Buying A New PC For Christmas

Probably one of the most daunting tasks is choosing to purchase a computer for you or your family. This month I will outline some basic guidelines to buying a computer that suits your needs.

Step 1. Desktop/Laptop/Tablet

Laptops: The convenience of laptops has attracted many people to purchase laptops but there are significant tradeoffs if you choose a laptop over a desktop model. Quite simply laptops are not as robust as desktops, cannot be easily upgraded, are expensive to repair, and finally are prone to more damage. While laptops can be purchased for as little as €400 be aware these cheap laptops are not bargains. For the most part they suffer from poor manufacturing quality and consequently will be prone to early failure. They are usually seriously underpowered resulting in dreadful performance.

Cost: I found not one decent laptop in the stores for under €600.

 Desktops:The desktop is currently in decline but despite this is still, in my opinion, the best bang for your euro.  Models are limited but still available.

Cost: Expect to pay over €600.

Tablets: The Tablet, and primarily the Apple Ipad, is the largest seller worldwide but not it appears in Ireland. Tablets are not a replacement for a laptop or desktop computer but are good at what they do. As a family computer they are a non-runner but for the individual user with limited requirements they do the job. The lack of connectivity on these devices means printing and backup is a big pain in the neck and it is likely if you drop, damage, or lose your tablet you can kiss your photos goodbye.

Cost: Expect to pay  €300 for non Apple and 400+ for Apple models.

Step 2. Brand

The old adage “You get what you pay for” applies when purchasing a pc. Stick with a name brand and avoid the temptation to buy the “all singing all dancing” no name brand.

Step 3. Software

All new computers now have Windows 7 or 8 installed and it is likely that if you are moving from an XP computer some or all of your software may require upgrade or replacement. Budget for some new software and if you have a student in the house you can get a special version of Microsoft office for under €200.

Step 4. Warranty

Don’t ignore the warranty. A poor warranty will mean you must pay for the repairs and this may be sooner than you think on a new computer. Get the manufacturers extended warranty and ensure it covers all aspects of repair and replacement of the computer.

Internet Safety – Part Two

This month’s article is the second in a series dealing with the topic of protecting both yourself and your computer when using the internet. To let others know about this article direct them to visit  my blog: http://reidyonline.blogspot.com/ or my facebook page facebook.com/reidyonline

Computer Security
Effectively protecting your computer on the internet requires commitments from you to avoiding the obvious traps that exist on the internet. Plainly speaking that means if the site contains illegal music, video or programs you must actively avoid these sites. There is "no free lunch" when it comes to the internet and if you download illegal content from the internet you will eventually fall victim to a virus attack. The following five tips will help in protecting your computer while on the internet.

1. Install a proven anti-virus program and ensure it has all the latest updates. The "free" anti-virus programs available cannot effectively protect your machine and are not recommended. Consult a computer technician before purchasing and installing an anti-virus program. On my website at http://www.reidyonline.com you will see comparisons of various anti-virus programs available and why I don’t recommend them.

2. Adjust Login Security Levels. By default most users have administrator rights on their computer. You don’t need this level of security under normal circumstances. Viruses take advantage of this fact and can easily infect your computer when you are logged in with administrator rights. Create an admin account on your pc, login to it and adjust down all other accounts to restricted user level. Seek technical help on this one if you are unsure.

3. Avoid downloading Junk Software Resist the temptation to download programs that have not been recommended to you by a qualified technician. The so called speedup cleanup tools that you find advertised are for the most part junk and in many cases lead to sites that will spyware infect your machine. If your machine is slow contact a qualified technician to get it corrected.

4. Think Before Your Google Virus writers will setup fake sites to trap the unsuspecting user. Once you click on these sites you are going to get infected. If you are prompted by a site that you need to install software to view it don’t!

5. Restrict Access To Your Computer. Activate the guest account on your computer and only allow guests to use this account. Do not allow others to browse the web with your login. If you do chances are you’ll regret it.

Oliver Reidy is a computer technician and has been in the industry since 1981.Locally he is a member of Mebo (Meath East Business Owners) Http://www.mebo.biz. You can view this article online at http://reidyonline.blogspot.com/ or via his facebook page at facebook.com/reidyonline

You can contact him via email at 
 

Internet Safety – Part One

Internet Safety – Part One

 This month’s article is the first in a series dealing with the topic of protecting both yourself and your computer when using the internet. It’s timely as I’ve seen an increase in the incidence of scams and hacking landing on my desk. In future articles I will cover computer, internet browsing, and social networking security.

