With Winter incoming, SofTech Computers in Prescott explains why your machine could be slowing down

As the weather is getting colder, you might begin to be outside less and less. With all of this newfound indoor time, you might realize you’re using your computer a significantly more. Having a slow computer this Fall/Winter could really cut down on productivity, performance, and increase aggravation. SofTech Computers, Prescott's hometown computer repair shop, is here inform you of the plethora of benefits you can experience from getting a computer tune up this Fall.

What can cause computer problems?

Your computer could be filled with junk and adware - If you’ve ever opened your web browser and seen a search engine that isn't Google or Bing, you’ve probably been the victim of adware. Often companies will try to get you to install junk programs that can ruin your computing experience and lead to some serious frustration.

Your computer could contain excess programs - If you’re like us, you probably have lots of programs that you rarely use on your computer. Well, you can’t get rid of them, can you? What if you need them again? Fear not, because we at SofTech can disable your programs for starting automatically, dramatically increasing speed and startup time, while keeping your programs on your computer for later use.

Your computer could be running out of space - Computers will store hundreds of thousands of files for quick access, but many of these files have only been used once or twice. And, to top it all off, the speed of modern computers makes it nearly pointless, as there isn’t usually a noticeable speed increase. A quick computer tune-up can free up much needed space, and even increase system performance.

Your computer could be overheating - Getting a tune-up doesn’t always mean cleaning up software, does it? Your computer can become filled with dust, and, if left long enough, can potentially cause overheating issues. Computers will slow themselves down to generate less heat and prevent damage. So if you have a dusty home (we won’t tell), you might want to consider bringing in your computer and getting it cleaned out.

Your computer could need updates - Updates can often fix annoying bugs and speed things up. But not always do they go smoothly: if an update gets stuck, your computer can be perpetually slowed down until the update goes though. By bringing in your computer for a tune-up, we can make sure that you are both current and have no stuck updates, making you more secure and speeding up your system.

Computer maintenance is the key!

As you can see, it’s definitely a good idea to bring in your computer and getting it tuned up. And, with the SofTech OnePlan, all of this cleaning, plus virus removals and all service charges on 3 computers are included for the whole year, all at one low price. That’s right, bring it to us each time you have an issue and we will fix it. What a deal! Call SofTech Computers today to find out how we can help you be more productive and have more fun on your computer. Questions? You can reach us at 928-443-8770 or visit our website at http://www.softechcomputers.com.

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Should You Repair, or Replace Your Computer? - Softech Computers in Prescott

To repair or do you replace? SofTech Computers in Prescott Arizona gives some helpful insight to the process in the hopes of helping consumers come to a conclusion.

Over a period of time, for most it’s several years, your computer has collected an arrangement of music, documents, photos and movies. These items are precious, and finding a way to safeguard your files is as important to us as it is to you. You cannot put a price on memories and your files are just that, memories stored in a little tiny box.

In the spirit of analogies let us compare your computer to a tree. As a tree grows the roots spread deeper into the ground and branch out into many different places. Sometimes you can up root a tree with little effort and others it becomes complicated due to the nature of those roots. The same is to be said about computers. Depending on the system you are thinking of replacing or possibly repairing, there are some factors you need to look into:

Some factors to consider when you want to repair or replace your computer:

The programs – Not all computer programs will work on just any machine, even if you were to modify those programs to run in a compatibility they may just not work on the newer operating systems. For specialty programs that you have already invested time and money into this may not be something you wish to give up. Yes, programs have evolved and in many instances, there are really good upgrades that are worth the change to upgrade rather than repair but this option is not always available due to possible cost factors. Remember you can’t transfer programs from one computer to another, you have to install those programs in those new systems, if you no longer have the media to do so, and cannot go without said software, this makes the option to repair a better choice.

