Issue 35.10

I am sure some people get annoyed with me always telling you to have a backup of anything important.  How critical this is was brought home again to me this week when one of my best clients called and said their older files which they had archived on an external hard drive had been lost. Things would have been fine except for the fact that they had erased those files from their main hard drive so the only copies were the ones on the drive that crashed. Luckily, I was able to retrieve some of the files from the crashed drive. Unluckily, I have been unable to retrieve some of their important documents and pictures - files that were both important and valuable.

One way to protect your data is online backup. Many companies from Dell to Qwest and others offer online backup services. Most of them have a limit of anywhere from 2 to 10 gigabytes which is fine for your business documents. However, if you have a number of photos, music files or especially video files, this can be extremely limiting. For example, 10 gigabytes will only hold 3 full length movies.

Two of the best online backup companies are Mozy and Carbonite. Both run about $5 per month and both back up your files quietly while you are using your computer as usual. They can slow your system down somewhat while they are running, but mostly do their work while your computer is otherwise idle. On the newer faster machines, you won’t even notice they are there unless you need them.

In both cases, when you set the program up, it will automatically catalog the files in your Documents file and your Pictures file as well as a few other locations. These files are automatically backed up. If you have things that you want backed up in other locations, you will want to add them to the catalog if necessary. This is also true of files such as programs, archives (compressed files) and installation files. Those files are not usually backed up. The thinking is that you would have the disks to re-install if necessary.

The two services are very similar and both seem very reliable. There are a couple of differences that I am aware of. Carbonite has a new feature with which you can access your backup from your iPhone, iPod touch or Blackberry device. You can even download specific files to view them with a free app.

Mozy has a feature that I personally like even more. It will backup some types of external hard drives in addition to the internal main hard drive(s). This is a feature that would have helped my client quite a bit.

In any case, devise your backup strategy with these things in mind and be sure your files exist in at least two places (I like three). At least one of them should be off-site in case of fire, lightning, flood, etc. An online backup system fills that requirement. You could also do a weekly backup on an external hard drive that you keep off site (like in a safety deposit box). And, like I always say - always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 29 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 33.10

This is a follow-up to the last article about having multiple computers. One of the great things about the new home networks is that they are inexpensive. Additionally, you don’t have to hire a network specialist to keep it running (which you almost needed to do until about 5 years ago). Today’s home networks are reasonably simple to set up, especially if all your computers have Windows 7.

All you really need is a router (usually with wireless capability) and the cabling to connect your computers to it, or wireless network adapters to communicate with the router. There are a few things you should know before jumping into this option.

Initial design and placement of network resources is important. You must decide where you are going to run cable and if it will be hidden in the walls. Running cable across the floor is a good way to get your wife angry. If you are using wireless, you need to remember that walls and especially metal will reduce how far the signal will travel and how strong the signal will be. ?A signal that must travel through a wall at an angle is reduced drastically, as compared to one travelling at right angles through the wall.

Types of wireless are designated by letter. N series wireless is stronger, faster and travels farther than G series. B and A series are no longer used and are weak and slow. Within these categories there are good, better and best types. The store display will usually indicate which is the best value - but you do get what you pay for as the faster, more powerful routers cost more. Also remember that if you get an N router, you may want to upgrade the wireless adapter in your computer to take advantage of it.

If you are using wireless, you should definitely encrypt your signal so unauthorized persons can’t “hack” into your network. It used to be if someone next door used your wireless internet, it would just slow your performance. Lately there have been instances where child pornographers or identity thieves will drive up to someone’s house, hack their internet and do their business through your router. Since those transactions are tracked by the government, a lot of innocent people have been investigated and their computers temporarily confiscated until their innocence was proven. Please encrypt your signal or have a professional do it if you don’t know how.

Finally, remember that, with a network, all of your computers can share data as well as all of your printers, scanners, and most other peripheral devices. This can save you a lot of money and space.