Email Security

Your email address is the gateway to your identity and once a scammer or hacker has gained access to it he/she can used it in a variety of nefarious ways to scam your address book and also to scam you. Observe these 6 rules to avoid compromising your email:

1. Access your email account from your own computer or phone only. There are a myriad of hacker programs out there that can record anything you do on a computer. These programs are hidden so when you use someone else’s computer or a public computer you have no way of knowing if one of these programs is installed.

2. Change your password often and use a cryptic password. Avoid using the obvious ones like your children’s names or your pet’s names and include upper and lower case characters and numbers in the password. Example: If your current password was beachhouse change it by adding numbers and uppercase characters to something like bEaCH2o9UsE

3. Immediately delete unsolicited emails that appear in your account and do not open or forward scam emails as, while you may not be gullible enough to open or reply to the email others may. The amount of people who have been stung by these scam emails is staggering and I know of one case where over €30,000 was handed over to scammers. Be warned if you engage these people they will scam you and you have little or no chance of getting your money back.

4. Never give out your email password. Your email provider will never need to know your password as they can view or alter it at any time. If you do need to give your password to a trusted computer technician immediately change it as soon as he/she is finished working with your email.

5. Use your common sense when visiting websites that ask for your email address. If you are suspicious decline and do not give the site your email address.

6. Never allow other individuals to use your email address regardless of the excuse. Anyone can get an email address so there is never a reason for someone to use yours.

Oliver Reidy is a computer technician and has been in the industry since 1981.Locally he is a member of Mebo (Meath East Business Owners) Http://www.mebo.biz. You can contact him via email at

 

Ipads Tablets And Laptops

This month’s article deals with the topic of portable computers and which is best suited for your computing needs. I will not discuss desktop computers save to say that in my opinion a professional desktop computer will yield you the best value overall in a personal computer.

Apple Ipad
The Apple ipad does what it says on the box and does it better than any other tablet based machine I have seen. It’s sleek, fast, and has excellent performance in a small well designed product BUT it is not a full replacement for a laptop/desktop computer.
The lack of full browser support means many websites are unusable when viewed on an ipad. On top of this the lack of usb ports means you can not easily backup the device nor can you print from it with ease. To be fair to apple they didn’t design it as a replacement for a laptop but inevitably people use it like it is one. If all you do on a computer is Facebook and some email then by all means buy one but don’t gripe if it doesn’t do all that you expect of a personal computer.

Tablet Computers
The success of the Ipad has spawned a plethora of clones in the form of tablet computers. Most, until recently, had much smaller screens and have limited functionality. The cost is significantly cheaper than an ipad but I’ve never seen one I liked. Pc manufacturers are in the process of launching Ipad killers in the form of new tablet computers which will come with Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system. These new hybrid machines will feature touch screen features similar to the ipad combined with traditional laptop features including a full working keyboard and mouse when you need it. To see a preview of windows 8 in action click on or visit the following link - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/release-preview
The big caveat for these new hybrids will be the cost of a replacement screens which will be very expensive. 50% of laptops I see for repair have broken screens.

Laptop Computers
The cost of laptops has continued to drop in price but so also has the quality and durability. It’s not uncommon for me to see laptops of less than 2 years old in for repair with serious hardware failures. The lower end cheaper laptops simply do not last and if you get four years out of one you’ll be lucky. If you do decide to invest in one avoid the cheap models.


Oliver Reidy is a computer technician and has been in the industry since 1981.Locally he is a member of Mebo (Meath East Business Owners) Http://www.mebo.biz. You can contact him via email at help.desk@reidyonline.com

Five Tips To Prolong Pc Life

This month’s article deals with how to prolong the life of your desktop or laptop computer. If you follow these simple tips there’s a good chance you can significantly increase the life of your computer.

Protect your Computer From Electrical Problems.
Electrical problems are one of the primary causes of computer failures and are a silent and unseen pc killer. Power problems reek havoc with electrical goods and computers are particularly vulnerable to electrical problems. Even with the best protection equipment it is still possible to lose a computer to electrical problems.

