Some Basic Computer Tips by the Guys at SofTech Computers

When you work with computers all the time you take basic knowledge for granted. We all make assumptions that if you know basic knowledge of the workings of your computer system, then you would know how to operate your computer more or less effectively enough to complete basic tasks. These tasks could be creating word documents, printing, emailing, saving, transferring documents, and then some. There are tons of tips, tricks, and ways to do different tasks that we all just make assumptions that people know how to do them. This week SofTech Computers goes back to the basics with computer tips and tricks in Prescott Arizona.

Email tips:

When you get an email from ebay, paypal, your bank, or any other service and it says urgent attention needed or some critical message, close your email and open that service directly by going to their webpage and using your login and see. Do not open those messages and log in through the email. This will limit scams and other issues. Always go to the source.

No dude from Nigeria or anywhere else is going to give you money through your email. You will not be able to help that prince or whoever liberate those funds. Avoid those emails!

Emails that are sent to you and are shocking and say you need to check something out and it’s a link… chances are you don’t want to click that link.

Emails that tell you that you need to forward them and share them to your friends… you probably don’t want to do that because unless you can verify the source and the information chances are its just spam, junk or even helping spread some nasties, such as viruses, over the internet.

Computer Tips:

The windows key on the keyboard can be used to open the start menu

Enlarge text on the internet

You can do this a few ways.

Hold ctrl+mouse wheel up or down to zoom in and out.

Ctrl and – or + to increase the font size

Copy and paste

Ctrl+c and Ctrl+v

Mac users : Command+c and command+v

Save

Ctrl+s or Command+s

Print

Ctrl+p or Command+p

There are hundreds of thousands of keyboard shortcuts, that’s only a few. 

Windows Keyboard shortcuts
Mac Keyboard shortcuts

Web searching

This is best used with google searches, but you can search for terms such as Apple Pie, by searching with quotations and it will limit the search to just be about “Apple Pie”. This can also be expanded by using the + sign to include further information on the search. Such as “Apple Pie” +Crustless.  This will search for only things about Apple Pies and the word Crustless. This will drastically reduce the chance of results that do not pertain to your search.

You do not need to type http://www. To get to websites. Typing Google.com will get you there all the same.

Google searches do math

Search : 2+1*4/2 Google results will show a calculator and the answer. * is for multiplication and / is for division.

These are just a few basic tips that most people didn’t know about. If you need more tips, tricks or working knowledge about your computer feel free to follow one of the links below or contact SofTech Computers in Prescott Arizona. visit our website http://www.softechcomputers.com and send us a message through our contact page or give us a call 928-443-8770. We offer new computer training and help you learn new ways to get the tasks you need to do, done.

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Computers in Prescott, How Long Will They Last? - Softech Computers

Softech computers in Prescott Arizona has a payment plan that could cover the lifespan of your computer. We all want to get what we pay for and seldom do. We think about this at the time of purchase of a new computer. Let us be honest, we buy a computer and we just expect it to work and last. Did you know that laptops average lifespan is not quite as long as you expect? Most people think a laptop would last about 5 years. It’s actually 2-3 years with most lasting just over 2 years. A desktop computers average lifespan is 3-5 years. But why do they not last?

Laptops – These are created to be powerful machines that help simplify your world. They are much smaller than a desktop computer and way more portable. Could you even imagine shouldering your desktop computer from place to place? I couldn’t even imagine trying to make it work… all of those cables, your keyboard, the mouse, the power cable. It just all adds up. Now a laptop, its everything all combined. You bring it with you to work, pull it in and out of the bag that you then carry up and down stairs and all across town, these units take a beating. Laptops are created for portability not longevity. Unfortunately, there are a lot of factors at play and it is really hard to point them out but let’s give it a try at just talking about a few.

Desktops – Created to be powerful tools that stay stationary in your home or office and are not meant to be portable. These are almost always more powerful than their portable counterparts due to not needing to worry much about size or space requirements.

Factors that lead to the death of your computer:

The Hard Drive – Now unless you have a Solid-State Drive in your computer the Hard Drive can die from a single impact to just the right place. Remember our previous post about hard drives having moving parts? Well in a laptop these parts are way more susceptible to damage, a single hit to the hard drive location can make the whole thing grind to a halt.

Power - Yes power, the more you use the hotter it gets. Faster computers generate a lot more heat. This wears out the silicon chips. Having the correct ventilation can help decrease this risk factor but it cannot help with removing it.

Electrical – Incorrectly shutting down your computer, removing the power source abruptly, power surges, power sags, basically anything that increases or decreases power to the computer. Risk can be lowered by using a UPS (uninterruptible power source) with a surge protector.

Dust – it traps in heat, clogs fans, reduces airflow and slowly or in some cases abruptly destroys your computer. Clean out your fans regularly!

Abuse- it’s a given, if you are rough with your computer they break sooner than later. Hitting the computer to get it to move faster is not an option you should take, but hey we have seen it all.

Mechanical failures – these are more of a – yup its dead – type factor. A fan, the processor, the motherboard, the hard drive, the video card. They all have a lifespan and unfortunately, we do not have a chart of possible lifetimes because honestly not even the manufacturer would know. Most warranty against defects for one year. After that? Well it’s on you to repair or replace it.

These are just a few factors that can lead to the death of your computer. Others can be electrical damage, water/liquid damage, the list goes on. You can decrease the risks to help prolong the life of your computer unit. If you need further advice on how to better protect your computer from possible risks, and get the best value from your computer you can visit SofTech Computers in Prescott Arizona, visit our website

(http://www.softechcomputers.com) or even give us a call (928-443-8770).

