Tech Questions & Answers Archives

Q&A: Do you really have to fully charge a new laptop or phone before using it?

Posted on July 28, 2026

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Question from Brenda: I just ordered this new laptop for my son for his birthday. A friend of mine told me I need to charge the battery to 100% before I give him the laptop and let him start using use it.

In the past I have always just unboxed my new laptops and plugged them in and started using them immediately, and as far as I know there was never any problem. The same way with every new phone I have ever bought. [Read more…]

Q&A: If I replace Windows with Linux will I need to replace the hard drive too?

Posted on July 27, 2026

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Question from Marla: I have an older HP desktop PC that got really slow over the years so I bought a new laptop and put the old desktop in a closet. Well, the laptop’s screen just went bad and I don’t have the money to buy a new computer right now.

I took the old desktop out of the closet and hooked it up, and to my great surprise it still works. The problem is it has Windows 7 on it and I know it’s unsafe to use now. [Read more…]

Q&A: Why can’t my daughter use her own router in her dorm room?

Posted on July 24, 2026

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Question from Gretchen: My daughter starts college this fall and she’ll be living on campus.

When she received her dorm assignment they also gave her a list of rules that she must follow.

One of those rules is she cannot use her own router in her dorm room. They told her she has to use the campus Wi-Fi network instead because a private router could cause problems with the school’s network.

Why is that? [Read more…]

Q&A: Should I let someone build me a PC or just go buy one?

Posted on July 23, 2026

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Question from Margaret: Hi, Rick. I have a question for you about my options for getting a new computer.

What are your thoughts on having someone build a custom computer for me vs. buying a name brand computer at a computer store?

My teenage cousin Kevin is a computer geek and he says he can build me a Windows PC that’s better than one I can buy at a computer store for the same amount of money. He is really sharp and knows a lot about this computer stuff. Do you think I should let him build me one or should I just buy one of the name brands? [Read more…]

Q&A: How do I take a screenshot on my iPad?

Posted on July 22, 2026

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Question from Brenda: Hi, Rick. I have a question for you, and I know the answer is probably pretty simple.

I just got an iPad and I’m really struggling trying to figure it out. What I need to know is how to take a screenshot on it?

I’ve seen people post screenshots before so I know it can be done, but I can’t figure out how to do it. I’m probably older than most of your readers and understanding these modern gadgets doesn’t come easy for me. [Read more…]