Windows 7 is dying!?

November 12, 2019 by Erik Lilleland

Spooky!

In just a few short months Microsoft is killing Windows 7.

Really?

Not really, but is going what they like to call “end of life”.

That sounds kind of scary.

It does sound scary, but what it really means is that after January 14^th 2020 Microsoft won’t be issuing any more security updates for Windows 7.

Does that mean I won’t be able to use my Windows 7 computer?

It doesn’t mean that at all! You’ll still be able to use your computer as you always have.

Why are they doing this?

Windows 7 is almost 10 years old, and doesn’t fully take advantage of what newer, more powerful hardware is capable of doing. Making it less-than-ideal for programmers to create applications for.

Most third party software companies – life web browsers, and anti-viruses – will continue to support Windows 7 for another year or so after the official “end of life”.

What will happen after that?

Well, by then most computers running Windows 7 will be over a decade old, and probably need to be upgraded or replaced.

Your friends at No Ware Computer Repair can assist you in deciding which option would be the best for you, and even help you make the transition.

Call or stop by or Grand Junction office today to have a chat about this, or any other computer issue.

Facebook is for Sharing, Not Storing!

September 1, 2019 by Erik Lilleland

When was the last time you held an actual photo album or actual prints of photographs in your hands? Maybe you look back at older photographs only when Facebook’s TimeHop app reminds you of a pic from five years ago. If so, you may be risking your visual history.

Facebook is a great way to share photos with friends and family around the world. You get to enjoy their comments and the affirmation of their likes. But using Facebook as storage for your photos is not a good plan. Here’s why.

Some people treat Facebook as their photo album archive. They delete the originals from their devices or digital camera when they need more space. But Facebook compresses images for faster download. It satisfies impatient social media users, which means photo quality suffers. If you wanted to print those photos in the future, they wouldn’t look as good as the originals.

That’s not the only drawback. When you trust Facebook with all your photos, you’re letting a company control your visual archive. It’s hard to imagine, given Facebook’s reach today, but what happens to your photos if the company goes defunct? We don’t know. The people who were keeping their photos on Myspace in 2006 might have an idea.

The younger crowd is already moving onto other social platforms. Plus, Facebook’s growth rate in North America and Europe is slowing. Those daily active users are the primary source of revenue. So, you know Mark Zuckerberg is in some meetings about that.

Even if Facebook continues as the business behemoth it is today, we don’t know what policy changes it might make. It could change its terms of service whenever it wanted (if you even read those in the first place). Users have no guarantee for how long Facebook will store their images or any type of content.

Keep in mind also that many of the photos showing up in your timeline are actually taken by friends. Facebook provides an entire album of other people’s photos when they’ve tagged you, but if they decided to untag you or remove it, that photo would be gone.

Finally, there’s also the risk of your account getting shut down or hacked. You’ve probably had friends warn you not to accept any new friend requests from them because they’ve been compromised. You wouldn’t want a thief to steal all your photo albums. Similarly, you don’t want a cybercriminal to gain access to all your images.

Our Recommendation

Just as with data, we recommend you have a “3-2-1” backup system for your digital photographs. This means having three copies of the photos you care about. You don’t need to back up the blurry ones if you don’t want to.

You might keep one copy on the original device, but you’d have two other copies of the high-quality, uncompressed, original image as well. One might be kept on an external storage device such as a USB thumb drive, and the other you could upload to cloud storage.

The cloud backup gives you access to the photos from any device in any location. So, if a flood, hurricane, or fire devastates your home, and you lose your device and the USB thumb drive, you still have a backup. Your Facebook photos and videos are just there to be shared with friends and family.

Not sure where or how to safely store your photos and videos? We can help! Our experts may even become new Facebook friends. Then we can all like each other’s photos with the peace of mind that the original photos aren’t going anywhere. Call us at (970) 433-7454.

Time is Running Out for Windows 7 Users!

