Dear Geek,
Sometimes my computer gives me an error message of “disk not found”. What does this mean and how can I stop the message from coming up?
Signed,
Disk Flopped [Read more…]
Defenseless?: Antivirus vs Firewall
Dear Geek,
My neighbor was shocked to find out that I don’t have a firewall on my computer. I have antivirus software on my computer. Besides, I don’t have national security information stored, do I really need a firewall?
Defenseless? [Read more…]
A Little off the Side: Keyboard Shortcuts
Dear Geek,
One of my co-workers is constantly using “shortcuts” on his keyboard to do simple things like cutting & pasting. What are the shortcuts, and how do I use them?
Thanks,
A Little off the Side [Read more…]
Use Protection…For Your Smartphone
Dear Geek;
My current cellphone is a flip phone, so I never had to worry about the screen getting scratched. However, I’m planning to upgrade to a smartphone, and I’m worried about the screen scratching. Someone told me you can get ‘screen protectors’. What are they, and how do you use them?
Signed,
Want to Use Protection
Dear Protection,
Your 5th grade Family Studies teacher was right…protection is key! Smartphones are built with tempered glass, which they say can withstand the slight bumps of daily use. However, if you’re a typical cell user, your cell phone is going to go through more than the occasional small bump. The screens are not protected from scratches that can wreck your screen and make it difficult (and annoying) to read what’s on the screen. A screen protector is a thin, transparent, protective strip of plastic that adheres to the screen and takes the scratches that would otherwise be directly on your screen.
With phones rising into the hundreds of dollars, the price of a screen protector is well worth it. Applying the screen protector is fairly simple, but you will be very glad you took the time to do it. Follow the steps below, and you should have the protection you seek:
1. Select a screen protector that is specific to your phone. Many screen protectors are designed for a specific phone, and feature ‘cutouts’ for the buttons, speakers, etc on the front screen. There are generic screen protectors available, which cost less then the cell phone specific screen protectors, but you have to ensure that the screen protector is large enough, and has the cutouts you require for your cell phone screen.
2. Clean your screen. If you don’t, the screen protector won’t adhere properly. Plus, the screen protector will be on your screen for a while, and there’s no use putting a protector over a dirty screen. Clean your screen with screen cleaner (specific to electronics – do not use window cleaner) and a microfiber cloth, to make sure finger prints, lint, and any other marks are gone.
3. Follow directions. Yes, you have to read the instructions. Screen protectors come with instructions specific to the application of that screen protector. Some screen protectors have an ‘adherence spray’ that you spray directly onto your cellphone screen, to enhance the adhesion of the screen protector. Some screen protectors also come with 2 protective films which ‘sandwich’ the protective screen in between. To apply this protector, simply peel off the back film (there should be a tab to pull), line up the protector with the cellphone screen, then peel off the top film. Use the applicator that is supplied to eliminate any air bubbles.
4. Don’t touch your phone for at least 45 minutes. This includes putting your phone into a case. I know you’ll probably go into cellphone withdrawal, but this is important. This allows the screen protector to adhere securely, especially in the case of the screen protectors that come with ‘adherence spray’.
Now your screen is protected against daily wear and tear. However, a screen protector does not protect against deep gouges that go through the depth of the screen protector. This means that you need to keep your keys and other sharp objects in a separate pocket.
Now that your screen is protected, you should look into a case for your phone that will protect the rest of it against bumps and drops.
If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to: geek@tbyd.ca. We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!
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Updating…Yes, It’s For Everyone!
Dear Geek,
I keep my computer updates current. However, when I try to shut down my computer, Windows still attempts to install the same updates. When my computer reboots, I check for my update list and it indicates that they haven’t been installed yet. Am I doing something wrong?
Signed,
Not Updating
Dear Updating,
Try to brace yourself, but Windows isn’t perfect…I know, a shocker! Neither is the Windows update process. This is especially true if the update happens to be corrupted, or if something interrupts an update while it’s installing. Admitting their imperfection is a difficult thing indeed, but Microsoft does offer a ‘Windows Update Fix It’ utility that scans the updates for problems. This means you won’t have to worry about missing updates or waiting for the same updates to install each time you shut down the PC. You can download the utility by visiting: http://support.miscrosoft.com/mats/windows_update/. Click on the “Run Now” button, and follow the directions to fix the problem with the updates.
