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.