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The following are in reverse
chronological order, newest first
November 2011 Tip
You have
probably heard about the massive flooding in Thailand, and particularly
around Bangkok, which has tragically resulted in the loss of more than
500 lives.
These floods
are having a wordwide impact, because with globalization many items are
manufactured overseas, and Thailand produces 60% of the world's supply
of hard drives, an essential component of the vast majority of computers
to-day. This link gives a little more detail:
We are
finding hard drives are rapidly increasing in price, about doubled in
the last month, and also we are being restricted in the number we can
purchase.
So, in the
near term expect the cost of new computers to rise, and the cost of
replacing defective drives in existing machines to increase
significantly, along with possible delays due to these shortages.
With that
said, Adare has a good supply of
refurbished computers
at very reasonable cost ranging from approx. $100 to $250+. These are
usually about 3 year old off-lease equipment, and if nothing else, can
be used as a stop-gap measure while we wait for the hard drive supply to
recover.
PS
I'm looking for a previous "Tip" regarding theLockItTight
computer tracking software, which I believe we sent out during the
spring of 2011. If anyone still has a copy of this, would you be kind
enough to please send it to me?
October
2011 Tip:
D.I.Y. Computer Tune-up
Over time, any Windows computer will slow down. Several factors cause
this:
Hard drive becomes fragmented, which means it takes longer to
find the "pieces" of a particular file. A file must be loaded
into the computers RAM memory before any action is taken with
it.
Viruses, spyware or other forms of malware get into the
machine.
Too many programs are set to start when the computer is
turned on. The more programs that are running the slower the
machine will be.
The registry becomes cluttered. The registry is a database of
information regarding a particular computer. It contains details
of the Windows configuration, hardware installed, software
installed etc. Over time, as the computers configuration
changes, software is added or deleted etc., unnecessary data
often remains in the registry. The registry is loaded into the
computers RAM memory on startup, and whenever an action is
requested, Windows searches the registry to find out exactly
what it is expected to do.
Installed antivirus programs, which are absolutely necessary
to have, can also dramatically slow down a computer.
To keep your computer in good running order, we suggest the
following:
Have a good Internet Security product, such as Kaspersky
Internet Security 2012 version. Link
below:
You can get a 30-day free trial, if you would like to
try-before-buy.
Other alternatives to Kaspersky are McAfee or Norton. Free
antivirus products are also available from the likes of AVG, but
these are not as effective as a full-blown Internet Security
product, for which you have to pay.
Back up your Internet Security product with Malwarebytes and
Spybot S&D .
Links below:
Internet Security products, like Kaspersky, run continuously in the
background, update themselves automatically, and will usually trap any
malicious items trying to get into your computer. However, it is a good
idea to run a Full Scan once a month or so.
Malwarebytes and Spybot S&D are free, and can catch junk not
recognized by the Internet Security product, need to be manually
updated, and should be run about once a month.
Advanced System Care is a great free product. It continuously
monitors your computers performance, and offers suggestions as to what
should be done. It checks for spyware, cleans the registry, and
defragments the hard drive among other things.
Monthly Computer Tip - August 2011
Laser vs. Inkjet Printer ?
Next to your computer, and perhaps your
phone, your printer is the most important piece of equipment in your
office. The quality of the print it produces can be very important in
projecting a professional image in your correspondence.
The most common technologies used in
printers are Laser and Inkjet. Most home users opt for an inkjet
printer, because of their perceived lower cost, however the
comparative cost of laser printers has come down dramatically in recent
years.
Aside from the expected life of a
printer, the typical cost per page for an inkjet printer is about 14
cents per page, and that for a laser printer is about 9 cents per page,
in colour. You’ve probably heard people complain about the high cost of
inkjet cartridges, which is how the manufacturers make their money. Not
that laser printer cartridges are cheap by any means, but a laser
cartridge yields up to 10 times what can be expected from an inkjet
cartridge.
