Troubleshooting Computer Problems - 8 Questions to Ask Yourself

Computer problems can be frustrating, especially when you don't know the reason. Sometimes there is a simple solution, other times fixing your computer requires more effort. In this article, we will take a look at how to troubleshoot common computer problems.

Question #1: Is it Just You or Your Entire Network?

One of the most common reasons for sudden problems such as the inability to access the web or print documents is related to your network. If all of the computers on your home or office network are experiencing the same problems, then you know that the trouble lies in the network not your PC.

Question #2: Are all Cords Firmly Connected?

"My computer won't start", have you checked to make sure it's all plugged in? Cords can come loose and cause your computer to fail to power up. Sometimes, this is also the case when a specific device (such as a mouse or keyboard) fail to function.

If everything is plugged in and your device still won't work, try another jack if possible. I have personally had several computers where the USB ports die for no apparent reason, causing my devices to not work. Plugging them in to another port clears it right up.

Question #3: Have You Installed Anything New Lately?

New software can introduce a variety of problems. If you started having problems after installing something new, try uninstalling or reinstalling the program. If the failed installation has caused errors in your windows registry (as often happens), you will need to run a registry cleaner to restore your registry to proper condition.

Question #4: Is It Hanging on Startup?

If you can't get past the Windows startup, you can attempt to hit the "F8" key on your keyboard and select the option to start up in safe mode. While in safe mode, you can uninstall problematic software or just attempt a reboot from there to see if the problem clears up. While in safe mode, it would be a good idea to back up all of your critical data as failure to boot can be a sign of serious problems with the hard disk.

Question #5: Is It Making Strange Noises?

Years ago, I booted up my office computer one morning only to be greeted by a screeching sound coming from my hard disk. Not knowing what else to do, I quickly shut it down. Still, I was not fast enough to save the data from permanent loss. What had happened was the needle in my hard disk had come loose and the sound I heard was it scraping my hard disk and wiping all of my data away with it.

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Online Technical Support Service - Overview and Synopsis

Here is no dearth of online technical support companies in the cyber world. As you may already know, online technical support is one of the most sought after services in the world of computers. There are many people all around the world who do their day to day work with the help of computers but if their computer gets broken; they are almost always at sea as to how to fix it.

Online Tech Support - What It Really Is?

Tech support companies are those companies which offer help for all kind of software problem that you may encounter. The best part about availing online service is that it very cheap as compared to on-site technical support service. Moreover, the best thing about that services is that it is available all times of the day and night, It does not matter if you get a computer trouble in the early hours of a Sunday morning or in the middle of the night, there would always be an expert ready to help you by.

All you need to do to avail the service of a computer expert is to call them on their toll free number and an expert would be there to help you instantly.

How to Get Online Support?

It is quite easy to get online support these days. You can visit the website of the various online technical support companies and then proceed to call them on their toll free number. A customer representative would be there to assist you on your problem. The representative would first hear out your problem, diagnose it and then provide you with the best possible computer service package that would service your needs.

After the service package has been identified, you can then proceed to make the payment through secure online money transfer solutions like PayPal or other Bank Payment Gateways. As soon as your payment is confirmed, you would be transferred to the technical department which will start working on your problem instantly.

Which Technical Support Companies to Choose?

The market is almost flooded with numerous technical support companies which promise to resolve your problem in the quickest and the cheapest way possible. However, the cases of scams in such companies have also been well documented by various scammed people all over the cyber world.

However, there exist various companies which are quite renowned in the field of online technical support. Companies like PCCare247, Techieworks, IYogi and VTechSquad have made quite a name providing quality support to millions of their customers. These companies have garnered excellent reviews all over the world and are quite efficient in providing quality and timely support to their esteemed customers.

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Compaq Presario Tech Support FAQ

After joining the Hewlett-Packard franchise in 2002, Compaq has continued to enjoy healthy sales despite what the "Washington Post" has called a merger unmatched in "size and complexity." However, consumers who stayed loyal to Compaq cannot help but wonder what to expect from the company's tech support department. Compaq Presario users have many important questions that need answering to utilize the new joint HP-Compaq tech support system.