January 21, 2019 by Erik Lilleland

The clock is ticking!

There is now less than one year left before Microsoft drops all support for Windows 7. After January 14^th of next year, computers running Windows 7 will no longer receive security updates or support from Microsoft.

Computers still running Windows 7 after January 14^th 2020 will become more vulnerable to malware infections and cyber attacks.

Fortunately it’s not all doom and gloom. Most computers still running Windows 7 are perfectly capable of running Windows 10, which will be both more secure, and have more features that many computer users find extremely useful.

Now would be the perfect time to get those computers up-to-date and more secure with Windows 10.

Call No Ware Computer Repair in Grand Junction to beat the rush and schedule your computer upgrade today!

2018 in Review

December 31, 2018 by Erik Lilleland

As 2018 draws to a close, we look back on the past year and can’t help but to be extremely grateful.

This last year we’ve repaired hundreds of computers – desktops and laptops – Windows and Mac – for our clients.

We’ve removed viruses, stopped malware, and blocked pop-ups from computers of all makes and models, all shapes and sizes.

We’ve successfully recovered data from dead computers, old computers, flash drives, and SD cards for many panicked and stresses-out customers.

Our Maintenance Plans have protected our client’s computers, saving them hundreds of dollars, and countless hours of downtime and frustration.

We’ve helped clients who were scammed by unscrupulous emails, pop-up ads, and telephones calls – securing their computers, and walking them through the steps of recovering what was stolen from them.

We’ve advised many clients on what equipment was needed to fill their particular IT needs, recommended software, and helped with setting everything up.

We were even awarded for being the top rated Computer Repair/IT Services company in Grand Junction, and the third highest in the state of Colorado.

We’ve earned almost a thousand new clients, and made hundreds of new friends this year.

As you can see, 2018 has given us a lot to be grateful for, and know that 2019 will be even more awesome!

5 Signs Your Computer Might be Infected

November 20, 2018 by Erik Lilleland

You’ve probably heard quite a bit about computer viruses enough over the years – how threatening they are, and how dangerous they can be. Viruses or Malware are often explained in a slightly confusing manner – and though we’re all told to download an antivirus and stay away from sketchy email attachments, not many of us know what it’s genuinely like to be infected by a computer virus.

Often the symptoms of a virus or malware infection are easy to miss, or commonly associated with other computer issues that can be solved by simply rebooting the system or clearing the cache. That makes viruses especially scary, because we don’t often take these symptoms seriously until they’ve done a significant amount of damage.

Here are five things to look for that could mean that your computer is infected:

Start-up, opening program or internet speeds become drastically slow.

Viruses or malware working in the background can use a lot of memory, making it harder to open and close the apps you normally work with.

Pop-ups appearing not just when your web browser is open, but also when it is closed.

Some viruses will try to imitate your anti-virus or an anti-virus you don’t remember installing. These programs will pop-up telling you you have a virus and to call a phone number to get it cleared up. We strongly advise you don’t.

There is an icon for a software program or app you don’t remember installing on you desktop or in your apps menu.

You may have meant to download and install a program, but some programs can be sneaky, bringing unwanted friends.

When you open your web browser it opens to a page you have never heard of rather then the homepage you asked it to.

When you installed that app that you downloaded right before bed, you probably hurried through, not noticing that a toolbar wanted to install right along with your download. A lot of toolbars, or other junkware like this will also change your homepage.

In the middle of a project you computer freezes, or reboots itself.

Malware uses up a lot of a system’s resources, straining the hardware, causing your computer to stop working or force a restart in an attempt to sort things out.

Viruses don’t always announce themselves, and can be quite crafty. If you are experiencing any of the issues listed above, give No Ware Computer Repair at (970) 433-7454, or come by our office in Grand Junction today!

The Blue Screen of Death

October 22, 2018 by Erik Lilleland

If you’ve spent any amount of time around a computer, odds are you’ve heard about the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.” Though if you’ve never experienced it yourself, you might not know what it actually is – and might not be prepared for if and when it happens to you.