If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to: geek@tbyd.ca. We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!
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[contact-form-7 404 "Not Found"]Stuck in the 90’s
Dear Geek;
I travel a lot for work, and the radio gets a little old after a while. I’d like to listen to my own playlist in my car. The only problem is, my car is about 15 years old, which means it doesn’t have an input for a MP3 player. My pc does have a CD burner. How do I make a CD for the car?
Sincerely,
Stuck in the 90’s
Dear Stuck;
I’m sorry to hear you’re either stuck listening to the radio play the same song for the 10oth time, or your Glass Tiger CD that doubles as an ice-scraper.
If you travel a lot in the car for work, you may want to check out after-market MP3 inputs that can be installed into almost any car, unless you’re still running an 8-track. Go to your nearest audio store to check out what they have for audio inputs, and most can do the install as well (for a fee).
Until your car stereo is brought into this decade, you are stuck making mixed CDs. Ahhh, the memories of making mixed tapes for that girl/guy you were trying to impress…But I digress.
To burn an audio CD: Go to “Start”. Type in “Windows Media Player” in the search bar, then click on it. Click the “Burn” tab (should be on the right side of the window). Then click and drag the music you want on the CD, from the music library into the “Burn” list. Put a blank CD into your computer’s drive, and click “Start Burn”.
The next step? Toss the Glass Tiger CD and buy an ice-scaper.
If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to: geek@tbyd.ca. We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!
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[contact-form-7 404 "Not Found"]Warp Speed, Mr. Sulu!
Dear Geek,
My computer is running slower and slower. At some point, I think my grandmother passed it. What can I do?
Signed,
Gramma gots speed!
Dear Speed,
It sounds like this isn’t a sudden problem, but one that’s evolved over time. There are several possible culprits to your loss of speed.
1. The first culprit that could be slowing your computer down is malware. You should be doing a weekly scan for viruses, Trojans, adware, etc. If your kids (especially teens) are on your computer more than you are, you might want to consider a daily scan. Malware generally likes to hide, but it also takes up system resources, which malware-detection software uses as an indication that there is malware in your system. Update your virus definitions and do a thorough scan. You can run more than one antivirus app, but NOT at the same time. The best practice is to run one scan, once that one is done, shut it down completely, and run the next one. You may find that the second scan picks up malware that the first scan missed.
2. The second culprit that affects speed is heat. Basically, when it comes to computers, heat = bad. It’s hard on the interior components, which could make them work inefficiently, or stop working all together. When a computer is beginning to overheat, it tends to slow down to try to cool off. It may continue to work (for a while), but will continue to get slower and slower, until it eventually gives out. Give your computer a routine cleaning once in approximately 6 months, paying special attention to vents and fans. If you’re brave enough to clean the internals of your computer, take care! The cards are delicate. To be on the safe side, have your IT professional complete the internal cleaning. They can do a thorough job, and they know which components need to be handled with kid-gloves. Also, make sure there is enough space around the computer tower for the fans to draw in cool air, and to release the hot air. Finally, if you use a laptop, don’t run it on soft surfaces (like on your bed), as a soft surface can obscure the vents and fans, which causes your laptop to overheat. You may also want to consider using a laptop cooler.
3. Not enough hard drive space can also slow down your computer. If your hard drive is fragmented (which is often the case with a full hard drive), your computer has to waste time locating the little space it has left, on which to store new data. Also, when you are running multiple heavy-duty programs at once, some of that memory-load is shifted to your hard drive. Some of that memory is used (temporarily) as ‘virtual memory’. This usually works efficiently, except when your hard drive is fuller than Gramma’s cookie jar. When your hard drive is full, your system tries to shift the memory-load back and forth, because it can’t handle the demands on memory but your hard drive is lacking the space needed for the temporary storage. This results in your computer slowing down.
The moral of the story? Update your virus definitions, and run scans weekly (or daily, if needed). Make sure your computer is in a computer-friendly environment, and kept free of dust. Lastly, make sure your hard drive has enough space.