Product Registration

While product registration is not required for technical support, it is recommended. By registering, you can get "quicker and more efficient" support, according to HP. Additionally, Hewlett-Packard and Compaq products receive automatic alerts via e-mail, making it easier to stay up-to-date with important Compaq Presario support notices.

Tech Support Contact

The quickest way is often to call the Support Center. Call (800) 474-6836 if you use your Compaq Presario PC for home-based computing; call (800) 334-5144 if you use it for business. You can also send an email to tech support, although this requires waiting for a reply whereas telephone support is instantaneous. For email support, you must go to the Compaq Presario "Email for Product Support" webpage. On this page, click on the exact model of Presario you are using to get the appropriate tech support email address (see link in Resources).
Tech Support Availability

Tech support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, if you call Compaq support during peak afternoon business hours, you will likely have to wait on hold for several minutes. Additionally, emails sent during the afternoon are often not replied to immediately. For the quickest service, call early in the morning or late at night.

Compaq Connections

Compaq Connections is an automated service designed to streamline product support and upgrades. In most cases, Compaq Connections is automatically activated when your computer goes online, searching for upgrade information and support details based on your specific Compaq Presario model.

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Hints In Resolving Your Problems Through Tech Support

Tech support or technical support is a series of services supplying assistance with computer hardware, software, or other electronic or mechanical goods. This technical support services tries to help the users to solve such problems regarding the products. Most companies or manufacturer avoid sending or training individuals to gain knowledge about the system that should be followed and exercised regarding the problems that can be encountered in the products.

There are many ways to contact companies who sell hardware or software, mostly offer tech support over the telephone or via various online media like email or at websites.

There are times that companies or institutions supply an internal tech support for employees, students or other associates. This is mostly offered to those known schools and company scholars. And lastly, you can know or ask some hints about tech support in many freely available technical support forums on the internet, wherein some expert and experienced individuals volunteer to help those beginners.

Technical support can happen through different media, including e- mail, live chat, telephones, applications, faxes, and technicians, but the most common is by using the telephone. So it's up to you where you can be comfortable by having your own tech support.

Tech support alters depending on the variety of responsibilities. The support that is needed by individual depends on what level it is. Because some things that are not supported in lower levels of support can be supported with higher level services. For example, only direct questions can possibly be deal with by using your SMS or fax. When it comes to basic software problems it can be deal with by using your telephone. And hardware problems sometimes needed to be negotiated with a person or agents.

There are the ways on how to reach and avail tech support, for you to have the fastest reply on technical support that you want to contact there are a proper way on how to do it. Here are some helpful hints that should be followed for your assistance:

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How to Customize Help Support

Help and support is a very important department in any business. As different businesses face different challenges, it is paramount that clients feel their problems are addressed efficiently and that product or service support is readily available. Help and support department plays a key role in securing repeat businesses and client referrals (See Reference 1,Paragraph 3). Customer help and support should be a core element in every business to maximize profitability and keep customers happy at the same time. Although modern management theories and principles advocate for outsourcing of this key function, the benefits of having a customized in-house help and support centre will far outweigh the costs.

Follow the given Instructions:-

Carry out a feasibility survey to establish the startup costs that you will incur, from general inquiries through to technical support. It is important to be as realistic as possible. To help you make a quicker decision, remember, customers whose complaints are fully addressed are more loyal than customers with no complaints at all. (See Reference 1, Paragraph 13)

Identify sufficient space for the help and support team. This must be adequate and dependent on the operatives you intend to hire initially, and must also take into consideration future expansion plans. Make sure your employees have sufficient and ergonomically designed workspace for optimum productivity and efficiency. If your budget allows, engage the services of a design expert. Adequate space ensures that your workforce is satisfied and will lead to development.

Assemble your technical team to develop your products and services operation, application and service manuals. Come up with appropriate communications techniques like brochures, circulars and if possible, the media, that will be used. Let your technical team advise you on the appropriate developer for your software who will in-turn give advise on technical aspects of servers and peripherals and security.

