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Tech Support by: Emerald City IT

Support Field: King County Computer Repair & Tech Support

Support Category: Computer Service in Seattle

Computer hardware and software problems can happen out of the blue. That is an unfortunate side to owning a desktop or laptop computer. That said, the majority of problems PC techs deal with are a result of user error or ignorance.

When dealing with computer repairs, there are some recurring problems that stump end users and are totally avoidable. So here s a list of simple tips and tasks to keep your computer working as it should.

1. Don't install more than one anti-virus program. This leads to conflicts that can be difficult to pinpoint.
2. Completely uninstall a malware program when installing a replacement. Just disabling such software often leaves processes and registry entries that conflict with the replacement program. This often leads to hard-to-diagnose errors and lockups.
3. Clean the temporary files from your computer regularly. I'd suggest after every session, no matter how short. This is best done with the fantastic free program CCleaner and takes seconds if done regularly.
4. Run regular full virus scans with your anti-virus software. This will ensure that any files you have added to your hard disk are scanned and cleaned, or removed if not.
5. Avoid handling laptops with one hand when not in a carry case. This is a common cause of dropped laptops, leading to failed drives and other problems including screen damage.
6. When plugged in, always use an anti-surge socket with your laptop or desktop PC. This is vital for the protection of the delicate components within.
7. Back up regularly. Data retrieval is a very expensive repair to have done and is probably the most avoidable.
8. Shut down your computer properly. Avoid cutting the power at the plug. Sudden power cuts can lead to corrupted and even dead hard drives.
9. Don't open and attempt hardware repairs unless fully competent to do so. Tampering with computers can turn a simple repair into a major repair.
10. If you do handle any of the internal components of a desktop or laptop computer, make sure you are grounded against static discharge. This can be fatal to your computer.

If you do, however, get into a situation where there are preliminary signs of failure such as unannounced crashes and lockups, make sure the first thing you do is back up your recent files, or if you have no backup routine running, do a full backup. This is really the most important part of your regular routine as it's possible to save years of work and memories from being lost with a simple backup. The one thing to bear in mind about backups is you should never backup to the same physical drive you are using for your files. Having a backup on the same drive means that if there is irretrievable physical damage, both the original and the backup will be lost.

Generally, most end users will be guilty of doing one or more of these problem-causing actions. The problem is that most people don't realize the dangers before it is too late. Follow these simple rules to cut your chance of disaster... Safe computing.

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Tech Support by: Emerald City IT

Support Field: King County Computer Repair & Tech Support

Support Category: Computer Service in Seattle

There is no doubt that you have heard about VoIP by now. It’s made headlines and is plastered everywhere both in online and TV advertisements. Just in case you haven’t caught on to the hype yet, VoIP is the abbreviated term for Voice over Internet Protocol. Voice over Internet Protocol is basically the ability to communicate on a phone over your Internet connection. With VoIP, the promise is the ability to make local and global long-distance calls at a significantly lower rate than over a plain old telephone line through your local carrier.

The VoIP trend has caught on and large enterprises all over the globe are adopting this new technology to reduce their cost of business communications which may include fax, conference calling, along with streaming video applications. VoIP has been around for some time, but it has only been recently that it has finally matured to the stage worthy of replacing everyday phone use. At the household level, it is certain by now that you are compelled to embrace this technology somewhat, but are not sure how to go about it or even if this technology has any real benefit for your family.

You must have an Internet connection. No, not your 56k dial-up connection, but an actual high-speed Internet connection. This can be cable, satellite, or DSL Internet, but you will need high-speed Internet for VoIP to function properly and become your new calling station. Dialup just doesn’t have the capacity or speed to transfer voice digitally without significant quality loss. A company named SpeakEasy has recently come out with a new DSL product that requires no current phone line for high-speed Internet if DSL is your current favorite of broadband services and if you are planning on replacing your current phone service with VoIP.

You will need what is called a gateway. The gateway is connected between your computer and the Ethernet modem. The VoIP gateway is where your phone line will be plugged into. Gateways enable freedom from possible computer problems that can shut down calling capabilities or deteriorate voice quality. Computer crashes, slow memory, and many other computer problems plague us in everyday life, you do not want to plague your ability to make phone calls. Gateways are specifically designed for VoIP phones but adapters are available for current phones should you not want to buy a brand-new phone. VoIP providers usually have the adapters available for sale so you don’t have to shop around for one yourself. Before you write off buying a new phone, however, video phones are the newest product line and it won’t be long before this trend explodes.