External (peripheral) devices – From the home user to the small business owner, external devices should always be considered prior to investing into a newer machine. Reason? Cost! Mice, keyboards, audio devices, and printers; Laser, ink-jet, receipt or even impact printers, are all specialty devices that do not always allow you to just connect to a newer device. The cables, ports, and drivers to those devices are not always compatible and this leads to increased costs when considering the repair or replace options.

In an example of this could be impact printers (for some these are still used even today) for specialty forms that you currently have and use. Most programs that rely on impact printers for those forms cannot simply be attached to a new computer and work. This would require a newer printer, form, and possibly even newer business software to use those printers. Those costs need to be weighed into the possible reasons to either repair or replace your computing unit.

Possible improvements – Technology is an ever-changing creature. Vast improvements in sometimes as little as a few months, weeks, days or even hours. Computers created in the days of windows 98, xp, vista, 7, and 8 have increased one after the other in storage space, speed, power and abilities. Sometimes those changes are amazingly wonderful, other times they are extremely painful. In an example the vista operating system, for many users this “upgrade” was a reminder that not everything new is good and wonderful. Now that does not mean avoid upgrading to a newer computer system or even just the operating system, but understanding that the latest is not always the greatest is some of the best advice we can give.

There are many different kinds of computers and everyone is going to have different situations, so being able to give advice that suits everyone is not always possible. We do hope that this gives you a bit to think about and if you have any questions feel free to stop in our shop, visit our website at http://www.softechcomputers.com or give us a call at 928-443-8770 and schedule some time to chat with one of our techs and come up with a solution that works best for you.

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Why computer maintenance is important and informative by Softech Computers in Prescott.

Computer maintenance should be included in your daily, weekly and monthly routine and Softech Computers in Prescott Explains why. From the basic to the most expensive computers on the market without proper computer maintenance you may not be getting what you paid out of the computer.

Speed of the computer and your network.

Computer hard-drives are complicated and unfortunately, they are not the best design. Over the course of saving, copying, deleting and moving files in side of your computer you are in a simple way to describe it, throwing all of your photos, documents and programs into a theoretical box and shaking them up. The files are not all in the same place on the hard drive, the computer keeps a location for each file and references it. Over the course of time this gets a bit messy and the computer slows down, taking longer to retrieve information as well as respond to requests by other computers for that information. The slowness we have all experienced, it can be maintained and prevented with basic monthly maintenance.

Early Detection of problems

Checking for failing drives, memory or other possible issues before they actually fail and then cause more damage PLUS cost more to repair.

Running various on board system and external tools to check for hardware and software problems early on can save you time and money. More than 75% of the time we see problems come in that could have been prevented and addressed prior to catastrophic failure. In an example, over 50% of the population has hard drives that have moving parts in them, meaning they are not like the flash style memory of the solid-state drive. These moving parts slowly wear down, addressing the replacement and cloning of the drive prior to the failure of the drive could save $1,000-$2,500. When these drives fail and become damaged they need to be sent off for data retrieval and this means sending them out to a specialist. It is a very costly and lengthy process, and in many cases, you will still lose a large chunk of what was saved. Early detection is a must for all types of users. Protect the things that matter the most.

Keeping Antivirus Programs and definitions up to date

Many users assume that having a virus program installed in your system is all that you need and that it will work on its own without any input from them. For a lot of the time this can actually be true, but, from time to time there are actions that must be performed by the user that helps clear the system of infected files, running system checks for possible security breaches, updating virus definitions, and insuring that the Anti-Virus program has not become compromised by checking system files. Having a go to Tech for these these things can be extremely helpful for any user because after all its what they live for.

Preventative measures against Viruses, Trojans and other nasties

The terms viruses, spyware, trojans, and worms are all subcategories of malware which by definition is the words ‘malicious’ and ‘software’ combined. They are designed with many different purposes and we can assure you none of them are things that you want. Even if something was seemingly harmless, their intent is to disrupt your day to day and in many cases, destroy years of your work and or memories.

