Biden PC's Small Business IT Blog

I've been receiving lots of hits to my website asking how to change passwords in Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003.

If you don't have the legitimate Administrator password you (or your client) either forgot the password or you're trying to hack in to it. And if you're not my client, I won't tell you how to get in.

If you do have administrator access to your Small Business Server 2003 computer, changing users' passwords is extremely easy. Just follow these simple steps.

1. Go to the Server Management Console and click "Users".
2. Choose the user whose password you want to change and right-click on their name then click on "Change Password".
3. Type the new password in both boxes and click on "OK". Now the user can log in with their new password.

Simple huh? I thought so.

And if you are interested in a new server for your small business, Biden PC can install one (depending on your current computer network infrastructure) for less than $2000.00.

Happy Computing,
Tim

Labels: Computer Networks, How To, SBS 2003, Services Offered, Tech Talk, Windows Server Tips

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If you are like me, you have a few different email addresses that are being managed by Microsoft Outlook. I have 2 IMAP email addresses that I have to check but Outlook defaults to opening the standard inbox first.

To correct this and setup Microsoft Outlook to open the folder you want open first, just follow these easy steps.

1. Go to the "TOOLS" menu and Click on"OPTIONS".
2. Click on the "OTHER" tab at the top of the new window.
3. Now click on "ADVANCED OPTIONS" then click on the "BROWSE" button.
4. Highlight the folder that you want to see opened when you first open Outlook and click "OK".
5. Now click "OK" and click "OK" again.
6. Reboot your computer and when you start up Microsoft Outlook it will start up in the folder that you chose.

If you have other computer support needs or questions, please feel free to contact Biden PC.

Happy Computing,
Tim

Labels: Desktop Support, Free, General PC Advice, How To, Microsoft Office, Services Offered, Tech Talk

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Since everyone wants more business, it pays to be on the first page of Google, Yahoo, and MSN. Website rankings and their placements are always changing which is why we must perform SEO. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization.

I've been learning quite a bit about SEO in recent weeks and I would like to share just the basics with you.

1. The wording on your page is extremely important, especially the H1 and Title tags.
2. Inbound links are are also extremely important. Not only how many you have but also what the anchor text (the text you click on that takes you to the link) says. For example, if your link anchor text says "Biden PC", that will only get you SEO credit for the term "Biden PC". That means, to find you, your prospective client must type in "Biden PC". Instead, if your anchor text says "Computer Networking" (which gets a lot more searches per month) you will now be found under that term. The more that you get with specific anchor text, the better off you will be.
3. Who links to you is also extremely important. If you have a page that has a Google Page Rank of 1, you don't get a lot of SEO credit for that. If a site with a Google Page Rank of 3 or 5 links to you, that carries more weight. But even better, if a site with a Google Page Rank of 6 to 10 links to you, that carries a whole lot more weight.

This is why I am enrolled to be listed with Total Blog Directory under their Tech Support Blog Directory section. It has a page Rank of 3 (which is higher than my page rank of 1) and that will help me to get a higher Google Page Rank.

For more on SEO, check out Hubspot's Website Grader and their SEO Blog.

Happy computing,
Tim

Labels: Free, How To, Search Engine Optimization, Services Offered, Tech Talk

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I have a client who has a Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 system on his network and he is asking me to compile a list of his users' passwords. The problem is that even with administrator access to the server, I can't see the employees' passwords. I informed him of this and gave him these 3 options as to how he can achieve such a list.

1. He can ask his employees for their passwords and compile the list himself.
2. I can create the list and adjust the users' settings so they can't change their passwords. I can then give them new ones.
3. The most secretive way is to perform a brute force attack within the server to attempt to discover the employees passwords. I would then create the list. If they change their passwords, I will have to perform another brute force attack.

There are problems with each of these solutions and I will go about them in the same order.

1. Asking the employees for their passwords could make them feel as though they aren't trusted and cause a feeling of resentment. It could also compromise the users' passwords for other accounts which is a complete lack of security.
2. If we state that we are changing the security policy and give the employees new passwords, it is a policy change and they have to accept that. Fortunately that would not compromise the employees' passwords for other accounts.
3. The brute force attack is costly. What it entails is essentially hacking his own employees accounts on his own server. It takes time to do this and if the employees find out, their trust in the company could suffer. And like the first scenario of asking for the passwords, this may end up in compromising employees' passwords for other their accounts.