Ink jet printer: Cost $ 60.00 Canon MP
280
Replacement Cartridge x2 31.00 400 page
yield
Laser Printer Cost $200.00 HP CP1025NW
Replacement Cartridge x4 45.00 2000 page
yield
So, if you replaced all of the
cartridges at the same time, and always printed using equal amounts of
black and colour, you would expect to get 800 pages from the inkjet
cartridges, at a cost of $62.00. But, because you replace 4 cartridges
on the laser you get 8000 pages for only $180.00. In real life, usually
black runs out first, so it will need to be replaced more frequently.
Also, an inkjet printer which uses only
2 cartridges usually runs out of 1 colour before the others. So, the
colour cartridge will often have to be replaced even when ink remains
for 2 of the 3 colours.
In general, a laser printer is more
reliable than an inkjet. Lasers are easier to repair when something goes
wrong, and in the unlikely event of an ink spill, it is very easy to
vacuum up the laser’s dry toner, whereas the liquid ink from an inkjet
can destroy carpets or clothing.
To summarize, a laser printer is
generally a better alternative to an inkjet. However, there are some
special instances where inkjet is a definite requirement. When
considering purchasing a printer, do your research, ask questions about
the cost of consumables, and calculate the Total Cost of Ownership.
Don’t buy on price alone! Back to Top
Anyone who uses email is used to getting "spam". Spam are unsolicited
emails trying to sell you something that you probably have no need for,
but by blasting out millions of these, the spammer hopes to make some
money from the very small number of people who fall for it.
A much more insidious form of spam is known as "phishing". These
appear to come from legitimate, well known, organizations such as banks
or even CRA or FBI! The "phisher" will copy a logo, or even an entire
webpage from the legitimate organization, and make it seem like his
email is from that organization. The objective of "phishing" is to con
you into giving personal information, and thus allow theft of your
identity!
A common trick is to make you believe that your bank account has been
frozen, or limited in some way, because of a security breach. The email
will contain a link, which will look legitimate, but is spoofed in such
a way as to direct you to an online form where you are asked to fill in
all kinds of personal information to "confirm your identity"! Included
are name, address, phone #, and most critical your PIN # ! Also, your
mother’s maiden name, your pet’s name or other very personal information
only known to you may be requested. This information then allows the
scam artist to masquerade as you, and access your account and drain it.
How can you protect yourself from phishing?
First of all, no bank or other financial institution will ask for
personal information via email. Their systems are so secure that
even they don’t know your PIN #. If you are ever in doubt about
an email apparently from your bank, call your branch directly, but do
not use any phone # given in the suspect email, because phone #’s can be
spoofed or redirected.
Below is an example of a "phishing" email. At first glance it looks
quite legitimate. The link to the bank website appears fine, it even has
"https:" which indicates a secure website. However, if you put your
mouse cursor over the link, you will see it show as
http://www3.sul.com.br/linux/MasterCard/- not at all what it says. This
is "spoofing", and of course it is anything but secure, and the ".br"
part would indicate that it is in Brazil!
This is to
inform you that your BMO Financial Group Messages Center has
1 new
message.
To access your BMO Financial Group personalized Secure Messages
Center, click on the below link :
https://www.bmo.com
Look for spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Most scam artists
are not very good at either, and any large legitimate institution will
carefully edit for such errors.
You may be used to getting a message from your financial institution
saying "Your eStatement is ready". It is a good policy to ignore links
given in such messages, and instead go directly to their known website.
Once again, such messages can be faked, and links in them can be
spoofed.
Some other online scams:
The "Nigerian" scam – someone has a huge amount of money they need to
transfer from a third world country, and they need your help, for which
they will pay a large fee. (This has been around for more than 20 years;
originally done via snail mail.)
Lottery scam – you have won millions on some lottery you’ve never
entered or heard about.
Job Offer – they need a representative to process payments in your
area. For more information on this go to www.adare.ca/fraud_alert.htm .
Telephone scams:
Survey scam. You get a call from someone doing a "survey". Like
the "phishing" scam, they will solicit personal information which will
be used to steal your identity. My personal policy is to never
respond to any request for information over the phone. Even if
you have call display, with to-days phone systems phone numbers and
names are easily spoofed.