Put in place a risk register as part of service planning, and map out actions to mitigate foreseeable risks. These can be an essential part in getting your priorities right and responding to customer needs( See reference 2, paragraph 1).

Create avenues for feedback from your customer through email and telephone, attitude surveys and questionnaires. This ensures that the communication between you and your customers is on the right track. It will also enable you to monitor and audit your help and support systems as well as assist in continuous updating and tailor-making.

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Kinds of Computer Support Services

Computer support services have proved to be a boon for both home PC users as well as small businesses. As a regular PC user, you better know how a small computer error can badly impact the smooth functioning of computer. Technical support services put you in control of your business computing environment by offering professional-quality PC repair services.

Whether you are at your home, office or on the road, computer technical support can also be of greatest help as it not only includes the support for desktop PCs but also for laptops. Be it an error with a PC application, operating system, peripheral, or other computer error related issue, technical support providers can immediately offer you the required help. Moreover they run their services for 24x7.

Following are the services for which people often contact online technical support providers:

PC set up and installation: Now, the PC users can get their PCs installed and personalize user settings for their precious computers, operating systems, software, internet, email and peripherals.

Complete PC diagnosis and health check up: you can contact any good the PC repair provider for complete diagnosis and check up of your PC. They offer comprehensive solution, including repair, updates and optimization for your computer, software and/or peripherals.

Computer Tune Up: Clean-up unwanted files, install significant patches and upgrades, back-up data and configure browser. Does not all this sound too good to have all under a single roof?

Virus or Spyware Removal: Remove harmful and nasty computer viruses from your PC and help it stay productive & protected against malicious attacks. You can call any technical support services to audit security settings, configure anti-virus and anti-spyware, scan computer or eliminate viruses.

Data Back Up Services: Data back up services are gaining in popularity with computer users especially small businesses and home offices. These services help users protect their significant and valuable data. You can take back-up of your documents, photo's, video's, etc.

Some people are afraid of loosing their data to computer technical support companies. Contrary to this, confidentiality of client's data is of prime concern for these support providers. Therefore, you need not have any such doubts regarding the services and avail them today.

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Useful Tips To Troubleshoot Common Computer Problems

Computer problems are annoying, but they are hard to avoid. Many reasons are there for which your computer may start behaving abnormally. For resolving any type of computer problem, a computer repair service provider could be consulted. However, you can also fix many common computer problems without the help of a tech support service provider. This article includes many useful tips to troubleshoot common PC problems.

Hard drive problem is quite common in computers. Hard drive is one of the most important components on a computer. Here all the programs are installed and data are stored. If proper care is not given to the health of the hard drive, then your computer will perform sluggishly. Even, the operating system may also crash due to hard drive issues. Diagnosing the fault is very important. Windows operating system includes various troubleshooting tools in order to fix common hard drive problems. Disk Defragmenter, Check Disk, etc. are some of them.

Most of the times, users complain that their computer is running sluggishly. Over time, the performance of computer goes down. This is a very common problem and almost every computer user faces this problem. In order to make your computer perform like a new, you need to follow some troubleshooting steps. You have to remove unwanted clutters from your computer. These include unused programs, files, and folders, etc.

Registry issues are also quite common and your PC may not work properly if there is problem in its registry. The registry of the computer could be compared with the nervous system of the human body. Small errors in registry may disturb the balance of the computer. You may know that whenever you install any program on your computer, entry is registered on the Windows registry. But whenever you uninstall the program, these entries do not get deleted with the software. You need to delete them with a registry cleaning software.

Viruses are one of the biggest threats to your computer. If the computer gets infected by a virus, it will deteriorate performance of your computer and even cause an absolute failure. In order to deal with viruses you need to install good antivirus software on your computer. Many good antivirus programs are available on the web. You can install trial version of these applications, and if you find the program powerful enough to protect your computer, go for the paid version.

Spyware and adware might not pose great threat to your computer like viruses but they may also slow down your computer and eat Internet bandwidth. In order to fight against spyware, you need to install a good anti-spyware application and run full scan.

These are some of the common computer problems and their troubleshooting tips. The best solution to fight against PC issues is to get assisted by an experienced and proficient tech support expert. Many computer repair companies are there that help the PC users to fight against common PC issues.

