Once upon a time if you wanted to update a computer program you had to wait until you got the Floppy Disk with the new program on it. Then you would install the new version, and replace the old version altogether. This worked at the time, and this is how you would get new features and bug fixes for the programs you use. Things are different today. [Read more…]
You’re busy. You need a PC that can keep up with you. At Y-Not Tech Services we understand that and want to help you speed up your Windows 10 laptop or desktop. If your computer is running slower than you expect, here are Five tips to get it back up to speed. [Read more…]
Just like your car needs regular oil changes and other routine maintenance your computer requires certain things be taken care of regularly. If you don’t do regular maintenance on your car you’ll notice a drop in its performance and if you continue to neglect it you’ll end up with bigger (often expensive) problems. The same is true of your computer! Regular maintenance keeps it running well and can help avoid calls to a technician. Last month we looked at doing some spring cleaning on our computers. Today I’ll share a maintenance checklist that you can do monthly to help keep your PC running great. I’ll break it down into two sections: Hardware and Software.
Hardware
Make sure your laptop, desktop tower, Monitor, Printer, and other equipment is plugged into a Surge Protector
Wipe down the mouse, keyboard, bevels of the monitor and outer surfaces of tower or laptop
Use screen cleaner on LCD screens
Check Wire connections between all devices – make sure they are secure and no kinks in cables
Look for vents in your Tower or laptop and ensure they aren’t blocked
Blow out or vacuum inside your Tower or Laptop – be careful of sensitive components inside and consider doing this outdoors if it hasn’t been done recently
Check that all fans are free of debris and moving freely
Software
Be sure you have a good Anti-Virus Installed
Ensure your anti-virus is up to date and performing scans at least once a week.
In Windows turn on System Restore
Perform a backup on your important files
Free Up Hard Drive Space. In Windows 10 use storage sense as detailed here. For Mac OSX use Optimized Storage. Details from Apple can be found here.
Declutter: Remove unused shortcuts on your desktop and Organize or empty your Downloads folder
Remove Programs you don’t use
This checklist can help keep your computer running well, but even if you follow it you might come across problems. If you do, you can book an appointment below and have the experts take care of it.
You’re not alone! Most people use the exact same password everywhere – home, work, Gmail, Facebook… even for banking. Considering how many passwords we’re expected to remember and use on a daily basis, password exhaustion is a very real thing. It’s no wonder that when yet another prompt for a password appears, users enter easily guessed combinations like ‘abcd’, ‘qwerty’ or ‘password’. [Read more…]
Have you started to notice your computer’s issues, flaws, and problems growing more severe and more frequent recently? These issues can irritate you daily, stop you from doing critical tasks, and even put your data in danger. It may be time to book in your computer for a brief service check or repair to get back on track.
When booking your PC in for a service, you can help your technician get straight to the root of the problem. A few simple notes are all it takes. Many people drop off their computers with, at best, a brief and vague description of the problem they experience.
Technicians have a wide range of diagnostic tools and years of experience to bring an aging computer back to health. Even with tools and knowledge, without a clear description of the problem, troubleshooting is far more time consuming and that means more expensive. The best physicians in the world couldn’t diagnose a medical condition without a clear explanation of the patient’s symptoms.
With just a few simple steps, you can save time and money while ensuring you get your computer back with every problem fixed.
Take Note of the Problem Every Time It Happens
Some computer problems only crop up every once in a while. A machine might freeze suddenly, or shut down unexpectedly. Intermittent issues like these can be frustrating and seemingly impossible to solve, but they may not be entirely random as we dig deeper.
When these events happen, you can help to resolve your issues by jotting down what you were doing and the applications running at the time they happen. Information about what you clicked on last, or settings you recently changed can reveal unexpected links to the computer’s behavior.
Detailed notes help technicians to reproduce the problem and see the crash or error for themselves. This can lead to faster fixes, more lasting solutions, and less time spent diagnosing issues in the dark. Simple notes scribbled down on a piece of paper or smartphone app can save you a surprising amount of money.
Keep an Eye on the Environment as Well as the Computer
It’s not just things within the computer we need to take note of. External factors can play a large role in how a computer operates. Hot and humid days have been known to limit cooling on devices already suffering from heat issues.
Even changing the time of day can raise different computer related issues. There have been occasions where users have reported problems connecting to the internet around lunchtime every day. A seemingly strange coincidence with no apparent cause, until technicians dig a little deeper.
Wi-Fi, which relies on radio waves to send and receive data, uses a frequency of 2.4ghz to communicate with devices. By coincidence, the same frequency is used in concentrated form inside of a microwave to heat food and beverages.
Microwaves, particularly when poorly positioned, or faulty, can cause Wi-Fi issues that disrupt communications every time they are used. Problems that come and go, seemingly randomly, have such a strange link to the computer’s environment that they can be very difficult to diagnose.
Take the Right Hardware at the Right Time
Bringing your computer in for repair, whatever the issue, is as simple as picking up the box itself. We don’t need the peripherals such as the mouse, screen, or keyboard unless those are the things causing the issue. Bringing in a laptop is as simple as carrying it to us, along with the charger.
If you have concerns about how to safely transport your computer, give us a call first and we can advise you what to bring and how best to pack it.
When deciding when to come in, sooner is always better than later. Computer issues often get worse over time. Vents gather more and more dust, fans run slower and slower. Heat issues in particular drastically lower the lifespan of a machine as time goes on.
A machine that gets less and less stable over time puts your programs and your critical data at risk. Updates applied over a shaky foundation can cause any number of software issues. With data, there’s often zero warning before it’s gone.
Can you afford to delay?
Click the button below to book an appointment and give your computer a clean bill of health.
Spring has sprung in Lethbridge! Or it soon will. Hopefully… Anyway… When Spring is the air we often think of cleaning. So why not get a head start and do some Spring cleaning for your computer. In this post, we talk about how you can clean your computer both from a physical standpoint and virtually.
Many users have reported recent scam messages from individuals claiming to have intercepted their username and password. These messages often state they have been watching your screen activity and webcam while you have been unaware. They often claim to have recordings of you in compromising situations.
Typically, attackers threaten to send footage to your contacts, colleagues, or social media channels. Demanding payment in Bitcoin, malicious hackers blackmail their victims to keep confidential data private. [Read more…]
The solid-state drive (SSD) has swiftly become the go-to upgrade to breathe new life into an ageing computer, and for good reason too. An SSD quickly brings an old laptop or desktop up to date with modern machines in just a single step. [Read more…]
If you’ve watched the news much over the last few years, you’ve probably heard of Ransomware like NotPetya, WannaCry, and CryptoLocker, but what do you REALLY know about Ransomware? How can you protect yourself against ransomware attacks? Y-Not Tech Services is here to shed light on this cyber tactic and help you protect yourself. [Read more…]
Prevent Children of Making In-App Purchases (And Draining Your Account)
Kids today have grown up surrounded by tech their whole lives. Since before they are old enough to read they can pick up a tablet or smartphone and swipe at apps and games with ease. Modern children have an intuitive understanding and ability with tech that older generations can barely imagine. This ease of using technology, however, comes with a price. [Read more…]