugged in my camera, all my photos got put into My Pictures. When I do the same on the Mac, I don’t see the photos in the Finder window under Pictures, I can only see them in the Photos app. So here’s my problem. I want to put some photos into Dropbox […]

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