Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! We have three options for service: In-Shop (you bring the computer to us), on-site (we come to you), and remote (we come to you via the internet). Often times if you have an internet connection, a remote session will be able to fix an issue you might be having.

Antivirus software helps protect your computer against specific viruses and related malicious software, such as worms and Trojan horses. Antivirus software must be kept up to date. These updates are generally available through a subscription from your antivirus vendor.
It is important to have both antivirus software and a firewall turned on before you connect to the Internet.

A firewall (or Internet firewall) helps make your computer invisible to online attackers and some malicious software such as viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. A firewall can also help prevent software on your computer from accessing the Internet to accept updates and modification without your permission. Firewalls come in both software and hardware form, but hardware firewalls are intended for use in addition to a software firewall.

It is important to have both a firewall and antivirus software turned on before you connect to the Internet.

Antispyware software helps detect and remove spyware from your computer. “Spyware” (also known as “adware”) generally refers to software that is designed to monitor your activities on your computer. Spyware can produce unwanted pop-up advertising, collect personal information about you, or change the configuration of your computer to the spyware designer’s specifications. At its worst, spyware can enable criminals to disable your computer and steal your identity.

Antispyware software is an important tool to help you keep your computer running properly and free from intrusion. This kind of software also must be kept up to date. Updates are generally available through a subscription from your antispyware vendor.

Note: Some “spyware” actually helps desirable software to run as it’s intended, or enables some good software to be offered on a free-with-advertisements basis (such as many online e-mail programs). Most antispyware software allows you to customize your settings so you can enable or disable programs.

Yes. A firewall helps stop hackers and viruses before they reach your computer, while antivirus software helps get rid of known viruses if they manage to bypass the firewall or if they’ve already infected your computer. A common way for viruses to get past a firewall is when you ignore its warning messages when you download software from the Internet or e-mail.

Computer viruses are one type of malware that can infect your computer. Other types of malware include spyware, ransomware, adware, Trojans, worms, and more. These malicious programs can cause a variety of symptoms from slow response times, increased CPU usage, to the appearance of strange files and programs.

Maybe. When you buy a new computer, check your packing list to see if the manufacturer has included firewall, antivirus, or antispyware software in addition to the operating system (such as Microsoft Windows). E-mail software, such as Microsoft Outlook, or Web-based e-mail services such as Yahoo Mail, can come equipped with their own e-mail filters. Check your e-mail software provider to find out which filters are included with your program.

If your computer is missing security tools, they are available from a variety of vendors.

Spam filters (sometimes broadly referred to as “e-mail filters”) evaluate incoming e-mail messages to determine if they contain elements that are commonly associated with unwanted or dangerous bulk mailing. If the filter determines that an e-mail message is suspicious, the message usually goes to a designated folder, and links and other code in it are disabled. Then you can evaluate the message more safely at your convenience.

A phishing filter is usually a component of an e-mail filter or Internet toolbar. It evaluates incoming messages for signs that they are connected with phishing scams. Phishing scams use e-mail and Web sites that appear identical to those that belong to legitimate sources (such as financial or government institutions) but are actually clever hoaxes. If you click links in the e-mail or enter your user name, password, and other data into these Web sites, it gives scammers information they can use to defraud you or to steal your identity. Phishing filters can help detect links associated with known scam sites, and other suspicious indicators.

Parental controls can help you protect your children from inappropriate content, both on the Internet and in computer video games. You can choose separate levels of security for each child in your house, depending on his or her age and maturity level. Some video game systems include similar parental controls that can help you restrict your children’s ability to play inappropriate games and watch inappropriate DVD movies.

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It is a phone service that allows you to make voice calls via a broadband internet connection rather than traditional phone lines. For more information about our VoIP services click here.

While some things can be fixed fairly quickly, much of the work we do involves various processes which can be time-consuming, such as hardware/software diagnostics, system scans, teardowns, rebuilds, bench testing, etc. This is why we ask that customers drop-off their devices. Once we determine the exact nature of the problem and the solution, we contact the customer with an estimate of the time and cost involved.

 

That’s not a problem. We can safely dispose of your old computer for free without endangering your data (Data is wiped on all computers prior to disposal) and with minimal environmental impact. However, we are not able to accept printers, CRT monitors, flat screen monitors, fax machines, or copiers.

Certainly! Buying a new computer can be overwhelming at times, but we can help you find that perfect computer or laptop. If you wish we can build you a custom computer such as our Business Basic PC or Mini PC and tailor it to your needs. Due to their nature of rapid change, we do not build custom laptops but would be happy to help you determine which laptop would be best for you and set it up for you once it is purchased.

Never fear, we’re here! We run monthly Computer 101 classes at the Newport Elk’s Lodge (contact us for exact dates and times), and can schedule one-on-one lessons or conferences with your company.

If you want to know more about computers, their history, and how they work, the lovely folks over at Crash Course offer a Computer Science course on YouTube. Click HERE to go watch their first video.

We have the tools and know how to fix almost any kind of physical issue your computer has. From broken screens to missing keys we have seen it all.

Don’t Panic! When you experience hardware or software failure, or an old computer finally bites the dust, and you don’t have a recent backup to depend on, we’ll diagnose your system and recover your data using our in-house tools. We have the ability to, in most cases, recover your data before it’s permanently lost. If your data is damaged beyond our ability to recover it, then we can enlist one of several clean room partners who can usually perform the impossible. Please note, these labs charge their own rates for their work.

Cookies are messages that web servers pass to your web browser when you visit Internet sites. Accepting a cookie does not give a server access to your computer or any of your personal information (except for any information that you may have purposely given, as with online shopping). Cookies are most commonly used to track website activity. When you visit some sites, the server gives you a cookie that acts as your identification card. Upon each return visit to that site, your browser passes that cookie back to the server. In this way, a web server can gather information about which web pages are used the most, and which pages are gathering the most repeat hits.

Cloud Storage – or simply the Cloud – refers to online space that you use to store your data, music, photos, documents, etc. for easy access from any of your devices. It is a way for consumers and businesses to save data securely online so it can be easily shared and accessed anytime from any location.

We stand by our work and guarantee our services.