My professional recommendation is to go with option number 2 because it has the fewest security options, is inexpensive and will create the least distrust within the company.

Having a Microsoft Windows 2003 Small Business Server on your network is a great way to increase the security and effectiveness of your small business computer network. It has many options to increase your network security. These options include maximum password life, minimum password complexity, how often you can reuse your passwords and in the event that you forget a password, the administrator can easily reset it. The administrator can't see the employees' passwords but they can reset them to something new.

I hope this helps.

Happy computing,
Tim

Labels: Computer Networks, General PC Advice, My Thoughts, Services Offered, Windows Server Tips

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Since you're reading this blog post about computer repair, its pretty safe to say that you are looking for help with a computer that needs to be repaired. Whether you are looking for computer repair tools or a PC repair consultant, we can help you with the task at hand.

• If you are a home user and your computer has pop-ups, we can help.
• If you have a small business computer network and it has become slow, contact us.
  
• If you attempted to fix a friend's computer and it still isn't working right, we will get the PC working again.

We use many different computer diagnostics tools to get to the root of the problem, no matter what it is. If the problem is because of computer hardware such as a power supply, RAM or hard drive we will diagnose it and fix it. If it is a software problem like a virus, registry error, or Windows error, we will use our extensive knowledge to rid you of your computer problems.

Happy computing,
Tim

Labels: Computer Repair, Services Offered

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According to C-Net's senior editor Matt Elliott, the expected life of a computer is 3-5 years. I believe that desktop computers last about 5 years before they are too old and laptops last about 3 years. That typically isn't due to faulty parts as much as it is to computers getting old and software remaining new and always getting more sophisticated.

Because software continues getting more sophisticated, a straight computer repair isn't always the best solution to the problem. Often a small upgrade can extend the life of a computer and make it well worth the price of the upgrade.

Consider for a moment that you have a computer that has a faulty stick on RAM on a computer that runs Windows XP. Now consider that you want to upgrade to Windows Vista. If you only have 256 MB of RAM, you can't run Microsoft Windows Vista. It just won't work. But, if you replace that faulty 256 MB of RAM with 2 GB of RAM, your old PC will probably be able to run Windows Vista. before deciding onWindows Vista, I would recommend checking Microsoft's Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor. This tool will tell you whether you are ready or not.

Always remember, a small upgrade now can often save a lot of money down the road.

Happy computing,
Tim

Labels: Computer Repair, Computer Upgrades, General PC Advice, Hardware, Services Offered, Tech Talk

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This weekend, my wife had just plugged in the iron in order to iron some clothes when there was a small click that came from the iron and the indicator light went off. She thought that it was odd but left it plugged in for an extra few second. Not only did the indicator light go off, but the entire iron started to cool.

Even under moderate to high usage an iron should last more than 4 years. This one was used approximately once a month and in less than 4 years it gave up the ghost.

Admittedly I know nothing about irons, not even how to correctly use one. But, being a computer repair professional, I know a bit about using high quality computer parts. There are hardware companies whose parts I refuse to use because I don't want to have to replace the part twice. Once I repair a PC, I want it to stay in good working order. From motherboards and hard drives to fans and power supplies, I use only high quality parts because you, the customer, want to have a computer that works for years, not a computer that works for months.

According to C-Net's senior editor Matt Elliott (and I agree with him), the expected life of a computer is 3-5 years. The high quality part will be far more likely through last the expected years of your computer.

Happy computing,
Tim

Labels: Computer Repair, General PC Advice, Hardware, Services Offered

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Have you ever really thought about computer repair? There are real advantages to getting onsite computer repair over taking your computer into a shop to have it worked on.

1. If you have somebody come to your home or office, it is more convenient to you because they have to work around your schedule.
   
2. The pc repair will also be will also be finished quicker. You never know how long it will be until they get to work on your computer when it is at their shop.
3. It keeps the computer repair technicians honest because you can see exactly what processes are taking place and which parts are being replaced.
4. Your technical support technicians are less likely to overcharge you if they are onsite because they can't charge you for time they weren't there.

