PC Support and Repair
PC Selection, Installation, and Initial Setup
I can help you configure exactly the Mac or PC that you really need and avoid falling for advertiser's hype or salesperson overselling. How a new PC is set up and configured out of the box is critical to maintaining it's security and reliability. If set up or configured incorrectly, a new PC connected to the Internet can easily become infected with malware (i.e. viruses, trojans, spy-ware, rootkits), within it's first week of use. And, once infected, your brand new PC will become more sluggish and unstable over time until eventually unusable. However, correctly configuring a new PC can prevent nearly all malware infections from ever occurring, can protect you from identity theft, and can keep your PC running quickly and reliably for years.
Malware Removal (Virus, Trojan, Spyware, Adware, Rootkits)
Are your PCs correctly configured and do they have the software they need to protect you from malware infestation? The vast majority of home PCs are not configured correctly and are already affected by one or more of these threats without their owners even recognizing it. The indicators of a modern malware infection can include pop-up windows, browser redirection, inability to update security software, slow and unresponsive PC, frequent crashing, or even no symptoms whatsoever. Any of these symptoms can indicate a possible infection.
Once an infection has occurred, modern malware is nearly impossible for average computer user to remove. However, with the real potential for identity theft it is critical that an infected PC be cleaned as soon as possible. To do so often requires the use of specialized tools and knowledge. It's rare that an infected PC can be cleaned of it's infection by simply scanning with the installed anti-malware application.
With correct Windows security configuration settings, current software updates, quality anti-malware software installed and updated, and safe and informed user behavior, you can greatly minimize your chance of being affected by these threats. I can help you configure your new or old PC correctly to reduce the likelihood of it being affected by these threats and to minimize the potential consequences if you do become affected. And lastly, I can help you remove spyware that only an experienced technician has any chance of removing.
PC Maintenance
Keeping your operating system (e.g. Windows, Mac OS, etc.), software applications (e.g. Microsoft Office), web browser and plug-ins (e.g. Firefox, Flash Player), and security software current and updated is critical to keeping any PC running smoothly and securely. In addition, checking logs for problems, cleaning up after software (e.g. removal of cache and temporary files), and watching for signs of malware infection are also important.
These general maintenance steps should be done at least monthly. We will be glad to assist you with the regular maintenance of your home or small office computers. We can also train you to do this regular maintenance yourself to keep your computers as trouble-free as possible.
PC Reconditioning, or Upgrading
Has your PC has become too slow to tolerate or completely unstable over time? If so, it's time for maintenance or upgrading. I can look at your current PC's condition and recommend if your slowdowns are due to software problems or hardware limitations and recommend a solution. Sometimes, simple maintenance or configuration changes can produce significant speedups whereas other times it may be necessary to either reformat and reinstall everything, or even to upgrade your hardware.
Sanitizing (Wiping) Data from Old Hard Drives
Before disposing of your old PC you must make sure to remove and/or sanitize the hard drive of the PC so that your personal files, identity information, and financial information are not put at risk. It is a trivial task for any knowledgeable person to retrieve all the files from the hard drive of a trashed PC. We can provide the simple and quick service of removing the hard drives from your old PCs prior to disposal and/or using specialized software to destroy the data on the drive using a 3-pass DOD 5220-22 M standard algorithm.