13 Most Common Mistakes
Content
The 13 Most Common Computer Mistakes..... And How to Avoid Them!
Save time and money with this simple and easy to follow reference book written for people for know nothing about computer problems An Educational E-book Written by Conan Stevens Distributed by www.ComputerHelpers.com.au
Forward At long last a book written for computer users to help them avoid the most common problems with their computers, written in a simple, easy to read format. This guide should serve as a starting point every time you have a computer probl em and for that reason we recommend printing it out and keeping it handy when a problem occ urs. Run through the list and try the recommended solution for your compute r problem before calling your professional technician, this should save you t ime and money. We would like to thank ComputerHelpers.com.au for their help in distributing thi s free ebook. It takes a business really focused on helping people to give away a f ree book that actually cuts into their profits. !!! Please feel free to email this book to any of your friends who might also find it helpful !!! About the Author Conan Stevens has been involved with computers, programming, repairing and building for the last 23 years nobody knows home computers better. His first experience was at the tender age of 12. The school he attended had just taken shipment of arguably the world's first 'home' computer the Sinclair Spectrum ZX81 with 1K of memory! Upon entering the new computer room, he spied an older student playing Moon Lander the basic but popular arcade game of the time. Upon asking to p lay, the older student said Yes, sure but you have to write it yourself and plonked down a large book on programming. To look back now and imagine how much different his life would have progressed
had he played the game a couple of times and wandered off again..... His interest gradually changed rs. He has since worked as a computer sultant to businesses, laptop repair manufacturer, reconditioning expert, and , worked and breathed computers, there is no problem from programming to hardware and building compute repairer, Broadband Internet helpdesk senior, con specialist, salesman. network For 23 installer, years he computer has lived
Mark has not seen and fixed before.
Mark currently holds the position of Head Technician at ComputerHelpers.com.au, helping and guiding the next generation of Technicians with his vast knowledge and exper ience.
Table Of Contents CHAPTER PAGE 1 Introduction 4 2 Check your Cables & Switches 5 3 Common Printer Problems 6 4 Boot Troubles? 7 5 Reboot Your Computer 8 6 Anti-Virus Information 9 7 Lack Of Training 10 8 Dial Up Connection Problems 11 9 Taking Back Your Internet Start Page 12 10 Banking and Funds Scams 13 11 Upgrade or Buy a New Computer? 14 12 Non-Professional Help 15 13 Backing Up 16 14 Mistake Number 13 17 BONUS Cut your telephone bill in Half! 18 So Long And Thanks For All The Fish. 19 About Computer Helpers Computer Helpers is distributing this book to all clients in the hope that it w ill help them, and stand the company in the highest praise of its customers, thereby creating goodwill and cutomer loyalty. The Computer Helpers repair business can best be summed up by their service promise and guarantee :We Promise to: Send a friendly helper, who will arrive on time, get your computer running smoothly and leave you 100% satisfied.... OR we will give your money back, no hassles, no fuss.
When you need someone you can trust to fix that computer and get it running smoo thly call Computer Helpers, the phone number of whom is listed at the bottom of each page in this
Introduction When it comes to our computers we all want them to work, and work right..... ALL THE TIME! Unfortunately, the modern marvel that we call a Personal Computer is a machine, and let's face it - machines fail, as we all saw in Terminator II - Rise of The Machines 2001: A Space Odyssey ! Often they fail at the time that we seem to need them most. This is why I have written to myself, Gee, the average person must get into a heck gathered my thoughts and wrote this simple of those circumstances. When computer problems happen there l. As this book, many times I have of a mess when this happens to them thought and so I
or
guide to help the average person out in many are some very "obvious" reasons why they fai checking
computer owners, we should assume responsibility for the basics, before calling for technical help or repairs. This saves you time and money.
If you are not sure how to fix a problem yourself with this guide, then it is no t going to be fixable over the phone either. In all likelihood, your computer will have be repaired in person by a professional. If you do need professional computer help within the Sydney (Australia) then pl ease call Computer Helpers, their phone number is listed at the bottom of each page. Listed below are some things every or to making that repair call, so read on and enjoy.... computer owner should check pri
Check Your Cables & Switches! Is the computer plugged in? This sounds simple enough, but you'd be amazed at ho
w often a power cord is the source of the trouble. Show me a stone-cold PC and I'll find a loose power cord, usually at the computer end - 90% of the time. Also included in the check is the power strip/surge protector. Check that this has not been pulled from the socket or turned off by a cleaner, child or passing animal. Also check if the surge protector has tripped and reset it if required. Make sure you are you looking at the right cord. The backs of computers tend to become a huge mess of cables. Actually pickup and follow the cables from start to finish to make sure your are checking the correct ones. The follow up to the first item: If the computer starts but the monitor doesn' t, guess which power cord it is? That, or it's the monitor cables from the computer if the moni tor turns on but there is no picture. Don't just look, unplug then plug the cable back in to make sure it is in firmly with good contact. And if the network, modem, keyboard, or mouse is on the fritz.....see where this is heading? Until proven otherwise, it is always a cable/cord problem. Turn everything off a nd unplug and replug all the cords and cables. Amazingly, many problems will work themse lves out this way. If it still does not power up try plugging in a light or radio or something you know is working into that socket to make sure the socket has not blown a fuse at the fus ebox or has stopped providing power in which case I highly recommend calling an electrician. If you are having troubles with a peripheral (add on device that is physically s eparate from the computer box) then after checking cables check if the pow er switch on the computer/monitor/peripheral device turned off? Computer towers/desktops, monitors, scanners, printers.... all can come with on/ off buttons or switches. Make sure it has not been inadvertently turned off. Also included is that the power strip/surge protector has somehow been switched off, sometimes they have individual switches for each socket, check this as well.. I know this sounds simple but you would be surprised the number of call outs I h ave been to or heard about where this was the only problem. Dogs, cleaners and pets are the main culprits, have a look first it may save you a service call.
