Secure Passwords

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Secure laptop
There were simpler times when passwords were only preventative measures to keep the people around you in the real world from accessing your personal devices. That was before the internet blew up, before we had to start worrying about the whole “hacking” thing.

Unfortunately, nowadays things are far more complicated. Some places online require that you change your password regularly, and that’s even becoming more commonplace than you might think.

Passwords can’t be something silly like qwerty or 1234. The reason being those are the easiest to guess, but even if you did use something random and virtually impossible to determine, hackers now have access to different software that they can use to easily crack not so strong passwords. To cyber-criminals it’s just a guessing game, they have software that can run through every possible combination of letters and numbers in no time. That said, the longer and more complex your password is, the longer it would take to crack.

Basically, all of this stuff has gotten really complicated and somewhat convoluted, but if you’ve read this far you’re probably interested in how to further secure your accounts from the likes of hackers – and we have a few tips for that!

A fun practice to integrate into your password creation is telling a story. For instance, “I live at 4122 Elm Drive have five children, a girl, two boys, and three dogs and a loving wife,” could look something like @4122C5gbd&W. Or for instance your dog Rex is twelve years old and your cat Fluffy only has three legs, your password could look like Re12Fluff3.

One of our favorite methods is using an old address of yours. It’s something you’ll always remember and it’s not the easiest to guess either. Something like @123AnyStreet, or 987Broadway! would work perfectly.

Another method of creating a strong password is to use a verse from your favorite song. For instance, “The wheels on the bus go round and round,” that you loved when you were six could be, Wotbgr&r6yo. Or say that the eighties hit “Africa” by Toto really gets your foot tapping, you can use something like 80sIbtrdiA! .

These are just a few simple strategies that will help you to create a secure password. If you need any help creating a password or have questions about computer security give your friends at No Ware Computer Repair a call at (970) 433-7454.

password

5 Most Common Computer Problems

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Here at No Ware Computer Repair, we have to solve a lot of computer problems. While some complications are more puzzling than others, here’s a short list of the most common issues that are brought into our shop.

Computer spill

One of the most common problems we come across is the “hardware mishap.” Typically this includes spills or drops, laptop screens being broken, motherboards fried, and others of the like. Hardware mishaps are pretty common and can be expensive at times.

dirty computer

Another problem we see a lot of is the “slow computer.” Older devices have a tendency to fall victim to this particular annoyance because as they age they can build up dust and grime on the hardware, and the software itself can become clogged with useless files that do nothing but take up vital storage and leave a device in a miserably sluggish state. In a fast paced world, the last thing people want is a computer that runs at a snail’s pace.

viruses found

Viruses are the bane of a computer user’s existence. Not only do they knock a computer from NASCAR level speeds down to leisurely strolls in the park, they can also do some serious damage. From the mostly harmless popups that occasionally assault the user, to the dangerously malicious ransomware that could cost you thousands, viruses are unfortunately still a frequent occurrence.

data loss

Data loss is an extremely overlooked issue that people don’t usually think about until it happens to them personally. It could be due to a myriad of causes; theft, hardware mishap, software failure, and so much more. It’s the reason we highly recommend using a cloud to backup all of that highly important data you might have on your devices. It saves you a lot of time and money in the long run. Fortunately, even if you forget to back-up your data, there are experts who specialize in data recovery.

Blue Screen of Death

This final failure has been making a lot of us in the tech industry scratch our heads. It seems to be a little counter-intuitive, but many computer users have recently been having windows update problems. Whether it be the percentage simply stopping, graphics drivers failing, or operating system glitches, if you’re having a problem with any of the above, just know you are most certainly not alone.

Regardless of what problem your computer is having, No Ware Computer Repair in Grand Junction can have your device up and running in no time!

Wanna Cry Ransomware

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Ransomware message

Last week a rather brutal piece of ransomware began making the rounds, impacting  nearly two hundred thousand computers; private computers used in homes, computers used in business environments, and even computers used by various government agencies around the world. [Read more…]

Everything you wanted to know about the computer virus, but were afraid to ask – Part 3

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Computer Protection
As the old cliche goes; “An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure.”  Learning how to avoid becoming infected and spreading virus infections, not only makes the internet safer for you, but for everyone else you connect and share with. [Read more…]

Everything you wanted to know about the computer virus, but were afraid to ask – Part 2

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Computer Viruses
Last week we talked about what a computer virus is, where they come from, and why they exist. This week we’ll take a brief look at some of the different types of computer viruses.

As cold and flu season wraps up, most of us are pretty well acquainted with the fact that many different types of viruses can attack our bodies and interrupt our overall wellness. A different sort of “virus” can negatively impact the health of our computers. That said, we can easily see how it’s probably a good idea to understand and know a little about the ones that can invade our computers. [Read more…]

Everything you wanted to know about the computer virus, but were afraid to ask – Part 1

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Computer virus
They’re all over the news these days, those sneaky little germs that invade our computers. Just like a real germ that makes its home in our bodies, a virus’s main purpose is to make more of itself. Which can wreak havoc to our software, data, and/or bank accounts. Unlike most bugs that invade our bodies, a computer virus can’t be worked out of the system with a fistful of pills, some soup, and lots of sleep. [Read more…]

No Ware for your Small Business

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In the good ol’ days, keeping track of your small business was simple. Piles of paper scattered about the office, a couple of typewriters for document making, some pencils and ledgers to keep the books tidy, and a row of file cabinets along the south wall to keep it all safe and sound behind a door locked every night. [Read more…]

On the Importance of Planning Ahead

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We all want peace of mind.

We would like to know that things are going as they should be. If the unexpected “glitch” should occur, we like to think that there is someone that can take care of the problem for us so that we can get back to our busy lives. Better yet, we would love a way to keep these occasional “glitches” from happening in the first place, or at the very least we want a way to minimize their occurrence. Perhaps even a way to keep them from happening in the first place. [Read more…]

Coming up with a secure password is easy!

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“It is time to change your password”

What is it about these words that cause you to draw a blank every time? The brain almost shuts down, since your current password seems to be the only “good” password that you can think of. You need something hard to hack or crack, yet easy for you to remember, but you’ve already used “Love”, “Password1234”, your child’s name, your pet’s name, you neighbor’s pets name; this list goes on and on as to what you cannot and should not use. Fortunately, with a little creativity, you can face this “emergency” like a pro. [Read more…]