The “Blue Screen of Death” can sometimes be referred to as “BSOD” or a “stop error”, and there are a wide variety of reasons as to why it might happen to your computer, but that doesn’t mean your device will never work again. It’s not irreparable, it only means that your computer encountered an error that required it to completely stop in its tracks.

While stop errors are more prevalent with older versions of Windows, it still occasionally pops up, though it’s pretty rare to find on newer versions like Windows 10. One major cause of a stop error is a malfunctioning memory, or a failing Hard Drive. If either of these components happen to be defective or not compatible with the rest of the system, it could result in a blue screen.

Overclocking the CPU or RAM could also cause a blue screen. Increasing the performance of your hardware components past their factory settings in general probably isn’t the best idea, as they can easily become overworked which could lead to some serious damage.

Though of course these stop errors aren’t only caused by hardware disruptions. Faulty or missing drivers mean that the device it belongs to, like your graphics card, can’t communicate with the rest of the computer. So software errors, and even computer viruses can lead to blue screens as well.

While the “Blue Screen of Death” definitely isn’t as terrifying as it looks or sounds, it’s still a serious problem to come across and can be especially stress inducing to those who work from home or haven’t backed up their data in a while. If you ever have the misfortune of coming across a stop error, give your friends at No Ware Computer Repair in Grand Junction a call, we can get your computer back up and running in no time!

How and When You Should Be Doing Computer Maintenance

October 8, 2018 by Erik Lilleland

With every typical household comes a list of chores meant to keep everything in good working order. Things like cleaning the lint trap in the dryer, changing the water filter in the kitchen sink, and putting gas in the lawnmower are good examples of “basic maintenance” we all do around the house.

Of course, there are also a few things you should be doing every now and again to maintain your computer.

Every Day

It’s not a bad idea to give the computer a reboot at least once a day. This helps to clear the memory of any inconsistencies, and allows updates to be applied.

Every Week

Run a quick scan with your antivirus. This can usually be scheduled to occur automatically in the settings tab of most antivirus applications.

Run Disk Cleanup. This finds and deletes all temporary files, duplicate system files, and other nonsense, keeping your computer running smooth and clean.

Make sure that your Backup software is functioning properly. There’s nothing worse than losing your data.

Remember to discharge the battery on your laptop. A lot of us keep our laptops plugged in while we’re using them. This can actually be wearing on the battery, as it generates a constant flow of power to the battery. Best practice is to unplug it while you’re working until the battery reaches about 40% or so, then plug it back in. You never want to let the hit 0% – that could cause problems.

Every Month

Uninstall applications that are no longer in use. This frees up hard drive space, and helps things run more smoothly.

Run a deep antivirus scan. That could also possibly be scheduled to run automatically.

Check for and install Operating System updates. Most Operating System updates are security enhancements, so it’s always a good idea to makes sure your system is up-to-date.

Check for third-party software updates. The applications that you regularly use are generally updated on a regular basis to patch bugs and add features. Make sure that you have the current versions of these programs.

Every Few Months

De-clutter your email inbox by deleting unnecessary email and spam.

Clean your mouse and keyboard. These can get a little dirty over time.

Check wires and peripherals for wear and tear, and replace as needed.

Clean out the dust from your computer by blowing compressed air into any vents, nooks, and crannies.

Every Year

Remember to renew your antivirus or Computer Maintenance Plan. These will help you keep things working properly for the next year.

Get your computer a professional tune up. Just like your car needs a tuneup every year, so does your computer.

This is just a sort list of a few of the things you should be doing with your computer to keep it running as well as it can.

Of course, with one of our Maintenance Plans many of the things on this list will be done for you automatically as part of the service.

If you have any questions about how to get the most out of your computer, please feel free to give us a call at our office in Grand Junction at (970) 433-7454

Should I reboot my computer?