Common Printer Problems Is there ink/toner in the printer? Occasionally, cartridges must be checked to b e sure there is still ink/toner inside. Also some cartridges go out of date and can no longer be printed from even if they are full Yes it is a scam on behalf of the printer manufacturers so do not buy that brand next time you buy a printer. Another scam by another of the large printer manufacturers is for the printer to report that it is out of ink when the cartridge clearly has ink about 1/5 of the total ink sti ll in it if this happens to you do not buy that brand again either. Better yet contact Computer Helpers when you purchase and get our recommend ation to make sure you never buy one of these brands (and they are two of the biggest we ll known brands !) Check for any flashing or warning lights on the outside of your printer, this wi ll most often be empty ink or a paper jam. Follow the instructions for yo ur printer in fixing these problems. Are any lights on? Check power switched on and cables secure. When you print make sure you choose to print it to the correct printer. Sometime s installing new software (ie Fax software) might register the fax software as the new defaul t printer, in which case when yo print it will try to fax rather than print it to paper. If you are printing a lot of black and white text consider purchasing a Lase r Printer, you would be surprised how much quieter, cheaper to run and better quality the text is. Way too many small businesses buy a inkjet printer so they can print photos of the kids or holidays this is not the first time I have said this nor will it be the last separate y our business and family computers. Make a business decision and purchase the correct printer for the job, if needed buy a photo printer separately. If printing in house or test runs of documents choose to use the ink saver or toner saver option that is available on most new printers, this will use less ink and save you money on non-production printing, also a good idea if you have kids.
Boot Troubles? Where are you booting from? If there is a floppy diskette in the drive or a CD is trying to boot your comput er, you can get really odd errors. You can generally hear the disk trying to spin up to boot as it starts, just before the error message comes up. Take out all disks and CD's from your computer drives and make sure all t he drives are empty. Then try starting the computer again. If you get the same error message again then it is a different problem, if it bo ots (starts up) then that was your problem. This happens a lot when you start your computer with a floppy disk inse rted, thankfully most new computers come without floppy disks these days. The other trouble at start up if the lights are on is that Microsoft's hibernate utility often causes the computer to go to sleep and freeze. The hibernation or sleep is supposed to put the computer into a low power state to save energy and have the computer come back to readiness faster than if you shut it d own. Often what will happen is that the hibernation will freeze so next time you come to th e computer and turn it on you will have lights on, maybe a slowly flashing light, and no ac tion. To get around this you need to turn the power off from the wall, leave it fo r at least 30 seconds then turn it back on. This hibernation problem occurs more often in laptops. The way to fix a laptop i s to pull the power cord out, turn the laptop upside down, find the battery compartme nt, remove the battery and let it sit for 48 hours. If it still does not start after this you a re going to need professional help. If when you start up you here rhythmic clicking or a grinding sound and the comp uter does not boot, pull the power immediately. Your Hard Drive, where all you r information is stored, has died. Call in a professional to try and save what information they c an.
Reboot Your Com
puter
When in doubt, save your work and reboot. Actually you should choose lose down and power off completely. the shut down option. Let the computer c
Then go make a cup of tea or coffee, or go for a walk. Then after at least a 5 m inute break turn it back on and see if it still has the same problem. This 5 minute break allows the power to drain from the RAM me mory. This lets the computer start up completely fresh. A quick restart can leave corrupt info rmation, that is causing a problem, to remain in memory and continue causing problems when you st art up again quickly. The other thing to be aware of is the computer freezing. You'd be am azed at how many people stare at a frozen computer waiting for it to come back to life. If after 5 minutes of waiting, the computer isn't responding, hit the 'Ctrl'-'Alt'-'Del' key combination.* Go to 'Task Manager' and then 'Applications' here you will likely see a program Not Res ponding click on that program and then click on 'End Task'. Different versions of window s call these buttons slightly different names just choose the name that sounds closest. If this does not work then you will have to consider a complete power off, from the wall. If you were in the middle of some important work you can leave it and go do so mething else for 30 minutes and it might right itself enough to save your work then res tart, but it is highly unlikely. However if the work was important then it is worth the chance. If you have to turn the power off then wait your 5 minutes before starti ng the computer again. Sometimes it will take a longer 15 minute break for th e computer's short term memory to clear and the problem self rectify. If your computer keeps freezing regularly call in a professional to have a look and fix your computer, it is a symptom of a very ill computer.
Anti-Virus Information Things like your computer acting erratically, locking up, blue screening, or jus t not running
at its usual performance pace often signify that the strange behavior of the computer is indeed the work of a virus . What exactly is a virus? A virus is a computer program written to reproduce itse lf, spread and quite often, cause damage by impacting computer performance or deleting data . While dangerous, a virus cannot spread on its own; it must be executed or run to do an y damage. What kind of damage can a virus do? The majority of viruses are not much more than harmless e-graffiti (commonly known as "hoax viruses"), ways for hackers to prove that they could have disabled your computer system had they so desired. The viruses with both bark and bite, capable of crippling your operating system or wiping crucial fil es from your hard disk, are the REAL dangers! So.. how can you prevent this from happening to you? Well, there are several thi ngs that can and should be done. First and foremost, purchase a good anti-virus program and k eep it upto-date. Most people think that if they purchase the anti-virus software and i nstall it, that they re finished. No, no, no, no, no! Virus protection is like taking cold medicine. You wouldn t take one dose an d expect to never get a cold again. Well, it s the same with updating your anti-virus software . Because there are as many as 6 new viruses created every day, updating should be done a s often as once a day. The more often your anti-virus checks for updates, the less likely one will slip through its defenses. We use and recommend Trend-Micro's PC-Cillin, it has an inbuilt firewall, inbuil t spyware remover, updates more often than some of the other big names in the field and t hey have a lot more features that the others charge seperately for. If you have not heard of Trend-Micro, maybe you have heard of Hotmail? Trend do all the virus scanning for all hotmail users. We have faith that they can look after our computer as well. Visit www.computerhelpers.com.au/antivirus for the latest information on antivirus recommendations. If you do get a virus and cannot remove it with a change of anti-virus software then you will need to call a professional in to help you out.
