Speedup my laptop? A reader asks… Hi! I was wondering if you could give me some advice on how to make my Windows 7 laptop faster? It’s only about 2 years old and I don’t want to just go buy a new one. I’ve been pretty good about keeping it clean and protected, so there’s no crap on there that’s slowing it down. I’ve run some benchmark tools and it is middle-of-the-road. But I wonder what I can do to […]
iOS update, yes or no? a reader asks… I have an iPhone question. My iphone 5 is running on version 7.1.2 and have a message to update it. If I do update it, will I lose my settings or other items (like downloaded ringtones)? Do you generally recommend updating the operating system? You’ve probably been seeing the upgrade message for awhile now. The iPhone has gone through a half dozen or more updates since the version you’re on came out […]
Clean your Screen: a reader asks… Hello, I’m not sure if you work around the edges of tech support, but I’m wondering how I can clean the screen on my laptop without scratching it. I’ve heard that laptop screens are made of plastic and scratch easily, and I just noticed my screen is really dirty. Got any good tips? I don’t try to limit myself on the kind of advice I give, and yours is a common concern and need […]
Windows Update Errors: a reader asks… Hi Chris, my Dell Inspiron N5110 has developed several problems. It started out getting an error code of 80073712 when trying to update windows. that has been going on for months. I never got a Windows disk when I bought it from Costco and now you can’t buy a disk. Since then, the two usb ports on the left side quit working and only the one on the back and right rear work. I am […]
Zip Program?: a reader asks… I’m new to computers and have a new Dell computer with Windows 8.1 on it. Do I need to buy or install a program to help me deal with zip files? Are there any other programs I’ll need to deal with files? Actually, nobody needs a separate program for dealing with zip files these days. Microsoft Windows has the ability to create compressed (zip) files and also to unzip compressed files for you built right […]
Cyber crime is getting worse: a reader asks… Can you give me some advice? I’ve been telling people about how they should use stronger passwords on their computers and online accounts, but most people just ignore it. How can I get them to listen? Hmm, sometimes the only way someone learns is by suffering the consequences of their (in)action. I’ve been shouting the same thing for over a decade, and I still find that most people (heck, nearly all), use crappy […]
Text Preying on Caregivers: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I received a text message (sent to me and 3 other mobile numbers I don’t recognize) saying my father (who’s in an independent living facility) was wandering around and I should call them. I’m the primary family caregiver for my father by the way. I called his facility and they say everything’s fine, they didn’t send any warning. What should I do? This is really dastardly, to prey on caregivers. I’m […]
What’s a “Healthy” Digital Life? a reader asks… Hi Coach, you’ve talked about having a “healthy” digital life, but I’m having trouble understanding what you mean. Can you explain it a bit more? Thank you! I think a good way to understand it is to compare it to your physical life. Having a healthy physical life means (among other things) not being overweight, having at least some muscle tone, having the ability to deal with carrying heavy things, moving fast when […]
Have you been Doxed? a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’ve become a victim of someone posting a bunch of information and pictures about/of me on various social media. Some of it’s true, and some isn’t, all of it’s embarrassing and not something I’m happy with being visible online. Is there anything I can do about this? Sorry to say, you’ve been doxed. Doxing is a nasty practice where someone collects information about you and makes that information public. It can […]
Can’t turn it on! a reader asks… Coach, I’m in a real bind! I popped for a Samsung Galaxy S6 from Verizon recently. It’s been working great up until yesterday, when it wouldn’t turn on. Nothing I could do seemed to make any difference. Before I take it in to the Verizon store for help, do you have any tips to help me? Smartphones such as yours can fall victim to various maladies that might affect them to the point […]
Emergency iPhone ID: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I recently witnessed an accident and saw paramedics grab a victim’s iPhone and get some info from it – without any help from the victim who was unconscious! I’m assuming the iPhone was locked with a passcode, so can you tell me how they were able to bypass Apple’s vaunted security? Apple has long given the iPhone emergency calling capability, which you can access right from the lock screen. Down at the […]
IRS Scam: a reader talks about… I recently had a real problem with my tax return and the IRS, which I thought I’d share with you and your readers. I was one of the hundreds of thousands of US taxpayers who got scammed by fraudsters who took over my IRS tax file. Someone registered with the IRS and got access to my tax returns and filing information. I didn’t lose my refund, but it took some time to get everything […]
Gmail with my own address: a reader asks… Hey Coach, I have a vanity email address I got from Network Solutions (along with a website and webmail). I don’t want to have to check multiple places for email, can I use this with my Gmail account, but without giving out my Gmail address? Network Solutions’ control panel allows you to create email accounts with your web hosting services, and you’ve probably already created a mail account for your domain. So now […]
No iTunes Sidebar: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I upgraded to iTunes 12 recently, and notice the display is now very flat and very simple. I don’t see a sidebar with my library items and categories any more. Is there any way I can get them back? Along with iOS 8 for the iPhone and iPad, and OS X Yosemite for the Mac, Apple has released iTunes 12. It’s more than a flashy red icon though, there are a lot […]
Windows 10 Popup Annoyance: a reader asks… Hi Chris, can you help? I tried to follow your advice to delay installing Windows 10, but I must have made a mistake because the installation started. I cancelled it right away before it completed so I still am on Windows 7. But now I’m getting almost constant popups trying to get me to finish the installation of Windows 10? Is there any way I can stop this? Your best bet is to […]