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Dell computer technical support and auto tech phone service

Dell technical support Dell has put in place an astute computer technical support service that can be accessed when the user has an enquiry about any aspect of the Dell hardware. The technical support staff at Dell employs computer-oriented diagnostics to ensure that their answers are swift and accurate as well. One can either reach the technical support team at support.dell.com or alternatively you can call them.

Prior to making a call to the support team, it is recommended that you be ready with your Express Service Code. This code will assist the support team to route the call with more efficacy. In place of the Express Service Code the team can ask for your Service Tag which can be found at the bottom or back of your computer.

One is advised to fill out a diagnostic checklist that is usually contained in the set up guide. When calling the team be sure to have your computer on – it is best to make the call from a phone that is near the machine. Being near the machine will be extremely convenient as you will be able to input various commands or perform some troubleshooting as advised by the team. At the time you intend to make the call you should be having all the requisite documentation. These will help you ascertain the start-up content files of the computer. Dell offer also easy monthly payments through their Dell Financial service.

Various aspects of Dell computer support There are many different things that you may wish to find out as a user of a Dell machine. You may be requiring help in the reinstallation of your machine’s operating system. In this case you are advised to consult your operating system disc. If you need to have a diagnostic program run in your machine or maybe you feel that you must update some drivers then you can check the corresponding disc. For the latest updates you can download them from support.dell.com.

You may require upgrading your machine with a new hard-drive, or using additional or new memory, sometimes you may want to replace an obsolete part or reinstall a part altogether. In this case the service manual will come in handy. This can be found at the same website i.e. support.dell.com. Some other helpful information has to do with safety practices, checking on order status, FAQs, locating downloads and drivers etc. These can all be handled at support.dell.com.

Dell tech support Much if not all of the computer tech support can be handled online at support.dell.com.

Contacting Dell support on phone Dell customers in the United States can call the support team on 800-WWW-DELL (800-999-3355). For persons who do not have activated connection to the internet the technical phone numbers can be retrieved from the purchase invoices, product catalog, bill, or packing slip. Dell has an Auto Tech Service which provides clients with pre-recorded answers to the FAQs. There is also an Automated Order Status Service which can help a client track the location of a particular order.

Source :-citunionbk.com

Kinds of Computer Support Services

Computer support services have proved to be a boon for both home PC users as well as small businesses. As a regular PC user, you better know how a small computer error can badly impact the smooth functioning of computer. Technical support services put you in control of your business computing environment by offering professional-quality PC repair services.

Whether you are at your home, office or on the road, computer technical support can also be of greatest help as it not only includes the support for desktop PCs but also for laptops. Be it an error with a PC application, operating system, peripheral, or other computer error related issue, technical support providers can immediately offer you the required help. Moreover they run their services for 24x7.

Following are the services for which people often contact online technical support providers:

PC set up and installation: Now, the PC users can get their PCs installed and personalize user settings for their precious computers, operating systems, software, internet, email and peripherals.

Complete PC diagnosis and health check up: you can contact any good the PC repair provider for complete diagnosis and check up of your PC. They offer comprehensive solution, including repair, updates and optimization for your computer, software and/or peripherals.

Computer Tune Up: Clean-up unwanted files, install significant patches and upgrades, back-up data and configure browser. Does not all this sound too good to have all under a single roof?

Virus or Spyware Removal: Remove harmful and nasty computer viruses from your PC and help it stay productive & protected against malicious attacks. You can call any technical support services to audit security settings, configure anti-virus and anti-spyware, scan computer or eliminate viruses.

Data Back Up Services: Data back up services are gaining in popularity with computer users especially small businesses and home offices. These services help users protect their significant and valuable data. You can take back-up of your documents, photo's, video's, etc.

Some people are afraid of loosing their data to computer technical support companies. Contrary to this, confidentiality of client's data is of prime concern for these support providers. Therefore, you need not have any such doubts regarding the services and avail them today.

