Tag Archives: Troubleshoot

Q. I have a file on my Windows machine and it won’t open the correct program?

What type of file is it? Most files have a file name with a three or four letter extension which tells the machine what program it belongs to. For example, a .XLSX file is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file. This … Continue reading

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Q. Someone knows my IP address and email. Can they hack my computer?

You don’t get hacked just because someone knows your IP address – you get hacked if your machine has malware on it or if you have left services open to the public or if someone has obtained the username and … Continue reading

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Q. I have a file on my Mac that won’t open the correct program

What type of file is it? Most files have a file name with a three or four letter extension which tells the machine what program it belongs to. For example, a .XLSX file is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file. This … Continue reading

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Q. How do I install a 3TB or larger hard drive?

The largest new desktop SATA hard drives on the market have capacities of 3 TB and 4 TB. This is great for storage, not so great for older machines because it goes beyond what SATA interfaces on older (mid 2011 … Continue reading

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Q. What does it mean to clean a cache?

Your web browser caches (keeps local copies on your hard drive of) many of the pages and graphics it downloads as you are browsing the Web. This makes it faster to reload the same page when you return to it … Continue reading

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Q. iTunes is not working in Windows?

If your iTunes software is refusing to open, even after you have reinstalled, you need to completely uninstall iTunes and then re-download it and reinstall.  Just installing the new version over the old isn’t going to work because it doesn’t … Continue reading

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Q. Windows XP doesn’t start. What can I do?

If your machine powers on but Windows does not load properly, the first step is to try restarting in Safe mode – Start the machine, and hit F8 while it is starting, you should get to a text screen which … Continue reading

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Q. I have lost the password to my router – how do I reset it?

Where can I find my WPA or WEP key? ———————————– You created it when you set up your Wi Fi router.  Hopefully you wrote it down- the best place to record it is the inside cover of your router’s manual. … Continue reading

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Q. My hard drive is running out of space – why?

The space used on your hard drive is data that you have put on it, plus the operating system, plus any programs you have installed and the data files they generate. Have you Emptied your Trash?  When you throw files … Continue reading

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Q. How do I restore a Windows computer to the factory settings?

Completely re-installing a computer Did your computer come with Restore or Recovery DVD or CD disks?  You would use those to reformat the drive and restore / re-install your machine. These will put your machine back to the state you … Continue reading

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Q. My Macintosh loses its settings and date?

If your Mac reverts to a date in the past when you turn it off, or forgets its Startup Disk or Network settings and time, then it means that the PRAM (parameter RAM) memory is getting reset, and the primary … Continue reading

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Q. My program disappeared from my Mac’s Dock.

You probably inadvertently dragged the icon off the Dock. Don’t worry, you didn’t delete the program, only the alias to the program that was in the dock.;  Let’s take iCal as an example. In the Finder, open the Applications folder … Continue reading

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Q. What’s in my PC?

How can you tell what components are in your PC without taking it apart? There are some system reporting tool programs that give a good snapshot of the components of the computer, and the software installed as well.  This is … Continue reading

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Q. I deleted one of the Apple applications from OSX

How do you reinstall one of the bundled Macintosh applications? Let’s take iPhoto as an example. First of all put in your installer DVD and look on it for a package called Optional Installs. Double click on that and you … Continue reading

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Q. Windows on my new PC says it isn’t genuine

Windows and other Microsoft programs like Office will run for a while without being activated / registered, but then they will stop and insist that you activate them. You should have an activation key on a label on the back, … Continue reading

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