CompuClever Blog

Windows 10 – How Many Stars Out of 10?

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We’re certain many PC users have been giving some thought to the tempting offer of upgrading to the new Windows 10 operating system while it is still free.  The question is: what are you getting with the latest – and possibly last – Windows operating system?  In our previous article on Windows 10 we covered an overview / introduction to the new system.  Here we are going to be as systematic as possible in assisting you to decide on whether it is right for you.  We want you to decide how good it is for you based on your present system.  And, we will be doing this using a Tech Support point of view.

Free for Now

So, for some PC users the Windows 10 upgrade is free at this time.  Microsoft is making…

…Windows 10 available as a free upgrade for compatible devices that are running genuine Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1 Update.

The free upgrade is a full version of Windows (not a trial or introductory version) and is available until July 29, 2016. Once you upgrade, you’ll have Windows 10 for free on that device. [1]

If your computer is set to automatically download and install updates, there is likely a 3 GB file already stored on your computer to start the upgrade process.

Who Will Likely Benefit Most?

There are some easy answers here.  We’ll outline these as best we can.

– Windows Vista or XP users:  You will need to upgrade to Win 7 or 8.1 so you may as well be deciding on paying for the Windows 10 OS.  You will need to keep in mind the necessary system requirements for Windows 10.  The older the system, the less likely you will appreciate moving to Windows 10.  If your system came with XP or Vista, and you upgraded to Windows 7 or 8, the same caution applies, you may find the final result less than satisfying.

Windows 10 System Requirements Includes:
Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC
RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit
For the complete list:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/windows-10-specifications#sysreqs

– Windows 7 (SP1) or 8.1 users:  You may have been waiting for others to take on the first installs of the new OS and the associated pains that come with using a brand new version of Windows.  The good news is the worst issues are patched by now.  The bad news is you will need to catch up on all the latest changes and how to get around using the newest OS.

Windows 10 blends the Start menu from Windows 7 with the new Tile screen approach used in Windows 8.  The operating system will detect if the system has a touch screen and if it does, it provides more access in the tile area than it does for non-touch systems.  So no matter which version of Windows you are currently using, you ARE going to see changes and need to adapt.  We will be covering some subjects in this area in future articles, but be ready to spend a little time acclimating to the new commands and tools.

Note:  If you have Windows 7 or 8.1 and want to stop the Windows 10 update there is a free program you can install to stop the “Get Windows 10” program that Microsoft installs to computers in order to upgrade to Windows 10.  You can get the file at the following site: http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

First Things First – Issues

Perhaps one of the first considerations we need to address is to consider how well the computer is performing.  If you are encountering error messages or poor performance you should address the issues first.  Trying to update a system when the current operating system is not working properly is an invitation for larger issues.  If this is the case, we recommend that before you upgrade to Windows 10, consider using PC TuneUp Maestro to send an error report and description of the problem to us here at CompuClever Tech Support.

To create an Error report, do the following:

  1. From the Main Menu page, click the About button.
  2. In the Product Support section of the About page, click the Get Product Support button and select Submit PC Error Report.
  3. Read the information in the window that is displayed and click: I Agree and Continue.

Note: After error information is collected, a PC Error Analysis dialog appears including the total errors discovered and the type of errors.  You can read the Error report. Click the Read Error Report button and a text dialog appears with all the details of the report.

  1. Provide the necessary information and send the report as described.  This includes filling out the required fields and then clicking the Send to Support button.

Pros and Cons of Windows 10

If you are now at the point that your system can support the new upgrade, and you have no performance issues to deal with, you may need some more oversight on the overall pros and cons of the new OS.  Here are some of the notable pros and cons we have picked out for you.

Pros

  • The install itself is much simpler than previous versions and uses less technical jargon.
  • One of our technicians noticed that running Windows 10 on their home system (which previously had Windows 7), brought about better performance with comparable functions.
  • Internet Explorer, which was often the cause of security concerns for Windows, has been replaced with Microsoft Edge.
  • Windows 10 re-introduces the Start Menu so it is more familiar for long term users of Windows than the previous Windows 8 OS.  If you are familiar with Windows 8 do not be afraid, the Start Menu also includes the Tiled system of Windows 8 and supports touch screens.