Your photos, documents and system files are important to you, trusting those things to chance is a game of roulette where the user eventually loses it all, it’s just a matter of time. Researching current trends, daily news articles and understanding various behaviors of viruses are an important aspect to anyone’s day to day. When it cannot always be addressed things get forgotten. Ask yourself how much your photos; the memories, and your documents; the hard work, are worth to you. Having a maintenance service for keeping up on this for you is more than worth it.

Keeping Operating system and programs up to date

Computers change constantly as new technology is applied and even more so as new programs are developed. This leaves your computer open and vulnerable. No matter how good a program is written there is always the eventual problem of that program having an error or bug on various computer systems. The programmers of those programs most times will attempt to correct these issues and come up with a fix for them, unfortunately the fix is not always easy to understand and implement, and sometimes it’s not so much the fix you were looking for and it ends up causing more harm than good. Knowing how to respond to updates and implement them as well as correct the problems that come with them is a task, leave that up to your maintenance team.

At Softech Computers in Prescott hope that this helps you understand why having a maintenance plan implemented is very important and that you are better able to see the benefits to keeping things updated, cleanup, and protected. We have a special maintenance program you should consider, the SofTech One Plan will keep you protected! Contact us at 928-443-8770 or visit our website to lean more http://www.softechcomputers.com/oneplan.

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Some things every computer user should know in Prescott - Softech Computers

Whether you are a pro or are just getting your first computer, there are certain things every one of us has to do when using a computer.  Our goal is to teach you ways to be more efficient while keeping your computer safe from harm.  Softech Computer Repair in Prescott shares some tips on how to do just that:

1.    Keep your personal information safe and secure. 

2.    Have regular maintenance performed to keep your computer running smooth.

3.    Don’t download unnecessary programs or add-ons.

4.    Make sure your network is setup correctly.

5.    Protect your computer from viruses.

6.    Learn how to use keyboard shortcuts to save time.

7.    Regularly backup your hard drive.

8.    Don’t keep your laptop plugged in.

9.    Use Bluetooth technology to free up some USB ports.

10.    Keep the computer well ventilated so it doesn’t over heat.

We hope you found these tips helpful.  SofTech Computer Repair in Prescott is here to help!  Do you have persistent computer issues? Contact us today about our computer maintenance plan. Call us today, 928-443-8770 or learn more at http://www.softechcomputers.com/?p=15633795825629a4e400e05 .

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Fake Important Security Alerts - SofTech Computer Repair in Prescott discusses how to deal with this popup message when using the internet

Have you ever been browsing the internet and get a message that says "your computer is infected" or "important security alert" message? These messages are actually fake notifications attempting to gain access to your computer or obtain your credit card information.

These alerts are shown in such a way as to trick the computer's user into thinking their computer has crashed or that a virus has been detected on the computer. It does this to try and scare the infected user into calling one of the listed numbers in order to receive support. In reality they will only be greeted with people who are trying to sell them unneeded support contracts and services.

What should you do if you see this warning?

First off, do not call any phone numbers on the screen, and do not enter any contact information into the popup.

Usually this popup comes as the result of browsing the internet and are simple javascript popup messages. Simply closing the browser window or pressing the "ESC" key on your keyboard will cause the message to disappear, however many times the popup usually returns shortly after if you remain on the web page.

How do you get the popup to go away?

We have seen this popup many times. The easiest way to escape this popup message trap is to hover your mouse pointer over the browser's close button, hit the "ESC" key on your keyboard, then quickly click the mouse button to close the browser.

This may take some practice, however this is the simplest and fast way to avert the announcing popup loop.

What if this does not work?

If the above mentioned steps above do not work, your computer could be infected by other malware. It is important to have your computer checked for malicious malware as soon as possible.

SofTech Computer Repair in Prescott is available to help you though this issue! Do you have persistent computer issues? Contact us today about our computer maintenance plan. Call us today, 928-443-8770 or learn more at http://www.softechcomputers.com/?p=15633795825629a4e400e05

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