Rick's Daily Tips

Is Apple’s macOS Monterey immune from malware?

Posted on November 6, 2021

Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter

I’m often asked if viruses and other forms of malware can infect Apple Mac devices.

Although these machines are far less susceptible to malware and attackers than Windows, they can still be attacked. That is why malware can infiltrate macOS Monterey as well.

Once you purchase a new computer, it’s tempting to overlook the risk. However, the repercussions of catching malware are always unpleasant, ranging from intrusive pop-up advertisements to having your data taken hostage.

[Read more…]

Q&A: How can I make my laptop shut down when I close the lid?

Posted on November 4, 2021

Question from Betty: I have an Acer laptop that came with Windows 8.1.

I updated it to Windows 10 and now I’m having a problem with it.

When I finish using the laptop I can click the Shutdown icon and it shuts down just fine.

The problem is if I close the lid it doesn’t shut the laptop down like it did when it had Windows 8.1. It goes into Sleep mode instead.

Is there a way to force this my laptop to shut down automatically when I close the lid? [Read more…]

Q&A: Can I make money buying and reselling used Windows licenses?

Posted on November 1, 2021

Question from Marsha: I have a question about Windows licenses and I know you’ll probably be able to answer it.

I received an email from a man who said he has collected over 1,000 Windows 7 license codes from junked PCs over the course of several years.

He’s offering to sell all of those licenses to me for only $5 each. He said I can sell them online for at least $20 each.

What I’d like to know is does this deal sound legit to you? [Read more…]

How to view all the devices that are using your WiFi network

Posted on October 30, 2021

Do you suspect that someone might be using your WiFi network without your knowledge and permission?

If they are, you really need to know about it so you can boot them off and lock down your network ASAP!

“Piggy-backers” can slow down your network and make your devices appear sluggish and unstable.

Even worse, they could potentially cause you some pretty serious legal problems if they’re using your network to break the law in some way. [Read more…]