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Detect a Virus With Computer Support

Sometimes you just don't understand that your PC has got virus attack. Sometimes you face problems when working on the computer but you can't understand the true reason behind the problems. The reason could be memory problem, hard drive problem or some other issues. But virus can be another potential reason for this. So it is always important to detect the root problem of your bad PC performance. Some computer support ways can guide you to detect whether your PC got virus on it or not.

If you notice that your computer is running slower than before or it is freezing frequently without any proper reason or it is taking quite a lot of time in opening up a browser, there might be a virus issue. Lots of viruses are lurking in every corner of the Internet and if your computer is connected to the net they can attack on your PC anytime. Thousands of malicious viruses are out there that can affect your PC in different ways. Spy ware, malware, stealth viruses all are there and those can track everything you input on your computer. These sorts of viruses can detect the vital personal information like credit card count number, password etc.

The best way to detect whether your PC has been targeted by any virus attack is to press the tabs Ctrl, Alt and Delete at the same time. This computer support function will open the Window Task Manager for you. Now you will need to go to the right hand side of your PC to look for a little small box. On this box you will need to roll your mouse over. This will show you the result of current usage of your CPU. In other words it will tell you the CPU usage by the programs that are running currently on your PC. If you see that the whole box or at least the 50% of the box is green, you will know some hidden programs are also running on background and what else other than viruses can run on the background of your system.

Now you will need to follow some computer support ways to detect the viruses. You will need to go to "start" from there you need to click on "run" and then you need to type "msconfig". Now you will see a box and you will need to select 'start up'. You can see all the programs that initiate when you start up your computer. Viruses give themselves such real names that you won't be able to locate the viruses. If you don't have anti-virus programs uploaded in your computer chances are there that your PC get affected every time you start up a computer.

Computer support experts suggest that you can scan your website by some free programs but be careful about selecting one because these sorts of programs can come with the Trojan horse too. Some viruses like this hid them in the real programs.

While installing any program makes sure you trust that program. Sometime malicious programs can attack when you are installing a program and such a program can make you change your PC's physical memory. They can track your move, the key stroke you make and the sites you visit.

With thousands of virus threats that we are facing these days, you need to make sure that you protect your computer with proper computer support techniques.

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Five Tips to Reduce the Use of Antivirus Cleaners

Most persons only use antivirus cleaners, after their computer would have been infected by a virus. Being proactive will reduce the chances of your computer being infected. To be proactive, antivirus software should always be installed on your computer.

If you are one of those persons that uses a computer on a daily basis for personal business, rather than in a corporate business environment, then you will always be at risk of being infected by a virus, or other dangerous malware programs. Malware is a name given to software programs that were designed to be used for malicious intent.

Even in a corporate settings, the chances of your computer being infected by a virus would also be possible, but the chances are minimized tremendously. Corporations use industry standards of protection to minimize the threat of their computers being infected by viruses, and other dangerous programs. During my many years of employment in a corporate environment , within the Information Technology department, steps were in place to minimized our computers from being infected by viruses. Antivirus software were installed on every computer in our environment.

Antivirus cleaners are only used after a computer is infected by viruses, or malicious ad-ware and malware infections. I have included below some tips and guidelines to help in the reduction of your computer being infected by a virus.

(a) If you are using a windows machine with windows XP, or windows vista installed as the operating system, you should always be running the latest security patches and browser updates.

(b) Your computer should always have antivirus software installed that is capable of running in real time.

(c) Your antivirus signatures should always be up to date.

(d) You should always do weekly scans to your computer.

(e) Never open e-mails from persons you do not know.

If you are serious about reducing the use of antivirus cleaners then you should always have antivirus software installed. Having antivirus software installed does not guarantee that your computer will be virus free, but the chances of your computer becoming infected is reduced tremendously.

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Fix Speaker Issues With Tech Support

A long term sound functionality can not be guaranteed by a quality sound card or a set of good computer speakers. At any point of time you can meet head-on problems with them. Frequently the error problems with the speakers occur due to the recklessness of the users. So when you face the errors you need to ensure that you have checked even the most basic things like the power connection or the plug in issues. Tech support professionals cited many incidents where the users forgot to plug in the speakers. Sometimes problem of loose power connection can also occur. So, tech support experts suggest you to check carefully if these are the cases with you too.