Lack Of Training Many of us have never thought of taking a computer lessons. Yet, we are frustra ted when we don't know the answer.Just like learning to drive a car, the more l essons you have, the more confident you become. A some point you gain enough ski ll and confidence to drive by yourself, then after a short time you no longer h ave to even think about it you just do it. Computers are the same, once you gain a basic understanding you will find that all programs run under generally the same rules and are all laid out similarly. So once you learn how to use one program you have a fair idea on all the others. Remember how daunting your first time in the drivers seat was? I am a true believer in continuing education and in the field of computerisatio n it is a must. There is an old belief that if we devote one hour each day to the subject of o ur choice we will become an expert in three years. Even just 15 minutes a day for 6 months and you will get a reasonable understand ing or better yet book a 1 hour lesson every week with a professional to make rapid adv ancement. Soon your friends will be calling you the computer whiz ! Start with a typing tutor program, this will teach you the keyboard layout. Once you know the layout of the letters on the keyboard everything else becomes easier a nd faster. Do a search on Google for freeware or shareware typing tutor, to get a free program. Next it is often useful to play simple games such as blackjack or hearts that co mes with your computer, this will give you familiarity with using a mouse and with the file me nus. After you gain these basics it is possible to join a part-time or night coarse at your local college or tafe to gain more skills. The quickest, easiest way though is to call in a professional and get a lesso n every week, this should realistically only take 4 weeks to get you up and running to the poi nt where you will be able to do most things by yourself from then on even teach your friends!
Internet Connection Problems If you have troubles with your internet it will be one of two things, either som ething at your end or something at their end, and often it is something at their end that they
do not know about.... yet. First things to check when you have Internet problems depends upon whether you a re using a dial-up connection that makes phone calls (with the electronic squealing sound ) or one of the new fast broadband connections. Dial-up: Is the computer making the 'sqealing' sound? If not check that the modem is plug ged into the telephone line at both end, make sure any extension cables are not damaged ( pets love to chew these). Can you plug a normal telephone into that line and see if it is a clear line and you can make phone calls normally without static? Check the phone number you are dialling is the correct one, also re-enter your u sername and password making sure your 'Caps Lock' key is turned off and you enter the name e xactly as it is near enough is not close enough with computers. Broadband: Check your modem lights, is the service light on solid? If the service light is flashing? If so it means that you are not getting a connection from your Internet Service Provid er (ISP). If you are using software to connect make sure that the username and password are typed correctly and the 'Caps Lock' is turned off. After this: Try calling your ISP. Generally large ISP's often have incompetant and unhelpful people on their help lines (they are cheaper). Here is how you combat this. When you call up the person will give you their name, repeat it (say Hi Mr. x) and write it do wn, explain the problem and give the exact error message you are getting, be polite and nice to the person on the other end, it is not their fault if something is not work ing. If at the end of the troubleshooting process they have not been able to fix the problem ask for t he call to be escalated and if they can transfer you to a senior technician, or if they are in a bad mood and rude ask them (by name) to speak to the team leader After this if you still don't have any luck then you need to call in a professio nal to get you uip and running and get a real hardware modem if on broadband not the cheapo software ones, and/or change to an ISP that actually values its customers and gives good service. For our current recommendation of a good service ISP check: www.ComputerHelpers.com.au/ISP
Taking Back your start page (home page) In Internet Explorer (the blue E symbol you use to start your Internet browsing ) sometimes your start page can be hijacked and an unwanted website can pop up everytime you start using the internet. Also many times your ISP may set the start page to their website, or you may be visiting the MSN site everyday and not wanting to. To change this start page to a more useful website such as your favourite search e ngine just follow these simple instructions: Open Internet Explorer Across the top of the window, click on the 'Tools' menu Choose 'Internet Options' This brings up a new window Click on the first tab across the top 'General' Near the top it has homepage, type in the page you want to use here Then click 'OK' at the bottom of that window This will now bring up the webpage you typed in everytime you start Internet Exp lorer. If you find that you are still getting another page after doing this then it means you have some spyware on your computer that is monitoring and changing the page back, as we ll as other unsavoury things. In this case give a professional technician a call to he lp remove this unwanted pest from your machine.
Banking and Funds Scams Nigerian 419: In many cases, this is really a scam-within-a-scam: The Nigerians are making you think that you are going to scam the Nigerian Government, the Central Bank of Nigeria, etc. , when in fact they are going to scam you out of what they are going to charge you to get in the scam, or what portion of the scam you are going to pay to make it work. If you pay the money up-front by wire-transfer or by mail, one of two things wil l happen: (1) you have simply lost your money and will never see it again; or (2) and much more likely, within a couple of days you will get a phone call or letter from your contact telling you that something has gone wrong, and that to clear it up and release the fund s you will have to send just a little more money. This latter scamming will go on litera lly for weeks and months, until you either run out of money or figure it out.
Phishing: Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses spam or pop-up message s to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you deal with for example, your Internet service provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message usually says that you need to update or validate your account information. It might threaten some dire consequence if you don t respond. The message directs you to a Web site that looks just like a legitimate organization s site, b ut it isn t. The purpose of the bogus site? To trick you into divulging your personal i nformation so the operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name .
The FTC, America's consumer protection agency, suggests these tips to he lp you avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam: If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial inform ation, do not reply or click on the link in the message. Legitimate companies don t ask f or this information via email. If you are concerned about your accou nt, contact the organization in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or op en a new Internet browser session and type in the company s correct Web address. I n any case, don t cut and paste the link in the message. Don t email personal or financial information. Email is not a s ecure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want t o provide your personal or financial information through an organization s Web site, look fo r indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser s status bar o r a URL for a website that begins https: (the s stands for secure ). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons. There are many more scams, most a variation of the above two, please be very careful with your banking and credit details.
