Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: How long do USB Flash Drives retain their data?

Posted on February 28, 2026

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Question from Shaina: I have this USB flash drive with several hundred photos on it that I scanned during a recent visit to my grandmother’s house.

These are precious family pictures that will be difficult to replace if something were to happen to them.

I really don’t want to lose these photos and I was wondering how long I can count on the drive retaining them if I lock it up in my little fireproof safe? [Read more…]

Monthly Tech Giveaway – March 2026

Posted on February 28, 2026

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March’s winner will receive a fantastic Samsung 27” Odyssey OLED G5 Gaming Monitor.

Whether you’re a gamer looking to up your gaming experience or a regular user who is just looking for a great monitor to replace the one you have now, this is a fantastic option.

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 March 31 and the winner will be notified by email. The winner will be selected at random.

Good luck!

Sign up to get my daily Tech Tips via email!

Posted on February 28, 2026

Hi there!

I’m Rick Rouse, an A+ Certified Computer Tech with over 40 years of experience in the IT field.

I love sharing my practical, easy-to-follow tech tips, and I’d love to share them with you via my daily Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter.

Here’s what you’ll get when you sign up…

Sign up below and you’ll receive one email each morning featuring links to my latest tech tips and info, plus several interesting and informative “Tech News” stories.

You’ll also receive a special “Featured Tech Tip” that I hand-pick just for my newsletter subscribers and your tech questions will take priority over questions asked by non-subscribers.

And finally, all subscribers to the Standard edition of my Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter have an equal chance to win my monthly Tech Giveaway drawing.

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

March’s winner will receive a Samsung 27” Odyssey OLED G5 Gaming Monitor..

Here’s what you won’t get…

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To summarize…

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How to take the best screenshot from a YouTube video

Posted on February 26, 2026

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If you’ve ever tried to capture a screenshot from a YouTube video you know how difficult it can be to find just the right frame to capture.

Unless your timing with the “Pause” button is absolutely perfect it can take quite a while to find a frame that will look great as a screenshot.

Well, I’m about to give you a little tip that will make finding just the right frame almost as easy as finding a grain of sand on a beach.

[Read more…]