So, once you are done with checking with the plug in and power connection errors and made sure that the problems are not with these simple things you may need to focus on some other points. At this point of time tech support experts suggest you to be a bit technical and vigilant to diagnose where the real problem lies. Hours can be spent on searching for the real cause of the error and at last you can diagnose that the problem was with a basic part of your speaker. The same thing can happen to your case too. That is why computer support professional suggest you to connect your speaker to the radio or music system to see whether it is working. If you see the system is working the problem will definitely be with your computer system itself.

Problems can be with your internal volume controller of the computer, suggest the tech support guys. For this, you need to check the volume controller to see whether it is working properly. Sometimes users unknowingly keep the sound controller in mute mode which results in no sound output from the computer system. To check whether there is any technical error you need to open the advanced audio controls area. If the problem is still there on, you need to run any multimedia application to see whether the sound output is working. Running the multimedia application will ensure the fact that the problem is with your computer system rather than on any particular media file. But if you see the problem is occurring for any particular type of media file then tech support experts suggest you to uninstall the program reinstall it again from the Internet or from your original CD. This might solve the speaker issues, suggest the computer support professionals.

Tech support guys suggest you to be careful when you are downloading or installing any software from the Internet. Many of the software can be malicious and can contain virus. These sorts of software can be harmful to your computer system as a whole. Being a non technical person you could have downloaded files that can make your system even more damaged than it was ever before. So, you need to be careful here, suggest the computer help guys.

If the problems still persists even after trying these computer help tips, you may visit your system properties. For going to system properties you need to click on Windows + Pause/Break. If there is any problem in the system sound card a yellow exclamation mark will come up. If you see such mark, you need to reinstall the system sound card.

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Tech Support For Cloud Computing With Windows 2010

Microsoft has recently developed the recent version of operating system, Windows 2010, where you can experience a lightweight web version of MS Office. Here the programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc. can be accessed over internet. As the tech support team of Microsoft has announced, there will be two versions of these programs, physical and web applications. You can avail most of the features in web applications as they are in their physical counter versions. It's no doubt a significant move in software programming and a paradigm shift towards cloud computing. Just because the practice of cloud computing is literally becoming a buzz word to the modern days, adoption has become a necessity. Therefore you must know about this technology and its pros cons to decide whether it would be sensible choice for your purpose or not.

As tech support professionals explain the basic files and software applications are typically get stored to the user desktop or on a local server where as in case of cloud computing your resources get stored remotely and you can access them from anywhere over the net. This way you can add a wing to your computability where data and services can be accessed from any computer having internet connection irrespective of their locations or operating system setup.

You really don't have to be an expert techno geek to avail cloud computing features. Online tech support service providers are there to help your way. In fact, as the industrial giants have announced, this modern feature is going to change the way how we use computers completely. Today many users just get involved in cloud computing even not understanding its features entirely. However, it is essential to realize the facts about clod computing to avoid any sort of future peril.

So, let's know about the benefits you can avail from cloud computing. The very first thing as your computer support vendor will mention that, cloud computing can cut your cost and free up system spaces to a fair extant. This is nothing but hosting your files folders on a remote or outsourced system monitored by a third party. With cloud hosting you can get access to your data anytime from any computer round the globe; all you just need to have an internet connection to the system. Now you don't have to have a spacious storage center in your computer anymore, which will definitely relieve your burden a lot. Another important thing is, all the files are easily scalable here and so you can add or remove data more easily and of course systematically.

This technology specially works for the small or medium sized business processes. Availing the service they can easily avoid the expenses on funding a server, software setups, IT professionals and other must have services. Cloud hosting can be real beneficial for it can take care of your business data and IT needs completely and authentically. Authenticity is one more important thing in cloud computing. Here you really don't have to bother for security issues. So, we can conclude that such tech support can bring an excellent business deal for both individuals and business houses.

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Benefits of a firewall

Firewalls protect private local area networks from hostile intrusion from the Internet. Consequently, many LANs are now connected to the Internet where Internet connectivity would otherwise have been too great a risk.