Cons

  • Security in Windows 10 is improved but not air tight, and some of the new functions for connectivity (like Wireless connections), are raising concerns in some corners.  It is still advisable to use a third party program to secure your computer.  We recommend that you get CompuClever Antivirus PLUS – the AV solution that is vigilant, silent, and hassle free.
  • The new version of Windows appears to be incorporating advertising and charges.  For example, to stop the ads in Solitaire you need to pay $10 to Microsoft.  Some are easily resolved by simply finding another free program to replace them, but some charges may be harder to avoid.  This could be the last Windows operating system of its kind as Windows is moving towards a full “service” platform so the licensing for the program may end up being an annual charge.
  • Older applications may not work with the newer version of Windows.  If there is a program you absolutely must have, it is best to check with the maker of the program to see if it works with Windows 10 before upgrading.  There are stipulations but you can revert to your previous operating system – see the Note in the Conclusion section.  Also, check to see if your devices (printers, input devices like graphics tablets, etc.), are supported by Windows 10.
  • Windows 10 does not come with a viewer to play DVD files.  If this is a concern we would suggest looking at Ultra File Opener as it will handle many of these formats.
  • The new web browser, Microsoft Edge, does not automatically import your Favorites from Internet Explorer.  You would need to do the following:
    1. Open Microsoft Edge.
    2. Click on the “Hub”.
    3. Click “Import Favorites”.

Conclusions:

So how does Windows 10 rate?  As we have stated, this largely depends on you – your needs and your current PC system.  If you do have an older system and are happy with it we would advise the old adage: “if it ain’t broke…” stay with what you have until you decide you need to replace the hardware.  If your system has the available hardware to support the new upgrade, and you do not have any PC issues, and the pros outweigh the cons, you may want to give it a try yourself.  Keep in mind that you can restore to your previous operating system under certain conditions.

Restore to Previous OS:   You can restore to your previous operating system but you need to be aware beforehand that there may be challenges in doing so.  Microsoft lists the following methods:

-If it’s been less than a month since you’ve upgraded to Windows 10, you’ll be able to go back to your previous version of Windows from Settings > Update & security > Recovery.
-If your PC manufacturer provided the option, you might be able to restore your device to factory settings.
-If options to go back and restore factory settings aren’t available, you can use installation media and a product key to install a previous version of Windows.

If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover or have other feedback to offer, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

[1] http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows-10/upgrade-to-windows-10-faq

New Year Beginnings

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Over the past year we presented topics and subject matter related to PC enhancement.  Here, we highlight the best of these with respect to enabling you to take action against unwanted behavior or to improve your PC skills.  It is our hope that you can take a look at this year in review and select any article that will assist you to carry out your PC goals for the upcoming year.  It’s likely that you too have a wish list of items that need attention.

Here is an overview of the articles in three categories:

Privacy / Security:

TuneUp / Clean Up:

Support:

Here are the articles we have chosen from 2015.

A Personal Encounter with Ashley Madison (Oct 03)

About:  We examined both the overall effect of the greatest modern day hack as well as how it came to our attention via someone seeking our support and professional guidance.  This event involved hackers stealing close to 40 million users’ records from Ashley Madison.  The online “hook up” site that is marketed to married people and committed couples, made claims shortly after the incident that its members remained anonymous.  However, in early August of this year it was clear that this was not the case as hackers released details of millions of email addresses, billing information, and account details tied to the site.

Recommendations:  We rolled out some “be aware” recommendations that include: be aware of the data on your PC, be aware of what data becomes stored on your PC, and be aware of what data is sent from your PC.  Read the entire article here.

Antivirus Solutions (Aug 01)

About: Drum roll please… We were more than a little excited to unveil our latest product – CompuClever Antivirus PLUS.  And, what better way to do it than to include feedback from our user base on what they want in an AV product.  The most critical aspects of AV products include the potential of slowing down a PC, becoming a nuisance with popup messages, and virtually “taking over” operations of your PC.

Action: Take a look at what CompuClever Antivirus PLUS offers: best protection from virus attacks with lowest impact on PC speed.  Safety provided by proactive technology; safe online banking functionality; safe social networking; safe search and web browsing!  Here’s the AV solution that is vigilant, silent and hassle free.  Read the entire article here.

Signs of a PC Attack (Dec 05)

About:  PC attacks and hacks can be targeted at systems that are well guarded and protected.  Two examples: well used online sites such as Ashley Madison and the CIA director John Brennan’s email account.  Two of the biggest hacks this year!  We examined these and then brought the message home: we provided 11 signs that your PC is compromised or is the process of being attacked.

