July 2009 Newsletter

Safe Computing

This topic is not going to go away. For home users, for home office users, for businesses, no matter who you are, your computer(s) must be secured against malware threats. In a recent newsletter we detailed how Microsoft demonstrated that within 30 seconds of internet activity using a non-secured computer, the bad guys had found the computer and converted it to their purposes! In previous newsletters we have explained that the anti-malware programs we recommend are AVG Free 8.5 and Windows Defender. These two programs, in combination with a Firewall and Windows Automatic Updates, will go a long way in keeping your computer safe from malware. If you have any questions regarding the security status of your computer please call Jim at 847-644-0415. If you need our help in securing your computer, we are offering a 10% discount for this one-time computer security service through August 31, 2009.

Special Summer Offer – Valid until September 30, 2009

Computer Backups are extremely important! In the last several weeks we have helped many customers recover data from hard drives and computers that have crashed and died or computers that have just needed to be cleaned out and the operating system reloaded. In all these cases, the customers had not been backing up their data and/or computers! Fortunately, we were able to help all of them resolve their data recovery issues. But all of these users could have saved some money by handling the backup process on a timely basis in their homes or offices. There are many different backup solutions you can choose from, depending upon the operating system your computer uses and the type of backup you wish to create. You can simply backup the data on your computer or you can create a “mirror image” backup of your computer, which allows you to restore your computer exactly as it existed at the time the “mirror image” was created.

We strongly encourage you to backup your data and/or your computer on a regular basis, thus avoiding expensive trips to the computer shop. We can help you develop a customized backup plan to fit your needs; and until August 31, 2009, we offer this consultation service for just $50. So call Jim now at 847-644-0415 to arrange your appointment for this important consultation on backing up your computer!

Windows 7 is Coming

As you may have recently heard or seen, Microsoft has released Windows 7 to the manufacturing world. This means that computers available for sale this holiday shopping season will almost surely be sporting the new Microsoft Windows 7 operating system. Yes, we have been using Windows 7 for several months now in our shop and homes. Yes, it does seem to be working quite well and have some new, fun features. BUT, we still encourage you not to purchase a Windows 7 computer or upgrade to Windows 7 until at least the summer of 2010. There is no reason to be on the “bleeding edge” of this technology. If you experience an emergency that requires a new computer, call Jim at 847-644-0415 for the latest advice.