Relative in trouble. You get a call from someone claiming they
are a cousin, grandson etc. stuck in some strange place. They have been
"robbed" and need you to wire them money urgently to get home. The voice
will be muffled or distorted to make it appear to be far away, and
therefore unrecognizable. Careful! You are one going to get robbed!
Please forward this tip to anyone who may be interested.
For more information please call us at 613-596-1312 or email tips@adare.ca
Need more help or trouble shooting tips? We'd gladly help.
Contact our office at (613) 596-1312 or e-mail us at abacus@adare.ca.
http://www.adare.ca/techtips.htm
for hardware tips.
Adare offers monthly tips to help you keep your computers and
printers in top form.
This is the time of year when the air inside can get very dry. This
often results in an abundance of static electricity.
Static electricity can do serious damage to all kinds of electronic
equipment, especially computers. Many of the components run at voltages
of 2-3 volts, static electricity can be many thousands of volts, and can
seriously damage your computer. Damage can range from minor loss of
data, to major destruction of electronic circuitry.
You know you have a static problem if you get a shock from touching
metal objects in your home or office.
How to protect from static?
1)
Keep humidity between
40-50 percent. In homes heated by forced air, this is easily done by
setting the humidstat on your furnace.
Otherwise, get a humidifier.
2)
Do not use your computer in a carpeted area,
especially if it is made of artificial fibre.
3)
Don't
wear clothing made of silk or most artificial fibres.
4)
Use
anti-static products such as Static Guard on your clothing, on on the
floor around your desk and computer. Don't spray it on the computer or
anything connected to it.
5)
Buy
anti-static mats to put under your computer and/or desk.
6)
Make sure your computer is connected to a properly
grounded outlet.
7)
If you
are experiencing static, discharge yourself by touching grounded metal,
such as a metal water pipe, or the screw securing an elecrical
faceplate, before touching your computer.
You probably don't need to do all of the above to eliminate static,
but if one does not work, try another.
If you have concerns or questions about static, please call us at
613-596-1312 or email
Virus infections cost you time, money & data. Nothing is 100%
guaranteed to stop all possible infections but the following steps will
give you the best possible protection. Please read them carefully BEFORE
using your computer again after an infection.
1)
Do NOT
use any "suspect" removable media (such as USB flash drives,
CD's, floppies etc.) in your PC. Doing so may reinfect your computer.
2)
Do NOT
open any "suspect" e-mails. Doing so may
reinfect your computer. Beware of old e-mails residing on your
e-mail server, if not downloaded to your machine usually, you set
yourself up for continuous re-infections, everytime it redownloads an
infected e-mail to your system.
3)
Do
NOT
reinstall from a backup any files or programs that may have been backed
up while infected.
4)
DO
have anti-virus on your computer. If
you don’t, reinfection
WILL
happen. You can purchase anti-virus (Kaspersky,
Norton, McAfee, etc.) from us if you like, or purchase it yourself
elsewhere. There are also some surprisingly good free ones available.
Just make sure it's there and current.
5)
DO
update your anti-virus
frequently.
Without updating you are not protected from all new viruses (new ones
appear daily). It must be updated regularly to keep protecting your
system. Most antivirus products update automatically, but verify
that it's protection is current. Hoping it is won't be enough.
6)
DO ensure that your
anti-virus is configured properly for your system, to ensure maximum
efficiency and protection. We will gladly assist you to do this or do it
for you. An inproperly configured anti-virus is as unhelpful as no
anti-virus at all.
Even Mac's and Linux machines get viruses, though not as often as
PC's. These are being targeted more and more frequently because of the
myth that they are "virus proof". Unfortunately, there is much less
available in the way of protection software for these machines.
Many viruses will do a couple of things as soon as they infect your
computer. First, they will attempt to disable your antivirus and attempt
to disable automatic updates. Second, they will block your internet
access which prevents updating anyway. Look for the icon in the "System
Tray" (bottom right of your screen) and make sure the icon which shows
your antivirus is running is visible. If it isn't it could be that a new
virus has got in and disabled it.
