Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Will an SSD go bad just sitting on a shelf?

Posted on May 5, 2026

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Question from Glen: A while back I read your post about replacing a computer’s hard drive with an SSD and it sounded like a pretty good idea.

I finally ended up buying a 1TB SSD to replace the hard drive in my old Acer laptop, but the laptop’s screen went bad before I had a chance to make the switch.

I really didn’t want to spend a lot of money to have the Acer fixed so I just ditched it and started using my wife’s Dell laptop.

The Dell has a 1TB hard drive so I don’t really need the SSD at this time. Can I put the SSD on a shelf and keep it for a backup in case the hard drive ever fails, or will it go bad after a while if I don’t use it? [Read more…]

Q&A: Can spilling something on a keyboard damage the entire computer?

Posted on May 4, 2026

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Question from Kayla: I spilled a large glass of coke all over my keyboard.

After I saw what I had done I immediately unplugged the power cable from the computer and disconnected the keyboard from the computer too.

I’m not worried about the keyboard since they’re so cheap, but it’s the tower that has me worried.

Do you think I can just buy a new keyboard and plug it in or do you recommend having the computer checked out by a repair shop first to make sure it’s not damaged? [Read more…]

How to disable auto-playing videos in the Facebook app

Posted on May 4, 2026

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It seems like Facebook is constantly making changes to our Newsfeeds. Every once in a while they’ll make a change I actually like, but most of their changes end up irritating me in some way.

One of the changes I detest most is how videos now start playing automatically when they scroll into view on our Newsfeeds.

Several people have asked me recently how to prevent the Facebook mobile app from automatically playing videos after they scroll into view. [Read more…]

Steps that will make your waste management business more efficient

Posted on May 4, 2026

Haulage costs can add up over time, so you must take steps to try to manage them efficiently. By implementing smart strategies and taking the time to make sure that you optimize logistics, you can reduce your expenditure while also not compromising on things like efficiency.

If you want to explore some of the measures you can adopt to make your haulage more efficient, then take a look below. [Read more…]

How to easily turn any standard speaker into a wireless Bluetooth speaker

Posted on May 3, 2026

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Smart phones and other mobile devices are great for playing music and videos, but their small speakers often leave a lot to be desired when it comes to sound quality and volume.

Luckily, most modern smartphones, tablets and even modern laptops and desktop computers can wirelessly transmit their sound to large, great sounding external speakers via a wonderful technology known as Bluetooth. [Read more…]