Rick's Daily Tips - Page 2 of 565 - Tech Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

Q&A: Can I retrieve a forgotten password from my web browser?

Posted on July 17, 2019

Question from Eddie N.: Hi Rick. I hope you can help me with an odd situation I’m in.

I opened an online account several years ago (I’d rather not say which company) and I let Firefox store the password.

Ever since then I’ve always logged into that account using the stored password.

I’m getting ready to buy a new computer so I won’t be able to use the stored password to log into that site anymore.

The problem is I have forgotten the password. I’ve tried resetting it but it asks for my email address and none of the ones I can think of trying will work.

I know the password is still stored in Firefox because it comes up (covered with asterisks) and I can log in with it. Is there any way to retrieve that password from the browser?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Review: Inateck 2.5 inch to 3.5 inch SSD Mounting Bracket Adapter kit

Posted on July 17, 2019

Regular readers of this blog know I’m always talking about how replacing a computer’s hard drive with an SSD provides more “bang for the buck” than just about any other hardware upgrade you can make.

The only other upgrade that even comes close is a RAM upgrade, and that’s only true if the machine is running low on RAM in the first place.

Luckily, swapping out the hard drive for an SSD in most laptops is a breeze. Since both drives are typically 2.5 inch drives it’s literally as easy as removing the hard drive and installing the SSD in its place. A fast and easy process.

However, that isn’t the case with most desktop PCs. [Read more…]

Changing this one Windows setting can help prevent malware infections

Posted on July 17, 2019

Unfortunately, in the Internet age, viruses and other forms of malware tend to spread like wildfires, and it’ getting harder by the day to keep your devices from getting infected by them.

That’s why it’s important to install a high quality antivirus program on your Windows computer, keep it updated at all times and perform a couple of on-demand malware scans on a regular basis.

But all of the above being said, a little due diligence can go a long way towards keeping your machines safe as well. [Read more…]

How to back up your Windows PC’s hard drive or SSD for the best protection against data loss

Posted on July 16, 2019

Folks often ask me what they should do to keep their PC working smoothly and keep their photos and other data secure from loss.

Without exception, I always offer the following recommendations:

1 – Keep viruses and other forms of malware off of your computer (this post explains how).

2 – Always install security updates for Windows and all of your other installed software as soon as possible after they are released.

3 – Use strong passwords and enable Two-Factor Authentication on every one of your online accounts.

4 – Make regular backups of your computer’s hard drive or SSD.

All of the above suggestions can help keep your system running smoothly and protect your photos and other data from loss, but it’s the last one that I want to discuss with you today.

Always having a recent backup of your computer’s hard drive or SSD on hand will ensure that you’ll quickly be able to get your computer back up and running and your files restored after a hard drive crash or some other disaster. [Read more…]

Is your blog infected with malicious code? Find out now with a free malware scan from Sucuri.

Posted on July 16, 2019

If you run a blog, chances are you’re concerned about it getting hacked and infected with malware. And in this day and age, that is a very valid concern.

Hackers and scammers are constantly probing blogs for security weaknesses, and if they find one they can quickly gain access to your blog’s server and install malware that will turn your blog into a vehicle for distributing all kinds of nefarious code to your blog visitors’ computers. [Read more…]