Upgrade or Buy a New Computer? There comes a time when your computer is not quite what it used to be. It become s sluggish, cranky and you see "Illegal Operation" more than you see your e-mail program. It's time for a change. But, should you buy a new machine or should yo
u upgrade?New computers have become so inexpensive that we often don't even thin k of keeping our old machines and proceed directly for a new computer. Sometimes though, the best low-cost PC could turn out to be the one you already own. There are three main questions to ask you if upgrading is better than new:1. Wha t is the total cost of the upgrade parts?2. How difficult is the upgrade; will I need to reinstall all my data anyway?3. How does the cost compare to the cost o f a new system?Most viable upgrades are for memory, additional storage space or adding a DVD burner. These are all very easy tasks that will not interefere with your total computing experience. When you start trying to upgrade the spe ed (Mhz or Ghz) that is when you start upgrading many components and it is easi er, often cheaper, and warranty is better on a new system. If you already own a computer, you can also get away with just 'upgrading' your computer box only, yo u keep your monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, printer, etc. and just change the box that everything plugs into. If you have not bought a computer in a few years you will be pleasantly surpris ed at how much cheaper they have become, especially without all the add-ons.Basi cally at this stage any Pentium 2 or earlier computer should be looking at purch asing a new system with the age of the computer you will likely look at parts f ailing due to age.Petium 3 or equivalent computers should be consider if the cur rent system does everything they need, maybe a full recondition (upgrade memory + completley wipe and reinstall your Operating System) this will bring it back t o the speed it was when new (or faster)..For cost conscious beginners and even i ntermediates, don't buy the fastest and the shiniest. It may sound impressive, b ut the truth is for those of us performing functions such as word processing, email and spreadsheets a slightly slower system is ample. If on the other hand, you love the state of the art video games or work heavily in Photoshop or video editing then you'll want fastest you can find.Get some adv ice from an independant professional before you part with thousands for a new sy stem, you will find that they can save you hundreds of dollars and possibly rec ommend some options you had never thought (or heard) about. Non Professional Help Getting a friend or relative over to fix your problematic computer may sound lik e the ideal cheap solution but is it really? Many times we have seen computers in for repair that have been fixed by someone e lse, sometimes even another professional . You have to ask yourself, if this person is such a computer whiz then why are they not making their living from fixing them full ti me? Often a well meaning friend knows enough to help out until a real problem is rea ched, then they can realise that there is a lot more time involved here and they will resent having to spend the entire weekend trying to fix your computer because they don't really know what they are doing and rather than admit it they can often cover up anything they ha ve done to make it worse and become uncontactable for weeks afterwards g reat way to ruin a friendship. I personally never fix friends computers for this very reason, I might have a lo ok and give
advice but never ever start working on something you are not willing to spend t he time to fix it properly. Conversely do not ask your friends if they mind having a quick look at my comput er if they stop over socially how would you like it if I invited you over for dinner t hen pulled out some of your work and said by the way your boss asked you to f inish this while I prepare dinner? It is the same deal, without overtime, it is not fair and a grea t way to ruin a friendship. For many other reasons you should get professional help, never install a wireles s network without someone who know network security or you will end up providing free Inte rnet to everyone in a one block radius free to them that is You'll receive huge bil ls for your generosity and community spirit. If you have any valuable information on your computer get a professi onal in before an amateur accidentally deletes or destroys the information, it costs $5000 for t he attempt to recover data from a damaged or deleted Hard Disk, this is much more expensive t han the couple of hundred to do a full back up and reinstall if it was done correctly th e first time. Lastly a professional can spot a problem quickly and rectify the issue or take s teps to ensure the fastest, cheapest, most appropriate solution for your needs. The same goes in any profession, someone with years and years of experience is going to do a better, faster more thorough job than a newly admitted amateur. In short it is often cheaper (in time, money and intangibles) to use a professional in all aspects of life, computing is no different.
Back Up Your Data Backups of some shape/form are essential if you do anything serious on a compute r. Could you afford to lose: Financial records? Accounting data? Customer data? Contac ts? Letters and documents? Photos? Email? Projects? Books in progress? Databases? Note s and To Do lists? Appointments? Spreadsheets? Tax info? You can t afford NOT to backup! As a matter of routine you have to protect yourself against accidental data loss
. You should back up your files according to a regular schedule (e.g., every Fri day afternoon). You should think to yourself, if my computer disappeared how much would the data and information loss hurt me let this guide you as to how often you should back up. Here are the top three data backup tips: 1. Schedule backups - Schedule a regular time for backing up data and stick t o it. A handy trick might be to use your Outlook Calendar to "schedule" the backups unt il you get into a routine. Some internet based emails also have it built into their software so that you can email yourself reminders. The bottom line is DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to get yourself in a regular schedule. 2. Back up data to reliable form - Floppy disks are not fine for backing up they are so unreliable you would not believe, they have a relatively short shelf life and can be easily damaged. Zip disks are better, but still not 100% safe. Recordable CD's are better but the cheap ones do not last the years they are supposed to, look more at 6 to 12 months, if kept in a cool dark place, inside individual covers. The Best backup strategy is on CD rewritable (CDRW) these have a metallic composite medium th at stores data reliably for years. The same goes for DVD's, use DVDR W's as your serious backup medium. 3. Back up offsite if your business relies on that data. If you have a fire, break-in or other disaster do not put your entire business at risk by having all your data i n the one spot. - just do it it takes 15 minutes a month and can save you more heartaches than you can possibly imagine, try getting a tax audit and all your files went with t he last virus infection. Recommended Backup Media 1. External hard rives many of these come with easy to use backup software 2. DVD burners allow you to backup multiple times conveniently 3. CD burners for smaller amounts of information. 4. Online backup solutions are available that store your information in a se rver in a different location, often in a different country. Set a strict backup regime and stick to it, if you run a business or store important information on your computer always assume that the computer will be go ne tomorrow, how much can you afford to loose?
Mistake Number 13 Ah ha, the big Mistake that everyone makes, we finally come to it. This insiders secret could save you thousands over your computing lifetime. The big corporations don't want you to know about it, the few who know it are to o deep in the industry to realise that the normal person on the street does not know thi s. The Uber Geek in fact treats the average computer users with some disdain for not knowing this secret. Enough already I hear you say What is this secret?
For this secret I ask you to help me out just this once. You see I am curious as to how many people will download and read this eBook so as a way to keep track of the number of people who have read it I have put this secret on a webpage so I can count the numb er of people visiting to read the 13th Mistake. In order to view the 13th Mistake all you have to do is go to the web address: www.ComputerHelpers.com.au/13 There it is the 13th Mistake I bet that really opened your eyes didn't it. You w on't look at computers the same ever again will you? Since the computerhelpers website is gone here is Mistake 13 Buying Computers from the Major Retailers
If If If If If
you you you you you
like like like like like
paying for all the flashy TV ads. paying for all the glossy brochures paying for all that floorspace unprofessional advice from non-technical salesmen buying overpriced computer equipment....