In fact,
lightning strikes
frequently at the same location.
High points such as Eiffel Tower, CN
Tower, and -
Power Lines!
It's May, it's spring and summer is just around the corner. We've
already had some minor thunderstorm activity, and summer is when we can
expect much more.
Computers are susceptible to fluctuations on incoming power from your
wall outlet. If your
computer crashes or hangs
randomly, this is a possible cause. Variations on incoming power are caused by numerous
factors, such as condition of the
facility wiring,
large loads
which come on periodically (such as
air-conditioning), and the worst of all - summer-time
lightning strikes
to a power line.
You need to protect your computer and data from power aberrations.
This can be achieved
in several ways:
1) Use only "isolated ground" outlets for your equipment.
These are usually identified by an
orange coloured wall outlet. Better than nothing but
not
a substitute for 2 or 3 below.
2) Use surge suppressors. These filter out "
spikes"
of short duration, and vary in their
effectiveness. The best ones will actually self-destruct while
protecting your equipment from
huge power surges caused by lightning strikes.
3) Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). By far the
best protection, as they protect you not
only from short duration spikes, but also from long low or high voltage
conditions. A UPS
contains batteries to generate power to run your computer whenever power
from the utility is
out of limits or absent entirely. Call for more information on different
types of UPS.
While a surge suppressor may be sufficient for workstations or
stand-alone computer systems,
network file servers
should always
be protected
by a UPS. A good UPS can be obtained for less than $100 these days.
Need more info or trouble shooting tips? We'd gladly help.
Contact our office at
Laptop batteries are designed to be used.
By this we mean that a laptop battery should be allowed to discharge,
and then recharge.
Unfortunately, many people purchase a laptop and
then essentially use it as if it were a desktop - plugged in to AC power
continuously, under the mistaken impression that this will keep the
battery fully charged.
If you use your laptop this way, please allow the
battery to discharge fully at least once a week by unplugging the
external power and running the laptop until it gives a "battery low"
warning, then plug power back in and let it recharge. This will help
keep the battery in good shape.
An even better idea is to remove the battery once
it is fully charged, and put it away. Then, if you need it to be mobile
you reinstall the battery. But you should reinstall the battery every 6
months, and put it through a couple of charge/discharge cycles in any
event.
A couple of things happen when a battery is left
on continuous charge. The electrolyte in the battery dries out making it
less effective, and it consumes unnecessary power which puts an extra
load on the power components of the laptop and causes it to run hotter,
which can reduce the life of the laptop. In extreme cases batteries have
been known to short out, and get so hot they explode!
Properly cared for, a laptop battery can last up
to 5 years. However, if it is abused by leaving it continuously charging
it may last less than 1 year. Some manufacturers limit the battery
warranty to 3 months, whereas the rest of the machine will have a 1 year
warranty.
Gordon
Doherty
Monthly Tips - March 2010
Several years ago we sent out our monthly tips on a regular basis, but as a
result of staffing changes we allowed this to lapse. We hope you don't mind
us resuming this practice, and if you object please let us know and we will
remove you from our list. Our tip for March 2010 :-
Online Backup -
With more and more businesses and individuals having faster high speed
internet connections, it has become much more practical to perform backups
of critical data over the internet. This relieves the user of the
responsibility of connecting or inserting backup media, and then
transporting it to a safe off-site location. With Online Backup, data is
automatically backed up to a secure location thousands of miles away - you
just set it and forget it!
VOIP. VOIP is simply an
abbreviation of - Voice
Over
Internet
Protocol.
This is a method of speaking to another remote party using the Internet
instead of phone lines.
As the internet became popular in the mid-nineties, it was realized that
voice communication was possible using the internet, even using a dial-up
connection, and thereby eliminating long distance phone charges. This was
the earliest implementation of VOIP, but over dial-up connections, the sound
was prone to choppiness or dropouts.
To-day,
VOIP
has become widely accepted, and anyone using Rogers Home Phone, Vonage, or
Skype is in fact using VOIP, even though it may not be specifically
identified as such. These generally work very well over high speed internet
connections.
