Computer Tips Archives - Page 201 of 233

Q&A: Why won’t my external USB hard drive work in a front USB connector?

Posted on November 6, 2014

Question from Dreama L.: I have a Lenovo desktop computer with Windows 7. I bought an external USB hard drive to make backups with, and it works great when plugged into one of the USB connectors on the back of the PC. It won’t work at all when it’s plugged into the front connectors though.

I’d really like to be able to plug the drive into the front of the computer, make the backup, then unplug it and set it on a shelf until I need to use it again. Can you tell me how to get the drive to work with a front mounted USB connector?

Rick‘s answer: [Read more…]

Turn your Windows 7/8 laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot for free with Virtual Router Plus

Posted on November 5, 2014

A while back I wrote about an awesome program called Connectify that turns a laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot. When I wrote that post Connectify came in both free and paid versions, but they have since dropped the free version from their online store.

After learning that Connectify is no longer free, I downloaded and tested another free program that does the same thing (in fact it works with any Wi-Fi enabled PC, not just laptops). It’s called Virtual Router Plus, and I’m happy to tell you that it works extremely well. [Read more…]

83 of my top Facebook tips, tricks and answers – all on one page!

Posted on October 28, 2014

I’ve posted a ton of Facebook tips and tricks on this blog, and answered quite a few Facebook questions as well. The problem is they are all scattered out across the blog, making them difficult for readers to find in a hurry.

This post will serve as sort of a hub for all things Facebook. If I’ve written a post that’s in any way related to Facebook, you’ll probably find a link to it on this page. With that in mind, here we go… [Read more…]

Is your Samsung 840 EVO SSD running slower than it should? Here’s how to speed it up.

Posted on October 23, 2014

samsung-840-evo-series-250gb-ssd A while back I purchased a 120Gb Samsung 840 EVO solid state drive (SSD) for my desktop PC, and I love it.

At first this drive was lightning fast, but before long I noticed that it had slowed down to the point where it was really no faster than a traditional spinning hard drive.

I double-checked all the settings and made sure there was plenty of free work space available on the drive, and nothing seemed to be amiss. Frustrated, I did a Google search to see if anyone else was having problems with their Samsung SSDs, and sure enough, they were. [Read more…]

Q&A: Can you recommend a good program for adding speech commands to Windows 8.1?

Posted on October 20, 2014

Question from Belinda Q.: Hi Rick. I had a stroke a while back, and although I’m recovering nicely, my right arm and hand are still very weak and I have great difficulty using the trackpad on my laptop.

Can you recommend a good program that will allow me to control the computer using my voice?

Price is an issue because I’m on a fixed income, but I need something that works well even if it costs a little more. I need for it to work with Windows 8.1. Thanks in advance for your advice!

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]