Then go to one of the big name stores.... And pay more than Recommended Retail Price !!!! I am not joking, this is outrageous, with the massive purchasing power these giants have they actually sell some well known computer brands at prices higher than you would pay if you purchased from the manufacturers own stores or websit e. $200 or $300 dollars more in most instances. Instead call your local INDEPENDANT technician and get some unbiased opinion s on what you really need in a computer and get advise from an insider who will know the real ins and outs of the industry, don't take some minimum wage spotty teenagers advice that is based purely on how much commission he will earn. Please read on to our bonus chapter on saving an average of 50% on your phone bi lls.
Cut Your Telephone Bill in Half !!! Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the new and innovative way to make and receive phone calls. It involves the transmission of ordinary telephone calls ov er the Internet. In other words, VoIP can send voice over the Internet, rather t han through the regular telephone network. Traditionally, VoIP technology has only been used by large corporations that can afford to invest in this cost saving technology. This same technology is now affordable di rectly to the consumer household. As an VOIP user, you can make calls with any touch-tone telephone and receive ca lls from any type of phone on any service. If the person you are calling also has an VO IP number, those calls can be completely free from any telephony charges. All you need is a broadband Internet connection, a VOIP box which you p lug into your router and then plug your normal telephone into the VOIP box. Then start to save ! As VOIP technology has improved the quality of the calls is now the same stand ard as a standard copper line, but with much greater functionality, and cheaper cost. A standard VOIP box will support up to two seperate telephone lines (and numbers ) over a standard offering 256Mb Broadband Connection, this can give considerable s avings to a small business. Faxes are also available over this service. Best of all you can travel around with your VOIP box and make and receive calls as if you were in your local area! Travel to Melbourne for business often? Take you ph one number with you! There is no limit how far you can travel, as long as you have access to a broadband internet connection at the other end. Very exciting for businesses. Check these call rates from one provider: Calls between major cities 10c untimed 10c untimed Local calls 5c per minute National Calls 29c per minute Calls to Mobiles Calls within the network Free International (26 countries) 4c per minute or less
For more up-to-date information visit: www.ComputerHelpers.com.au/VOIP
So Long And Thanks For All The Fish! And so we come to the end of this short guide, I hope you find some interesting information here and I hope it helps you save yourself some time and money. To keep up to date with new ebooks you can subscribe to the monthly newsletter a t : www.ComputerHelpers.com.au Just look for the 'Subscribe' button in the right hand panel. If you live in Sydney you may find it useful to subscribe to this newsletter to also keep upto-date with the latest specials on computers and servicing supplied by Compute r Helpers, you will also receive timely virus alerts and our scam watch. In the meantime happy computing to all and to all a good night. (If you were wonder ing the title of this chapter is a referrence to a Dougl as Adams book, but don't worry about it too much the Dolphins will still be here tomorrow).
Save time and money with this simple and easy to follow reference book written for people for know nothing about computer problems An Educational E-book Written by Conan Stevens Distributed by www.ComputerHelpers.com.au
Forward At long last a book written for computer users to help them avoid the most common problems with their computers, written in a simple, easy to read format. This guide should serve as a starting point every time you have a computer probl em and for that reason we recommend printing it out and keeping it handy when a problem occ urs. Run through the list and try the recommended solution for your compute r problem before calling your professional technician, this should save you t ime and money. We would like to thank ComputerHelpers.com.au for their help in distributing thi s free ebook. It takes a business really focused on helping people to give away a f ree book that actually cuts into their profits. !!! Please feel free to email this book to any of your friends who might also find it helpful !!! About the Author Conan Stevens has been involved with computers, programming, repairing and building for the last 23 years nobody knows home computers better. His first experience was at the tender age of 12. The school he attended had just taken shipment of arguably the world's first 'home' computer the Sinclair Spectrum ZX81 with 1K of memory! Upon entering the new computer room, he spied an older student playing Moon Lander the basic but popular arcade game of the time. Upon asking to p lay, the older student said Yes, sure but you have to write it yourself and plonked down a large book on programming. To look back now and imagine how much different his life would have progressed
had he played the game a couple of times and wandered off again..... His interest gradually changed rs. He has since worked as a computer sultant to businesses, laptop repair manufacturer, reconditioning expert, and , worked and breathed computers, there is no problem from programming to hardware and building compute repairer, Broadband Internet helpdesk senior, con specialist, salesman. network For 23 installer, years he computer has lived
Mark has not seen and fixed before.
Mark currently holds the position of Head Technician at ComputerHelpers.com.au, helping and guiding the next generation of Technicians with his vast knowledge and exper ience.
Table Of Contents CHAPTER PAGE 1 Introduction 4 2 Check your Cables & Switches 5 3 Common Printer Problems 6 4 Boot Troubles? 7 5 Reboot Your Computer 8 6 Anti-Virus Information 9 7 Lack Of Training 10 8 Dial Up Connection Problems 11 9 Taking Back Your Internet Start Page 12 10 Banking and Funds Scams 13 11 Upgrade or Buy a New Computer? 14 12 Non-Professional Help 15 13 Backing Up 16 14 Mistake Number 13 17 BONUS Cut your telephone bill in Half! 18 So Long And Thanks For All The Fish. 19 About Computer Helpers Computer Helpers is distributing this book to all clients in the hope that it w ill help them, and stand the company in the highest praise of its customers, thereby creating goodwill and cutomer loyalty. The Computer Helpers repair business can best be summed up by their service promise and guarantee :We Promise to: Send a friendly helper, who will arrive on time, get your computer running smoothly and leave you 100% satisfied.... OR we will give your money back, no hassles, no fuss.
When you need someone you can trust to fix that computer and get it running smoo thly call Computer Helpers, the phone number of whom is listed at the bottom of each page in this
Introduction When it comes to our computers we all want them to work, and work right..... ALL THE TIME! Unfortunately, the modern marvel that we call a Personal Computer is a machine, and let's face it - machines fail, as we all saw in Terminator II - Rise of The Machines 2001: A Space Odyssey ! Often they fail at the time that we seem to need them most. This is why I have written to myself, Gee, the average person must get into a heck gathered my thoughts and wrote this simple of those circumstances. When computer problems happen there l. As this book, many times I have of a mess when this happens to them thought and so I
or
guide to help the average person out in many are some very "obvious" reasons why they fai checking
computer owners, we should assume responsibility for the basics, before calling for technical help or repairs. This saves you time and money.
