Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter – Saturday, September 11, 2021
Enjoy today's selection of practical, easy-to-follow tech tips.
Topics covered in this issue...
• Why you really need to have a good backup plan in place
• Q&A: Why are there so many Chrome processes running on my PC?
• Review: CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD PFC Sinewave UPS 1500VA 900W
• Q&A: Will an SSD work in a laptop that doesn’t support AHCI mode?
• Yes, it really does rain cats and dogs – and fish and cows and humans too!
• Info about my photo / file recovery service
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Today's Quick Tip....
Why you really need to have a good backup plan in place
Do you make regular backups of the photos and other important files on your computer's hard drive or SSD?
If not, I strongly recommend that you start doing it right now.
Have you ever stopped to think of all the important info and files that are currently stored on your machine?
If your experience is typical you probably have hundreds, and possibly even thousands of photos, Office documents and/or other files on there.
If you were to lose all of those files to a drive failure, a successful ransomware attack or some other unforeseen disaster, would you be able to recover from the loss?
Always having a recent backup on hand will allow you to restore all of those precious files if the need ever arises. And chances are, it will at some point.
Luckily, it's quite easy to back up your computer's data using software that is already included with the operating system.
If you have a Windows machine you can create a System Image backup with just a few clicks
If you have a Mac you can do the same using Apple's Time Machine utility.
And don't forget about the importance of maintaining redundant backups - hopefully somewhere offsite via a second external hard drive that's stored in a safe deposit box or online with a dependable cloud backup service such as iDrive.
And now, one final note about backups...
Don't forget that your smartphone and/or tablet likely has tons of photos on it well, and those devices are extremely susceptible to loss or theft.
Luckily, it's easy to back up an Android device to the cloud. Just follow the instructions on this page.
It's just as easy to back up an iPhone or iPad by following the instructions detailed here.
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The latest from Rick’s Daily Tips...
• Q&A: Why are there so many Chrome processes running on my PC?
This post discusses a handy tool that can help you diagnose and fix a Windows computer that freezes up at random times.
• Review: CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD PFC Sinewave UPS 1500VA 900W
A reader wants to know if it's possible to add USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C ports to an older PC so he can use a super-fast external drive with the system. This post has the answer.
• Q&A: Will an SSD work in a laptop that doesn’t support AHCI mode?
Think setting the privacy level of everything you post on Facebook is a fool-proof way to keep all of your personal info and photos away from strangers. Well, it isn't, and this post explains why.
• Click here to see today's 'Picture of the Day' .
Every morning I post a new photo that I find inspiring, intriguing, or just plain beautiful to look at. Jumpstart your day by checking it out.
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Rick's Daily Pick...
Every day I feature a tech item that I’ve hand-picked to be among the best of the best.
Click here to see what I’m loving today.
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Today's post from 'My Daily Smile'...
Yes, it really does rain cats and dogs – and fish and cows and humans too.
The phrase "It's raining cats and dogs" is a throw-away line we use most any time we see it's raining really hard. But believe it or not, that phrase is actually based on reality.
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Tech news that caught my eye...
• The top keywords used in phishing email subject lines
• Facebook unveils smart glasses in tech’s latest stab at wearable computing
• Americans with disabilities less likely than those without to own some digital devices
• Hackers leak passwords for 500,000 Fortinet VPN accounts
• Computer science degrees not necessary for coders in banks
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Rick's Photo / File Recovery Service...
Do you have precious photos and/or other irreplaceable files that you'd like to recover from a non-working computer?
Chances are I'll be able to recover them for you, even if the machine won't turn on or start up correctly.
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Thanks so much, and have an amazing day.
Your tech buddy,
Rick Rouse