VOIP
has now entered the
business world. Small
and Medium
businesses are realizing that they can save significantly on their phone
costs, by implementing VOIP. Using a system provided by
Shift Networks
they can have all the features, and more, supplied by the large providers,
and usually with better voice quality.
An example of the unique features provided by
Shift
is Simultaneous Ring,
excellent for people on the go - the call
rings on up to 30 phones at a time (Office, Cel, Home, Voicemail etc.) and
is routed only to the phone that is picked up.
Another example of a
Shift feature is the
Outlook Toolbar,
which integrates with Microsoft Outlook
to enable the phone features to be selected and changed with the click of a
mouse, and allows "speed dialing" of anyone in the Outlook Address Book with
the click of a mouse.
For more information on the
Shift Networks
system orVOIP in general, please contact
us at:
Adare Enterprises offers monthly tips to help you keep your computers and
printers in top form, and you informed.
May 2006 Tip :
Small Business
Computer Security Checklist
Everyone knows the risks of not protecting your company’s lifeline – its
network and computers.
Unfortunately, too many small and medium businesses compromise the
integrity of this lifeline by not implementing
strict
security policies. The typical thinking behind this is, "We won’t be a
target, we're too small."
This type of thinking can ultimately bring down your business – possibly
permanently. Over 80% of businesses who lose all their data will not
recover from the loss.
Here are the
top 10 steps
for small business security checklist:
1. Update your software
If there's a patch available, install it. It's a simple way to avoid
serious problems.
2. Protect against viruses Companies large and small can be
crippled by viruses. Make sure every company PC, server and laptop is fully
protected. Ensure all are up-to-date and running properly.
3. Set up a firewall This isn't as intimidating as it
sounds, and it’s also one of the most important things you can install.
4. Tighten in-house security Not all threats are external to your
organization. Security can be compromised by theft, a break-in or even a
disgruntled employee.
5. Strengthen passwords If you or your employees use simple
passwords and/or fail to change them regularly, your company is vulnerable.
Set up a schedule to change passwords monthly.
6. Backup critical data If the thought of losing everything
stored in your computers terrifies you, there is an easy solution. Schedule
regular backups and store them in a secure place, ideally off-site.
7. Embrace smart web browsing Unscrupulous sites, as well as
pop-ups and animations, can be dangerous. So can browsing from a server. Set
boundaries and rules for your employees.
8. Safeguard wireless networks They're a great innovation, but
wireless networks are more vulnerable than cabled networks. Do all you can
to reduce your wireless vulnerabilities. Enable encryption and any
other security features your wireless networks have.
9. Lock down servers Your servers are your network's
command center. If your servers are compromised, your entire network is at
risk.
10. Lock down clients A lack of stringent administrative
procedures could sabotage all of the security safeguards you've just put in
place.
Now all this being said you can still be a victim of the Hackers and
Spammers but these steps will greatly reduce the risk as well as minimize
the damage that can be brought on in the unenviable event of computer
security breaches.
If you need assistance with any computer or printer related problems
please contact our office:
phone:
(613) 596-1312
Adare Enterprises offers monthly tips to help keep you informed of new
technology trends etc.
There
comes a time when you need to replace your computer system, eventually
everyone will need to. Here are some things to keep in mind when
contemplating your next computer system purchase.
First,
you need to decide if you need a desktop or laptop. Because of the extra
costs, and inherent limitations of laptops, you should only choose a laptop
if portability is important to you.
There
are a number of arguments on both sides of the name brand versus clone issue, when
referring to desktop
machines. For all intents and purposes, notebooks are name brand.
The big name brands have
a lot of respect, and make good products and provide a good warranty. They
often have certain software bundles included in the price to make them more
attractive, but check carefully - is the bundled software what you really
need? . Also, you often get only trial
versions so your deal in fact may
be minimal if at all.
