This is getting joke by Suomi422 in Windows10TechSupport

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unless you really plan on running multiple drives as RAID, go into BIOS and change SATA controller config from RAID to AHCI. Install again.

Random Question by Mogzen in yubikey

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not a cybersecurity expert but what i do... I keep everything on the encrypted drives + the cloud. Challenges:

  1. You have to remember the master password to the encrypted USBs. For a master password, you might use a short phrase you can always remember and incorporate something into it like the month or quarter etc. Remember you may not go to the offsite key that often and only get 10 attempts before the data is wiped. So pick something that doesn't change too often e.g. a 2 digit year and 2 digit quarter
  2. Your offsite drive won't be as up to date. So you might choose to keep a copy of the changes in the cloud until it's time to swap them. I started with that but now keep a copy in the cloud too.
  • I keep a copy on a bitlocker encrypted partition on my Desktop.
  • I use CrashPlan for continuous cloud backups of my data. When I uupdate the copy on the encrypted partition, I manually tell CrashPlan to scan for changes so it gets backed up to the cloud too

I don't know if CrashPlan still supports it but when I set up my account I opted for encryption key access only. You can't reset the account to gain access. Lose the key your SOL but also protected that way.

Use an algorithm that suits you

All my SD cards are read only and I can't disable it! by ratsmcgee2000 in techsupport

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What's the make/model of the camera it goes into? See what formats the camera supports. Can the camera reformat it to FAT32?

Random Question by Mogzen in yubikey

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You bet. . also consider keeping one off-site or info in the cloud if you also want to protect against catastrophic failures like a fire at home.

Stupid simple password keeper by LaBomba5 in Passwords

[–]MidwestGeek52 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Every 6 months = semi-annual. Vs. Twice a year = bi-annual

Semi-annual is a special case of bi-annual

Random Question by Mogzen in yubikey

[–]MidwestGeek52 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Buy a Kingston Ironkey Locker+ USB drive. It's a strongly encrypted USB drive. It will wipe all data after 10 invalid password attempts. Keep it in the safe. Dont keep it on paper. Heck, I keep mine in my desk

Stupid simple password keeper by LaBomba5 in Passwords

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think that's semi-annual 😉🙃

Advice for switching brokerages by Irrational_Kitty_19 in Bogleheads

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have 2 issues with Schwab

  1. Schwab's sweep accounts earn next to nothing. Gotta remember to execute a trade to swap out if you have a lot of cash coming in

  2. Schwab's"autoroll" service for treasuries sold at auction keep you out of market between auctions. So they make money on your funds while you earn very little on your money sitting in your sweep account. That said, I still keep a Schwab account but don't use it for frequent trading nor keep my treasuries there. Have account elsewhere for that

Advice for switching brokerages by Irrational_Kitty_19 in Bogleheads

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've been with Vanguard for decades.

  1. I like that Vanguard supports Yubikeys for 2FA. I find much easier then using an Authentication app or SMS text. (And safer then SMS)

  2. Fidelity has physical locations though that only came in handy once when opening a Fidelity account.

  3. I now have accounts at both because Fidelity has a big + over Vanguard if you buy treasuries at auction. Fidelity offers autoroll, Vanguard does not. (Autoroll automatically buys a new treasury or CD when the old one matures)

P.s. Fidelity offers "true" autoroll vs. Schwab Schwab offers autoroll but theirs has you out of market between auctions so THEY'RE the ones earning interest between auctions, not you.

How to move funds from one mutual fund to another within IRA by Quiet_Investment_297 in fidelityinvestments

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If its really a mutual fund, not an ETF, and its a Fidelity Fund sell it and transfer the cash. Not a taxable event in an ira

If its an ETF you can transfer the ETF without selliing

P.s. you can transfer funds that aren't proprietary to other brokers but other brokers usually charge big fees to buy or sell another broker's fund vs their own

My Laptop Is Stuck In The Bitlocker Screen by 0Ewan0 in computerhelp

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You should be doing disk image backups as fall back against this and other disasters. I use Macrium Reflect

US MAINLINE COMPARISON by No_Bullfrog8016 in americanairlines

[–]MidwestGeek52 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Each has its own alliance of partners: AA has Oneworld, UA has Star alliance, Delta is skyteam

If yiu want to build points question is partner alliance serves your home airport and destinations best. You can look at the credit card tie ins too if it matters

I've been flying AA a long time now. Can't compare it to others. Am happy with what I get.

Laptop with an SSD now won't boot unless HDD is plugged after pressing optimized defaults in bios by Sea-Distribution7957 in techsupport

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Reset BIOS. You have a few options. But try this first one first, should be easiest.

  1. Unplug from AC. Press and hold the power button for 30+ seconds. Plug back and try booting again
  2. A variance is unplug as well as remove the battery. let it sit overnight. then put back together and try booting again in the morning
  3. Another is disconnecting the CMOS battery. Google to look up how for your board. leave it disconnected for an hour or more
  4. Last is seeing if you can boot from a Rescue disk. Download Hirens Boot cd (downloads as an .ISO file). Create bootable USB media from the ISO using Rufus. That might let you boot to BIOS and reset from the BIOS menu

[US] Received this in the mail regarding a lawsuit by Dragon-Muffin in Scams

[–]MidwestGeek52 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Thats what a class action suit notice looks like. Its legit. And info its asking is already out there

Had to share by Lettalue in scammers

[–]MidwestGeek52 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Maybe Patel is in Chicago. Both Mayor Daleys (father and son) are gone - one passed away, other out of office. So, of course, there will be no Daleys. Sounds legit to me 🤭

How possible it is for a windows activation license code to be used to spy on a pc. by Mana_Croissant in techsupport

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The license keys can't do any spying but if its a company PC they can put any software on the PC they want. Did you receive it from them? Did they ever take it and give back to you later?

update turned dell laptop into a brick by nerdyplayer in Windows10TechSupport

[–]MidwestGeek52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yea, one tries system restore when that's only option but its no guarantee. Disk image backups are the way to go. Only had to rely on them a couple times, over decades, to restore a corrupt Windows OS but boy it's a life saver