Right now, Biden PC offers a free computer repair consultation. If you would like to have us call you and examine your computer's type and symptoms, simply contact us now. We will call you as soon as possible or the next business day, depending on when you contact us.

Thank you and happy computing,
Tim

Labels: Free, General PC Advice, Services Offered

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Most people that I know are less than thrilled about the concept of switching to Microsoft Windows Vista. Unfortunately, Microsoft, as of today, has officially killed sales of XP on prebuilt computers. This means that if you call Dell, HP, Gateway or Acer all you can get as an Operating System is a version of Windows Vista or possibly Linux.

If you are in the market for a new computer and still want XP, call Biden PC. We still have Windows XP licenses in stock. We can sell Windows XP Professional for $160 and XP Home for $110.

We will even completely remove Windows Vista from your current computer and install either Windows XP Professional or XP Home with all drivers and updates installed.

If you would like to have Vista uninstalled on your computer and replace it with windows XP Pro, Home or Media Center Edition, please contact Biden PC. We will be glad to do that for you.

Biden PC is a computer networking, repair, and support company that is located in Pomona, California. We are central to San Dimas, Glendora, Diamond Bar, Monrovia, Chino, Chino Hills, Claremont, Montclair, Ontario, and Rancho Cucamonga.

Labels: Services Offered, Windows Vista Irritations

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So you're probably wondering why I called this post Anti-Virus instead of Virus... Well, the wrong antivirus software can slow your computer down immensely.

As you may or may not know, you have many different options for antivirus software. You of course have the big 2, Symantec (Norton) and MaAfee. Then you also have antivirus programs from

• Microsoft
• Panda
• TrustPort
• Sophos
• AVG Grisoft
• Trend Micro
• Dr Web
• ClamAV
• ZoneAlarm
• AVK (G Data)
• Avast
• Avira Antivir
  
• Kaspersky Labs
  

There are tons of antivirus programs and they all catch different viruses and different percentages of them. Yes, some are better than others.

Symantec (Norton) and MaAfee (and probably many others) have a bunch of background process happening at one time, therefore reducing the speed of your computer. They do this to provide as many services to you as is possible. They provide a firewall, active virus scanning, active spyware scanning, online child protection, online personal data protection, and others. Expect to see them protecting you from traffic accidents and the flu in future releases. (Just kidding about the traffic accident and flu protection.)

There are other AntiVirus programs that find and remove more viruses than they do and they do it faster without the large strain to your system resources. Check the most recent test results from av-test.org at Virus Bulletin.

So there is a lot of data at the above sites. You're probably wondering which ones I use or recommend. In the past I have recommended Grisoft's AVG but I've recently switched to Avira Antivir and I've been quite happy with it. It performs active scanning on every file that is written and read from any drive but doesn't slow the computer nearly as much as the big 2.

If you think you would like to try another product, I encourage you to examine the test results from av-test.org at Virus Bulletin and make your own informed decision from them. But if your subscription has not yet run out, I would recommend you keep your current anti-virus software so you can save your money until the subscription runs out.

Also Norton and Symantec can be difficult to remove and if you do so, you do it at your own risk. Click here to remove Norton and here to remove McAfee.

I hope this has been informative for you. If you have any questions or feel that this may be best left to a computer service professional, please email Biden PC here.

Happy Computing,
Tim

Labels: General PC Advice, How To, My Thoughts, Services Offered

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How to Speed Up Your Computer - Part 2

Other things that will slow your computer down are viruses and spyware. For this blog post, we'll focus on the spyware end of things.

Spyware: what is it? Spyware has become an umbrella term that covers many different types of software that install themselves on your computer without your permission. It has many different functions such as spying on your web-browsing habits, creating pup-ups to advertise products or services, redirecting or hijacking your web browser... Spyware can be quite nasty and it should never be welcome on your computer.

So how do I get rid of it? Good question! For the sake of this blog, we are only talking about free methods of removal. As spyware writers probably know more about the inner workings of Microsoft Windows than most people do, it is quite safe to assume the software is difficult to remove. They create registry settings to call files. They create multiple files with names that change from computer system to computer system. They can have backdoor systems that reinstall the software if it is removed.

To remove spyware there are some free spyware removal programs that you must know about.

