Category: Computers

Install DOSBox-X on macOS When the Developer Cannot Be Verified

When I tried running DOSBox-X on my MacBook Pro with macOS Monterey (this seems to have better compatibility/performance on macOS than the original DOSBox), a window popped up saying DOSBox-X cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified. The window only offered two options–Move to Trash or Cancel. I could not override this and…

Read more

Build iOS Apps for iOS 10.3 in Xcode 8.2

I’ve been working on an iOS app using an upgraded mid-2009 MacBook Pro, but I ran into a roadblock the other day when I wanted to test the app on a real device instead of just the iOS simulator. My iPhone is running the latest iOS 10.3 as of this writing, but the version of…

Read more

Dual-booting Windows 10 and Ubuntu 16.04 in UEFI Mode

I haven’t looked at any Linux distros in a while, so I thought I’d see how Ubuntu was running these days. First let me say that I think Ubuntu is pretty sweet for a free OS and the installation process is generally very smooth. However, in this particular instance I ran into some issues. I…

Read more
Screenshot of Windows 10 Power Settings

Resolving Sleep or Standby Mode Issues in Windows 10

I should be able to specify that I want my computer to sleep after 30 minutes of inactivity, and it will go to sleep as expected and only wake back up when I press a key or move the mouse or something like that. Unfortunately my PC has had some issues in the past waking…

Read more
Hibernate in Start Menu

Bring Back the Hibernate Power Option in Windows 10

The Hibernate power option is a great way to keep everything where I left it when I’m going to be away from my PC for a long time (e.g. when going to bed or even on a vacation). Sometimes I’ll have several applications, a couple dozen browser tabs, and a bunch of Windows Explorer folders…

Read more

Burn ISO File to Disc in Windows 10

I wanted to make a bootable Ubuntu 16.04 disc the other day for an older PC and I wasn’t sure how to burn the ISO image to a disc. It’s not that I’ve never done it–I’ve created dozens of bootable discs since the days of Windows 98–it’s just that I haven’t needed to burn a…

Read more

How I Used Mac Addresses to Identify All the Smart Devices On My Network

Like many tech-savvy thirty-somethings my household has acquired quite a few Wi-Fi-connected devices over the past few years: Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi scale Wireless printer Smart thermostat Apple TV/Roku Smart HDTV Wi-Fi baby monitor Wi-Fi security cameras Smart phones, tablets, computers etc. Our network had gradually become highly populated with devices, and I didn’t even notice. When I upgraded our router…

Read more

Upgrading a 2009 13″ MacBook Pro with SSD and RAM

My fiancé has a 13″ MacBook Pro from 2009. While it probably worked great when it was new, five years later it had become painfully slow (#firstworldproblems) with its 2GB of RAM and 160GB HDD. A few searches online uncovered others who had similar setups and successfully upgraded them to modern performance standards with an…

Read more

Fix Frozen Trackpad and Keyboard when MacBook Wakes from Sleep

The other day my work MacBook Pro (a mid-2012 15 inch MacBook Pro running OS X 10.7 Lion) started having problems waking from sleep. When I opened the lid, I could not move the mouse or type my password to log in. The trackpad and keyboard simply did not work. After a quick internet search…

Read more