Action:  Be familiar with what many users experience and DON’T let it happen to you.  And don’t forget to get real protection for your PC in the form of AV protection.  CompuClever Antivirus PLUS has proactive technology that can monitor suspicious activity and can take the necessary action – including blocking your browser from surfing to malicious websites.  Read the entire article here…

Restore Browser Speed (June 13)

About:  This article was about web browser add-ons – those items that mysteriously appear on your browser toolbar with redirection links.  We asked the question… are you feeling intimidated by overbearing bully software that either slows you down to a stop, or adds functionality you do not need, or redirects you to online destinations you don’t want to travel?

Action:  We covered how these items get added to your PC and how to avoid them in the first place.  We also instruct you how to return your browser to its previous condition using PC Clean Maestro.  Read the entire article here.

Don’t Get Bogged Down by Your Internet (May 16)

About:  Where to start here?  This was the second article that we covered on Internet traffic slowdowns.  In the first article we revealed items that exist that are out of your control.  In this article we examine software running in the background which can also bring about web browser overload.  We looked at “bog down” – computer and network resources that can affect PC responsiveness.  We looked at installation of unwanted items on your PC.  One ubiquitous example is software packages such as McAfee Security Scan being bundled with Adobe Reader where you have to de-select it (opt out) from installing.

Action:  There were three action items that we covered here:

  1. Use PC Clean Maestro to examine and uninstall unwanted items using the Uninstaller tool.
  2. Use the Startup Manager available with PC TuneUp Maestro to enable and disable items that open automatically each time you start your PC.
  3. Use safe practices that include examining email attachments and files that can negatively impact your PC.

Read the entire article here.

Groovy Windows Shortcuts (Oct 24)

About:  This article was well received by our readership.  We dealt with the special case of the WindowsWindows logo keyLogo key – that Windows flag key on your keyboard.  This and other shortcuts can save a lot of time and energy.  Who doesn’t want to know how to navigate easily from one window to another, how to easily get to your desktop when you have multiple windows open, and how to find certain Windows tools that are typically hard to find?

Action:  Create a shortcut link to this article.  You then have access to shortcuts and PC tricks including:

  1. How to shake the active window so that all other windows are minimized to the taskbar.
  2. How to easily toggle from one window to another using the Alt + Tab key combo.
  3. How to easily magnify your screen.

Read the entire article here.

The Art of PC Support… and You (Dec 12)

About:  Drum roll, one more time… We are pleased to introduce Tech Corner articles from our technical support team!  This was the first one and in it we examined PC error messages and what to do when you come across them.

Action:  We provide instruction on writing down the required information, contacting technical support, and resolving the issue with the assistance of a qualified technician.  We also provide instruction on how to take a screenshot.  Read the entire article here.

Here’s to 2016…

We thank you for taking interest in our articles this past year.  May you continue the rediscovery of using your PC without stress or frustration in 2016.  Welcome to the New Year!

We will continue to provide story lines like this that benefit all of us and we will describe them in a manner that is within reach of everyday computer users.  If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

 

The Art of PC Support… And You

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Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a book we hold in high regard at CompuClever.  We would even go as far as to say that every technical support person should read it.  Not only is it a work of philosophical non-fiction, Robert Pirsig wrote it over a four year period while he was working as a technical writer creating computer manuals.

Pirsig describes the book by what it is not: “it should in no way be associated with that great body of factual information relating to orthodox Zen Buddhist practice. It’s not very factual on motorcycles, either.”  It can be considered an investigation of quality; the metaphysics of quality.  The main character strives to find the answer to what is considered good or “quality”.

We start from this point as we are seeking how to best determine the quality of our PC.  One valuable way to identify PC health is to examine and take full advantage of error messages.  They are technically specific and often incomprehensible to the person using the computer, which makes them rather maddening to appear on your screen.  In many cases people will report a problem and make some mention of an error message, but in most cases, use vague terms.

What To Do

While the frustration being encountered is understandable (we too have encountered issues on our systems and had to contact support to get it resolved), there are things that you can do to help yourself get the issue resolved faster.  First we suggest that you keep a pen and paper at your computer so that if an error message appears you can follow the steps we have laid out here:

1)  Write it down. Error codes will not normally tell the user what the issue is but, they should tell the company making the program what the error is and will typically provide specific information.  We of course are presuming the message comes from their application.  If the message is not from their program it can be used to research the issue and to find a solution.

You can also gather a “screenshot” of the desktop and send it attached to your email asking for help.  See the section on Screenshots below for more information.

2)  Describe steps leading to the error. Take note of what was being done on the computer before the error appeared.  By doing so you can then see if performing the steps always results in an error or not.   If it does, this information will help the technician zero in on what the cause of the issue is faster.