If you are not sure how to fix a problem yourself with this guide, then it is no t going to be fixable over the phone either. In all likelihood, your computer will have be repaired in person by a professional. If you do need professional computer help within the Sydney (Australia) then pl ease call Computer Helpers, their phone number is listed at the bottom of each page. Listed below are some things every or to making that repair call, so read on and enjoy.... computer owner should check pri
Check Your Cables & Switches! Is the computer plugged in? This sounds simple enough, but you'd be amazed at ho
w often a power cord is the source of the trouble. Show me a stone-cold PC and I'll find a loose power cord, usually at the computer end - 90% of the time. Also included in the check is the power strip/surge protector. Check that this has not been pulled from the socket or turned off by a cleaner, child or passing animal. Also check if the surge protector has tripped and reset it if required. Make sure you are you looking at the right cord. The backs of computers tend to become a huge mess of cables. Actually pickup and follow the cables from start to finish to make sure your are checking the correct ones. The follow up to the first item: If the computer starts but the monitor doesn' t, guess which power cord it is? That, or it's the monitor cables from the computer if the moni tor turns on but there is no picture. Don't just look, unplug then plug the cable back in to make sure it is in firmly with good contact. And if the network, modem, keyboard, or mouse is on the fritz.....see where this is heading? Until proven otherwise, it is always a cable/cord problem. Turn everything off a nd unplug and replug all the cords and cables. Amazingly, many problems will work themse lves out this way. If it still does not power up try plugging in a light or radio or something you know is working into that socket to make sure the socket has not blown a fuse at the fus ebox or has stopped providing power in which case I highly recommend calling an electrician. If you are having troubles with a peripheral (add on device that is physically s eparate from the computer box) then after checking cables check if the pow er switch on the computer/monitor/peripheral device turned off? Computer towers/desktops, monitors, scanners, printers.... all can come with on/ off buttons or switches. Make sure it has not been inadvertently turned off. Also included is that the power strip/surge protector has somehow been switched off, sometimes they have individual switches for each socket, check this as well.. I know this sounds simple but you would be surprised the number of call outs I h ave been to or heard about where this was the only problem. Dogs, cleaners and pets are the main culprits, have a look first it may save you a service call.
Common Printer Problems Is there ink/toner in the printer? Occasionally, cartridges must be checked to b e sure there is still ink/toner inside. Also some cartridges go out of date and can no longer be printed from even if they are full Yes it is a scam on behalf of the printer manufacturers so do not buy that brand next time you buy a printer. Another scam by another of the large printer manufacturers is for the printer to report that it is out of ink when the cartridge clearly has ink about 1/5 of the total ink sti ll in it if this happens to you do not buy that brand again either. Better yet contact Computer Helpers when you purchase and get our recommend ation to make sure you never buy one of these brands (and they are two of the biggest we ll known brands !) Check for any flashing or warning lights on the outside of your printer, this wi ll most often be empty ink or a paper jam. Follow the instructions for yo ur printer in fixing these problems. Are any lights on? Check power switched on and cables secure. When you print make sure you choose to print it to the correct printer. Sometime s installing new software (ie Fax software) might register the fax software as the new defaul t printer, in which case when yo print it will try to fax rather than print it to paper. If you are printing a lot of black and white text consider purchasing a Lase r Printer, you would be surprised how much quieter, cheaper to run and better quality the text is. Way too many small businesses buy a inkjet printer so they can print photos of the kids or holidays this is not the first time I have said this nor will it be the last separate y our business and family computers. Make a business decision and purchase the correct printer for the job, if needed buy a photo printer separately. If printing in house or test runs of documents choose to use the ink saver or toner saver option that is available on most new printers, this will use less ink and save you money on non-production printing, also a good idea if you have kids.
Boot Troubles? Where are you booting from? If there is a floppy diskette in the drive or a CD is trying to boot your comput er, you can get really odd errors. You can generally hear the disk trying to spin up to boot as it starts, just before the error message comes up. Take out all disks and CD's from your computer drives and make sure all t he drives are empty. Then try starting the computer again. If you get the same error message again then it is a different problem, if it bo ots (starts up) then that was your problem. This happens a lot when you start your computer with a floppy disk inse rted, thankfully most new computers come without floppy disks these days. The other trouble at start up if the lights are on is that Microsoft's hibernate utility often causes the computer to go to sleep and freeze. The hibernation or sleep is supposed to put the computer into a low power state to save energy and have the computer come back to readiness faster than if you shut it d own. Often what will happen is that the hibernation will freeze so next time you come to th e computer and turn it on you will have lights on, maybe a slowly flashing light, and no ac tion. To get around this you need to turn the power off from the wall, leave it fo r at least 30 seconds then turn it back on. This hibernation problem occurs more often in laptops. The way to fix a laptop i s to pull the power cord out, turn the laptop upside down, find the battery compartme nt, remove the battery and let it sit for 48 hours. If it still does not start after this you a re going to need professional help. If when you start up you here rhythmic clicking or a grinding sound and the comp uter does not boot, pull the power immediately. Your Hard Drive, where all you r information is stored, has died. Call in a professional to try and save what information they c an.
Reboot Your Com
puter
When in doubt, save your work and reboot. Actually you should choose lose down and power off completely. the shut down option. Let the computer c
Then go make a cup of tea or coffee, or go for a walk. Then after at least a 5 m inute break turn it back on and see if it still has the same problem. This 5 minute break allows the power to drain from the RAM me mory. This lets the computer start up completely fresh. A quick restart can leave corrupt info rmation, that is causing a problem, to remain in memory and continue causing problems when you st art up again quickly. The other thing to be aware of is the computer freezing. You'd be am azed at how many people stare at a frozen computer waiting for it to come back to life. If after 5 minutes of waiting, the computer isn't responding, hit the 'Ctrl'-'Alt'-'Del' key combination.* Go to 'Task Manager' and then 'Applications' here you will likely see a program Not Res ponding click on that program and then click on 'End Task'. Different versions of window s call these buttons slightly different names just choose the name that sounds closest. If this does not work then you will have to consider a complete power off, from the wall. If you were in the middle of some important work you can leave it and go do so mething else for 30 minutes and it might right itself enough to save your work then res tart, but it is highly unlikely. However if the work was important then it is worth the chance. If you have to turn the power off then wait your 5 minutes before starti ng the computer again. Sometimes it will take a longer 15 minute break for th e computer's short term memory to clear and the problem self rectify. If your computer keeps freezing regularly call in a professional to have a look and fix your computer, it is a symptom of a very ill computer.