The main argument in
favour of the white box clone is
they're easier to support, maintain and upgrade. These are usually assembled
locally, often by the selling dealer. So you can go directly to them for
assistance instead of having to ship them back to a distant company. Most
dealers will give you a warranty better than that given by the name brand
manufacturers'. Though for both you must take into consideration their
likelihood of future stability. After all a 5 year warranty serves no one if
the company disappears or goes belly up in 6 months.
The components used in a
clone are mostly the same quality as used in big
manufacturers' machines. Because the 'white
box clone' is assembled from standard parts, it is
generally very easy to get service after warranty, from any dealer at
reasonable cost. A name brand machine (ie. Dell, HP etc.) often has
components that are non-standard, which can only be obtained from the
manufacturer, with a consequent delay in service and much higher cost.
In a nutshell, then, a
plain clone
often costs less initially, and also usually costs less to maintain in the
long run, better "bang for the buck". At the time of this being written, the
best value appears to be a Pentium IV 3.2Ghz
If you've ever had a computer stolen you know what a horrible experience
it is, not only to lose the machine itself but the data on it as well.
That's why backing up is so important. However this month's tip is not about
backups (we hope by now you all know how important it is) it's about
retrieval of stolen computers, laptops, MACs and
even PDAs.
A survey conducted by Brigadoon Software discovered these facts:
Almost half
(44.5%)
of the survey respondents had been victims of computer theft in the last 12
months.
The value of proprietary data on respondents' stolen computers averaged an
astounding $690,759.61US
per stolen computer.
68%
of all respondents reported they
only back-up data weekly, monthly, rarely or never; making the theft of a
computing device a serious event that results in the permanent loss of data.
88%
of respondents did not encrypt the proprietary data on their stolen
computing device.
72.7%
of respondents reported downtime due to computer theft ranging from several
days to more than one month.
89.6%
of respondent organizations do not have written guidelines on protecting
proprietary information on computing devices while traveling.
95%
of respondent organizations do not have written guidelines mandating
encryption of proprietary information.
So what does this mean? Unfortunately it means that you or someone you
know has a very high likelihood of being a victim of computer theft. Costing
far more the simply replacing the "box".
We are thrilled to inform you that this doesn't have to be a disaster,
that we now have a way that your computer can and will be
returned to
you! There is actually a program that once installed on your computer
is undetectable, unremovable
and sends out a homing beacon
to allow for police to recover your PC,
MAC or PDA. So far with a
100% recovery rate!
It also protects your data from being removed (though does not protect it
from being viewed by the thieves) via reformatting the hard drive etc. If
you would like more information on this amazing product please contact our
office, we'd be more then happy to give you all the information you need.
You can now download it right away for only
$39.95
CAN, simply by choosing the PC or MAC version from below:
Testimonial to the manufacturer:
"Your service is invaluable! I thought my laptop was gone forever...
With your help and GREAT software, it was returned to me in a few
days. Thanks for all your help."
There
is a reason why printer manufacturers require specific media usage
Most manufacturers require you use specific media
(paper/transparencies) in their printers. This is not a effort to
make you buy something you don't really need. It's done to protect
your printer. If you use other than the recommended media types you
risk damaging your printer. This is especially true in the case of
using inkjet media in a laser printer.
For instance, the heat of a laser printer's fuser can melt the
plastic of inkjet transparencies, in effect ruining your fuser,
which is a costly repair.
Photo quality papers, designed for inkjets, also have a
plastic layer to enhance the image. If used in a laser, this layer
melts, and damages the fuser.
Check letterhead paper before using it in a laser. If it has any
embossing, this is probably plastic, and will also melt in a laser's
fuser. Less likely to destroy the fuser, but probably will require a
service call to clear up.
Labels can be a menace in any printer, though most printers are
"designed" to use them. If your printer, be it inkjet or laser, has
a straight paper path available, then be sure to use it for labels
(Typically, on an HP laser this is the manual feed input tray,
combined with the face-up output tray). Having labels curve around
rollers frequently causes them to peel off in awkward places.
The weight of paper differs between lasers and inkjets as well.
Using the wrong weight can lead to paper jams which can sometimes be
a big issue to resolve if lodged in an important or hard to access
part of your printer.
