Top 5 Questions about Windows 7 Answered

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Old Wndows logoSince Windows 7 went “end of life” last month, we’ve been getting a lot of clients calling us with some questions and concerns.

Here we’ll answer the Top 5 Questions About the Windows 7 “end of life (EOL) that we’ve been hearing at No Ware Computer Repair.

1. Can I still use my Windows 7 computer?

Of course!

This “end of life” won’t effect your ability to use your computer at all. It just means that Microsoft isn’t going to be releasing regular updates for Windows 7 any more.

2. Is my computer still safe to use?

It sure is.

Especially if your antivirus is current and up-to-date. Your antivirus will be able to protect you from any online threats that you might encounter.

Our friends at Emsisoft have promised to continue supporting Windows 7 until the second quarter of 2021.

3. Then what’s the big deal?

Windows 7 is an 11 year old operating system, built on old technology, running on old hardware.

In order to keep up with the times, Microsoft has had to create tons of improvements, and a few newer versions of Windows. After a while it becomes more difficult, and expensive, for them to continue supporting old tech.

That being the case, Microsoft recommends that Windows users move to a more up-to-date version of Windows.

4. What do the professionals recommend?

We always recommend keeping your computers up-to-date, and would advise that if you’re still using Windows 7 you should begin looking into either upgrading your operating system, or perhaps even your computer itself.

5. Can you help?

We sure can!

Give us a call or drop by our Grand Junction office and we can advise you on what steps to take next to make sure that your computer, and your data is as safe as possible.

Windows 7 is dying!?

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Windows 7 is kill
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 14th 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.

Time is Running Out for Windows 7 Users!

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Windows 7 EOL

The clock is ticking!

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

Computers still running Windows 7 after January 14th 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!

What is a “GPU”?

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If you’re like most people, you spend upwards of six hours a day looking at some kind of screen. Be it a phone, television, or a computer screen – our monitors take up a very significant amount of our day to day lives. Especially if you happen to work at an office job, you turn one on regularly, nine to five even, but have you ever wondered how exactly the monitor displays all those pictures?

A Graphics Processing Unit, or more commonly a graphics card or chip is a piece of computer hardware that communicates with the rest of the computer and converts data into signals transmitted to your monitor. It is solely responsible for the images that you see on your screen when you turn your computer on and the better your graphics card is, the better the resolution (how smooth a picture looks) will be.

There are two types of GPUs.

An integrated graphics chip is the most commonplace and is built into the motherboard, it’s cost effective and if you’re using your computer for the casual web surfing then it should work perfectly. However, the integrated graphics chip is difficult to upgrade in comparison to the alternative.
graphics chipFor those looking to branch out into video editing or gaming, you might want to consider the discrete graphics card. It’s installed onto the motherboard as an extra component, particularly ideal for those looking for an upgrade to the graphics quality altogether. It’s crucial in preventing those unwanted jitters and lag during game-play.

GPUs

There are also two major graphics card manufacturers in the industry. Many pledge their allegiances to one manufacturer, but both brands do their jobs efficiently, with little to no difference in quality. These companies are Nvidia and AMD. As with most inner components of a computer, the design and style of your graphics card can be important. With both brands, you can browse slimmer or shorter graphics cards to meet your specifications.

Of course there’s far more to delve into where graphics are concerned, and if we have your interest piqued but you’re still not certain what you should be investing in, don’t be afraid to swing by No Ware Computer Repair in Grand Junction or give us a call at (970) 433-7454!

How your Computer works. Part One: RAM

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“Without RAM your data is just data that sits”

It is one of the many components inside the unit that is required in order for our computer to actually go. Many of us have seen the “blue screen of death”, possibly because our computers just couldn’t keep up with the amount of information that we were pushing through the RAM. However, do you really know what RAM actually is, and why it’s needed? [Read more…]

Client Success Story: Virtual Wizardry

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We can try our darnedest to keep our hardware and software up to date, but sometimes the programs we have come to rely on just can’t be updated any more.

Over time, software developers eventually drop support for older “legacy” software so that they may focus their attentions of newer, more stable and up-to-date versions of the programs. They might even go out of business altogether, leaving their users to kludge together their own solutions to any problems that might arise.

Several people still use these “unsupported” programs for various reasons, but what happens when these old programs that we absolutely can’t live without can’t be run any longer?
[Read more…]

Don’t be left bihind

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With technology advancing at nearly the speed of light these days, it can sometimes be hard to keep up. It seems that just as soon as you become fairly proficient at using an OS (Operating System), program, or application the developers stop making code for it, then suddenly drop support. This year we have a couple of oldies that are getting ready to be sent to the archives of what once was. [Read more…]

5 Easy ways to “spring clean” your computer

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Spring is in the air. At least here in the Grand Valley it is. The early spring gives us a chance to get an early jump on that spring cleaning list. What better place to start than on your “lifeline to the world”, your computer. [Read more…]

Keeping it cool (Part 1)

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Imagine it: Late one night, while you’re chilling on the couch with your laptop in your lap – where, given the name “laptop” you would think it belongs – watching the latest season of “Supernatural” and you begin to think to yourself that the special effects in this episode are more realistic than normal, because just as the Winchester Brothers light up the latest corpse it seems that you can actually feel the heat on your legs.  [Read more…]