Anti-Virus Information Things like your computer acting erratically, locking up, blue screening, or jus t not running
at its usual performance pace often signify that the strange behavior of the computer is indeed the work of a virus . What exactly is a virus? A virus is a computer program written to reproduce itse lf, spread and quite often, cause damage by impacting computer performance or deleting data . While dangerous, a virus cannot spread on its own; it must be executed or run to do an y damage. What kind of damage can a virus do? The majority of viruses are not much more than harmless e-graffiti (commonly known as "hoax viruses"), ways for hackers to prove that they could have disabled your computer system had they so desired. The viruses with both bark and bite, capable of crippling your operating system or wiping crucial fil es from your hard disk, are the REAL dangers! So.. how can you prevent this from happening to you? Well, there are several thi ngs that can and should be done. First and foremost, purchase a good anti-virus program and k eep it upto-date. Most people think that if they purchase the anti-virus software and i nstall it, that they re finished. No, no, no, no, no! Virus protection is like taking cold medicine. You wouldn t take one dose an d expect to never get a cold again. Well, it s the same with updating your anti-virus software . Because there are as many as 6 new viruses created every day, updating should be done a s often as once a day. The more often your anti-virus checks for updates, the less likely one will slip through its defenses. We use and recommend Trend-Micro's PC-Cillin, it has an inbuilt firewall, inbuil t spyware remover, updates more often than some of the other big names in the field and t hey have a lot more features that the others charge seperately for. If you have not heard of Trend-Micro, maybe you have heard of Hotmail? Trend do all the virus scanning for all hotmail users. We have faith that they can look after our computer as well. Visit www.computerhelpers.com.au/antivirus for the latest information on antivirus recommendations. If you do get a virus and cannot remove it with a change of anti-virus software then you will need to call a professional in to help you out.
Lack Of Training Many of us have never thought of taking a computer lessons. Yet, we are frustra ted when we don't know the answer.Just like learning to drive a car, the more l essons you have, the more confident you become. A some point you gain enough ski ll and confidence to drive by yourself, then after a short time you no longer h ave to even think about it you just do it. Computers are the same, once you gain a basic understanding you will find that all programs run under generally the same rules and are all laid out similarly. So once you learn how to use one program you have a fair idea on all the others. Remember how daunting your first time in the drivers seat was? I am a true believer in continuing education and in the field of computerisatio n it is a must. There is an old belief that if we devote one hour each day to the subject of o ur choice we will become an expert in three years. Even just 15 minutes a day for 6 months and you will get a reasonable understand ing or better yet book a 1 hour lesson every week with a professional to make rapid adv ancement. Soon your friends will be calling you the computer whiz ! Start with a typing tutor program, this will teach you the keyboard layout. Once you know the layout of the letters on the keyboard everything else becomes easier a nd faster. Do a search on Google for freeware or shareware typing tutor, to get a free program. Next it is often useful to play simple games such as blackjack or hearts that co mes with your computer, this will give you familiarity with using a mouse and with the file me nus. After you gain these basics it is possible to join a part-time or night coarse at your local college or tafe to gain more skills. The quickest, easiest way though is to call in a professional and get a lesso n every week, this should realistically only take 4 weeks to get you up and running to the poi nt where you will be able to do most things by yourself from then on even teach your friends!
Internet Connection Problems If you have troubles with your internet it will be one of two things, either som ething at your end or something at their end, and often it is something at their end that they
do not know about.... yet. First things to check when you have Internet problems depends upon whether you a re using a dial-up connection that makes phone calls (with the electronic squealing sound ) or one of the new fast broadband connections. Dial-up: Is the computer making the 'sqealing' sound? If not check that the modem is plug ged into the telephone line at both end, make sure any extension cables are not damaged ( pets love to chew these). Can you plug a normal telephone into that line and see if it is a clear line and you can make phone calls normally without static? Check the phone number you are dialling is the correct one, also re-enter your u sername and password making sure your 'Caps Lock' key is turned off and you enter the name e xactly as it is near enough is not close enough with computers. Broadband: Check your modem lights, is the service light on solid? If the service light is flashing? If so it means that you are not getting a connection from your Internet Service Provid er (ISP). If you are using software to connect make sure that the username and password are typed correctly and the 'Caps Lock' is turned off. After this: Try calling your ISP. Generally large ISP's often have incompetant and unhelpful people on their help lines (they are cheaper). Here is how you combat this. When you call up the person will give you their name, repeat it (say Hi Mr. x) and write it do wn, explain the problem and give the exact error message you are getting, be polite and nice to the person on the other end, it is not their fault if something is not work ing. If at the end of the troubleshooting process they have not been able to fix the problem ask for t he call to be escalated and if they can transfer you to a senior technician, or if they are in a bad mood and rude ask them (by name) to speak to the team leader After this if you still don't have any luck then you need to call in a professio nal to get you uip and running and get a real hardware modem if on broadband not the cheapo software ones, and/or change to an ISP that actually values its customers and gives good service. For our current recommendation of a good service ISP check: www.ComputerHelpers.com.au/ISP
Taking Back your start page (home page) In Internet Explorer (the blue E symbol you use to start your Internet browsing ) sometimes your start page can be hijacked and an unwanted website can pop up everytime you start using the internet. Also many times your ISP may set the start page to their website, or you may be visiting the MSN site everyday and not wanting to. To change this start page to a more useful website such as your favourite search e ngine just follow these simple instructions: Open Internet Explorer Across the top of the window, click on the 'Tools' menu Choose 'Internet Options' This brings up a new window Click on the first tab across the top 'General' Near the top it has homepage, type in the page you want to use here Then click 'OK' at the bottom of that window This will now bring up the webpage you typed in everytime you start Internet Exp lorer. If you find that you are still getting another page after doing this then it means you have some spyware on your computer that is monitoring and changing the page back, as we ll as other unsavoury things. In this case give a professional technician a call to he lp remove this unwanted pest from your machine.
