Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Why does my PC beep and refuse to start up?

Posted on February 24, 2013

Question from Gail T.: Hi Rick. I have a Gateway FX-6800-03h desktop computer that I’ve owned for over 4 years with no problems whatsoever. It has Windows 7 on it, and last Christmas my brother upgraded it to 12 GB of RAM and added a 2 TB hard drive for me as a gift.

I love this computer but now I have a big problem! I recently went out of town for a few days and when I got back I couldn’t get Windows to load. All it does when I press the power button is give one long, continuous beep and nothing ever shows up on the screen.

Please, please, please tell me this is a simple fix? I can’t really afford a new computer right now. Thanks in advance!

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Shut down your Windows 8 PC by simply pressing the power button

Posted on February 23, 2013

As I explained in this post, Microsoft made a number of baffling changes to the user interface when they designed Windows 8, and one of the most frustrating changes of them all is in the procedure for shutting down the computer.

Starting with Windows 95, shutting down your PC was a simple and straightforward process. All you had to do was click Start > Shutdown and Windows would immediately begin the process of shutting down the PC and turning off the power.

But with Windows 8 there is no Start Button to click on. To compensate, the guys and gals in Redmond decided to provide a Shutdown button that you have to jump through a series of hoops just to find!

Luckily, it’s quite easy to configure Windows 8 to shut down the computer just by pressing the Power button. Here’s how: [Read more…]

Complete Internet Repair – Restore your corrupted Internet connection

Posted on February 23, 2013

complete-internet-repair-softbox Malware can wreak havoc with your Windows installation, and ironically some of the most irritating problems won’t even become apparent until after the malware has been removed from your system. One of the most common of these stealth malware-related problems involves your Internet connection.

Many malicious programs are designed to make it appear that your PC is working just fine while there are really all kinds of shenanigans going on in the background. There are often clues that can alert you to the existence of malware however (new toolbars that you didn’t install, redirection to web pages that you don’t recognize, etc.). When you notice these things a little light comes on above your head and you decide to run your malware removal program(s).

And now the problem: [Read more…]

Q&A: Should I buy a PC with a stand-alone graphics card?

Posted on February 22, 2013

Question from Kim F.: Hi Rick! I really love your daily tech tips, especially the questions and answers. Now I have one of my own…

I’m in the process of shopping around for a new desktop computer and I’m pretty much up to speed on the advantages of more memory and faster CPUs, but there’s one thing I’m unclear about.

Does it really pay to spend more for a computer with a stand-alone graphics card rather than one with integrated graphics? Thanks in advance for your reply!

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Prey – A great free app for recovering your lost or stolen laptop or mobile device

Posted on February 21, 2013

prey Every day thousands of laptops, tablets and smart phones are lost or stolen, and relatively few of them are ever recovered and returned to their rightful owners. But a free app called Prey can tilt the odds greatly in your favor.

Prey is a small, discrete app that “hides” on your laptop or mobile device and lies dormant until you need it. Then if the device is ever lost or stolen you can easily “wake it up” with a remote signal sent by you either through the Internet or via an SMS message. Once activated, Prey gets right down to business by performing the following actions: [Read more…]