Beware of Tech Support Default Answers
3 Comments Published by Tim Biden on Apr 22, 2008 at 8:35 AM.
How many times have you called the tech support line for the company who manufactured your computer and they tell you to do this and that without ever telling you what they are doing?
One of the manufacturer's favorite tricks is to "Restore" your computer. This will format the hard drive to take it back to factory settings and eliminate all software issues. Sounds good right? What if you have MP3 files or pictures that you don't want to lose? Even worse, what if you have your 30 page term paper on that computer? If they "Restore" your computer you'll lose it all. Your computer will be exactly like it was when you bought it. You'll lose your MP3s, JPGs, Excel files, Word Documents... You'll lose everything that isn't backed up to another drive.
Don't let that happen to you! Your local computer repair shop or an online tech support company can fix your computer without compromising your important data.
If you don't want to use the local company or an online service to fix your computer and still want to use the manufacturer's technical support, back up the entire "My Documents" folders for each of the accounts on the computer to separate drive. If you don't have access to your Windows Desktop, your local computer repair shop should be able to access them for you so they can be saved elsewhere. And just to specify what local is for Biden PC, we gladly service the areas of We gladly provide computer repair services to the following cities: Azusa, Baldwin Park, Brea, Chino, Chino Hills, City Of Industry, Claremont, Corona, Covina, Diamond Bar, Duarte, Glendora, Guasti, Hacienda Heights, La Puente, La Verne, Mira Loma, Montclair, Mt Baldy, Norco, Ontario, Placentia, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, Rowland Heights, San Dimas, Upland, Walnut, West Covina, Yorba Linda.
Trust me; the big companies don't care about your data. They just want to get you off the phone as quickly as possible so they can help the next person and save on their bottom line.
Always back up your data!
Tim
Labels: General PC Advice, My Thoughts, Services Offered
DiggIt! Del.icio.usAs ironic as it may seem, IBM, the creator of the personal computer, has started giving Apple laptops to its employees.
What? You think I'm joking? Ok, so they started with a roll-out of only 24 laptops... Still, check this link. 22 of the 24 people responded to a questionnaire and 19 wanted to keep the Apple laptops. Only 3 out of 22 wanted to go back to Windows. They'll soon start a new roll-out of 50 laptops and in the second half of 2008 add another 50 laptops to the test.
Comments on the questionnaire include: “I have been a true PC stalwart for 2+ decades, but after trying Vista, I’m ready for a change,” and "It has been easier learning the Mac than learning Vista.” What a smack in the face to Microsoft!
Even though the numbers aren't large, this must be exciting for Apple. I wish I had some Apple stock. =)
Tim
Labels: My Thoughts, Windows Vista Irritations
DiggIt! Del.icio.usWhy Every Small Business Needs a Computer Server
0 Comments Published by Tim Biden on Apr 10, 2008 at 7:59 AM.
Do you own a small business? How many computers do you use at your location? What, you don't have a server? How do you back up all of your files from individual computers? How do you share important files among your employees?
A server really isn't as large an investment as most small businesses imagine and the benefits are immense! A server running Windows Small Business Server 2003 can cost as little as $1,500 and for this you can:
- Host your own email and website
- Store user's data on the server for backup or review
- Share a contact list and calendar
- Control who has access to your computer network
- Control which users have access to which public files and folders
- Access work computers from anywhere else in the world via a web browser
- Access email via a web browser
- Automate the Windows update service for user's PCs
- Control user's password complexity for security
- Reset a user's password in case one forgets theirs or leaves the company
- Share Printers
- Receive faxes via email
Windows Small Business Server is an excellent platform for small businesses because it has many of the features that a large company needs with a much smaller price tag. You get the Windows Server platform, Microsoft Exchange for email as well as to share appointments and calendars, Microsoft Web Server and in the Premium Version you can also get the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database.
Whether your company has 3, 25, 50 or even 75 computer users, your company can still use all the functions of Microsoft Small Business Server on just 1 computer. When you are ready to make your small business more efficient and take productivity to the next level, contact Biden PC for your free server consultation.
Remember, servers do more than just store files. They provide backup, security, increased productivity and peace of mind.
Tim
Labels: General PC Advice, Services Offered, Windows Server Tips
DiggIt! Del.icio.usThere is some nasty "extortion-ware" on the loose that neither SpyBot nor AdAware can get rid of. If you have it, in your taskbar (the icons at the bottom right corner of your screen), there is usually a red circle with a white "X" in the middle. It will pop up a warning that says "Warning! Potential Spyware Operation. Your computer is making unauthorized copies of your system and Internet files. Run full scan now to prevent any unauthorized access to your files. Click here to download spyware remover...."
DO NOT CLICK ON IT OR CLICK YES!!! The creators of this are trying to get you to buy their software through extortion. They create a problem, tell you that it's there and then want you to buy their software to make the problem disappear. That is illegal and you shouldn't have to pay them to remove the problem that they created.
What you need to do is download a program called ComboFix. Instructions for using it can be found here and the program can be downloaded here. How much does it cost? Nothing. ComboFix is a free software created for the purpose of removing spyware (software that shouldn't be on your computer in the first place).
There is disclaimer that says approximately 1% of the computers that use this software aren't repaired correctly. The case is similar with most malware repair software. There are always computers that are overly infected and can't be repaired. If that is the case, your only options are to buy a new computer or have everything, including Windows, reinstalled. But before you throw your computer out the window, try the ComboFix free software.
Happy Computing!
Tim
Labels: General PC Advice, How To, My Thoughts
DiggIt! Del.icio.usBiden PC has enlisted the assistance of Crossloop to perform remote desktop support. Crossloop is a website that has an amazing service that enables us to work on your computer over the internet. It is much easier and quicker than the other programs that we've tried. And its great for the environment because we don't have to drive to your office or home to work on your computer!
The image shown above is the Crossloop badge that allows you to see our profile and ratings, as well as contact us. Please check it out. Or you can go to our CrossLoop webpage.
Below I've posted a small list of FAQs or Frequently Asked Questions.
Is this secure? Yes. It is secure because they encrypt all communications with Blowfish Encryption. Also, there is no way for someone to take control of your computer without having a live person at your computer. You have to provide us with a unique code in order to conduct the support session.
Can you actually see my screen? Yes. This is a way that Biden PC can see your desktop and work on your computer without actually driving to your location. Because of the rising price of gas, this will save both everyone money.
How much does it cost? You will save 30% off our retail rate when we are able to work on your computer by using Crossloop.
How does it work? It is actually quite easy. You can download the small file here. Then contact us and we'll ask you to run the program and click the share button. You will then give us the 12 digit access code and within a minute, we'll be working on your computer.
How do I contact you? You can call Biden PC Toll-Free at 877-243-3601, click the "Contact" button on the image below or email sales@bidenpc.com.
How do we pay for this service? Please contact us so that we can work that out in advance.
Labels: Ecological, General PC Advice, My Thoughts, Services Offered
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