Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Why can’t I send messages to my friend on Facebook?

Posted on May 26, 2013

Question from Karan F.: Hi Rick. I hope you can help me. I have a close friend who finally got around to creating a Facebook account after much prodding from me and a couple of her other friends. We exchanged several messages a few nights ago, then I logged off and went to bed.

When I logged back into Facebook the next day, I opened our previous conversation and tried messaging her again. I couldn’t. The previous messages were still there, but her name was in black. I tried clicking on her name so I could message her from her profile page, but it wouldn’t click.

Finally, in desperation I searched for her name in the search box and it said it couldn’t find her account. I called her to ask what was going on and she said she didn’t know but she couldn’t log in. Sorry, I know this is long but I really need to find out what’s going on? Do you have any clue as to what might have happened?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Q&A: What is red switch on back of my PC labeled 120V/240V for?

Posted on May 25, 2013

Question from Amir H.: I just bought a new computer and on the back is a switch labeled 120V/240V. What is this switch used for and do I need to change it? Thank you.

Rick’s answer: Hi Amir. The switch you’re asking about is used to select the proper input voltage for the computer’s power supply unit (PSU).

Here in North America the power that comes out of a standard wall outlet is roughly 120 volts AC, but in many places around the world it is twice that (approximately 240 volts AC). The red switch on the back of the PSU needs to be set to match the output voltage of the wall outlets where you happen to live. [Read more…]

How to take a screenshot on a Microsoft Surface tablet

Posted on May 24, 2013

microsoft-surface Do you have a Microsoft Surface tablet? They are becoming quite popular, especially in the corporate world where more companies are actually purchasing Surface tablets than iPads these days.

One of the most basic tasks while using any tablet is capturing a screenshot, and it’s extremely easy to do on a Microsoft Surface running Windows 8. Here’s how: [Read more…]

Q&A: What exactly does the System File Checker do?

Posted on May 21, 2013

Question from Landra G: Hi Rick. I bought an ebook on using Windows 7 and there was a passing reference to something called a System File Checker.

The ebook didn’t give any details except to say that you can use it to fix problems with your computer. Can you tell me what it is and how to use it. Thanks.

Rick’s answer: Landra, the System File Checker is a very useful Windows utility that will scan your critical Windows files and attempt to repair any damaged files that it finds. It often comes in handy for those times when Windows is acting quirky, something isn’t working as it should or you receive an error message saying that there is a damaged Windows system file.

Using the System File Checker is very easy in Windows 7. Here’s how: [Read more…]

Le Dimmer – Dim everything on the screen except for the active window

Posted on May 19, 2013

If you’re like me, you typically have several windows open on your computer screen at once. If so, you might find it difficult to focus all of your attention just on the window that is currently active.

A nifty free download called Le Dimmer helps keep the active window in focus by dimming all the other open windows while leaving the active window and the taskbar in clear view.

Le Dimmer is a small, portable utility that doesn’t require installation and won’t slow down your PC. It works with all versions of Windows from XP to Windows 8. I’ve been using it for a while now, and I really like it.

Here is a screenshot of Le Dimmer in action. Notice how your attention is immediately drawn to the active window. [Read more…]