Using regular bond paper in an inkjet, at the minimum results in
inferior quality prints, but also can cause excessive dust buildup,
which can cause smears. Proper injket paper
has a different type of sizing from regular bond, which is designed
to react properly with the liquid ink.
So save yourself the annoyance, cost of repair, and loss of
printer usage time and pay careful attention to the media types your
manufacturer recommends. Your printer will thank you.
If you need assistance with any computer or printer related problems
please contact our office:
Virus infections cost you time, money & data. Nothing is 100% guaranteed
to stop any possible infections but the following steps will give you the
best possible protection. Please read them carefully BEFORE using
your computer again after an infection.
1) Do NOT use any "suspect" floppy disks in your PC. Doing so
may reinfect your computer.
2) Do NOT
open any
"suspect" e-mails. Doing so may reinfect your computer. Beware of old
e-mails residing on your e-mail server, if not downloaded to your
machine usually, you set yourself up for continuous re-infections, everytime
it redownloads an infected e-mail to your system.
3) Do NOT reinstall via backup any files or programs that may
have been backed up while infected.
4) DO have anti-virus on your computer. If you don’t,
reinfection
WILL
happen. You can purchase anti-virus (Norton,
McAfee, etc.) from us if you like or purchase it yourself elsewhere. Just
make sure it's there and current.
5) DO update your anti-virus WEEKLY. Without updating
you are not protected from all new viruses (which come out daily). It must
be updated regularly to keep protecting your system. Most update
automatically now but verify that it's protection is current. Hoping it is
won't be enough.
6) DO ensure that your anti-virus is configured properly for your
system, to ensure maximum efficiency and protection. We will gladly assist
you to do this or do it for you. An inproperly configured anti-virus is as
unhelpful as no anti-virus at all.
This month's topic goes hand in hand with last month's
Surge Protection.
With the recent Blackout we hope it came in time to protect some people's
systems. If you have opted not to use surge protection or a UPS (risking
your whole computer system) you better keep a very current backup of your
hard drive.
Everyone who has a computer has data they don't want to lose. By having a
backup system,
any data loss caused by various problems (one of them being power
surges), can be remedied. Backups
can be performed using
elementary things like
floppy disks, though it would take an
enormous number (not to mention the time required) to fully back up a 20 or
30 GB hard drive.
Many people today backup to
CDs
as well, which is a valid option but again can
require many CDs to be used. Keep in mind these choices are only practical
for backing up the DATA
and not
for the applications.
A much better solution is a
Tape Backup,
which can back up an entire hard drive on a single tape, which makes
restoration much simpler than having to individually install
each application and data. With a tape back up you can schedule it via your
computer removing much of the hassle of remembering if or when you last
backed up is eliminated. For instance, at Adare Enterprises our Tape
Backup is scheduled to run at 10:00 p.m. each evening; we just need to
remember to change the tape once a week.
Also it's important to keep in mind that you should store these backups
away from your computer, preferably off-site. They won't do you much good in
case of fire, flood or vandalism if they're left sitting beside the
computer.
If you have any suggestions for topics you'd like seen in future issues
please feel free to share your suggestions with us by e-mail at:
topics@adare.ca
If you have further questions on protecting your system please feel free
to contact us
:
abacus@adare.ca
ADARE NEWS:-
Our
Preferred Customer
Membership Program has had an
extraordinary response. We are thrilled that so many have found it useful.
Please be aware that the current sign-up special expires at the end of
August. For a limited time we are offering it at
1/2 price. So
you have to act fast to get the extra savings!
If you need assistance with any computer or printer related problems
please contact our office:
phone:
(613) 596-1312
February
2003 Tip - Computer Beep Error Codes
Most PC's conduct
Power On Self Tests
prior to attempting to boot. Should there be a
failure
at this stage, you will hear a series of "beeps"
which give an indication of the error. The following is a typical set of
beep codes, used in AMI WinBios, which may or may not be correct for your
particular machine - check your computer or motherboard manual for exact
codes for your machine.