Firewalls allow network administrators to offer access to specific types of Internet services to selected LAN users. This selectivity is an essential part of any information management program, and involves not only protecting private information assets, but also knowing who has access to what. Privileges can be granted according to job description and need rather than on an all-or-nothing basis.

Speed Up Your Computer Today with Free Tips and Help

There are many ways that can make a slow computer such as a virus, spyware, registry problems, or hard drive fragmentation. There are some tips and guides to repair a slow running computer and tips on how to keep it running at maximum efficiency.

Below are some of the top tips increase speed of your computer:

1) Clean the Registry - Cleaning Your Registry is a best way to speed up a computer. You've probably noticed that your system gets slower and slower as time passes. Often times, this is caused by Registry problems, accumulated as a result of installing and uninstalling programs.

2) Defragment Your Hard Drive - A fragmented hard drive can really slow down your computer. Defragmenting is a pretty easy and painless operation and can really boost performance.

3) Remove Spyware and Viruses - One of the most common reasons for a slow computer is a virus or spyware. ComputerTooSlow.com offers tips and help on removing these from your PC.

4) Remove Unused Programs - Old and unused programs are taking up space and slowing down your overall PC performance. Removing these old programs can help speed up your pc.

5) Update PC Drivers - Old or ancient drivers may cause a number of problems, from diminished hardware functionality to conflicts and system crashes. Keeping your drivers up to date is necessary for optimal PC performance.

Antivirus AntiSpyware 2011 on the Attack of Computers!

Remove the Antivirus AntiSpyware 2011 rogueware! It's a scam! Do not trust it! These are all warnings related to the rogueware, named Antivirus Antispyware 2011 which has recently showed up on the web. Be sure you don't install this fake software, otherwise, you will have problems with your PC.

Is Antivirus Antispyware 2011 so dangerous after all? The answer is positive. Unfortunately, many computer users all around the world have announced that they are in trouble because of this fake av wandering on the web. Usually, it pretends to be an online scanner which states it can remove all the threats and fix the system. However, you should never trust this fake software.

Otherwise, you will be in trouble. Once Antivirus Antispyware 2011 is installed on your computer, it will start messing the entire system. Starting from modifying Windows Registry, the Trojans will keep chaning registry keys and adding new registry entries. In most cases, Antivirus Antispyware 2011 will start together with Windows, so you will keep noticing that system scans are performed every single time.

Just bear in mind that this rogueware does not detect the real threat on your machine - all the results are simulated in advance and should never be trusted. The scammers try to convince computer users to pay money for the useless software and leave them in troubles. Don't ever think that Antivirus Antispyware 2011 is able to help you. Be sure you get rid of it as soon as you notice it installed.

Top 10 Signs Your Computer Is Infected

AVG has produced the following guide of the 10 most common symptoms of computer infection:

1. When computer is running unusually slowly.
If a PC has been infected by a virus, worm, Trojan or some other form of malware, it could be running tasks that consume a lot of resources, making the system run more slowly than usual.

2. When computer keeps popping up messages. If pop-ups and messages appear on the desktop, either advertising things or saying that the PC is infected, the computer probably has a malware infection. Spyware or adware is also commonly used as well as fake anti-virus programs (also called "rogueware") to deceive the user into parting
with financial details.

3. When connect to the Internet, windows open or my browser displays web pages I have not requested. Many threats are designed to redirect traffic to certain web sites against the user's will, and can even cause browsers to display spoof web pages. Normally this happens when looking for something in a search engine or when
typing a URL into an address bar. The user presumes they have opened a legitimate website when really they have been taken to a malicious imitation. The free AVG LinkScanner on Windows or Mac computers will help protect from these web pages.

4. When you cannot connect to the Internet or it runs very slowly. Loss of Internet communication is another common symptom of malware infection. This problem could also be due to the Internet service provider (ISP) or modem router. If a computer has been infected, the malware could be connecting to a URL or opening separate connection sessions, thereby reducing available bandwidth.