Email Subject Line: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’ve got a question for you. I get a lot of email, and notice that some people are still sending email with a blank subject line. Also, I get emails with the subject line of “Hi”, or other subject lines that really mean nothing. Isn’t having a good and descriptive subject line in email important these days? Absolutely it’s important for several reasons. First, spam catchers will often flag emails with crappy […]
Smartphones-What’s the Diff? a reader asks… please explain the differences between android and smartphones. thank you Ok, let’s start with the generic term ‘smartphone’. A smartphone is simply a cell phone that includes some or most of the functions of a computer. So it can surf the web, use email, and run programs (called ‘apps’). Smartphones are made by many manufacturers, such as Apple, Samsung, HTC, Google, and Motorola. They usually have a touch-screen and very few physical buttons. A few might […]
Time to go bye-bye Java: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I have a Windows 7 computer. When I look in the add/remove programs, I see two entries for Java. Do I need these or should I uninstall them? For most consumers, I think it’s time to uninstall Java from your list of installed programs. Please note that Java is not the same as JavaScript. Java is a programming language that can be used in software applications on your computer as […]
Safe Computing Practices: Whether you have an Apple Mac or a Microsoft Windows-powered PC, or an Android-powered tablet or smartphone, you need to follow these practices to keep your digital life safe. This is completely separate from any protection program or software suite that you might employ to help you, as these automated solutions are subject to being compromised by your online behavior. Nothing can protect you from yourself except you, by avoiding unsafe actions and following these safe computing practices, […]
RIP (almost) Flash Player: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’ve been reading about security vulnerabilities on computers, and it sounds like Flash Player is always getting hacked. Do I really need this program on my computer? Short answer, probably not. Most of the big video sharing websites (like YouTube) on the internet have transitioned to the newer (and more secure) HTML5 platform for playing videos. But there are still a ton of sites out there (not to mention web browsers) […]
Upgrade to Windows 10? a reader asks… Hello, now that Windows 10 is available, should I upgrade now or wait? You might want to peruse my previous article about this: Windows 10 Upgrade Tip, but let me give you a quick way to make a good decision (based on my opinion which has been fleshed out by researching what other computer professionals have to say): It’s a consensus that for most consumers, it’s better to wait at least a month or three. […]
Replace my 2nd hard drive: a reader asks… Hi Chris, My boot drive (C:) is an SSD that has Windows 8.1 and a few other programs but most of my programs (and lots of data) are on my D: drive. I recently ran chkdsk d: /f /x /r which ran for hours and found and corrected many, many errors. Seeing the handwriting on the wall, I am now backing up the entire drive (using Acronis) to another drive while I still […]
What the Experts do, Part II: a reader asks… Hi Chris, your Friday article, Do what computer experts do was very helpful, thanks! What about securing my Windows PC? Again, bare-bones please! Ok, this is right out of my playbook for Safe Computing Practices. The bare-bones steps are: Keep your system and programs up-to-date Use a top quality antivirus and a top quality anti-malware program Backup your files Again, this sounds easier than it is (in practice). Let me go […]
Do what computer experts do: a reader asks… Hello Coach, can you give me the bare-bones on protecting my digital life please? That’s really pretty easy to answer, but perhaps you might find it a bit more work to actually accomplish. The single most critical safe computing practice that would protect your digital life more than anything else is (drum roll please) Use strong passwords. Sounds simple, right? But what makes a strong password? First off, is the length of […]
Crowded Wi-fi: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I took your advice on figuring out why my home Wi-fi network is so spotty. I used the Acrylic Wi-fi snooper you suggested, and found that there are TONS of networks nearby. Here is what I get when running it for the first time; without even walking around with my laptop. Restarting my old Verizon FIOS router helped a little, but I still have lots of parts of the house with lousy or no […]
Windows 10 Upgrade Tip: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I reserved my Windows 10 free upgrade, and I should be able to upgrade now. But I haven’t gotten a notification and the Windows 10 upgrade window says I should wait till I get that. Do I have to wait? Should I? Ok, first off, if you are not a tech-savvy person but just someone who uses a Microsoft Windows PC, then I’d respectfully suggest you wait awhile before you upgrade […]
Android Hack Alert: Here’s what you should know. On Monday, a security researcher spilled the beans about a really bad security vulnerability in virtually all Android-powered smartphones. The vulnerability is called Stagefright, and a hacker can simply send you a multimedia text message that would open your smartphone to being remotely controlled by the hacker. The hacker could even delete the message, so your only warning would be a notification that you got an MMS message. You don’t need to […]
Protect my new Mac: a reader asks… Good Morning Chris, I just bought myself a new Macbook and am in the process of getting it setup. I have setup my user account with a password, logged into my Apple ID (for iCloud, iMessage and Facetime), installed MS Office for Mac 2011, added my printer and copied over all my personal files from the old computer. I switched from a Windows PC because I heard that the Mac is much safer. […]
Is your password …? a reader asks… Hi Chris, I just found your website, what a jewel! A quick lookthru got me a little scared. I’m embarrassed to say I use the same password for almost everything, and I’m now sure it’s easy to be guessed. And haven’t thought much about the whole security thing. I’ve been lucky so far, but know I need to fix some things. I’m going to take your advice about LastPass, and start changing passwords. […]
Two smartphones or one with two numbers? a reader asks… Hello, I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 and phone service from AT&T. Plus I have to carry around a second cellphone. Is there any way I could get a 2nd phone number to also work on my Galaxy phone? Thanks from Wild in Wyoming Tired of carrying two phones, eh? While standard cellphone service from AT&T won’t allow you to have multiple numbers on your smartphone, there is a solution […]
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