In this issue, we’re going to explain memory and hard drives. First, there are two kinds of hard drives for computers.

One is a mechanical hard drive called a SATA, which has a small round metal disk inside that saves program files, data and operating system files. It’s sorta like an old 33 plastic record album that has tracks or songs on it and a needle that moves along to the next song. The hard drive operates pretty much the same way, saving songs or data on tracks, and has a moving arm or needle that you couldn’t fit a human hair under. This is not MEMORY. It’s called STORAGE.

The second type of hard drive is called a static hard drive. It’s basically the same as a memory stick or a USB flash drive that you plug in the side USB port, but this drive sitting inside your computer has no moving parts. It’s faster and pretty much crash-proof.

So what is the error message you get called “out of memory?” Inside all computers are memory chips called RAM (random access memory). These chips store programs when you turn on your computer. For instance, if you click on Microsoft Word, the program is copied on to the RAM chip until you finish and end the program. If you load up 4-5 programs, then you might get the error message “not enough memory.”

Computers get clogged up with just about anything you put on them. The register is like a diary and remembers what programs, data, upgrades and anything else you do. It sometimes gets so full that your computer tends to start up real slow and functions like your 89-year-old aunt stumbling down the driveway with the passenger car door open calling “Shotgun!”

There are all kinds of software claiming to repair the register and your operating system to make it go faster and clean it up. It’s a waste of money. You can actually manually do many of the same things yourself to speed it up or put a temporary bandage on it.

When it comes right down to it, I recommend saving your data and re-installing Windows, then putting the data back on. That’s like going out and buying a new computer, but your pictures, music, docs and other data are put back on it. You can’t save programs, and you only need to install your printer and set up your e-mail.

I do this for many of my clients, and most tech magazines recommend that you do this once a year to give your hard drive more life.

I’ve worked on computers that take up to five minutes just to get to a desktop, and when cleaned up take only 20 seconds.

Here is the best way to save iPhone or iPad photos to your Mac laptop. On the laptop, you need at least the newest operating system Yosemite and a computer from 2013 on up. Make sure Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are connected. Now, click on the bottom finder icon on the laptop and choose Airdrop. Next, on the iPhone, slide up your finger from the bottom, choose Airdrop and click on Everyone. Now go into your photos, select any number of photos, then click on the lower icon square with an up arrow. Click on the Airdrop and a round photo picture. The photos are found in the Download folder.

The latest scam is hotel booking websites that look like the originals but will get your credit card information.

Best app of the week is Photomyne, which lets your iPhone scan all your old single pictures, crops and colorizes them, then copies them on to your iPhone. Try it.

Send your computer-related questions to mauimist8669@yahoo.com.