Bios Beep Codes & Possible Actions to be taken
Beeps
Error Message
1
Refresh
Failure - Reseat Memory or
replace
2
Parity Error
- Reseat Memory or replace
3
Base 64K RAM
Failure - Reseat Memory or replace
4
Timer Not
Operational - Repair/replace
motherboard
5
Processor
Error - Repair/replace
motherboard
6
Gate A20
Failure - Reseat keyboard controller
chip, replace keyboard controller chip, check for a keyboard fuse,
or try a different keyboard
We never recommend people attempt to fix these issues on their own.
Rather we provide this information as assistance to you to help you possibly
understand where the problem lies. Always have a liscensed and reliable
technician repair your system. Anyone else could damage your machine
irreparably even performing the most "simple" tasks.
If you need assistance with any of your computer needs please
contact our office:
phone:
(613) 596-1312
e-mail:
abacus@adare.ca
online booking:
www.adare.ca/scorder.htm
Adare offers monthly tips to help you keep your computers and printers in
top form.
http://www.adare.ca
-Our Goal is
prevention, Our Specialty is Repair!
To see previous monthly tips - www.adare.ca/monthly.htm
http://www.adare.ca/techtips.htm
for more computer & printer tips.
Gordon Doherty
Please advise if you wish to be
removed from our monthly e-mail broadcasts by simply replying to this
e-mail. Our goal is to share what we feel is important information with you.
If you do not feel it can be helpful or simply do not want the monthly tips
we will gladly remove your name from the list. Please feel free to share the
information we provide you with friends, family or co-workers you think
might find it useful
If you need assistance with any computer or printer related problems
please contact our office:
Answer:
False.
In fact,
lightning strikes frequently at the same
location. High points such as Eiffel Tower, CN
Tower, and Power Lines.
Computers are susceptible to fluctuations on incoming power from your
wall outlet. If your
computer crashes or hangs randomly, this is
a possible cause. Variations on incoming power are caused by numerous factors, such as
condition of the facility
wiring, large loads which come on periodically (such as air-conditioning),
and the worst of all - summer-time lightning
strikes to
a power line.
You need to protect your computer and data from power aberrations. This
can be achieved
in several
ways:
1) Use only "isolated ground" outlets for your equipment.
These are usually identified by an
orange coloured
wall outlet. Better than nothing but not a
substitute for 2 or 3 below.
2) Use surge suppressors. These filter out "
spikes"
of short duration, and vary in their
effectiveness. The best ones will actually self-destruct while protecting
your equipment from
huge surges caused by
lightning strikes.
3) Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). By far the
best protection, as they protect you not
only from short
duration spikes, but also from long low or high voltage conditions. A
UPS contains batteries
to generate power to run your computer whenever power from the utility is
out of limits or absent entirely. Call for more information on different
types of UPS.
While a surge suppressor may be sufficient for workstations or
stand-alone computer systems,
network file servers should always
be protected by a UPS.
Adare offers monthly tips to help you keep your computers and printers in
top form, and you informed.
Monthly Computer Tip - April
2001
INK JET PRINTER
TIPS
Do you see a horizontal white line
through your text prints? If so, you have a defective print
head. Sometimes, cleaning the
printhead carefully with a Q-Tip and isopropyl alcohol
will resolve this problem. On some printers, the print head is an
integral part of the ink cartridge, so a new ink cartridge
may solve the problem.
If you are getting poor print quality,
check to see if you are using proper inkjet quality paper. Although regular
bond paper, as used in laser printers or photocopiers, will work, you can
expect some smudging or bleeding.
Horizontal smearing is usually caused
by dust and dirt
buildup on the printhead, which cleaning the
printhead carefully with a Q-Tip and isopropyl alcohol will resolve
Need more help or trouble shooting tips? We'd gladly help. Contact
our office at (613) 596-1312 or
e-mail us at abacus@adare.ca.
http://www.adare.ca/techtips.htm
for hardware tips.
Any other questions? Need more info? Or to set up an appointment please call:
(613) 596-1312 or
