Q: My computer is only a few years old, but it runs very slowly. Do I need to replace it?

A: It is possible that a newer PC would be helpful but you need to determine what your needs are. Often times you can clean up the PC and improve the performance. Another possibility is to upgrade the PC but that too would depend on your what your needs are. Problems that could effect your PC performance are low disk space, fragmented disk space, to many programs running or possibly a virus. You can run a scan disk and defrag on the PC and often times see an increase in performance. Open up My Computer and right-click on the hard drive (usually C:). You will be presented with a short menu, select Properties. In the window that opens up there is a Tools tab, click on the tab and run the Disk Cleanup and Defragmentation tools. If you don't regularly run a virus scan, be sure to update your pattern files and then do a full scan to eliminate that possibility.

Q: What is a virus and how do I get them?

A: Viruses are programs written by people that have a negative impact on computers. They attack computers in a variety of ways from displaying random images or messages to disabling computers. A computer can become infected by surfing the internet and downloading an infected page, receiving an e-mail from someone with an infected attachment or by loading a downloaded program that appears to be a useful tool, but contains a virus (sometimes referred to as a Trojan Horse). Once your system is infected, the virus spreads within your system and then looks to replicate itself to other computers through you. Because there are so many ways that your systems can be affected, you need to have an Antivirus program installed on your computer to protect it. If you feel that your computer is infected with a virus then it is a good idea to have a qualified professional examine it as quickly as possible.

Q: Is a Home Network really needed?

A: If you have more than one computer in your home, a home network can be very helpful. You can share a single printer, share files, and share access to the Internet. Many people have laptop computers and work from home some of the time. Families often have a computer for the parents and one for the kids (sometimes more). With a Home Network, you can share your Broadband Internet connection (Cable or DSL) with all the computers in your home. The connection works well with multiple computers and typically has little impact on the overall performance. For people with multiple computers, this is an excellent way to let people have e-mail accounts and browse the internet minimizing the problems that arise from having only a single access point.

Newer game systems (i.e. Nintendo Wii) have built-in wireless internet access.  If you have a wireless network in the home, you can access updates and play games over the internet.

You have a choice of wired & wireless networks, they each have advantages and disadvantages. Wired means that you physically have a wire that plugs into your computer (like a wired phone), that wire has to be run through the house to a central point. Wireless works the same way but instead of a wire, you use a radio frequency to connect to the central point (like a cordless phone). Both methods provide a solid access path to the internet for multiple computers, but you need to determine what best fits your environment. CBTS can provide some insights on Home Networks, contact us for a consultation.

Q: What is the best way to backup my system?

A: If you're like most people, you have all kinds of stuff stored on your computer but have not backed it up in case of a problem.   Your data can be many different things like digital pictures, financial information (i.e. Quickbooks or Quicken), documents or spreadsheets or many more things.  How much of this stuff is on your computer?  How much can you afford to lose if your PC crashes?

There are several ways to address this problem. If you have more than one hard disk, you can duplicate the data onto the second drive. Another solution would be to copy the data or an image to a recordable CD/DVD or a tape backup. Most PCs can burn CD/DVDs with existing equipment, and CD/DVDs are fairly inexpensive. High capacity tape drives are another inexpensive solution and tapes or discs can be stored in a safe or safety deposit box for additional security.

You can also look at our remote backup service and use that to back up your data to an offsite location automatically.  This is a great cost effective way to get your information safely stored offsite from fire/flood damage. 

If you are unsure of the best solution for your data, contact CBTS for a consultation. We can provide you with the best fit for your needs and install it quickly. Don't wait until your PC fails because then it's to late!