Hi there,

No product to tell you about this week, and no pitch. Just five plain answers to the questions I hear most, one for each day. If you missed any of them, here they are in one place.

Monday, is it worth fixing, or time to replace? The question almost everyone asks me first, and the honest way I answer it: the age of the machine, the cost of the fix against a new one, and whether your files are safe. Worth fixing or time to replace.

Tuesday, those "Microsoft support" calls are always a scam. Microsoft will never call you about a virus, and neither will Apple. Here is how the trick works, why it fools careful people, and exactly what to do when it happens to you. The Microsoft support calls are always a scam.

Wednesday, how to set up a backup that actually works. Most people think they have one until the day they need it. But not all backups are the same.

Thursday, what to do before you bring your computer in. A few minutes of prep saves you time, money, and sometimes something you cannot replace. Review this list before you bring your computer in.

Friday, a few habits that keep a computer out of my shop. The small, unclever things that quietly keep a machine healthy. Restart it, update it, back it up, stay a little skeptical, and let it breathe. Habits that keep a computer healthy.

That is the week. None of it is complicated, which is sort of the point. Most of what keeps a computer well is ordinary.

Reply any time. I read them all, and a good question often becomes next week's post.

Thanks for reading,

Mike
PCRescue | Portland, ME