You may want to get your video phone so you aren’t left out of exciting face-to-face conversations with friends and relatives when they get theirs. The services included with VoIP usually include all the convenient bells and whistles your current phone service provides including your own local VoIP telephone number, call waiting, voice messaging, 3-way calling, and more. There are some important things to remember with VoIP before you go diving into this feature-rich voice technology. You should check with your VoIP provider for local 911 emergency coverage. Some VoIP providers charge extra on a monthly basis for both 911 and 411 access so make sure you know how much it is going to cost you before committing to a calling contract. One last important thing to remember is that your gateway is reliant on electricity to function. This means power outages will put your phone line out of service, but then isn’t your phone already only functional with electricity these days?

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Tech Support by: Emerald City IT

Support Field: King County Computer Repair & Tech Support

Support Category: Computer Service in Seattle

Computer servers are among the most important infrastructure in any organization. The basic answer to the question 'what is a computer server', lies in the name of the term. It is a computer that serves all the computers or terminals, that are connected to it. Applications are stored in this computer and the other computer terminals connected to it, can access it.

Tasks Performed by a Computer Server
Well, the tasks performed by a computer server depend on the use of the computer server. We will come to this process of classification of the server, at a later stage. For now I have listed down some of the generalized tasks performed by a computer server.

Stores applications and databases required by the computers connected to it.
Provides computer security features. It protects all the computers connected to it using a firewall.
Provides an IP address to the machines connected to it. An IP address is a unique number in the format x.x.x.x, where x can be any 1 to 3 digit number, which is assigned to every computer in the network.

Features of a Server
The server that you choose for your organization, should satisfy certain conditions. It needs to have a memory size or RAM, large enough to hold the number of queries that are executed by the computers connected to it. It may have to provide services to a large number of computers and hence it will require a primary memory of that capability. The next aspect that you need to take care of, is the processor speed. The processor speed is usually measured in Giga Hertz and it needs to be sufficient to execute all the commands requested by the machines. It is very necessary that your server should have an optimum processor speed, because it needs to provide multitasking facility. The hard drive storage capacity of the computer server, needs to be large enough to be able to store all the data that the host machines will require. In a network, computer users generally store the information, that they intend to share on the computer server.

Types of Server
The different types of computer servers can be categorized in two main categories.

Dedicated Server
This type of a server performs a particular function, like hosting a website. There are various web hosting services, which use dedicated servers for hosting websites. On the payment of a certain amount of money, you can upload your webpages on their computer servers. They will perform the task of hosting your websites. Certain companies also have dedicated computer servers to hold their own websites. These type of servers require to be very powerful because they need to handle the web traffic, that tries to access the webpages contained in them.

Shared Server
A shared computer server is an ordinary server, that is used in a network, for multiple users. Large number of applications, databases etc. are stored in them. Different users connected to the server, access the server depending on their requirements. These server do not require to be customized like the dedicated servers. The most common example for this type of server, is an application server. An application server stores all the information required by the people in a network. In many organizations, the employees are often given dummy terminals. It means that, they have a computer keyboard and a computer monitor, but the entire processing and storage is done at the computer server. These terminals do not have individual hard disks, instead, they store data on the computer server's hard disk.

Hope this article has helped you in solving the query, what is a computer server? This article was meant, not only to answer your question, what is a computer server, but also to acquaint you with the different aspects related to it.

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Tech Support by: Emerald City IT

Support Field: King County Computer Repair & Tech Support

Support Category: Computer Service in Seattle

Malware, short for malicious software, is software designed to infiltrate a computer system without the owner's informed consent. The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code. The term "computer virus" is sometimes used as a catch-all phrase to include all types of malware, including true viruses. Software is considered malware based on the perceived intent of the creator rather than any particular features. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, most rootkits, spyware, dishonest adware, crimeware, and other malicious and unwanted software. In law, malware is sometimes known as a computer contaminant. Malware is not the same as defective software, that is, software that has a legitimate purpose but contains harmful bugs.

The prevalence of malware as a vehicle for organized Internet crime, along with the general inability of traditional anti-malware protection platforms to protect against the continuous stream of unique and newly produced professional malware, has seen the adoption of a new mindset for businesses operating on the Internet - the acknowledgment that some sizable percentage of Internet customers will always be infected for some reason or other, and that they need to continue doing business with infected customers. The result is a greater emphasis on back-office systems designed to spot fraudulent activities associated with advanced malware operating on customers' computers.