Rick's Daily Tips

Rick’s Daily Pick: WD 5TB My Passport, Portable External Hard Drive

Posted on June 14, 2026

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

My “Pick” for today is this fantastic and spacious WD 5TB My Passport, Portable External Hard Drive.

This drive is perfect for storing numerous photos, videos and other files and protecting them with a password. It makes an outstanding, high-capacity medium for storing your computer backups as well.

Click here to check out the WD 5TB My Passport, Portable External Hard Drive at Amazon.

Did you miss (or want to revisit) one of my earlier picks? You might find it right here.

Picture of the Day: “Heart Swans”

Posted on June 14, 2026

Today’s POTD features a pair of swans striking a heart-shaped pose for the camera. I hope you like it.

Have lots of treasured photos of your own that you’d love to display in your home but you have limited wall space? A digital picture frame (#ad) is an excellent solution. Check them out!

Enjoy these Pictures of the Day? Sign up for my free Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter and you’ll never miss one (or any of my tech tips either)!

Monthly Tech Giveaway – June 2026

Posted on May 31, 2026

Note: The links on this page are affiliate links.

June’s winner will receive a fantastic Goldenmate 1000VA/600W Sinewave UPS System w/ LiFePO4 Battery & Surge Protection.

Unlike most regular battery backup devices, this true sinewave UPS comes with an advanced LifePo4 battery and built-in surge protection. It will keep your essential gear running longer while also protecting it against strong power surges.

All subscribers to the Standard edition of my Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter have an equal chance to win.

Premium subscribers have two chances to win (their email addresses are added to the “pot” twice).

Not a subscriber? Just enter your email address in the sign-up form on this page.

Once subscribed you’ll be eligible to win each month’s drawing – starting with this month. Better yet, opt for a Premium subscription for double the chance to win!

The drawing for this month’s prize will be held on June 30 and the winner will be notified by email. The winner will be selected at random.

Good luck!

How to make sure your downloads aren’t infected with a virus

Posted on June 14, 2026

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Regular readers of this blog know I’m a huge fan of free software because I routinely recommend the use of freeware whenever possible to accomplish whatever the task at hand may be.

But as you probably also know there can be hidden dangers lurking behind the scenes every time you install a piece of free software.

The dangers range all the way from the installation of unwanted add-on software to installing viruses and other forms of malware right along with the programs themselves.

[Read more…]

Scam alert: Beware the ‘You’ll get a second one free scam’

Posted on June 13, 2026

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I’m sure you’ve seen those commercials on TV where an overly excited (and extremely well paid) pitchman extols the virtues of a great new widget.

You know, the one that’s guaranteed to make your life better “or we’ll give you your money back!“?

Whether it’s the awesome “liquid rubber in a can”, the amazing “twist-o-matic kitchen utensil” or some other “this widget will so change your life” thingy, the pitches are usually pretty much the same: [Read more…]

How to force a Windows Desktop shortcut to always ‘Run as Administrator’ by default

Posted on June 12, 2026

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One of the things I like most about Microsoft Windows is the ability to create shortcuts on the Windows Desktop that simplify the execution of common tasks.

For example, I find myself creating a lot of System Restore Points on my PC so I created a handy desktop shortcut that creates a new Restore Point every time I click on it.

This particular shortcut makes it easy for me to quickly create a Restore Point at any time without having to wade through a series of menus. [Read more…]