3)  Contact tech support. If what you are trying to do is something that is very important you can tell the technician when you contact the technical support team.  If the error cannot be immediately resolved a good technician should be able to advise you as to how to get the task completed to lessen the pressure you are under.

4)  Don’t Delay. Report the issue right away rather than spend hours in frustration.  You need to let the support team know and, keep in mind, perhaps the issue is one they have resolved for others and they can get you going much faster than if you attempt it alone.  You can try to resolve the issue on your own but the sooner you ask for help the sooner you will find a solution.

Screenshots

Taking a screenshot will save you on writing things down.  For a new user this may feel like more than what you want to take on.  There are ways to make this easier on yourself.

For people with digital cameras or cell phones, taking a picture of the screen and sending the image is an easy way to include detailed error information.  Do not make the picture too small – pictures of computer displays are usually quite poor due to the camera shutter speed being faster than the refreshing of the screen.  Smaller images can be very hard to read and resizing them to make them larger results in a fuzzy image.

If you do not have a device that can take a picture there are other ways to gather this information.  Taking a screenshot using onboard Windows functionality varies depending on what operating system you are running.  We suggest doing a search online.  One good source is www.wikihow.com.  You can refer to this article: http://www.wikihow.com/Take-a-Screenshot-in-Microsoft-Windows.

There is also a free application called “Jing” which you can use to take a screenshot and save it to the internet.  Then you can simply send the link of the image as part of the help request.

Jing:    To get the program click here: https://www.techsmith.com/jing.html.
Next, click on “Free Download” and then click on “Windows Download”. 

The website will lead you through the download and install process.  Once the install completes the program opens and actually takes you through the process of gathering a screenshot, saving it to the internet, and then gathering the link to send to the person so they can have access to the image.

We have covered the basics of PC errors and how to take the required information that will solve your issue and get you up and running again.  Keep in mind that if an application is causing errors to occur you can contact the manufacturers and get solid support.  We feel this is the mark of QUALITY software and QUALITY service.

Feel free to visit our Support Center at: https://www.compuclever.com/support/

If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover or have other feedback to offer, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

A Personal Encounter with Ashley Madison

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What are the consequences to piracy that involves millions of users and personal information? We look at both the overall effect of the greatest hack in modern day as well as how it came to our attention through someone seeking our support and professional guidance. We offer here testimony and strategy.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few months, you must have heard about the Ashley Madison account hack. This was where hackers released the entire user database of names, email addresses, billing information, and account details of 38 million users tied to the site. Some described the historical hack episode as an extinction-level event for privacy.

Jeff Yang, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal, asked this simple but stern question in his CNN-syndicated commentary – Ashley Madison hack: privacy becomes extinct. Comparing the incident to the prehistoric planet-wide catastrophe that wiped out the Jurassic World, Yang declared that the data hack of the Toronto-based infidelity website was “an extinction-level event for privacy”.

Attack Aftermath

We were shocked when we first learned that hackers managed to steal close to 40 million users’ records from Ashley Madison, which made claims shortly after the incident that its members remained anonymous. However, in early August 2015 it was clear that this was not the case as hackers released details of millions of email addresses, billing information, and account details tied to the site[1].

As a group of seasoned IT professionals who have been actively involved with security R&D for a number of years, we can tell this hack event was different from all previous data leakages that impacted large corporations and national-level government agencies. This time, the privacy of many ordinary people – with repercussions to job, relationships, family life, marriage, and personal life – was exploited, ripped apart, and taken away.

What was the impact to this? Heartless spammers sent extortion emails to people demanding ransom in return of “wiping records clean”[2]. Adding salt to the wound, class action lawsuit experts and divorce lawyers are circling victims smelling hefty legal fees in the air. The rippling effect of the biggest privacy invasion in human history will be felt for a long time to come. Sadly, we CANNOT be fooled by those spamming extortionists; data leakage is just like waste water leakage – there is no way to retract or wipe absolutely clean what’s already there.

A Personal Encounter

Just a few weeks ago, the core group here at CompuClever was caught in a “personal” encounter with the Ashley Madison aftermath. A seemly normal support email came from a user requesting help with opening a very large (approximately 10 GB), compressed file. The technical support specialist who was dealing with the ticket noticed something abnormal – the origin of the file resides on “The Pirate Bay”, a controversial pirate website usually referred to as part of the “darker side of the web”. Due to the security concern, this case was quickly escalated to our co-founder and Chief Product Officer Yida Mao, who is also our in-house security expert.

