Testimonials
"Our TCG tech is even able to help us remotely. I can call him and he'll answer a question over the phone or ask me to get on someone's computer and do something. He's able to do this because he knows the set up so well. It works great for us."
Sideth Stegmeier
"We consider The Computer Guys to be a partner in our business. We don't have technical expertise so we completely rely on them. They appreciate the nuances of our business and make detailed recommendations that meet our specific needs."
Private Equity Investment Firm
TechFAQs
- Run Windows Update for Windows XP and 2000. Make sure Internet Explorer and other browsers are updated to the latest versions.
- Connect your computer to a hardware firewall. This will ensure that hackers do not intrude your computer using newly discovered Windows vulnerabilities. If you use a hardware-based firewall, make sure that only ports of services you need are enabled.
- Install Adware detection programs, such as Ad-Aware or Spybot: Search and Destroy, which are free for download. Run these at least every other day if you are an active web surfer, constantly doing research or shopping online.
- Run anti-virus software and make sure virus definitions are set to automatically update or you should check for updates, manually and run a virus scan on your system periodically.
- If you have an older computer, investigate any suspicious noises. A hard drive that is making a very loud "whirring" noise may be aging and damaged by heat - consider replacing it soon. Also, make sure that all fans are running properly, inside, and that there are no large collections of dust on the motherboard, PCI cards, or the fans; clogged fans can cause the system to overheat. If any component requires replacement, be very careful in removing it. All power should be turned off, including removal of the power cord, as some motherboards maintain a small charge from the power supply even after the computer is actually turned off.
- Run the Windows XP / 2000 disk defragmenter once per month. This allows for data files to be stored with each segment next to each other in order, on the disk. Without defragmenting, Windows will store data where it finds space, but many times it will store pieces of a data file in many different areas on a hard drive.
- Make sure programs and drivers are updated
- This is not necessarily related to your computer's health, but before if it ever does get sick, it is good to make sure that you are getting regular backups. Try backing up your My Documents folders and files to a CD every month and carefully label and store it away. If it seems to be too much hassle to burn a CD, try getting a USB memory device and backup your files to this once in awhile, though these are not as reliable as a CD backup (they are prone to problems with static electricity and breakage), they are better than no backup at all.
- Use a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to ensure that your computer gets good voltage and is not turned off when the power hiccups. Also, make sure you do not turn off your computer abruptly. Always go through the Start button and shutdown or control-alt-delete, click shutdown sequence to ensure that your computer is shut down as graceful as possible.