Don't start 2015 without these "Computer Resolutions"!

The new year is here, 2015. Just like every January 1st, people all over are promising themselves to be more fit, healthier and live better. The same could be done for your computer! Here are our Top 3 resolutions for you (and your computer!) to keep in the new year.

1) 2015 tech resolutions: Back up your data

If you're anything like us, you have a ton of personal data -- photos, videos, music files, documents -- stored on multiple devices. Not only will some of these be irreplaceable, but it probably took you quite some time to gather them all together and make yourself at home on that computer. Now imagine someone steals your laptop, or your hard drive fails, or you accidentally overwrite those files. It happens every day, but you can quickly and easily set up an automated backup plan to protect your data. The easiest way to ensure you never lose your files is with a Carbonite online backup subscription. Starting at just $59/year, it's the most affordable and most secure online backup system available. 

2) Spring Clean in Summer, Autumn and Winter

Over time, your computer attracts dust, dirt, grime and other nasties in the air. The static electricity in the components acts like a magnet, causing gunk to build up on the fans. When this happens, your computer will overheat, causing hardware problems, like a hard drive crash! Using a canned air duster is the best way to clean out those components.
A full-service system cleanup from All Star Computer Service is only $79, and includes not only cleaning the physical gunk, but also the digital stuff as well.

3) Update!
 

How often does your computer tell you "update this program!" or you get a notification that Java is out of date? It can seem pesky, but these updates, such as the ones for Flash and Adobe Reader, are generally security updates that close holes and patch software errors that allow hackers and virus-writers to attack your system. Make it a goal this year to always update when Windows (or OSX, if you're an Apple user) or third-party applications say it's time. 

So, that's it. Hopefully with these tips your computer will be running at its best this year. Happy New Year from All Star Computer Service!

What the Geeks and Gurus WON'T Tell You

Guru Squad Guy

Computer service and computer repair is an incredibly competitive market. There are a ton of businesses in Amarillo that offer everything from simple desktop/laptop repair services to full-blown, full-service IT management for companies. And some operate differently from others. Let me explain.

Odds are, this has happened to you: Your computer starts acting strange, running slow. Maybe the dreaded blue screen of death. Or a virus. Or a hard drive failed, taking all your files with it.

You see, these things happen and it happens to everyone. The old way of taking care of these problems were to take your computer to the local Geek Patrol or the Guru Squad.

You know the drill:

1. Unplug all those wires from the back of your computer. 

2. Haul it across town to the Geeks. 

3. Leave it on their workbench while you wait for a week or so. 

4. When they finally get it done, they call you to come pick it back up. 

5. So you drive across town again and haul your computer back to your house or office. 

Then you try to remember where all those wires plugged into and pray that all your time and money weren’t wasted.

I’m going to tell you a secret: the Geeks and the Gurus, they want your computer on their workbench. Their business model depends on it. You see, they charge by the hour, just like us. But if they can work on say, six -- or even ten computers -- at once, then they are charging for that many hours of labor while only working one man hour.

At All Star Computer Service, we focus on one computer at a time, for several reasons. But it boils down to this: because that’s what you deserve. We understand that your computer is more than just a machine. For most small businesses, it’s their source of income. If the computer goes down, there goes your invoicing system. Your inventory manager. Your time clock. And if that computer goes down, you deserve a computer technician whose main focus is you. On getting your business back up and running. That’s what All Star Computer Service offers. Onsite service, focusing on one customer at a time.

Now there are times when a computer does have to go back to the workbench. Hard drive failure, disastrous virus infections and other dramatic computer issues do and will happen, but you can be rest assured that your computer won’t sit on our workbench for days -- or weeks -- at a time.

A few years ago, I was in a financial meeting for a company I worked for. And the owner of that company said to us that it was impossible to compete on both price and service. That you couldn’t choose both. We started All Star Computer Service to prove that wrong. We chose both. Our prices are competitive and our customer service is top-notch. In fact, in our first year of business, we were nominated for an Amarillo Globe-News Best of Amarillo customer service award. We were the only computer repair company nominated in any category. We believe that’s a testament to who we are and what we believe in. All Star Computer Service, YOUR technology MVP.

Computer Virus 101

COMPUTER VIRUS 101

A screenshot of the FBI Virus, a common ransomware virus.

One of the most prevalent issues we face in the computer service world is the dreaded computer
virus.

So, in the following paragraphs, we will go over where they come from, how to help keep your protected from them, and what to do if your system gets infected by a virus.