Using an isolated environment, Yida led our security analysts to identify the contents of the large compressed file which actually contained the entire dataset of the Ashley Madison user account database. Due to security pre-cautions and with suspicion of possible computer virus contamination within the compressed file, we immediately notified the user to delete and quarantine the file without her having to opening it. We were told by this user that she had strong feelings that her partner had been active on the Ashley Madison site and wanted confirmation. We utilized alternative and safe methods to fulfill her queries and she was grateful.

When global-scale security breaches like that of Ashley Madison happen, we always have mixed feelings of horror and sympathy, along with a sense of responsibility. The magnitude of the hack, for both the number of people involved and the level of impact is HUGE. Can you imagine if the privacy and secrecy of the entire nation of Canada (approximately 36 million) was hacked, exposed, and ripped apart? Meanwhile, as IT professionals who are actively involved with R&D in the realm of PC security and optimization, we also feel deeply compelled to reach out to our families, friends, and to our users and readers in order to awake their sense of online security. Cyber security breach and privacy invasion is no longer something you only read about in cold war novels or watch in Jason Bourne movies, it is happening to people around us or may have already impacted you and your family.

Recommendations

So what can you do instead of just being paranoid? “Be vigilant and aware of your digital surroundings, just as you should be aware of your physical surroundings” says Yida Mao who has managed multiple R&D teams in the cyber security field and published research findings at several international software consortiums. He offers three core principles for protecting your cyber security and privacy:

  • Be aware of what’s already on your PC: Your PC has a lot of information to tell about you, including your personal data, financial records, photos, tax filings, family tree information, and more. Anything that physically reside on your PC can be stolen and exposed. Read more about how to safely remove sensitive information from your PC…
  • Be aware of what’s getting stored on your PC: Unless your PC is never connected to the Internet, you always face the risk of cyber-attacks or privacy intrusions. Your PC is not designed to battle any of these attacks alone and neither should you. Get comprehensive security software like CompuClever Antivirus PLUS to fend off cyber-attacks.
  • Be aware of what’s being sent from your PC: Frequently you, or your PC, will send out sensitive information or data without your full permission or intent. Do you have a data filtering mechanism to prevent information like your credit card numbers or social security numbers from being leaked out? If not, you should use something equivalent to the Data Protection function in CompuClever Antivirus PLUS to safeguard your personal data.

We urge you to take time and assess what protective measures you have put in place to safeguard your information and your privacy, regardless what software or tools you choose to use. Do not delay or procrastinate, cyberattacks do not wait for you – instead, they catch you off-guard.

In Summary

We are excited to be able to provide an AV product that can equip you with tools designed to safeguard you from cyber attacks. Together with our prior technologies such as PC Clean Maestro you can be more proactive in protecting your privacy and securing your personal information in order to safely enjoy your PC computing practices. We plan to continue covering this theme of protection and security in upcoming articles and welcome your feedback.

Please keep in mind… if you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover or have other feedback to offer, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

 

[1] CNN: Hackers released details of hacked Ashley Madison accounts.
[2] CNN: Spammers sent extortion emails to Ashley Madison users.

Windows 10 and Antivirus

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During the launch event of our newly released security product –  CompuClever Antivirus PLUS 2016 back in August, many keen users have contacted us about Windows 10 support. I am very excited to announce, as of today, CompuClever Antivirus PLUS 2016 officially supports Windows 10.

>> Learn more about CompuClever Antivirus PLUS

Now, with Windows 10, Microsoft imposes stringent requirements for antivirus software to ensure they are fully compliant to the enhanced security Application Programming Interface (API) specification for Windows 10, AND that the antivirus program also contributes positively to the user experience especially in terms of impact to PC performance. CompuClever Antivirus PLUS 2016 fully meets these new and heightened standards. The antivirus software has been officially approved by Microsoft as being compatible with Windows 10.

>> CompuClever Antivirus PLUS 2016 Now Supports Windows 10

If you are upgrading to Windows 10, please be aware that Microsoft said: “If your anti-malware subscription is not current (expired), Windows will uninstall your application and enable Windows Defender”. We have expressed our concerns about Windows Defender stating that it is not the best antivirus protection you can get, free or paid, even according to PC Magazine.  We recommend anyone upgrading to Windows 10 should check what antivirus protection is running after making the switch.

>> How to tell if your antivirus provides you enough protection

With CompuClever Antivirus PLUS, you can protect a PC with the best antivirus technology trusted by over 500 million users around the world. Still not convinced? No worries, take a FREE 7-day trial for a spin and we guarantee that you will see the difference between your current antivirus program and CompuClever Antivirus PLUS 2016, which offers total security protection with no compromise of PC speed.

Give you and your family the best PC security protection available!