CompuClever Blog

Keep’n It Cool

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Things are heating up – which means PC temperatures are rising. Just how important is it to make certain that your PC does not overheat? We’ll introduce a story from one of our expert support technicians and then get into potential issues that can result. We’ll conclude with ways of addressing overheating PC systems and laptops.

With our previous article (ReadyBoost) we received some email responses that were very positive. One email responder stated that he and a group of friends got some real benefit from the free technology we presented. One of the members of the group stated that their PC was “…working much more smoothly after implementing your USB know how.” The email went on to suggest we cover the topic of making sure that the “computers processor runs as cool as possible and what to do if it is running to hot.” That’s a great suggestion and we had already begun to write about this subject.

We’ll get started with a story from one of our Tech Support specialists.

Fan or Wireless Connection?

You can find all sorts of odd occurrences with your PC system and sometimes the oddest issue can arise with what appears to be no solution in sight. Continue reading...

My New PC Arrival

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What can compare to the feeling of getting a new PC? It’s like watching Tom Hanks in the movie “Big” when he spends a day in the toy department! While reasons for purchasing a new computer will differ from person to person, what remains constant is a level of excitement and anticipation that comes with getting it set up and putting it to use. With any level of excitement comes taking a few moments to take care of certain little necessities before rushing headlong into the fun. Ahhh adulthood!

Stages

We have come up with a list of items that we feel constitute the “necessities” of first running you brand new PC. In an attempt to make it easier for you we have broken these items into stages – that way it doesn’t seem overwhelming and tedious. We have also included an approximate time of completion. These may vary based on many factors but it is intended to give you an idea of what to expect. By having this information available you can determine how many items you can take on based on your schedule. If you want to bite the bullet and complete the tasks on the same day… go for it! Continue reading...

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. Continue reading...

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. Continue reading...

Are you well protected

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“Am I well protected by the antivirus product that I just chose?” This is the most common question that lingers in the mind of almost every security-cautious PC user when first installing an antivirus solution, whether it’s free or purchased. Almost every commercially available antivirus program today boasts that it will protect you from any and all malware.  However, the reality is no two security products are created equal and there are similarities and important differences among antivirus software when it comes to evaluating the level of sufficiency and effectiveness of protection. This article shows you what to look for and how to tell if your antivirus software provides you enough protection.

Known or Unknown

There two types of malware: Known and Unknown.

  • A Known virus is a piece of widespread and prevalent malware discovered in the past four weeks. Detection of known viruses is relatively trivial because for the past decade or so, the antivirus industry has evolved into a “coopetition” landscape (in other words, a coexistence of cooperation and competition), through which security researchers and solution providers proactively and voluntarily share discovery of new virus samples with absolutely secure measures.
  • An Unknown virus, better known as a zero-day attack, is a threat that exploits an unknown computer security vulnerability.
Continue reading...