October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Cybersecurity is Our Shared 
Responsibility. Help make NCSAM 2010 the biggest ever by educating:
To spread the awareness, Computer Troubleshooters University Center will provide one free lifetime license to SuperAntiSpyware to every new client during the month of October.
Call us today and check out the NCSAM website for great tips.
When I recently began working away from the home office, I was concerned that I would no longer be as productive and be separated from the technology that I have available in my office. On the very first day, using the solutions recommended to me by Ashok, I quickly discovered how very little loss in productivity occurred. In fact, the solutions (which are continuing to be added to) provided by Ashok create an almost seamless connection and maintain the productivity I am accustomed to. In sports vernacular, Ashok his a technology grand slam for me and continues to show me that he really knows his stuff. Additionally, Ashok has proven to be ultimately patient and successful with my son who is quickly learning the technology world. While Ashok likely did not seek out supporting young non-business clients, his calm and deliberated demeanor have proven hugely successful for my son as well. Perhaps a success “double header” is an appropriate description.
Like me you spent good money for your computer, are you taking care of it?
When you got your computer, they probably didn’t give to you CD’s to go with your computer. Some computer suppliers do provide CD’s and others require you to create them from an application on the computer. But whether you were prompted to… or not, or if there were instructions urging you to… or not, like most users you have not created the recovery CD’s. This can be a major problem if you do not have them when your operating system crash’s.
There are two types of CD’s, one that has the files needed to repair or reinstall Windows XP and the other which restores the computer to as-new condition. If you have not created these CD’s, do so today. Your local Computer Troubleshooter (http://www.ctirvine.com/) can help you with this if you have problems. You should also be careful when you use these CD’s; you may inadvertently lose all your data while “fixing” your computer. (Earlier blog entry: See a professional).
Another recommended practice is to backup your computer frequently. I know I’ll do it tomorrow. Talk to somebody that’s been through a bad crash before tomorrow ever came and they’ll tell you how necessary backups are. Most backups only take a few mouse click’s. I like to use an external USB hard disk. They are as low $100 for 200 gig versions and are very easy to connect to your computer. Backups can even be set up to run automatically, so why take chances by delaying any longer?
Run your disk defragmenter every couple of months. As time goes by hard drives get fragmented as files are added and deleted on a daily basis. This will cause your system to slow down over time. You can use 3rd party products to do this for you or the convenient defragmenter built-in to Windows XP. One of my favorite (spelled ‘free’) third party defragmenters is AusLogics Disk Defrag (http://www.auslogics.com/disk-defrag/index.php). Besides defragmenting files, it optimizes your system speed by grouping frequently needed files together and moving them to faster sections of the disk.
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) or Surge suppressor never plug in without one. In other words, you should never plug your computer or peripherals directly into a wall outlet. Power spikes and outages can cause components in your computer to literally burn out. I have seen some PC’s with burnt out power supplies and motherboards from power outages and spikes. Your best option is a UPS, if you can afford it, starting around $150 for a good model. They provide the protection for power spikes and also battery backup to allow for a safe shutdown in the event of a power outage. This is done using the software from the UPS manufacturer. The investment of $30 for a good power strip will save you from a possible disaster. See a local Computer Troubleshooter (http://www.ctirvine.com/) for advise.
Environment, dust it’s in the air around your PC. The air vents in your computer can get filled with dust cover over time. Households with dogs and cats have hair added to the mix. If you computer is low to the ground, that’s an added attraction to the computer. Try to keep your computer work areas as clean as possible. Also, If you are comfortable doing this, you should blow out the dust with a can of compressed air every couple of months. Be careful not to get too close as you can damage components if you freeze them covered the cold gas (especially if they’re hot from previously being on.) Your local Computer Troubleshooter (http://www.ctirvine.com/) can help you with this if you have problems.
There are other things you can do, but these are the basics of prevention. Your investment will last longer with a little TLC.
If you were looking to employ someone, you’d carefully check their reputation and their references. Email providers are now becoming just as cautious about who they accept emails from, in an effort to prevent large volumes of unsolicited commercial email (spam) from moving through their servers. They’re turning to ‘blacklist’ services, to see if you’ve developed a reputation for being a known source of spam. This month we look at blacklisting and how it can put a halt to your legitimate business emails.
There are numerous blacklisting services on the internet, which use various methods to build up a list of known spam sources. One such method is a ‘honeypot’ – pretending to be an unsecure email system, which attracts spammers and spamming software. The blacklisting server then adds the internet IP address of where the spam came from, to the blacklist. Email providers check this blacklist before accepting email and if the sender’s server is on that list, their email may be rejected before the recipients even see it. This is different to spam filtering which actually checks the contents of the email itself.
