Buchanan Computer Services - Personal Computer Help Center

Personal Computer Help Center

This is the PC Help Center. We offer this service to our clients to enhance the support we are able to offer. We have provided a number of helpful tips and resources to help you resolve basic, every day problems and improve your overall computing experience. The information provided here is intended for use with personal home computers and may not be suitable for use in a networked office environment. If you have questions about how to use this information please feel free to email us at info@buchanancomputer.com

My computer is slow and sluggish, especially while online.

This is often associated with malware or spyware. There are several ways to deal with spyware ranging from simple anti-spyware utilities to complete system restoration. Anti-spyware utilities can be used to clean up and prevent future spyware and malware infestations similar to the way an anti-virus package handles computer viruses. Be aware that some malware digs into the core of your software and removal often has unwanted effects. If you aren't comfortable working with software you should consult with someone who is experienced with this type of problem.

My computer is giving me an overheat warning and shutting down.

This is a common problem with today's ultra-fast processors. Your computer is a sophisticated electronic device with many systems interacting together to form a single system, much like your car, and if one of these systems fails the whole computer goes down. One of the most common solutions to this is to periodically clean the dust out of your computer. Dust collects on heat sinks and fans and restricts the flow of cool air needed to keep your computer from overheating, and this is more defined in computers in areas with pets or smokers or dusty environments. The easiest way to clean your computer is to use a can of compressed air available at most retail outlets to simply blow the dust out ad then vacuum the loose dust up using the brush attachment. Be very careful not to knock anything loose and be sure everything is secure before turning your computer back on.

I deleted my favorite song by mistake, can I get it back?

Maybe. By default most computers, Windows, Mac and even Linux have a type of "deleted items" folder, usually a Recycle Bin or Trash Can. You can restore files you deleted by opening the deleted items folder and use the restore option to undelete the file. Files that were deleted and not sent to a deleted items folder will usually be gone and have to be replaced from backup.

I just bought a new PC, can I transfer my files from my old PC?

Yes. New PCs typically ship with Microsoft Windows XP installed. Windows XP includes a wizard to help you transfer your settings and files from your old computer. For the wizard to work you will need some form of media to transfer the files and settings on such as a CD or a Keydrive or other data storage device. You can find the wizard by clicking Start, the pointing to All Programs, then Accessories , System Tools and Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. Follow the instructions and in no time at all you will have transferred your files and settings to your new computer.

I opened an email with a virus, how can I get rid of it?

There several ways you can do this. If you know what virus it is you can usually download a removal tool from one of the many antivirus vendors. If you don't know what virus you may have you can scan your computer online for free from many sources using an Online Antivirus utility. Its always best to keep your antivirus software updated and verify it is in an operational state often. NEVER open attachments you aren't expecting, even if it comes from someone you trust, a virus may very well be sending out messages under their name and if you do get a suspicious message from someone you know, let them know so they can take steps to ensure their PC is clean and virus free.

What software do you recommend to help keep my computer safe?

We recommend anything that works. Our preference of software varies based on the function and use of the computer, but listed below are some popular titles we have used with success. It is best if you research the various packages and see what looks like it will work for your needs. We are not affiliated with the software titles listed below, we have used these in many situations and have found them to work well and would recommend them to our clients.

Panda Antivirus
eTrust Antivirus
Spybot S&D
Lavasoft AdAware SE
Hijack This
Microsoft Antispyware
AVG Antivirus Free
Bit Defender

Helpful Links

Latest Virus Alerts

Microsoft Security Homepage

Tips and Tricks

For Windows Users

Maintain Windows XP

Microsoft WIndows Updates

Webtechgeek PC Help Pages

Using Outlook Express

Using Internet Explorer

Virus and Spyware Management

Email: You can protect yourself from viruses and spyware in your email by following some basic rules to prevent it from taking hold.

Do not open attachments you aren't expecting, even from people you trust. Viruses often steal email addresses from address books and use those addresses to email themselves with the hope that you will open an attachment from a friend.
Avoid websites that offer free toolbars and other browser enhancements. These are often slick ways to get you to willingly install spyware and adware and often the spyware and adware will download and install more bad software in the background and may even spread viruses.
Avoid clicking links in email mesages from senders you do not know. Many times these links are used to validate the email address as being valid so the spammers know they have a good address and they may even sell the address. Additionally, many "Remove from List" links are nothing more than a clever way for spammers to validate an email address so they can sell their email list to the highest bidder.

Software: You can get spyware and virus infections from all kinds of places on the web. Common sources of spyware are online gaming sites, "warez", "crack" and "serialz" sites and most often pornography sites. Most f these are easy to avoid. It costs a lot of money every month to run a website, and the bigger it is the more it costs. Many websites that offer things for "free" on the surface are in fact gathering information about your online activities while you use their services, and in fact many of the games and such that you can download from these sites will also include spyware. Don't confuse free sites with free sample sites. Not everything free on the web is going to have spyware nested in it. Pirated software, such as "warez", "crackz" and "serialz " are often laced with spyware and viruses and other forms of malware. Its best to avoid these types of websites and downloads altogether and in many cases downloading from these sites may be illegal.

Public Internet Access: Many places such as coffee shops, hotels and internet cafes offer free wireless internet access to customers. While most of these systems are professionally installed systems designed to protect the users from other users of the system there are still many systems that are not. Most anyone can go to the local electronics store and buy an off the shelf access point for about $50 and install it themselves in no time at all, however these systems are not intended for use as a public access point and may allow your activities to be seen by other people who are also using the access point. Its best to use public access points only for trivial information such as chat and casual surfing. Credit card transactions, checking email and other personal internet use can and may be monitored by people who are trying to take advantage of you and in some cases they may even try to remotely compromise your computer. Keep your software up to date and maintain a personal firewall to lessen the chances of an attack from another computer.