Tip 1. Turn off and Unplug Computers When not in use
This tip applies to both desktop and laptop computers and is cost free! Despite what you may believe a pc which is turned off but connected to a wall outlet can be damaged by electrical problems. When you are not using it turn it off and disconnect it.

Tip 2. Protect Your Computer With a Good Surge Protector
A surge protector will reduce the chances of electrical damage to your computer. I recommend Belkin surge protectors and you can buy one for around €10-€15.

Tip 3. Avoid Letting Your Computer overheat
Heat is a common killer of computers and particularly laptops. On my website
http://www.reidyonline.com/downutils.htm  you will find a handy utility`, speedfan to monitor the heat of your computer and hard drive. If you run this utility when you start up your computer, before your marathon facebook sessions, you might find you are killing your pc by letting it overheat.

Tip 4. Remove the Battery From Your Laptop
Don’t do this while it is running! Removing your battery will reduce the amount of heat generated by the charging process. In addition a laptop without its battery cannot be moved without turning it off (see tip 5!)

Tip 5. Don’t Move Your Laptop When It’s Running
It’s a laptop not a book and moving it while it’s running can result, over time, in hard drive failure. Check out the video below which shows the activity that occurs when you use your computer. Moving a laptop while it is running is equivalent to playing Russian roulette – eventually you will lose.

Video - Inside Your Hard Drive

Finally a plug for myself here : If your computer does fail seek professional advice before you dump it. Many machines can be repaired at a fraction of the cost of replacement.

Oliver Reidy is a computer technician and has been in the industry since 1981.Locally he is a member of Mebo (Meath East Business Owners) Http://www.mebo.biz.

Preparing For A PC Crash - Part 4

This month’s article is the fourth and final article in the series “Preparing For A PC Crash.” The previous three articles can be accessed from the bottom of this article. This article deals with the last critical step Recovering From A Crash.


Step 6. Recovering From A Crash

Recovering from a crash can be a relative painless experience provided you approach the problem correctly. This assumes that you’ve followed the basic rule of backing up your system fairly regularly and that the backups are valid.

Even if you have no backups, don’t panic, there is still a good chance you can limit the amount of information that is lost provided you follow the steps outlined below.

Step #1. Accept the Truth. No amount of reboots, wiggling electrical cords, incense or incantations can revive a downed pc. In fact frantic attempts to restart a downed pc can do even further damage. Most failures are the result of four common computer components. Of these the most dangerous is hard disk failure. Read my article on “Why Hard Drives Fail” (January 2012 Blog) to learn more about your hard drive. You will then understand why it is critical not to continue to try and revive a downed pc.

Step #2. Identify Backups. Make a list of where you have stored backups. You may have information on backup drives, usb keys, and the web (Facebook Picassa Etc). If you have access to another computer login and see what you have.

Step #3. Find Your Recovery Media. Remember those recovery disks? Now is the time they may be needed so locate them. Likewise if you have software installed on the pc, such as Microsoft Office, you should locate these cd’s/dvd’s.

Step #4. Seek Professional Help. This step may be self evident but far too often I am presented with computers that have been “fixed” before they reach my desk. The Irish computer industry is unregulated and is a minefield of what my dear old dad used to refer to as “chancers”. Caveat Emptor (“Buyer Beware”) is the rule to follow when selecting a technician to repair your pc.

Previous Articles In This Series
Part 1 - Preparing For A PC Crash
Part 2 - Preparing For A PC Crash
Part 3 - Preparing For A PC Crash

Visit Reidyonline's Website - http://www.reidyonline.com/

Preparing For A PC Crash - Part 3

This month’s article is the third in the series “Preparing For A PC Crash.”
Part One was posted on this blog in April 2012. Click here to view.
Part Two was posted on this blog in May 2012. Click Here To View

This article deals with one of the last two critical steps in preparing and recovering from a pc crash, which are,

• When The Big Day Happens,
• Recovering From A Crash.

Step 5. When the Big Crash Happens
Like the passing of the winter or the melting of the snows it is inevitable that your computer will in the future crash. How badly that affects you will depend on how well you have prepared for it. No amount of hand wringing, stomping your feet, or pointing accusatory fingers will help you in recovering from this event. Follow the five rules outlined below to maximise your recovery options.