5. When anti-virus has disappeared, firewall is disabled. Another typical characteristic of malware threats is

that they disable the security software already installed on computers. If one security protection layer shuts down it might be a specific software failure. However, if all security components are disabled, the computer is infected.

6. Applications won't start or the computer keeps crashing. This is when infection causes applications from the start menu or desktop to stop working and other programs to run. This could either be caused by an update or poor installation process or if the computer unexpectedly or erratically crashes persistently then it may be due to malware. This especially happens when trying to open up a security program, or trying to fix malware problems.

7. When computer has new programs. If there are new programs on the computer's desktop that have been downloaded and installed without consent or knowledge, it's likely the computer is infected. Usually these programs have explicit or illegal content and it's near impossible to delete them like a normal program.

8. Where have files gone? There are malware threats designed to delete or encrypt information. Others move documents from one place to another. Some remove the library files for running games, security software and other programs. If a computer is in this situation, it's highly likely to be infected.

9. When computer is speaking a strange language. Certain infections cause the language of certain applications to change or the screen to appear back-to-front.

10. When computer has a mind of its own. If the computer starts acting on its own or sends emails without your knowledge, it is infected. Other signs include Internet sessions or applications opening sporadically.

Protect Your Computer With Free Anti-Virus Software

Free Anti-Virus Programs

So you've been using the free McAfee or Norton antivirus software that came with your computer, but the subscription will expire in a few days. Should you shell out another $49, or try one of those free anti-virus programs?

If your computer is running slow... your high-speed internet connection feels like dial up... and popups are popping up everywhere, what's wrong? It could be a computer virus, or perhaps a bunch of viruses, infecting your hard drive. Viruses not only take up valuable memory and slow down your computer, they can also expose your personal information to Evil Hackers.

The good news is, there are plenty of free anti-virus programs that can clean up the mess and keep you safe going forward. Here are some of the most popular and highly rated:

* AVG is one of the most often recommend freeware anti-virus packages. It provides very effective protection from the most common threats.

* Avira Anti-Vir - claims over 30 million users worldwide, and the free Personal Edition gets excellent reviews.

* Microsoft Security Essentials is a new free security tool from Microsoft. It's meant to provide protection not just from viruses, but also spyware and other cyber-nasties as well.

Look for free virus protection that comes with frequent, automatic updates and covers all viruses, not just the major threats. If you aren't getting regular updates, at least once every two weeks, you should consider another program. New viruses are created every day, so you need constant, up-to-date protection.

Do you really need paid anti-virus software? That depends on you. If you or others in your household are prone to visit the dark corners of the Internet (peer-to-peer music/movie downloads, adult sites or warez), or if you have children that will click and download almost ANYTHING, then you will probably want the best protection possible. Generally, the commercial anti-virus packages with monthly subscriptions offer very high levels of protection, fast updates when new viruses are found, and good customer support. You should also consider a paid anti-virus package if you run a business, or if you have sensitive information on your computer. It's a small price to pay to ensure that your data is secure.

In summary, don't take your Internet security lightly. You really DO need good anti-virus protection to stay safe online. And for most people, the free anti-virus programs will work just fine. Take one for a test drive and decide for yourself.

Kaspersky Lab warns of new 'Twitter worm'

MANILA, Philippines - Kaspersky Lab, a developer of secure content and threat management solutions, is warning users of a Twitter worm which redirects users to a rogue anti-virus application.
The recently discovered Twitter worm takes advantage of the microblogging site's shortened links, which are obscure compared to the original uniform resource locator (URL) or link address.
Hackers are able to lure a user into their infected URLs since a user doesn't know what it contains, said Kaspersky Lab malware researcher Nicolas Brulez.
Upon clicking the link, a user will receive a warning that his computer is running "suspicious applications."
He will then be asked to "remove all threats" and download a "Security Shield" rogue anti-virus, which will then infect the computer with malicious programs.
As the Twitter worm continues to spread, Kaspersky urged Internet users, particularly those with Twitter accounts, to be more careful when clicking on truncated links and when downloading programs, even anti-virus software.
The company is also offering a "heuristic analyzer" which can help detect this kind of threat.