Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Would using a powerline networking adapter make my Internet faster?

Posted on July 28, 2023

Question from Jamey: Hi Rick. I hope you can answer a question for me.

I get my Internet from my telephone company and it’s really slow. Well, at least a lot slower than it should be.

I’m supposed to be getting 100 Megs for downloads but according to SpeedTest.net it’s only about 2 Megs even with my desktop computer connected directly to the modem.

Nothing else is connected at all to the Internet at all, not even with WiFi.

I have already power-cycled the modem to make sure that isn’t what’s causing the problem.

I read your post about powerline networking adapters and I was wondering if using one of them instead of an Ethernet cable would make my Internet any faster.

I’ll really appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks!

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Q&A: How do I remove a virus when my antivirus app won’t open?

Posted on July 28, 2023

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…]

Need a 100TB SSD? Here you go.

Posted on July 27, 2023

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

A while back I wrote a post explaining how you can put your computer on steroids by replacing its hard drive with a solid state drive (SSD).

Until fairly recently upgrading to an SSD would have cost you dearly if you wanted to keep (or even increase) your system’s current amount of storage space.

Well, that changed a while back when the prices of 2TB SSDs dropped like a rock.

[Read more…]

Why I use VaultPress to back up my WordPress blogs

Posted on July 26, 2023

Do you run a WordPress blog?

If so, you’ve probably spent a lot of time thinking about what would happen if your blog got hacked or your server’s hard drive crashed?

I know I have, and it isn’t a very pleasant thing to think about.

[Read more…]

Q&A: Why does Apple call their computers ‘Macs’?

Posted on July 26, 2023

Question from Marion.: Why are computers made by Apple called Macs?

That seems like a really odd name for a computer.

It actually sounds more like something you’d find on the menu at McDonald’s.

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]