Tech Questions & Answers Archives - Page 13 of 258

Q&A: How do I disable the keyboard on my laptop?

Posted on May 6, 2024

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Question from Greg: I dropped my heavy book bag onto my laptop’s keyboard several days ago, and when it landed I heard a cracking sound.

The keyboard still works, but at random times it’ll just start typing garbage on its own. It’s basically unusable so I’d like to disable the built-in keyboard and use a cheap USB keyboard in its place.

I know I can have the internal keyboard replaced but I don’t want to go to the trouble or expense since I’m going to be replacing this machine in a few months anyway.

So what I need to know is can I disable my laptop’s built-in keyboard? If I can, how do I do it? [Read more…]

Q&A: Is it safe to pay for an Ebay purchase with Western Union?

Posted on May 4, 2024

Question from Marie: I agreed to purchase three new iPads on Ebay for my grandchildren.

The seller said he’ll give me a 30% discount if I pay with Western Union because he doesn’t like using PayPal.

He has pretty good feedback (48 total with 91% positive), but this just seems a little fishy to me because I have always been able to pay with PayPal in the past.

My question is do you think it’s safe to pay for the iPads with Western Union or do you think he’s trying to scam me? [Read more…]

Q&A: Will resetting Windows remove all viruses from the PC?

Posted on May 2, 2024

Question from Kim: I have a 2 year old Windows laptop that appears to be infected with viruses because it acts weird all the time and it runs really slow.

Also, my Norton software keeps finding two viruses that it can’t remove and I don’t know what to do next.

I’ve heard that resetting Windows will remove all the viruses from the system. Is that true or do you think I should just break down and buy a new laptop?

If you think I can just do the reset can you tell me how do to it? [Read more…]

Q&A: Can you recommend a good external hard drive for a Mac?

Posted on May 1, 2024

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Maria: Hi, Rick. I recently purchased a MacBook Air with an M processor.

I am new to MacBooks so I am on a learning curve even though I have both an iPhone and an iPad.

I wanted to buy an external hard drive for my processor but have no idea what type I should get. I would like it mainly to back up my iTunes library and photos. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Read more…]

Q&A: Are free antivirus apps just as good as paid ones?

Posted on May 1, 2024

Question from Hailley: Hi, Rick. I’ve been reading your blog for a good while now and I love your tips!

I’ve noticed that you often recommend using free antivirus software instead of one of the expensive paid programs.

I really like the idea of using free software whenever possible, but I want to make sure my laptop is protected from all the nasty viruses that are out there these days.

My question: Are the free antivirus programs really just as good as the ones you pay for? [Read more…]