USB Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Can spilling something on a keyboard damage the entire computer?

Posted on December 9, 2023

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Question from Kayla: I spilled a large glass of coke all over my keyboard.

After I saw what I had done I immediately unplugged the power cable from the computer and disconnected the keyboard from the USB port.

I’m not worried about the keyboard since they’re so cheap, but it’s the tower that has me worried.

Do you think I can just buy a new keyboard and plug it in or do you recommend having the computer checked out by a repair shop first to make sure it’s not damaged? [Read more…]

Q&A: Can you recommend a good, but cheap external hard drive enclosure?

Posted on June 5, 2023

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Question from Elizabeth: I just finished reading your post about converting an internal hard drive into an external drive. I never dreamed that it would be so easy!

I have a 1GB hard drive that came out of my Dell Inspiron 15 5000 laptop when it died on me. The guy at the shop tested the drive and said it’s working fine.

I’d like to put that drive into an external enclosure and connect it to my other laptop that has Windows 10 and USB 3.0 ports. [Read more…]

Q&A: Why do USB-C hubs only have two USB-C ports?

Posted on November 1, 2022

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Question from Ronnie: I have a MacBook Air that has only two USB-C ports on it, but I have four USB-C devices that I need to connect to it.

I’m looking for a USB-C hub with at least three USB-C ports on it but I can’t find one.

They all have either one or two USB-C ports and about a dozen or so other ports that I don’t need.

My question is why don’t they make USB-C hubs that have more than two USB-C ports on them? [Read more…]

Q&A: Can I replace an old PS/2 keyboard with a USB keyboard?

Posted on January 15, 2022

Question from Angie: I have an older Dell desktop computer that came with Windows but was long ago converted into an Unbuntu Linux machine.

I love this computer dearly and I don’t want to replace it with a new one until I absolutely have to.

The problem is I think that time might have come because the keyboard has a couple of essential keys (Backspace and Space Bar) that have stopped working.

I’ve checked at Walmart, Best Buy and Office Depot, but the only keyboards they sell connect to a USB port instead of the old-style PS/2 connector used by my existing keyboard. Will a USB keyboard work with this computer or am I simply out of luck? [Read more…]

How to add USB 3.0 ports to your PC

Posted on April 28, 2018

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Update: You can now add some blazing-fast USB 3.1 Type-C ports to your computer.

This post explains how.

Original post continues below…

In my opinion, no innovation in computer technology has had a greater positive impact on the average computer user than the Universal Serial Bus – commonly referred to simply as USB. [Read more…]