Rule #1 - Don’t Panic. We do stupid things when we panic so hold it together and assess what has happened. Actions performed in panic mode may make the problem worse. Turn off the machine and leave it off for now.

Rule #2 - Relax and gather your thoughts. Make yourself a cup of tea and calm down.

Rule #3 – Don’t ignore the problem it won’t go away. In most cases if a computer problem is detected early the amount of information lost is minimal. This is not the case where the problem has been allowed to fester. In the more serious cases I deal with, where the problem has been festering for weeks or months, the information recovered is as low as 10% and in many cases 0%.

Rule #4 - Resist the temptation to reboot, restart your machine multiple times. Rebooting and trying the standard recovery utilities is not recommended! I regularly hear the following from customers “I turned it off and on rebooted ran the recovery and it seemed ok for about a month then it died”. Don’t take risks with your information.

Rule #5 - Contact a repair technician or if the machine is under warranty the supplier. I don’t know what it is about computers but everyone seems to know an “expert” who works for free. I am always amazed at how people entrust their computers and their information to the hands of the family wizard. As someone who sees the results of these “experts” daily my advice is to avoid this solution. It’s not a solution and in many cased it will come back and bite you. Whenever my car gives me problems I contact my car mechanic for the following simple reasons – he knows what he’s doing, he does it for a living, and I can rely on his experience and expertise to both repair the problem or advise me when it’s time to say goodbye to my car. Such is also the case when it comes to computer issues. Seek a qualified, experienced professional and not the cheapest one you can find!



Oliver Reidy is a computer technician and has been in the industry since 1981.Locally he is a member of Mebo (Meath East Business Owners) http://www.mebo.biz./

Preparing For A Pc Crash - Part 2

This month’s article is a continuation of last month’s topic. Part One was posted on this blog in April 2012. Click here to view.  This month I will deal with the next two critical steps in preparing and recovering from a pc crash. These critical steps are

• Securing Your Software CD’s/Software Licenses
• Watching For Signs Of A Crash.

Next month’s article will complete the series with: When The Big Day Happens, and Recovering From A Crash.

Step 3. Securing Your Software CD’s/Software Licenses
If you purchased software on cd/dvd’s or downloaded it from the internet you need to keep a record of any licenses and ensure that this document is included in your backups. Increasingly software manufacturer’s, to save costs, are moving away from providing cd’s. I’m old school on this topic and recommend where possible you opt for a cd/dvd version even if it costs a few euro more. I’ve seen countless computer users having to re-purchase software because they cannot locate the original license document. This is less likely to happen if you purchase a cd. One caveat on this: Do not loan the software to a friend or family member. Chances are you’ll never see it again and worse still you may find when it comes time to re-install the license your family member or friend has registered it on their own pc and you are left to buy a new copy. Lastly, before you put the software cd’s away make a photo copy of the license.


Step 4. Watching For Signs Of A Crash

Some of the telltale signs of an imminent crash to watch for include:

1. Painfully slow start up time
2. Slow response
3. Pc freezing
4. Pc becomes very hot
5. Excessive fan noise.

To check for heat or disk problems download the free Speedfan utility from the following link http://www.reidyonline.com/downutils.htm.
If you machine exhibits any of these traits you should seek technical assistance immediately.
Delaying won’t help the situation and the health of the machine will not improve. Avoid the temptation to try a quick fix yourself and avoid roping in your relation who “works in computers”.

Computer repair technicians are specialists and are both trained and experienced in diagnosing and repairing computers. There is little or no chance that someone who is not a specialist can correctly identify or repair the problem.. The result of a quick fix, in many cases that cross my desk, is that an even worse situation develops several months later.


Oliver Reidy is a computer technician and has been in the industry since 1981.Locally he is a member of Mebo (Meath East Business Owners) Http://www.mebo.biz.

Preparing For A PC Crash

This month’s article deals with something that virtually everyone has experienced with their computer. If you have not yet experienced a crash chances are, unfortunately, someday you will. Preparing for a computer crash correctly will ensure that the effect is minimized and the amount of tears shed will be few. No matter how much you baby your computer there are forces outside your control which can crash it and thus it is wise to plan and prepare for that day.