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The importance of Windows Computer Maintenance in Prescott brought to you by SofTech Computers

What do we mean by Windows computer maintenance? How can you help yourself by preventing issues with your computer without having to spend any money? SofTech Computers in Prescott brings information about computer maintenance and what you can do on your own. We will give a list of simple on-board tools and how to use them.

Microsoft Windows users - All of Microsoft operating system software comes with system tools to help optimize your computing experience. Each version has increased in its proficiency These are the tools windows comes with.

Drive Optimizer – also known as a defrag or tool to defragment your hard drive. This tool is quite powerful in the sense that over time your files are stored in various ‘logical’ locations as well as ‘physical’ locations that the computer must read. Unfortunately, programs and their sizes change with each and every update, this means that the computer programs are saved in different places on the hard drive. By running defrag the computer will group those programs and files back together. This greatly increases read speeds and this increases the performance.

Task Manager – Task manager allows the user to see list of various programs that are running, the processes, the services, the startup programs, and the performance of the computer for the current user as well as all other logged in users on the computer. This is a place where you do not want to turn anything off without knowing that in doing so you could potentially cause harm to your computer. This Tool is best used as a visual reference to see how the computer is being used and knowing if there are problems. An example would be to see the usage of your memory, cpu, disk, and network. Exceptionally higher values may indicate that your computer could be in need of some repairs. You also may possibly be using more of your computer than it was designed for and it needs some upgrades.

File History – New to windows 10, a backup option that keeps snap shots of your files so that you can repair or replace files quickly and easily. This can be a powerful tool as long as you can still access the drive to which the files are saved too. Unfortunately, this option has its flaws but yet still a great first step to data redundancy.

File Cleanup – Disk Cleanup – This tool helps reduce unnecessary files and remove unused temporary files that are not needed by the computer. This tool can also remove other files that may or may not be needed, such as windows update files or upgrade files. Never remove those unless you know you have no current issues with windows and that all things would not be needed in the future. These files are un-checked by default. It’s always better to be safe than sorry and leave these types of files alone.

Free Cloud Storage – One Drive by Microsoft for Live accounts is another really good step to help start protecting your information. This is really good for not so sensitive documents to allow you to upload these files directly to Microsoft servers and access them on any of your devices that you are logged into. We love this option, except it’s only a viable one if you can actually log in to the cloud to gain access to the documents.

All of these tools that are already built into your computer are ways of improving your system performance and protecting your data. Combine these with monthly backups, updates, and quarterly PC checks for best results and help increase the longevity of your unit.

Need some further care options for your computer? That’s where we come in. You can pay per service, or purchase our SofTech One plan to cover up to three of your computer units. Call 928 443-8770 or visit us at http://www.softechcomputers.com/ to learn about the services SofTech Computers offers.

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How to Avoid Online Computer Scams - Brought to You by SofTech Computers

The internet has given us more information and unique ways to conduct business than we could possibly dreamed of in years past. The wonderful world of the internet comes with a word of caution: Watch out for online scams. These are schemes to con you out of your money using your computer and the internet, either through fake websites or emails. You could be scammed through your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

SofTech Computers in Prescott has some tips to protect yourself. You can cut down the chance of scammers stealing your identity and cash:

•    Create passwords which are long, with random numbers. Do not use numbers associated with your birthday or social security number. Use upper and lower case numbers in addition. The longer the password the harder it is to guess. Ten digits are better than eight. Change your passwords often, and don't share them with anyone.
•    Install antivirus software and keep it up to date. This will check for malicious computer programs and monitor files before they are opened. Purchase the latest software for the best protection against viruses. If you purchase software online make sure it is from a trusted supplier.
•    Understand which software you are installing on your computer or phone and make sure you are using a secure site when you buy software, a tablet or a smart phone.  A secure site will have a web address beginning with https not http
•    Make sure that your firewall is turned on. A firewall is a security shield that stops scammers getting into your computer. Operating systems such as Windows come with built in firewall settings. They can monitor and warn you of unexpected access to your computer
Install updates to your operating system on a regular basis. Windows is an example of an operating system
•    Install the latest version of your web browser, for example Internet Explorer, which will have the latest security features.
•    Don’t open emails, email attachments, texts, or pop up messages from someone you don't know. These emails will have awkward or broken English.
•    No genuine online company will contact you to ask for your log-in details, such as your password or user ID. Only provide this information when you are logging onto a service that you are familiar with and trust, such as online banking.
•    Before entering payment card details on a website, make sure the link is secure.

 Make sure you have a secure link. Here’s how:

•    Make sure there's a padlock symbol in the browser window frame. This appears when you attempt to log in or register. Be sure the padlock is not on the page itself – if it is this could indicate it's a fraudulent site
•    Make sure that the web address begins with ‘https://’. The ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’
If you have opened a scam email:
•    Don’t reply to the email
•    Don’t click on any links in the email or open any attachments
•    If you have already clicked on a link and opened a website, don’t provide personal information.

If you believe that your computer has a virus, see our experts at SoftTech Computers in Prescott. We specialize in computer repair, computer maintenance, and virus and malware removal. If you are not sure which updated operating system, or browser to install, SofTech Computers can help with that too. We specialize in computer repair in Prescott. Visit us online at  http://www.softechcomputers.com/ or call 928-443-8770

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