Most people don’t know much about cars; they know to give it gas, change the oil every so often and to keep an eye out for flat tires. It’s the same with PCs. You don’t need to be an expert to keep your PC in relatively good condition. You just need to perform a little basic PC maintenance and, more importantly, be observant. Neglecting basic computer maintenance can cause your PCs slow down or crash.
Here are two simple steps that you can take to keep your PC running quickly and reliably.
Keep Windows Updated
Windows Update scans your system and updates it with the latest security patches and service packs. These are broken down into Critical and Recommended updates.
You can schedule these updates to run automatically, so next time you won’t have to go through this process manually. To access Windows Update click on the Start button, All Programs and scroll through the list to find it.
Keep Your Spyware and AntiVirus Programs Updated
No matter how good your spyware and antivirus software is, if it’s not updated or, worse, not running at all, then it won’t do you any good. Most antivirus applications load an icon in the Windows tray, which lets you verify its status at a glance. Always verify that the application is running after starting Windows.
It’s important that these applications be configured to perform definition updates everyday and complete system scans should take place at least once a week.
Archive for the ‘CTN Support’ Category
Windows PC Maintenance Tips #1
Monday, March 15th, 2010Mobile Internet Access Options
Monday, May 11th, 2009In today’s environment access to the Internet is critical to organizations. With a mobile workforce, the need for ubiquitous access is even more important. However the cost and complexity of providing mobile access increases over that of traditional PCs.
Overview:
WiFi vs Wireless Broadband
There are two primary methods to access the Internet from a laptop; WiFi and wireless broadband. WiFi connectivity is provided by the WiFi card built into most laptops. In order to access the Internet the user needs to find and attach to a WiHi “hotspot”. Many locations offer free WiFI access (coffee shops, etc). While free, it must be considered that such networks are also unsecure. When travelling, many users can access a WiFi network from their hotel rooms, at a fee. For a highly mobile user, finding a WiFi network can be problematic, free or not. Such users would benefit from a wireless broadband solution.
A wireless broadband connection is like taking your Internet access with you. There is no need to find a “hotspot”. Such a device uses the same infrastructure as cellular phones, with the same or similar coverage areas. Some laptops have a built in wireless broadband card while others require an external device to provide connectivity. Regardless of the hardware, a monthly subscription is typically required from a carrier such as Verizon, Cingular, etc.
Alternatives:
Tethered Modems
An alternative to purchasing a mobile broadband card is to use a device most users carry already, their cell phone, as a “tethered modem”. By connecting a cell phone to their laptop, users can have broadband access to the Internet without the need to incur additional hardware costs or subscribe to additional long term monthly data plans.
In order to enable a cell phone for use as a tethered modem, contact the carrier for the phone and inquire about data plan options. Upgrades are typically added to existing voice plans. The charges for adding data vary, but are usually half that of a data plan for an additional device. Some providers may charge an additional fee to enable the tethered modem feature. Be sure to get a plan with enough minutes!
Recommendation:
The cost effective solution is using cell phones as tethered modems. The cost savings are significant over time. The one drawback is when accessing the Internet and a voice call is received or placed, the Internet connection pauses (but not dropped). Most find this insignificant when weighed against the savings.
Chuck Virtu
Securing yourself against malware
Thursday, May 7th, 2009An old saying states that a computer is only fully protected from risk when it is turned off. That may be true but there are ways to make sure you browse the internet safely. Adhering to a few best practice principles could make a big difference on keeping your personal information secure.
In order to educate yourself on staying away from malware you first must understand what it is and where it hides. Malware is a general term for any software that has malicious intent. Whether it is a virus, a key logger or a spam generator, the term is the same. Although cases for malware being preinstalled on USB key drives have been reported, malware usually hides on websites or in emails. So how do you spot it and avoid it?
When browsing through email in Outlook it is best not to use the reading/preview pane. Spam messages may contain hidden images that launch malicious software installations once viewed. To disable the email preview in Outlook 2007 click on View > Reading Pane > Off – please note depending on your version of Outlook this may change. Use the built-in Help in Outlook to find the option to disable the email preview.
Whether you use Outlook or not, opening email that you are not expecting can be harmful. If you receive an email from someone you know but weren’t expecting, call the person and ask if they meant to send the email. If you receive an email from someone you do not recognize or a sender/subject that doesn’t look right, delete it. Attachments in emails should never be opened unless you are expecting the file. Attachments are the easiest way for malware to spread through email. Remember to be diligent, ask the sender if the attachment is legitimate.
Malware also lives on websites. Historically malware has only been found on websites that were less then reputable. Recently however with the advent of social networking, embedded video and user generated content, malware has found it’s way into mainstream websites. No longer is it ok to browse a nationally known website and not worry about malware. You can still safeguard yourself by not clicking on any pop up windows or installing anything from websites that you are not expecting. If you are confronted with a pop up window and are not sure what to do, call our CTN helpdesk and we will assist you.