Preparation – A Stitch In Time Saves Nine
Step 1. Securing Your Data
There is no substitute for regular backups of your data. If you are a light computer user, which is rare these days, your photos and documents should fit on a usb key(flash drive). There are inexpensive so there is no excuse for not buying one. I recommend that you buy two and alternate backups. Usb keys are easily lost so it makes sense to have more than one. Sensitive information should be encrypted before being copied to the usb key. You can download a free encryption utility from www.reidyonline.com/downutils.htm  I recommend you encrypt all sensitive information on both your computer and any backup devices you use.


For heavier computer users the best backup solution is an external hard disk drive. They can be purchased for around 65 euro and this is excellent value. As with the usb keys buy two if your budget permits. I’ve had more than a couple of customers who have broken their usb drives. A drop from the kitchen table will in many cases send your usb drive, and it’s precious cargo, to Valhalla.


Step 2. Generating Your Recovery Disks

This is a critical step to recovering from a computer crash. I’ve covered this topic in a previous article (December 2011 Of The Meath Coaster) but if you want to review the article check it out on my blog : http://reidyonline.blogspot.com/2011/12/your-pc-recovering-disks.html

Next month’s article will continue on this topic with : Securing Your Software CD’s/Software Licenses, Watching For Signs Of A Crash. When The Big Day Happens, and Recovering From A Crash.


Need Help? - Visit Reidyonline Click Here

Protecting Your Computer

This month’s article details some tips for protecting your computer and maximizing the life. In these tight economic times few of us have fund available for replacing, and in many cases even repairing, a computer. Our reliance on computers continues to grow as more and more functions move to the internet. As companies seek to reduce cost you can expect this to accelerate in the coming years. Thus protecting your computer from damage or attack from virus or spyware will become increasingly important. This article includes links to two very useful utilities for security and temperature monitoring.

Virus And Spyware Attack

There is no free lunch when it comes to protecting your computer from virus or spyware attack. On my main page at reidyonline you will find several videos which shows just how undependable some products currently in use are. (To View The Videos click here)

Let me repeat : If you do not protect your computer properly from virus or spyware attack you will eventually fall victim to one of the plethora of scams on the internet. The cost to you can be anything from €80 up to thousands of euros.



Security


Click Here To Register

At a minimum you should password protect your computer, at both the bios and operating system levels. Sensitive data should be encrypted thus ensuring if your machine is stolen you will not become a victim of identity theft. Download the “free encryption utility” by clicking here or visit http://www.reidyonline.com/downutils.htm

Never, ever dump a computer with the hard disk installed. Remove the hard drive and keep it in the house or have it destroyed professionally. Hitting it with a hammer can result in serious injury so get professional assistance!

Safe Surfing
No, I repeat no anti-virus program that I am aware of can fully protect you on the internet unless you use commonsense when it comes to browsing the internet. Use the internet with caution and be aware that there are numerous sites out there specifically targeted at hitting you. Thus random surfing for holidays, and the like is not recommended nor is any attempt to download illegal content such as music.

Operation And Environment
I recently had a customer lose a perfectly good machine, which was less than three years old, to dampness. Be careful where you locate your computer and if the room is damp use a dehumidifier or better still move it to a warmer area in the house.

Electricity and Heat
All electronic components of value should be protected by a surge protector. I recommend Belkin or Apc, both leaders in the field, and do not recommend using "no name" brands. It will cost you around 10-25 euro to protect your devices and is a very reasonable investment. Surge protection is not a panacea for electrical problems and if your area is prone to electrical problems then you should invest in a small ups(uninterruptible power system) which will properly protect your valuable electronics. A ups contains a backup battery so that when power fails it provides emergency power to your devices until you can safely shut them down. A small ups will run you around 100 euro but is a life saver if you experience frequent power interruptions.

Many laptops are subject to heat problems and you should carefully monitor them for overheating. Avoid leaving them on overnight and disconnect from the mains when not in use. If you are not using the battery remove it to reduce heat build up. This free utility monitors both your computer and hard disk’s temperature. To Download click here or visit http://www.reidyonline.com/downutils.htm

Broadband

This month’s article deals with some of the basics of Broadband so that you may be better informed before choosing or changing your broadband. Time was the internet was an option to personal computers but today it is a requirement.  A poor or unreliable broadband solution will drive the average computer user nuts and frustrate them very quickly. I’ve seen numerous computers land on my desk where the owner alleges it is on it’s last legs. Diagnostics reveal the machine is sound and the fault lies in a faulty, slow or dysfunctional broadband connection. I wish I could say that this is a rare occurrence but it’s not. Worldwide we have one of the worst internet services ranking very far down the list. 
Types Of Broadband
Irish broadband solutions can be divided into 4 categories as follows:

Fixed line, Cable, Wireless/Satellite, and 3g.

