Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Is it OK to replace a computer’s power supply with a more powerful one?

Posted on September 22, 2020

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Roger G.: Hi Rick. I recently ordered a new desktop computer that has a 350 watt power supply in it.

I bought a new video card for it, but when I went to install it the instructions said the computer’s power supply needs to be able to put out at least 550 watts.

I checked online and there are several different kinds of power supplies to choose from and I don’t know exactly what kind I need to buy.

I called the company that sold me the computer and asked what kind of power supply is inside it. They told me it’s a standard ATX-type power supply.

My questions:

1 – Can I replace this computer’s existing power supply with a larger one without burning up anything with the excess power?

2 – If so, can you recommend one?

3 – Can you give me a rough outline of the process required to physically swap out the power supplies?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Heads-up: Your iPhone will now warn you if you’re being spied on!

Posted on September 21, 2020

If your iPhone has been updated to iOS 14 you’ve probably noticed a little orange or green dot popping up in the top-right corner of the screen at various times.

Well, truth be told, that tiny colored dot could well be the most useful feature ever added to iOS via an update!

[Read more…]

Why I recommend buying your next laptop battery from Amazon

Posted on September 21, 2020

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Laptops are great! They give us plenty of computing power, yet they’re easy to carry along with us when we travel.

What’s more, we can use them virtually anywhere that our daily routine takes us!

But when the battery in your laptop will no longer hold a charge, it really limits your options when you need to fire it up and get some work done.

There are many places to buy replacement laptop batteries, but my favorite is Amazon. Why? There are several reasons: [Read more…]

Did you know you can buy a desktop PC and monitor for less than $200?

Posted on September 20, 2020

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Did you know you can buy a complete computer system on Amazon for less than $200?

Well, you can, and these are typically well-built business class machines!

You’ll find plenty of refurbished computer systems for sale on Amazon, many of which are indeed selling for between 100 and 200 bucks!

Of course these aren’t the latest technology machines, but they are in working order and well-suited for Internet use and many other everyday tasks such as running an office suite. [Read more…]

How to use the same ‘Downloads’ folder for ALL of your web browsers!

Posted on September 20, 2020

When you download a file using your web browser, the file is placed in a special “Downloads” folder where you can retrieve it and do as you wish with it.

If you use two or more different browsers on a regular basis, this can become quite confusing because each browser uses its own ‘downloads” folder.

And unfortunately, those downloads folders are typically located in different places on the hard drive.

I keep four different web browsers open at all times when I’m working because it makes the way I prefer to work easier to manage.

I only have one common downloads folder however (C:\Downloads\), and all of my browsers save their downloads in that one common folder. If you’d like to do the same thing, this post explains how to set it up. [Read more…]