Even though the new networks are much easier to set up and maintain than the old ones, if you have doubts or concerns, contact a professional who can ensure you are set up optimally and securely. Remember to be safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 29 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 32.10

Just a few years ago having a computer in the home was considered a luxury. Now most homes have at least one and many have two or more. This is especially true of homes with children. Computers are almost a necessity for communicating with relatives, teachers and classmates and for doing homework and work preparation.

A lot of people avoid getting a second computer because they are concerned about cost. Your first computer usually costs about $1000 by the time you add a decent printer and other peripheral items like external hard drives and software. What people don’t realize is that it can be very inexpensive to add a second computer because the major needs are already taken care of.

For example, you don’t have to buy internet service separately for the second computer. The only costs are adding a router to split the internet signal and use it with up to 10 additional computers. Good routers are available in the $50-$100 range and it is a one-time investment. The router also makes it possible to share your printer/scanner and other peripherals with all the computers in the house. A wireless router also makes it easy to connect your laptop without wires to the internet, printers, etc.

Add to that the fact that you can pick up reasonably good used computers for between $100 and $300 including the monitor (there are even some available for free if you know where to get them), and additional computers start to look pretty inviting.

We have found at our home, it is a lot easier to have extra computers so the kids don’t fight over who gets to do their homework or research. I also don’t have to choose between waiting until they are finished with their work to do mine and kicking them off and being the “bad guy”. (On a similar note, I have found that I am much more productive since I added a second monitor to my computer. It didn’t cost much and I no longer have to open and close or shuffle windows around to get my work done. I can look at a spreadsheet or article on one screen while I am writing my proposal or article on the other. Very nice.  But I’ll elaborate on second monitors another time.)

Remember to be safe – and always have a backup of anything important - but realize that you can back up multiple computers with one external hard drive so it doesn’t need to cost extra.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 29 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 31.10

There are many companies out there that provide free stuff for your computer. Most of them have other things to sell and hope to get to know you through the things they give away so you will be their customer. Microsoft, AVG, Mozilla, OpenOffice and Adobe are a few of the ones whose free programs I use and enjoy. The company that I get the most free stuff from however, is Google.

Most people know Google as the search engine company that helps you find information, programs, pictures and people on the internet. What many don’t know is the many types of free programs they offer for you to enjoy on your computer. You can find most of these by going to www.google.com and clicking the “more” tab at the top of the page. This shows you a list of services and programs such as finance, blogs, YouTube, Calendars, groups and others. At the bottom of this list is an “even more” tab.

When you click it, you find a whole world of cool programs available to you. This is where you can find Chrome (a fast and easy replacement browser if you don’t like Internet Explorer), Books (that you can read completely on line if you want), Earth (one of my favorites with aerial views of most of the world and street level views of many places), Picasa (an easy to use picture organizer/editor), Gmail (web based email that you can access from anywhere), and many more. Additionally you can find more info about the programs mentioned earlier such as the Blogger (create your own place to publish your thoughts and get fans) and Calendar (very cool way to post your calendar online and have comparison calendars from your friends, family or coworkers so you can organize your meetings, times together, etc.). Another one I am learning about that will soon be available is called Google Wave. It will make it easy to collaborate on projects in real time. You can have a whole group adding or commenting on reports, proposals or even writing a novel. Whenever anyone adds something, everyone else in the group (you choose who is in the group) sees the updates immediately.

Among all the companies out there, I think Google has the best chance to challenge Microsoft and break their monopoly to some extent. Hopefully that will be good for all of us.

In the meantime remember to be safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 29 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 30.10

When a technician evaluates a virus problem on your computer, there are a number of things that have to be decided. Can the virus be quickly and safely removed without damage to other programs, data or the operating system (Windows)? If damage has occurred, what and how long will it take to fix it? Does the recoverable data need to be backed up and restored after the problem is fixed? Does the hard drive need to be reformatted (erased and reloaded) and can the information on the drive be saved?

The answers to these questions are usually determined by how long the virus has been active in your system. That is why it is best to get problems taken care of right away if you suspect you have been infected. The longer the virus operates, the more files it infects and the more damage it does. After a while, some systems simply will no longer work. Damage to the hardware can even occur in rare instances.