September 17, 2018 by Erik Lilleland

The first thing any IT guy or gal will ask you when you call him with a computer problem is if you tried restarting. An infuriating question to be asked when you just lost three days worth of work, or that work just won’t save and you have a meeting in 5 minutes. However, a lot of computer problems can be solved by simply restarting the device.

When a computer goes without a reboot for an extended period it becomes prone to a bit of bugginess. These annoyances include programs running at a slower pace than usual, unexpected system freeze-ups, and lagging Internet speeds. That horrible call to the IT guys in the basement can be avoided with a simple daily restart. Here’s why:

Clearing the RAM

A program open and running on your screen stores much of the data required to do so in the memory, and sometimes not all the data is cleared out when the program is closed. This data can clog up your RAM causing “memory leaks”; meaning that there may not be room in the computers short term memory for a new program to open up. When this happens your computer will run slow, glitchy, and the blue-screen-of-death might make an appearance forcing a restart.

A preemptive “off and on again” can flush out all the random, unimportant, and temporary data bogging down your device. This will keep you computer running at the speedy pace you have come to expect.

Install Updates

Many program updates need reboots to complete. This includes your Operating System, whose updates don’t take effect until a reboot occurs. A fresh install or update tends to scatter data in several places, a restart will tidy up the mess and arrange it properly on the hard drive. Some programs won’t even run properly without a restart because the information isn’t where is is supposed to be.

Bug Fixes

Just like the RAM, a system’s processor can become overworked and overloaded by all the processes that are trying to run at the same time. A quick reboot can provide your CPU with a fresh start, and without all the nonsense filling up the procesor’s poor little cache.

So now you know why the phrase, “Have you tried turning it off and on again” has become a technological cliché. A quick restart will not only fix some annoying computer issues, and prolong the life of your machine.

Of course, if you’re having any problems that restarting you computer doesn’t solve, give your friends at No Ware Computer Repair in Grand Junction a call!

Where did the DVD Drive go?

August 13, 2018 by Erik Lilleland

If you’ve bought a new laptop anytime within the past ten years you may have noticed something a little peculiar. Or maybe it seemed like something was missing.

We’re often asked the question, “Why don’t new laptops come with DVD drives anymore?” And though some still do come equipped with a DVD drive, they are few and far in between. Why is that?

Years ago it made sense for a computer to come with a DVD drive. CDs and DVDs were the cheapest way to back up your data, and the only way to install new software. Ten or fifteen years ago, it made sense to purchase a stack of those discs for a few dollars, with the potential to hold upwards of four or five gigabytes of data each – it was a hot deal back then. It’s important to note that at the time, flash drives were incredibly expensive, some costing nearly fifty bucks for a measly 128 MB of storage.

Nowadays you can pick up a 64 gigabyte flash drive for a little under fifteen dollars at your nearest hardware store. Files can be downloaded straight to your device within minutes, whereas they used to take a whole day, if not several, based on the size of the file. It’s a whole lot easier, and a whole lot more convenient for companies to offer their programs online rather than on a four to eight gigabyte disk. It’s cheaper and it saves a whole lot of vital resources in the process!

Not to mention that discs tend to scratch easily – which can mean a whole lot of lost data. Speaking of data, it’s now a thousand times simpler to backup your data using programs that offer cloud storage, online services like Google Drive and Dropbox are available at your fingertips, and allow you to access your files from virtually anywhere in the world on just about any device you can think of! It’s come to the point where even flash drives are becoming less and less commonplace.

In the end, DVD and CD drives just aren’t practical in our modern day computers any more. They’re expensive to produce, but more importantly, there are cheaper, faster, and more practical options available.

Keep in mind that if you do purchase a new laptop without a DVD drive, and run into one of those rare instances that you actually need one, an external DVD Drive can be picked up rather cheaply.

If you need help backing your data up, or have any questions about your computer, give the experts at No Ware Computer Repair in Grand Junction a call!