Fixed Line Broadband
Requiring a regular telephone line link to your home this is by far the most reliable of the broadband offerings available in the east meath area. All telephone lines and exchanges are operated and owned by Eircom, Other companies may rent the lines but they neither own ,operate, maintain , or repair the phone line and broadband infrastructure. Thus if you have a telephone line be aware that when you signup with a broadband company providing fixed line broadband other than Eircom they are middlemen and are not the real provider of the broadband service. This is critical because should a fault develop on the line the time interval to getting it fixed can be significantly extended as the provider cannot simply send out a technician to look at it. Some of the less scrupulous providers will try any method to convince you the line is not the problem in the hope the problem will resolve itself. 

Cable
Upc provides, in the Dublin area, internet and telephone over the cable network. It’s fast, reliable and is a solid alternative to fixed line broadband. Unfortunately, it is not available in East Meath and I do not expect it to be available any time soon.

Wireless/Satellite And 3G
Two companies provide wireless networking in the area. It requires an  antenna on the roof of the house. Wireless broadband does not require a telephone line but the cost is near that of a regular fixed line package.  As such it has little advantage over fixed line broadband. Satellite broadband, while available, is expensive to install and as you might expect you will need a satellite dish on your home which may be subject to planning permission.

3G
This is definitely the least desirable of any of the broadband solutions and prone to very poor quality in certain areas in east meath. It’s cheap but far from cheerful. I’ve had numerous customers commit more than one blasphemy over these devices. If you have absolutely no other choice its better than nothing but be warned it can drive you crazy. I’ve heard of one person who can only get broadband by leaning out his window with his laptop. 

Testing Your Broadband Speed
I’m providing a link to various broadband tests, together with an instructional video so you can analyze the results. To visit the the page please click on the link below.
http://www.reidyonline.com/broadband.htm

Why Computer Hard Drives Fail

This month’s article deals with one of the most common causes of computer problems, hard disk failures, and in my experience represents over 70% of the hardware failures I encounter. Hard disk failure on most computers is inevitable, and just as your shoes wear out so does your hard drive. Having said that I’ve seen hard drives older than ten years that are still working perfectly well. This article will deal with some of the common causes of early hard disk failure, and how you can reduce the chances of this occurring. Click the video link at the bottom of the article to see how a hard disk actually works.

Causes
The primary cause of hard disk failures is human ! In other words if your hard disk fails it is very likely you could have prevented it or even more likely that you could have anticipated and planned for it. I’m not laying all the blame on computer users but in my experience 90% of hard disk failures could have, if caught early, meant a lot less data loss and problems recovering files. Put another way if you suddenly fainted once you woke up you’d be contacting a doctor. When your computer crashes or appears abnormal to you likewise you should seek professional advice. Of all the parts in your computer your hard disk is the must vulnerable. Here is the list of the most common causes of failure.

·    Rough handling – including using your laptop in bed, moving your laptop around without fully powering it down. 
·    Heat –  Most common in laptops. Duvets often block the air flow causing overheating as does running your laptops for excessive amounts of time.
·    Electrical Problems – A silent but deadly killer electrical spikes, surges, and brown outs will kill your drive.

 Prevention
Rough Handling – Never move your laptop or desktop while it is running. If you are moving between rooms shutdown the laptop fully, move to the new location, place your laptop on a flat surface and don’t move it until you’ve finished.
Heat – Modern laptops and desktops generate a huge amount of heat for their size. So ensure you do not block the air intake and exhaust vents. Do not use your laptop to the point where it becomes excessively.
Electrical Problems – Purchase a good surge protector (I recommend Belkin) and use it always with your laptop and desktop. Surge protectors will prevent 90% of electrical problems and are a must for all computer users.

Video Link - How Your Hard Disk Works