Good technicians will usually take a step by step approach and do the least invasive solution that will solve your problem. This takes a little longer, but is the best way to retrieve as many of your files, pictures, data, etc. as possible. Unless the hardware has been damaged, your tech can almost always recover your important data and pictures. Some techs don’t want to take the time and just format the hard drive to solve the problem. It is quicker and cheaper, but most people care more about their information than they do about the computer itself. If your data is important to you, make sure you inform your technician of that fact or find a tech that cares enough to do it carefully.

The virus levels and solutions are as follows:

Level 1 - Non-invasive “pest” type viruses. Easily deleted. Usually takes from 20 minutes to 1 hour.

Level 2 - Destructive viruses that embed in important files. Takes special software. Usually takes from 1 to 2 hours.

Level 3 - Extreme viruses - embeds in multiple files and system operating files. Usually requires backing up important files, reformatting hard drive and restoring/repairing everything you can. 2 to 4 hours.

Level 4 - Destruction of Operating System or File Allocation Table. Extremely difficult to repair and often hard to recover files. (Good reason to always have a back-up). 2 to 6 hours plus reinstallation of most programs.

Like most illnesses, if you catch it early and treat it aggressively, you can often stop it while it’s a level 1. If you wait, it may turn into a cancer that kills. Hopefully it won’t happen to you, but in the meantime remember to be safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 29 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 29.10

If you are not acquainted with the term “Phishing”, here is a short description. Phishing is when someone purports to be someone they are not - a company or person - in order to get information from you that you would normally not give out. This information can be anything from your address or birthday to your social security number, bank information or passwords that protect your identity or personal files.

In the past, these scams have usually come in the form of emails telling you that your account or registration needs to be re-filed or updated. They purport to be from your bank, email, e-bay, facebook, Credit Card Company, etc. Most people have learned to ignore these kinds of notices, and banks have informed their customers to never respond to these types of inquiries. Most legitimate entities make it a point to only reveal personal information after you sign in with your secure password. You can also request it by emailing them from the email account you have on file with them.

In many cases, crooks may try to hack into your account or computer to see what they can find that they might be able to use (such as your credit card numbers, etc.) Their ultimate goal, however, is to get enough information to actually steal your identity. With your name and information, they can buy things and leave you to pay for them or to actually clean out your accounts.

A recently developed phishing method uses pop-up ads to steal information. In this approach, the criminal creates a pop-up ad that looks like a reminder to upgrade or extend your subscription to a service or product. They may even use look-alike logos to convince you that they are legitimate. They may try a number of different ones until they happen on the one you actually use. For example, you may get a renewal notice for antivirus programs like Norton, McAffee, Kaspersky and AVG over a period of days. You will ignore those you don’t use, but when they hit on the one you do use, you may think it is real and click on the renewal.

This typically will take you to a site that looks like the company you use or a false agent for that company. They then take your credit card information to complete the sale. Not only do you get nothing in return, but they immediately start using your credit card to buy things and transfer money into their accounts. After a few days, they disappear (before you get your bill or realize the product you ordered is not coming) and start up as a new “company,” scamming other victims.

The best way to avoid this scam is to never reply to pop-ups that ask for money. If you think you may need to renew,  open the program you are renewing and use their interface to do it, or go directly to their website. If you think you have already been scammed, contact your credit card company immediately and give them all information you have so they can get your money back and track the criminals. The banks can only do this for a couple of days (until the criminals disappear) so do it right away. For more information about internet safety, go to http://wiki.internetsafetypodcast.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

In the meantime, remember to be safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 29 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 27.10

The cost of owning and using a computer is much less than it was many years ago. We can buy the computer, operating system and needed programs for hundreds or even thousands less than was possible even 20 years ago. However, it is still very expensive to buy the programs that most businesses and individuals consider “necessary”.

