Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: How can I retrieve my files from a damaged ultrabook?

Posted on October 21, 2021

Question from Shruti: Hi, Rick. I have a Dell XPS 13 9370 Ultrabook. Everything was fine until this morning when my screen just turned grey-ish black.

I had dropped my laptop and slightly cracked the top right edge of the screen along with one of the hinges a few months back but everything seemed to still be working fine.

I don’t know why this suddenly happened.

I have important data on this machine so I’d like to know if there is any way to retrieve the data without fixing the screen? [Read more…]

This app can help protect your Android devices from malware

Posted on October 20, 2021

AVG has long been recognized as a leader in the field of computer security.

They have made top quality antivirus software for desktop and laptop PCs for over a quarter of a century, and now they’re offering quality protection for your Android tablets and mobile phones as well.

The free version of AVG for Android will protect your device in a variety of ways.

[Read more…]

Q&A: Will counterfeit RAM damage my laptop?

Posted on October 20, 2021

Question from Hailey: Rick, I think I’ve gotten myself into a mess and I need your advice.

I recently purchased two RAM modules on Ebay to go in my laptop. They were listed and sold as Kingston brand but I just found out that the seller was busted for selling counterfeit computer parts.

The new RAM seems to be working fine in my laptop, but I was wondering if it might cause problems down the road.

I’d just remove it and reinstall the old memory but I gave it to my nephew in exchange for doing the upgrade for me. It’s already in his computer and I won’t ask for it back.

What do you think I should do? [Read more…]

Q&A: Will my existing USB devices work with a new MacBook Pro?

Posted on October 20, 2021

Note: the links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Kelly: I’m thinking about buying a new Apple MacBook Pro but I need a bit of advice first.

The reviews I’ve read were great, but they said this machine doesn’t have any old-style USB ports, only the new USB-C.

If I buy this laptop will I have to replace my external hard drive and other USB devices with new ones that have USB-C connections?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

This is why I will never use (or recommend) a password manager

Posted on October 19, 2021

Do you use a password manager app to create, manage and store all of your passwords?

If so, you need to know that all password managers are potentially insecure and any vulnerabilities that arise could put ALL of your passwords at risk of being compromised at any time.

Why do I say this? Because of the evidence that keeps popping up from time to time. [Read more…]