1. Shutdown the SYSTEM RESTORE because spyware attach themselves to your system’s restore files. This is an easy way for them to reinstall themselves, even after you restore Windows to a previous configuration. To disable System Restore, follow these steps.
1. Right click on ‘MY COMPUTER’, then click on ‘Properties’.
   
2. Click on the ‘System Restore’ tab at the top of the window.
   
3. Check the box that says ‘Turn off system restore on all drives’. Click ‘APPLY’, then ‘OK’.
   
4. Reboot your compuyter. That’s all there is to it.
5. Now run the following programs.
   
2. Spybot - Search and Destroy. Spybot is a free program but if you feel so inclined, you can donate to the cause. You can download spybot at the link above. I would recommend running spybot at least once a month if not once a week.
3. AdAware 2008. You have 2 options to get it free. There is the standard free version and the enhanced free version but for that you must create a TrialPay account. Once again, I would recommend running AdAware at least once a month if not once a week.
4. ComboFix. Combofix eliminates some nasty extortion-ware programs. These are the ones that create a problem saying that your computer is infected by a virus or spyware and if yu purchase their software, they'll remove it for you. That is a scam, don't fall for it! Instead, download and run ComboFix. Instructions for it can be found HERE.
5. FireFox. This is a web browser like Microsoft's Internet Explorer but it is more secure against many types of spyware. Download it, install it, and use it for all of your web browsing. Just one note...
1. When installing it, instead of choosing to import your Internet Explorer settings, choose "Don't Import Anything" so that you don't import your issues from Internet Explorer to FireFox.
6. Now you can restore the SYSTEM RESTORE because you have already deleted all of its files and removed your spyware. To enable System Restore, follow these steps.
1. Right click on ‘MY COMPUTER’, then click on ‘Properties’.
   
2. Click on the ‘System Restore’ tab at the top of the window.
   
3. Unheck the box that says ‘Turn off system restore on all drives’. Click ‘APPLY’, then ‘OK’.
   
4. Reboot your compuyter. That’s all there is to it.

Your computer should now be free from most types of spyware and therefore be running faster.

Happy Computing,
Tim

Labels: General PC Advice, How To, Services Offered

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How to Speed Up Your Computer - Part 1

If you're like everyone else, you want your computer to be faster. I go through these steps quite often myself, just to keep things clean.

Before we move into the processes below, I want to give the disclaimer that I am giving these instructions for informational purposes. If you follow these and your computer doesn't run correctly afterwards, it is your responsibility.

Startup Programs Slow Your PC Down and Increase Boot Time
Look at the bottom right corner of your computer monitor. You'll see the open taskbar applications. This shows you what programs are running in the background. If there are more than 6, you probably could cut some fat here. I currently have 4. If you see a left-arrow or a < symbol you have even more programs running. A great program to see all the processes that are running, as well as kill them temporarily, is Process Explorer.

So if you download, uncompress and run Process Explorer, you'll see a window that looks like this.

The processes that you can more safely kill (their term, not mine) are (when organized by process) below explorer.exe. You should know recognize most of them because they will correspond to programs on your computer. This program should make no permanent changes to your computer. If you kill something that shouldn't be killed, your computer will most likely freeze or shutdown.

A great program to stop programs and processes from running when you boot up is Autoruns. Both Process Explorer and Autoruns are programs created by Sysinternals which is is owned by Microsoft.

If you download, uncompress and run Autoruns, you'll see a window that looks like this.


Autoruns can make more dangerous changes to your computer. This program edits the registry and essentially removes settings so that programs and processes don't run when you boot up your computer. If you cancel a program from running, it will not run until you start it. This is great for iTunes helper, Adobe Acrobat Speed Launcher, and anything else that you commonly run by clicking on it. This DOES NOT include your anti-virus programs. If you disable those, you will be unprotected and I do not recommend that. If your anti-virus program is slowing your computer down, email me and we can talk about it.

General rules for using Autoruns...

1. Don't disable anything that says "Microsoft Corporation" under the "Publisher" heading.
   
2. If it has to do with Norton, Symantec, McAfee, or anything else security related, Don't Disable It.
   
3. If you don't know what it is, Don't Disable It.
   

Ok, this is the first of a series on how to speed up your PC. I'll write more later.
Tim

Labels: General PC Advice, How To, Services Offered

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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

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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

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Biden 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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