If a website you are browsing suddenly starts to misbehave and launches a download, quickly disable your internet connection by either turning off your WiFi card (many laptops have a physical button to disable wireless) or by unplugging your ethernet cable. If you are a CTN client, please call our helpdesk and let the technician know a website unexpectedly launched a download. If you could not catch it in time and you think something malicious was just installed, shut down your PC and call our CTN helpdesk. Once the malware is installed on your machine we want to make sure it does not spread.
Malware can also install itself silently on your machine. If your computer suddenly starts to act sluggishly you may have been infected without your knowledge. If that is the case, shut down your machine and call our CTN helpdesk. We can walk you through ways to remove the malware and answer any of your questions.
Why can’t I connect to the internet?
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009The internet is everywhere. In our offices, homes and even on our cellphones. Over 700 million of us use it on a daily basis. So, being able to troubleshoot a connectivity issue is a valuable skill. But where do you start? How do you know when to call for IT help? What if you are home and don’t have any IT help? Let’s explore a few simple tips that can help troubleshoot why you can’t connect to the internet.
The first step is always the same. Once you realize you can not connect to the internet find out if those around you are having the same issue. If you are at work, ask your coworkers, if you are at home, ask your neighbors or call your ISP (the company providing you the internet) and ask if there are any outages in your area.
If the connectivity issue is only effecting you we can try to test where the connection may be dropping. If you are running Windows XP click on Start > Run and type: cmd and hit Enter (In Vista click Start and in the Search bar type: cmd and hit Enter). A black window will appear, click the cursor and type: ipconfig and hit Enter. You should see an IP address, Subnet Mask and Default Gateway. Write the Default gateway down on a piece of paper (it should look something like 192.168.1.1).
If you do not have a default gateway listed (it will show “Default Gateway……….” with no IP address after it) try typing: ipconfig /renew and hit Enter. Do you see a gateway now? If so, continue to the steps below. If you still do not see a default gateway and you are a CTN client at work, call our helpdesk. In the same black window as we were using before, click on the flashing cursor again and type: ping default_gateway where default_gateway is the IP address you just wrote down – now click Enter.
You will see four lines appear on your screen. Did they say Reply or Request timed out? If they say Request timed out your PC can’t connect to your local firewall. If you are a home user, try and reboot your firewall (usually its a LinkSys, DLink or SMC device). If you can not locate it, call your ISP and they will walk you through rebooting it. If you are at work and a CTN client, call our helpdesk.
If you get four Replies that means your PC can talk to your firewall. So now lets try and connect to the internet. In the same black box, type the blinking cursor again and type: ping google.com and hit Enter. If you get more Replies then you are connected to the internet. If you still can not browse the internet and are a home user, contact your ISP and tell them what you have already tried. If you are a CTN client and are at work, call our helpdesk and we can walk you through some more advanced troubleshooting.
Having trouble printing? Try these steps…
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009If you are a Windows XP or Vista user who occasionally has trouble printing a document there are a few simple steps that could help troubleshoot the problem. First we need to qualify the issue.
If you tried to print a document but nothing was printed, check the printer status. Is it out of paper? Is the ink running low? The status can be checked either by physically walking up to the printer to see if any warning/error lights are blinking or by viewing the status of the print job on your PC. To view the status of the print job on your PC with Windows XP click on Start > Printers and Faxes. If you are running Vista click on Start > Control Panel > Printers (if you do not see Printers listed, click “Classic View” located at the top left of the screen. ) At the top of the printers screen there is a View menu, click it and make sure “Details” is selected.
You will now see a Status column with information on the printers current status. Common status messages are “Toner Low” or “Out of Paper”, these messages can be alleviated manually. Other status messages are “Ready” or “Offline” – If you see the printer status as Offline, check to make sure the printer is connected properly and powered on. If the printer is turned on yet the status is still “Offline” call our CTN helpdesk for help.
If the status is “Ready” and still nothing has printed check the Documents column. Do you see a number that is greater than zero? If so the printer could be busy printing someone elses document that either includes images or is lengthy. To check on the printer queue simply double click the printer name, a box will appear that will display each item in the queue. If your document is the only one that is listed and it isn’t a large document yet still hasn’t printed try right clicking the document and click Cancel. You can click F5 on your keyboard to refresh the page, does the job disappear? If it does, try printing again.
If it does not disappear after a minute, click on Start > Run and type: cmd and click OK. (If you are running Vista, click Start and in the search bar type: cmd and hit Enter.) When the black box appears type: net stop spooler and hit Enter. It will stop your printing service. Now type: net start spooler and hit Enter. This will start the printing service. The canceled job should have disappeared, try and print again. If you still can not print, call our CTN helpdesk.