Unfortunately, your own business can become blacklisted if one of your computers picks up a spamming software ‘bot’ or malware. Like a virus, this malicious software installs itself onto your machine and starts sending out spam emails through your internet connection, however it may not be detected by your anti-virus software. You can very quickly become identified as a spam source and blacklisted, which will prevent legitimate emails from being sent from your own local email server.
The first indications of blacklisting are usually email failure error messages when you try and send a message. They commonly refer to rejecting your email for ‘policy reasons’ and may or may not mention spam or blacklisting. Email addresses that you’ve previously communicated with successfully may now start to reject your messages.
To tackle this, the first step is to confirm which blacklisting services you appear in. Some services even provide a link in the email failure message with further information on why you were blacklisted, when it happened or the possible cause. The infected computer then needs to be identified, removed from your network and thoroughly cleaned. Your email server should also have its configuration checked to ensure it’s not an ‘open’ relay, allowing emails to pass through it which did not come from you and are not destined for you. Once you’re sure your network is completely clean, you can ask to be ‘delisted’ from the services you’ve been appearing in. Some services will action your delisting request as soon as they receive it, whereas some will take days or weeks and some services even request a payment to speed up the process for you. The key to successful delisting is to make sure your computers are completely clean first. If you make multiple requests to be delisted and you’re still generating spam, the services will start to ignore your requests and you’ll remain on the blacklists.
Of course, a better option is to prevent spamming malware from entering your network in the first place, so always be cautious about what you download from the internet, what email attachments you open and what website links you click. Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooters about how to protect your network or for help if you think you’ve been blacklisted.
Technology and your new businessIf you’re thinking about starting a business, then technology might be the very last consideration on your mind. With a long list of tasks in front of you (like getting a logo and stationery designed, finding an office, and working out your marketing plan), you may just requisition your home computer to start running your new business. This month, we look at some of your very first technology decisions.
New computer or your home PC? - For a while, your home computer may be adequate to handle the necessities of your business. However, if your computer time is conflicting with the children’s need to surf the internet for their homework, it may be time to consider a dedicated business computer. Study any system specifications carefully and check the manufacturer’s websites. Many ‘cheap’ retail deals are superseded models, cannot be upgraded easily or may not connect to a bigger computer network, which will all be important as you grow. Also, talk to your accountant about any tax benefits that may be gained from leasing instead of purchasing your IT assets.
Voice over IP – When considering a phone number for your business, take a look at your Voice over IP options. The quality of this technology has improved significantly and it can provide great local, national and international phone rates. Today’s systems can plug into a standard cordless phone and your internet connection, so your computer doesn’t have to be turned on for you to make and receive calls. It makes a fantastic ‘second line’ for businesses that run from your home. You can have your office phone answered outside of business hours and still receive personal calls on your standard home phone line.
Internet domain name – Once you have decided on your business name, look at registering your internet domain name. This will prevent someone else from registering it. Having your own domain name (like marysmith.com) will give your emails a more professional look and enable you to have a simple webpage established. Don’t think you have to spend a fortune on a comprehensive website before your first day of actually doing business. As long as your contact details (phone number, email address, fax number, and location) are easy to find and you have some great information about why your business is different from your competitors, you will be giving the search engines something to find. This is much better than an ‘under construction’ picture or no internet presence at all. Use your domain name in your email address to look much more credible than someone operating from a free email account (like myname@gmail.com). You can still use your internet provider for your email service. Make certain to check what protection they have in place against email viruses and spam. Remember to include your website and email address on all of your stationery and marketing materials.
Email marketing – Investing in an email marketing program provides you with a great communication channel to keep your business in front of your future customers on a regular basis. Supplement your email marketing with monthly newsletters and occasional special offers. Get permission to store your customer’s email address from the day they start doing business with you and you’ll build up an impressive database.
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooters about how to make the right technology decisions that match the needs of your new business.
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Computer Troubleshooters try’s to educate you while fixing your problem; they are not about taking your money. Where are you gonna find a computer service like this?! I signed up for their free Report and then decided to give them a try. These guys are by far the Computer Experts!! My computer is running like new again! Thanks!”
“My computer is working better now than it has for the past year…”?
When my computer’s hard drive crashed, I thought I would never see any of my files again. Ashok recovered not only all of my files, but my pictures and documents too. You can’t even put a price on my pictures alone. Excellent Fast Service!”
My computer is finally running like it use to. I had forgotten what its like to have a computer that is completely trouble free and performs better than the day I bought it. Amazing Service! Thanks….”
