Rick's Daily Tips

Tech Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

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Q&A: Can you help me find a driver and software for my printer?

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Question from Alice D.:  The hard drive in my Mac stopped working and I had to have it replaced.

When I got the computer back from the shop I realized I needed to install the driver and software for my Brother MFC-J6520DW printer.

The problem is I seem to have lost the disc. I’ve searched my office from top to bottom and I can’t find it anywhere.

Can you help me track down a copy of the software online? I’ll even buy a CD if I need to.

I love this printer and I really don’t want to replace it unless I absolutely have to.

Rick’s answer:   [Read more…]

Q&A: How can I prevent Windows Update from automatically updating my computer’s hardware drivers?

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Question from Paul:  Back in 2013 I bought a custom built gaming PC from a guy I knew back then.

I’ve since lost contact with him (I think he moved out of state) and I can no longer ask him for help with things like this.

Anyway, this machine came with Windows 7 on it but I updated it to Windows 10 after Microsoft abandoned Windows 7.

Windows 10 works great on it, but ever since I installed Windows 10 the Windows Updates have been automatically installing new hardware drivers that keep causing the system to crash.

After almost every Windows Update is installed I have to manually reinstall the original hardware drivers from the CD to get the computer to stop crashing (glad I still have that CD!).

Is there any way to prevent Windows 10 from updating the hardware drivers every time it downloads and installs new updates to Windows? This is really frustrating!

Rick’s answer:  [Read more…]

Q&A: Can a broken light pole fry a computer?

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light-pole

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Question from Elaine G.:  I came home from work yesterday evening and the power company was replacing a light pole in the neighbor’s yard that had been broken off by a wrecked car.

It took several hours for them to get the power back on, and when they did my computer wouldn’t come on.

When I press the power button nothing happens. No noise of any kind, and no lights. Nothing!

I know the outlet is working because the other items that are plugged into the same power strip are working fine.

Do you think the broken light pole fried my computer somehow? And if it did, can it be fixed?

Rick’s answer:   [Read more…]

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