Your daily dose of practical, easy to follow tech tips!
Question from Ramie: I downloaded a photo last night from one of the free photo websites that I use.
While I was retrieving the photo from the Downloads folder I noticed there was a file named setup.exe in there.
I haven’t downloaded a software program in well over a year so I don’t know how that file got in there.
Do you think it might be a virus?
Question from Deidre: I have a Smart TV and my mom told me she heard on the news that viruses can infect smart TVs and we need to run virus scans on them.
I didn’t even know a TV could catch a virus.
Is that true? And how do I run a virus scan if it is? [Read more…]
I recently received a message from a reader asking if the “fix-all” programs that keeping popping up in ads on his computer will really help fix the issues he’s having with it.
Here is his message in full, followed by my response… [Read more…]
Question from Bailey: Hi, Rick. I have a bad problem and I need help ASAP.
I was browsing Facebook last night and clicked on a link that caught my attention. As soon as I clicked it my screen went solid blue and the computer froze up completely.
I finally just unplugged it and it booted back up into Windows, but now none of my programs will open. It’s running real slow too.
I’m sure the link I clicked probably put a virus on my system but my Norton antivirus software won’t open so I can’t run a scan.
Is there anything I can do to fix this problem besides just buying a new computer? [Read more…]
Question from Darryl: I have always understood Windows’ built-in “Microsoft Defender” antivirus app to be inferior to other antivirus programs.
But yesterday I heard that might no longer be the case.
What’s your opinion about Microsoft Defender?
Is it really just as good as the third-party antivirus programs that are being sold today?
Rick’s answer: [Read more…]