Call Brady (www.callbrady.com)

If you saw my post earlier this week, you read that the AVERAGE computer user probably doesn’t need to replace a system that is less than 5 years old (by average I mean that you use your computer for E-mail, Internet surfing, digital pictures, and Word Processing). So what happens when your computer starts dragging?

First off, make sure you have good Antivirus protection, and make sure it is UP-TO-DATE. Here’s how the Antivirus works. You bought it, installed it (or it came pre-installed on your computer) and you learned that you had a 1 year or 3 month trial subscription. Shortly before the subscription terminated you probably started getting notices (by E-mails or popups) asking you to renew. If you didn’t renew and your antivirus is out of date, then your system is at a very high risk. Several new viruses are released to the computer world every day. If your subscription is even one week out of date, there are likely 50+ viruses that you are now succeptible to. Renew your subscription, and if your system is 3+ years old, reinstall the latest version of Antivirus. I recommend Norton Internet Security.

If you are upgrading your antivirus or installing it from scratch, I recommend that you UNinstall the previous version, reboot, and then install. Antivirus applications will bang heads against each other, and will cause more frustration than comfort.

Another item that can drag down your comptuer is Spyware. Spyware collects information about you and attempts to pass it back to the designers. Spyware can be comparatively benign (what shopping sites you like to visit) or can be downright malicious. If your current software isn’t catching threats, consult a professional. Threats can be removed, but some of the tools (such as HiJack This or the Registry Editor) can be dangerous if mishandled.

Keep your Microsoft Windows up-to-date. On most systems, just go to www.WindowsUpdate.com. Install all the updates it suggests, reboot, and then go back to this site again. Repeat until the threat is gone.

Finally, your system  may need more memory. How to find out: Right click on the icon for “My Computer” and select “Properties.” The memory will be listed on this page. MOST systems I work on only have 512MB. I recommend a minimum of 1024MB (also called 1GB), and more if your system and wallet will handle it. Go to www.Crucial.com and run their free system scanner. It will report back in about 1 minute, telling you how much your system currently has, and how much more it can take. If you are not comfortable working in your computer, again, contact a professional technician to handle the install (static electricity can quickly destroy the inside of your computer).

Best wishes to all, I hope this advice is helpful to you!!

Brady Gilbert has 8 years corporate IT experience and is now fulltime owner/technician for Call Brady, Computer Services (www.CallBrady.com). Call with any of your computer needs. He is also a web designer, and can help with projects large (www.CallBrady.com) or small (www.1Site1Day.com). Brady is a graduate of Furman University and Greenville Technical College. He is A+ and CCNA certified.

This is an article that I recently published for a blog on GreenvilleNews.com.

I spend a lot of my time fixing computers. Home computers, business computers, computers that run too slowly and computers that were dropped by the airline. One of the most common questions I receive is: what should I look for in a new computer?

Do I even need a new system?

If your system is older than 5 years and is not performing ‘up to par,’ buy a new computer. If you spend money and time upgrading an old computer the benefit is unlikely to be worth the investment. Computers are constantly evolving, and odds are that the cheapest computer on the market can outperform most 5 year old ’expensive’ computers.

If your system is newly purchased and is going slow, memory upgrades and spyware removal can add a tremendous boost to your system. If you are struggling with either of these, give me a call at 335-8672 or visit www.CallBrady.comto schedule an appoinment. 

Laptop or Desktop?

If you would like to take your system with you to the beach or to the coffee shop down the street (mmm… Leopard Forest Coffee in Travelers Rest), you obviously need a laptop. If you will only use your computer at home and only in one room, then a desktop is the obvious choice.

Vista or XP?

You still have some choice in the matter, but not for long. On some systems the vendors will still allow you to order with XP, although your days are numbered on that. For Desktops in a home environment, I actually recommend Vista (w/ Service Pack 1). Please note, however, that older peripherals such as printers, scanners, and other devices MAY not work with the new computer. See Microsoft’s site for peripheral compatibility. For laptops I still like XP, since you will run into fewer issues working on remote networks.

Where to buy?

I recommend buying Dell, from Dell, either online or by phone. Great prices, better service than most, and quality systems. If you are buying a laptop, Dell’s are great, but for a few more dollars, Lenovo (formerly IBM) take the cake. Strong systems.

Mega-what and Giga-who?

If you are the ‘average’ computer user, you use your computer for Internet, E-mail, Word Processing, and not much else. For you, you can buy just about any system that Dell offers. The smallest harddrives are over 100GB, and most of you will never need that much. Any processor on a new system can handle these applications. I recommend, if you have extra money to spend, put it towards memory (at least 1GB of memory MINIMUM, and prefer 2GB or more) and a larger screen. Whether laptop or desktop, bigger screens are easier to work with (though this will increase weight on a laptop, so beware if you will be carrying it around much).

If you are a gamer or work with lots of photo/video editing software, you need more processor, memory, and harddrive space (for storing files).

What else do I need?

Antivirus: get Norton Internet Security. This is the best I’ve found for the average user. Some others may be slightly more secure but require better knowledge of computers.

Surge protection:Power strips don’t protect your computer. You should spend AT LEAST $35 on a surge protector, and more if you live in an older home (older wiring). If you can afford it, upgrade to a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) that will keep your computer up after a power failure to give you time to shut it down properly.

Internet Service Provider (ISP): I recommend cable over DSL if you have a choice. Don’t start with an upgraded “higher speed” package unless you do a lot of downloading or large file transfers.

Backup hard drive:If your photos of Johnny’s birthday party or that Bahamas vacation are priceless, then BACK THEM UP. External harddrives cost under $100, will back up everything that the average user has on a disk, and provide redundancy and protection in case your harddrive fails. Do you have only one computer and a high speed connection? Back up everything on the computer to Carbonite.com for only $50/year. It is automatic. Multiple computers would require multiple subscriptions.

Final considerations:

Keep your computer and your children safe. Always know your children’s passwords, keep the computer in a public room in the house, or require that doors be kept open while your children are online. Be wary of sites such as Limewire, which are popular for downloading music files but are common sources of virus infections.

Brady Gilbert has 8 years corporate IT experience and is now fulltime owner/technician for Call Brady, Computer Services (www.CallBrady.com). Call with any of your computer needs. He is also a web designer, and can help with projects large (www.CallBrady.com) or small (www.1Site1Day.com). Brady is a graduate of Furman University and Greenville Technical College. He is A+ and CCNA certified.