If you’ve checked all 3 of these, and you’re sure it’s none of these, call your IT professional. We can run a “Performance Analysis” that can detect any potential problems that are causing your current frustrations, or that are likely to cause frustration in the future.
If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to: geek@tbyd.ca. We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!
Comments? Fill out the form below and let us know!
[contact-form-7 404 "Not Found"]You Have Been Served
Dear Geek;
Our business is at the point where we need a server. What do we need to consider when buying one?
Thanks,
Served
Dear Served;
Increasingly, a server is a must-have in an office. Even most small businesses benefit from a centralized operation, and run more efficiently with a local server. Now, you know you need a server. You just have to decide what server operating systems are best for your desired applications. At this point, it’s best to speak to your IT professional to find out what OS’s (Operating Systems) are out there, and what would work best for your situation.
The most important things to consider when looking at Server OS’s?
1. Security. If you’re considering a server, computers are likely very important to your day-to-day operations. Which also means that there is a lot of data that potentially could be at risk. A loss of that data could mean huge losses, both in downtime and business/client confidentiality. The more you have to lose, the more critical security should be in deciding what server OS you go with. Make sure you do your homework (or your IT professional does), and look at known exploits against any potential server for your business, how secure the platform is, and maintenance of that security in the future.
2. Manageability. How easy is it to monitor and manage server operation from a console (usually a desktop or laptop) over the Internet? How easy it is to manage when the server is down, so that ‘admin’ can reboot and/or troubleshoot the server?
3. Performance. All servers are not made alike. Not all servers will deliver what your company needs. A discussion with your IT professional should include budget, software your are running (or plan to run) in your current environment.
4. Scalability. Does your server give your company room to grow?
5. Price. The final frontier. What can your company afford? You need to account for licensing fees, client costs over time, how many administration accounts you will need, new hardware you will need to purchase to support the server, etc.
If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to: geek@tbyd.ca. We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!
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[contact-form-7 404 "Not Found"]“Enter password”…P-A-S-S-W-O-R-D
Dear Geek,
I know I’m supposed to choose a password that is hard to guess, but my coworker just uses “password” as her password. She says that no one will guess that because it’s so simple.
Signed,
Password “Blank”
Dear Blank,
Splash Data has recently compiled it list of the “Worst Passwords of 2012”. They compiled its list based on files containing millions of stolen passwords posted online by hackers. If your password is on this list, I suggest that you change it…immediately!
1. password
2. 123456
3. 12345678
4. abc123
5. qwerty
6. monkey
7. letmein
8. dragon
9. 111111
10. baseball
11. iloveyou
12. trustno1
13. 1234567
14. sunshine
15. master
16. 123123
17. welcome
18. shadow
19. ashley
20. football
21. jesus
22. michael
23. ninja
24. mustang
25. password1
If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to: geek@tbyd.ca. We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!
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[contact-form-7 404 "Not Found"]Computer Running Slower Than My Parents’ Computer on Dial-Up
Dear Geek,
Yesterday, my computer was running fine. Today, suddenly it is running very slow. Someone said to check the “performance tab” of the Windows Task Manager. When I did, it said the CPU usage was at the top of the graph. What is happening, and how can I fix it?
Sincerely,
Slower Than My Parents’ Computer on Dial-Up
Dear Dial-Up,
When the Performance tab of the Windows Task Manager (press CTRL-ALT-DELETE and choose Task Manager) states your usage is at the top of the range, there is a bottleneck occurring in your computer that is making it slow down. Several problems can cause this, including viruses, processes that run in the background, and programs not working properly. To start, you have to figure out if anything changed on your computer before the slowdown occurred. Were any new programs installed, did you visit any new websites? In the case of a new program, remove it and see if the computer speeds up. If you visited new websites, run a full system scan with your security software. Next, try updating Windows (click “Start”, enter “Window Update” in the search field, and follow the prompts). If none of these seem to solve your problem, you can try restoring your computer to the condition it was in prior to the slowdown. To do this, click “Start”, enter “Restore” in the search field, and click “Restore Your Computer To An Earlier Time”. Follow the prompts on-screen, and you should soon have your computer back to where it was before the slowdown.
If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to: geek@tbyd.ca. We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!
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