Macbook Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Can I use an old external hard drive with my new MacBook?

Posted on January 24, 2026

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Question from Lawrence: Hi, Rick. I’m hoping you can answer a question for me about hard drives.

I have an older Seagate STHN2000400 2TB external hard drive that I used for several years to store photos and other files from my old MacBook. Well that MacBook finally died and I replaced it with this MacBook Pro.

The problem I’m having is the MacBook Pro won’t work with the Seagate drive because there’s no connector on the laptop that will accept the old-style USB plug on the drive cable.

If at all possible I’d like to keep using this drive with the new MacBook Pro because it contains thousands of photos that don’t exist anywhere else.

Is there any way I can use this drive with the new laptop? Maybe some kind of adapter? [Read more…]

Q&A: Why do people buy Macs when Windows PCs are so much cheaper?

Posted on October 16, 2025

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Question from Marla: My trusty old HP laptop finally quit on me the other day so I’ve been shopping around for a new laptop.

I noticed almost immediately that MacBooks are more expensive than comparable Windows laptops.

And they aren’t just a little more expensive either. The MacBooks seem to be at least double the cost of similarly equipped Windows machines.

My question is why are people willing to pay so much more to buy a MacBook when they can get a comparable Windows laptop for so much less? [Read more…]

Q&A: Do Macs have a ‘System Information’ screen like the one in Windows?

Posted on October 11, 2025

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Question from Keith: Hi, Rick. I hope you can help me figure out what I just bought.

One of my neighbors sold me a used MacBook that she inherited after a family member passed away. She let me have it for $50 just to get rid of it!

She doesn’t really know anything about the model or specs of the machine, and I don’t either because I’m a Windows guy. All we know is it’s a MacBook and it appears to be relatively new.

What I’d like to know is do Macs have a ‘System Information’ screen like the one in Windows that’ll tell me what’s inside this thing? I plan to sell it (hopefully at a profit) so I need to know exactly what’s in it.

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Q&A: Does Apple sell refurbished MacBooks?

Posted on June 1, 2024

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Question from Deaton: My daughter is getting ready to turn 13 in a few weeks and I want to get her something really special for this very special birthday.

She’s been wanting a MacBook, but the ones I saw in the store are really expensive so I’m thinking about getting her a refurbished one.

I’ve bought several refurbished Windows PCs in the past and mostly had great luck with them.

Does Apple sell refurbished MacBooks? And if they do, are they a good deal in your opinion? [Read more…]

Q&A: How can I make my Mac’s mouse pointer easier to see?

Posted on May 15, 2024

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Question from Leslie: Hi, Rick. I hope you won’t mind answering a question for me.

I recently bought a new MacBook Pro and I absolutely love it except for one small problem.

I love the beautiful look of the screen but I sometimes have trouble finding the mouse cursor on it when there’s a lot of stuff being displayed all at once.

Can you tell me how to increase the size of the mouse pointer on my MacBook Pro so it’ll be easier to find? [Read more…]