Windows 7 can range from $150-$300, the Microsoft Office Suite (depending on version) can range from $150-$400, and the Adobe Suite of Programs (such as Photoshop, In-Design, Flash, etc.) can range from $100 for a single element to $2500 for the complete suite. All of that doesn’t include the cost of the hardware that you load it on to use.

Is it any wonder, then, that people have decided to create alternatives. One concept that is growing very fast and is providing for people’s needs in this area is called Open Source Computing. This includes programs that are free (may include a small fee if you need assistance) and many that are alterable if you have programming experience. The programs are created by individuals or groups and provided freely for download and alteration by other individuals or groups. The programs are continually evolving and adding new features as people add new ideas and those ideas are accepted by the users.

Linux is an Open-Source Operating System that many use instead of or side-by-side with Windows. There are many versions of Linux available. The one I use is called Ubuntu but there are many others. There are not as many bells and whistles as with Mac or Windows, but it is serviceable and in many ways more user-friendly than the expensive systems. You can create a boot disk that will allow you to try this system without damaging your files or removing your existing system by going to http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

In place of Microsoft Office, many people (including me) have downloaded the free Open Office Suite. It is available at http://www.openoffice.org/ . In place of Adobe Photoshop, some people like Gimp, available at http://www.gimp.org/  and a lot of people are using Firefox and Thunderbird from Mozilla instead of Outlook Express and Internet Explorer from Microsoft. They are available at http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/

Another great resource for free programming is Google. Their new browser, Google Chrome, is my personal favorite and, even though it is not strictly an open source program (you can’t change their programming), it is very user-friendly and fast. We will look at this and other Google-based programs in another article.

In the meantime, remember to be safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 29 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 26.10

Have you ever been in a political, church or other meeting where people’s opinions are very important to them? Sometimes two or more people will get into an argument, loudly telling everyone else why they are right and everyone else is wrong. Usually nothing is decided and everyone goes away with negative feelings.

Computers are complex to build and maintain, but their computing (thinking process) is fairly simply. They do what the programs tell them to. A problem can arise however, when two or more programs are telling them to do conflicting things. Much like the argument above, neither program will back down and nothing gets done.

When the conflicting items are anti-virus programs (or anti-spyware or registry cleaners), they not only can’t get anything done, but while they are distracted by the arguing, the virus can slip in the back door and do a lot of damage to your computer.

That is why Microsoft strongly recommends using only one anti-virus program on your system. Anti-spyware capability is usually included in most good anti-virus programs so you don’t generally need a separate one. Many of the better AV programs will not install if you have another AV program already on your computer. You need to uninstall any existing programs of this type and then install the one you actually want.

Many people don’t even realize they are creating a problem. Different people in the same business or family think they will help out by installing a program. One computer I worked on this week had four anti-virus programs and three anti-spyware programs as well as five registry cleaners (none of which I would even put on my computer because they all contained tracking and spyware subprograms). This computer also had a number of viruses active in the system. The viruses had made the computer totally unusable.

My recommendations are to stay away from free registry cleaners (they usually have stuff in them you don’t want on your computer), leave free anti-spyware cleaners off as well, and get a good anti-virus with anti-spyware capability included. In the free category I recommend AVG (available at free.avg.com). In the purchase category, Kaspersky and Esset NOD32 are the top rated programs. AVG, McAffee and Norton also have good purchasable programs available. Finally, the general rule is, if you didn’t ask for it - don’t install it. It is probably bad for your computer.

No matter what else - remember to be safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 29 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 22.10

While all of these items are important to the speed and capability of your computer, they are often confused. Here are some definitions and guidelines that will help you.

Video memory is made up of memory chips that are used to create the display on your screen. The more memory of this type you have, the more colors and higher resolution you can display and the faster your screen can update. This is especially important if you are watching videos or playing high-resolution games. The minimum in most systems currently is 128 megabytes if you are using a system with integrated (on the motherboard) video. If you are using a plug-in card for video, most have at least 256 megabytes and anyone wanting to get full use of their video capability will have between 512 Megabytes and 1 Gigabyte (1024 Meg) or more. Improving this important system can make a big difference in the quality of your picture and the speed of your computer.