1. Where do computer viruses come from? And how did my computer get infected?
Computer viruses aren't like biological viruses, which evolve and develop naturally in the wild. A computer virus is developed by a black-hat software developer (read: bad guy) and is released out into the world wide web. These programmers release these viruses in order to: 1. gain remote access to your computer and computer's files, or; 2. get you to pay the virus-creator via some kind of online payment system (which then gives them access to your credit card information), or; 3. simple bragging rights. Most viruses, like the FBI Virus and the Systems Tools virus are general variants of a money-making scheme, which (in some cases) helps to fund organized crime.

So, these viruses are released "into the wild," using exploits in either the operating system (think Windows) or third-party software (like Java, Flash and other applications). And what happens is that the virus can get attached to the code of a website or into a malicious file attachment from an email, and all of a sudden, it installs itself onto your computer. These virus writers are pretty smart at what they do and have all the tools necessary to infect your system!

2. How can I keep my computer protected from viruses? 
Everyone should have some form of Antivirus protection installed on their computer. We prefer Microsoft Security Essentials, which is a free antivirus program offered from Microsoft. Unfortunately, though, there is no way to stay 100% protected when using a Windows PC. Even Mac computers can get viruses too, despite what many people believe. Here is the basic breakdown of how computer viruses and antivirus programs compete:

Computer viruses come in many different variants, and can do everything from lock your computer down (which is annoying) to stealing your data (which is scary!)

Though it looks legitimate, the AV7 virus hijacks your computer.

- A new virus is released into the wild.

- After the virus is detected, antivirus companies create a patch, which is then downloaded as an update to your antivirus definitions.

- Virus-writer creates a new virus, or modifies the original one, and releases it to the Internet.

As you can see, it's a cycle. If you're one of the unlucky ones who gets the virus before a patch is released, your computer will become infected.

Your antivirus program will keep you protected from all the current viruses they have definitions for, but you also should take steps to make sure your computer is at its best to resist viruses. The best thing to do is to run your updates. Windows updates, as well as updates to third-party software like Java, Flash and Adobe Reader, are released constantly and are usually security updates. So keep those programs updated! You should also manually run a virus scan using your antivirus program. This way you can ensure that your system is safe.

3. What do I do if I get infected?
If your computer gets a virus, the best thing to do is to turn it off immediately. As stated earlier, some of these viruses' intent is to take your information (including passwords to email, facebook, etc.). It's also important to make sure that the virus can't change the registry of the operating system, which could make your computer completely unusable, needing a wipe of the hard drive. So, turn it off and call a professional (in this case, All Star Computer Service) so that we can remove the virus securely without any damage to your personal data/files. Sometimes a virus removal can take up to 14 working hours! But, that's necessary when ensuring that your computer is fixed as well as security holes are plugged against future attack. Though we can't guarantee that you won't be infected again, we can help make your computer more secure by closing some of the backdoor entry points into your system.

How Did My Hard Drive Die?

What happens when a hard drive bytes...er, bites...the dust?

"How did my hard drive die?"

That is one of the most common questions we get at All Star Computer Service, because it's one of the most common issues in computer repair -- a #2 right behind "Where/How did I get a computer virus?" (A question we will cover in a future blog post.)

So, how do hard drives die?

Think of a hard drive like you would a record player. Your computer's hard drive reads, writes and stores information on a platter of discs that spin super fast, while a laser scans back-and-forth over the disc, just like a record player plays music by running a needle over the record. You see, it's a mechanical process. And, like most mechanical devices (your car's engine, for example), it will go out over time. However long that is depends on several variables.

A whitepaper study by DriveSavers estimates that 80% of hard drive failures occur because of good old mechanical failure, including heat, electrical failure, media failure or head crash (that's when the read/write device crashes and comes in contact with the disk platter. That's never good, because it generally means that data recovery is impossible.) The other 20% is due to virus infection, failed data writing or even human error.

So, what is the best way to avoid this problem?

Unfortunately, all hard drives will eventually die, taking your family photos, videos and that huge media collection to the digital grave with it. So, the best way to proactively protect your digital belongings is to have a constant backup, whether on another external hard drive (but we know all about hard drive failure now, right?) or with an online backup service, like Carbonite Online Backup.

If you are experiencing computer system slowdown, the dreaded blue screen of death or any other computer health issues that may be attributed to a failing hard drive, call us today. We may be able to save your data before the drive crashes completely.