Category Archives: Computer Advice
Policies and Procedures
IT support can sometimes be very frustrating. A new problem appears and it can take a lot of research, testing and mental gnashing of teeth to finally fix it. Stop before you just walk away (patting yourself on the back … Continue reading
Posted in Computer Advice, IT Manager 101, PCs
Tagged IT manager, policies, policies and procedures, procedures
Leave a comment
Microsoft Technet
So you’re supporting Microsoft-based computers and you have a technical question. Where can you go to get answers to your technical questions? Try going to the source – I.e. go to Microsoft Technet at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx. The site is huge and … Continue reading
Posted in Computer Advice, IT Manager 101, Technology
Tagged microsoft, tech support, tech tools, technet, tools
Leave a comment
Some Mental Gymnastics
It’s been a long morning of putting out one IT fire after another. Usually, lunch at your desk might be the time to catch up on what’s happening in the world of technology. However, that just feels too much like … Continue reading
My PC is So Slow Today!
Once in a while, it seems like your PC is taking forever to start up. This does not mean that there is something wrong with your PC. In fact, it may mean that your PC is working correctly and trying … Continue reading
Posted in Computer Advice, PCs, Personal computing
Tagged help, PC, slow, slow start
Leave a comment
Backup Your Data – Step 2
So you’re backing up your data every day and sending backups off-site. Good for you! That’s a good first step. What else should you do? Test your backups! Just because you are making backups, don’t assume that everything is OK. … Continue reading
Posted in Computer Advice, IT Manager 101, Personal computing
Tagged backup, data safety, testing
Leave a comment
Backup Your Data!
As an IT Manager, one of your prime duties (if not the prime duty of your job) is to protect the data on your systems. If company data is lost, the cost in time, money, lost business, etc. could be … Continue reading
Tune Up (6) – Check Your System Files
Your operating system files control how your PC runs. If any of those (hundreds) of files becomes corrupted, your PC could start acting strangely. Fortunately, Microsoft has provided a program that inspects all of your system files and restores damaged … Continue reading
Tune Up (5) – Check Your Disk
As a mechanical device, your hard drive develops imperfections over time. Problems that can develop include bad sectors, directory errors, cross-linked files and lost clusters. Microsoft has provided a utility called CHKDSK (short for “check disk”) that can detect and … Continue reading
Tune Up (4) – Defragmentation
When your hard disk is first formatted, all the system files and program files are recorded in contiguous tracks. This helps your computer to access and read the files quickly. Over time, files are added to, modified and deleted from … Continue reading
Posted in Computer Advice, PCs, Personal computing
Tagged defragmentation, PC, tune-up
Leave a comment
Tune Up (3) – Malware
Malware is the shortened term for “malicious software”. It denotes any software that installs itself on a computer without the owner’s permission. Two types of malware are adware and spyware. Note: Computer viruses are another type of malware. It is … Continue reading