System Memory is made up of the memory chips which your computer uses to think and act. Many computers are under-powered for the Operating System they are running. When Windows XP arrived, many computers had from 128 to 512 Megabytes of RAM (Random Access Memory).  As updates were made to XP, the amount of memory needed increased. If you have Service Pack 2, it is recommended that you have between 512 Meg and 2 Gigabytes of RAM. Service Pack 3 suggests a minimum of 1 Gigabyte and recommends at least 2. Windows Vista recommends 2-4 Gigabytes, and Windows 7 (which is more efficient than Vista) lists 1 Gigabyte as a minimum, but increases its performance as you upgrade, and can handle up to 32 Gigabytes in the 64 bit versions. Additional memory can definitely increase performance in most systems.

To check your version of Windows and how much system memory you have, you can click on the start button, right click on “Computer” or “My Computer” and click on “properties”. The pop-up will show you the version of Windows, type and speed of the processor (brain), the system memory and a few other pieces of information.

Storage is the amount of space you have on the Hard Drive (usually C drive). If you are low on storage space, it will cause the computer to run slowly and may even crash the system if you run out of space. You can check this by clicking the start button, clicking “Computer” or “My Computer” and right clicking on “C Drive” and then clicking “properties”.  This will show you a pie chart of how much of your hard drive is used and how much is available. Usually the blue area is used space and the pink area is free space. It will also give you a read-out of the respective areas. If the pink area is nearly gone, you need to free up space or add an additional hard drive.

If you are concerned or have questions, ask your computer professional to guide you in improving your systems performance. Remember, be safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 28 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 20.10

When you take your car in for a tune-up, you expect it to come back running smoothly, getting a little better gas mileage, air in the tires and all the fluids replaced or topped off. You would also expect the mechanic to advise you if there are any danger signs or parts that are worn or not working correctly.  If you take your car to someone you know and trust, you can be fairly sure that the work will be done right, the recommendations for upgrades or replacements are worthwhile, and most importantly, the service people haven’t done something to purposely create problems for you so you will have to fix more stuff and pay more money.

It is much the same with computers. If they are running slow or locking up frequently or if the screen, mouse or keyboard are not working smoothly, the computer may need a tune-up. Many people and businesses have their computers serviced once a year to avoid problems (preventive maintenance).

A good tech will check to make sure you are adequately protected from viruses and spyware.  He will also check to see if you have programs that conflict with each other (creating problems in your protection), if there are programs running automatically on your computer that are unnecessary or even malicious, or if you have added a lot of freeware or shareware programs that may be slowing your system down. It is helpful if you can be available to visit with the tech while he is deciding what optional programs he can safely deactivate or delete.

Additionally, the tech should check all the fans, drives, switches and any other moving parts to be sure they have not failed or are showing signs of failure such as noise or slow starting. He can advise you if your system is optimally configured as far as the speed of the processor and the amount and speed of the memory. He should also let you know if you are short on storage space (hard drive capacity). All of these things can seriously impair your computer’s ability to run quickly and smoothly.

I am sorry to say that I am aware of a number of computer service people that create problems on purpose to drive up repair and upgrade costs. I have had equipment brought to me that was working when given to a service company and came back with wires cut or parts missing. Thankfully this is rare, but it illustrates the importance of checking out anyone you allow to work on your equipment. Make sure they are experienced and their customers are happy. A long, positive track record is more important than price.

I have seen some companies or individuals offer free or cheap check-ups, but when you get the estimate for repairs, you could almost buy a new computer. Most reputable technicians will charge $25-$50 for an evaluation and $40-$60 per hour for tune-ups. If your system has failed, it is much like a car crash:  you can’t expect it to be fixed for nothing, but an inexpensive evaluation is worth the price and an honest tech will give you at least a couple of options. Often, even if the computer is not worth saving, you can retrieve your information from the hard drive to load into a new computer.

Remember, be safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 28 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.