Banking and Funds Scams Nigerian 419: In many cases, this is really a scam-within-a-scam: The Nigerians are making you think that you are going to scam the Nigerian Government, the Central Bank of Nigeria, etc. , when in fact they are going to scam you out of what they are going to charge you to get in the scam, or what portion of the scam you are going to pay to make it work. If you pay the money up-front by wire-transfer or by mail, one of two things wil l happen: (1) you have simply lost your money and will never see it again; or (2) and much more likely, within a couple of days you will get a phone call or letter from your contact telling you that something has gone wrong, and that to clear it up and release the fund s you will have to send just a little more money. This latter scamming will go on litera lly for weeks and months, until you either run out of money or figure it out.
Phishing: Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses spam or pop-up message s to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you deal with for example, your Internet service provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message usually says that you need to update or validate your account information. It might threaten some dire consequence if you don t respond. The message directs you to a Web site that looks just like a legitimate organization s site, b ut it isn t. The purpose of the bogus site? To trick you into divulging your personal i nformation so the operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name .
The FTC, America's consumer protection agency, suggests these tips to he lp you avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam: If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial inform ation, do not reply or click on the link in the message. Legitimate companies don t ask f or this information via email. If you are concerned about your accou nt, contact the organization in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or op en a new Internet browser session and type in the company s correct Web address. I n any case, don t cut and paste the link in the message. Don t email personal or financial information. Email is not a s ecure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want t o provide your personal or financial information through an organization s Web site, look fo r indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser s status bar o r a URL for a website that begins https: (the s stands for secure ). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons. There are many more scams, most a variation of the above two, please be very careful with your banking and credit details.
Upgrade or Buy a New Computer? There comes a time when your computer is not quite what it used to be. It become s sluggish, cranky and you see "Illegal Operation" more than you see your e-mail program. It's time for a change. But, should you buy a new machine or should yo
u upgrade?New computers have become so inexpensive that we often don't even thin k of keeping our old machines and proceed directly for a new computer. Sometimes though, the best low-cost PC could turn out to be the one you already own. There are three main questions to ask you if upgrading is better than new:1. Wha t is the total cost of the upgrade parts?2. How difficult is the upgrade; will I need to reinstall all my data anyway?3. How does the cost compare to the cost o f a new system?Most viable upgrades are for memory, additional storage space or adding a DVD burner. These are all very easy tasks that will not interefere with your total computing experience. When you start trying to upgrade the spe ed (Mhz or Ghz) that is when you start upgrading many components and it is easi er, often cheaper, and warranty is better on a new system. If you already own a computer, you can also get away with just 'upgrading' your computer box only, yo u keep your monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, printer, etc. and just change the box that everything plugs into. If you have not bought a computer in a few years you will be pleasantly surpris ed at how much cheaper they have become, especially without all the add-ons.Basi cally at this stage any Pentium 2 or earlier computer should be looking at purch asing a new system with the age of the computer you will likely look at parts f ailing due to age.Petium 3 or equivalent computers should be consider if the cur rent system does everything they need, maybe a full recondition (upgrade memory + completley wipe and reinstall your Operating System) this will bring it back t o the speed it was when new (or faster)..For cost conscious beginners and even i ntermediates, don't buy the fastest and the shiniest. It may sound impressive, b ut the truth is for those of us performing functions such as word processing, email and spreadsheets a slightly slower system is ample. If on the other hand, you love the state of the art video games or work heavily in Photoshop or video editing then you'll want fastest you can find.Get some adv ice from an independant professional before you part with thousands for a new sy stem, you will find that they can save you hundreds of dollars and possibly rec ommend some options you had never thought (or heard) about. Non Professional Help Getting a friend or relative over to fix your problematic computer may sound lik e the ideal cheap solution but is it really? Many times we have seen computers in for repair that have been fixed by someone e lse, sometimes even another professional . You have to ask yourself, if this person is such a computer whiz then why are they not making their living from fixing them full ti me? Often a well meaning friend knows enough to help out until a real problem is rea ched, then they can realise that there is a lot more time involved here and they will resent having to spend the entire weekend trying to fix your computer because they don't really know what they are doing and rather than admit it they can often cover up anything they ha ve done to make it worse and become uncontactable for weeks afterwards g reat way to ruin a friendship. I personally never fix friends computers for this very reason, I might have a lo ok and give
advice but never ever start working on something you are not willing to spend t he time to fix it properly. Conversely do not ask your friends if they mind having a quick look at my comput er if they stop over socially how would you like it if I invited you over for dinner t hen pulled out some of your work and said by the way your boss asked you to f inish this while I prepare dinner? It is the same deal, without overtime, it is not fair and a grea t way to ruin a friendship. For many other reasons you should get professional help, never install a wireles s network without someone who know network security or you will end up providing free Inte rnet to everyone in a one block radius free to them that is You'll receive huge bil ls for your generosity and community spirit. If you have any valuable information on your computer get a professi onal in before an amateur accidentally deletes or destroys the information, it costs $5000 for t he attempt to recover data from a damaged or deleted Hard Disk, this is much more expensive t han the couple of hundred to do a full back up and reinstall if it was done correctly th e first time. Lastly a professional can spot a problem quickly and rectify the issue or take s teps to ensure the fastest, cheapest, most appropriate solution for your needs. The same goes in any profession, someone with years and years of experience is going to do a better, faster more thorough job than a newly admitted amateur. In short it is often cheaper (in time, money and intangibles) to use a professional in all aspects of life, computing is no different.
Back Up Your Data Backups of some shape/form are essential if you do anything serious on a compute r. Could you afford to lose: Financial records? Accounting data? Customer data? Contac ts? Letters and documents? Photos? Email? Projects? Books in progress? Databases? Note s and To Do lists? Appointments? Spreadsheets? Tax info? You can t afford NOT to backup! As a matter of routine you have to protect yourself against accidental data loss
. You should back up your files according to a regular schedule (e.g., every Fri day afternoon). You should think to yourself, if my computer disappeared how much would the data and information loss hurt me let this guide you as to how often you should back up. Here are the top three data backup tips: 1. Schedule backups - Schedule a regular time for backing up data and stick t o it. A handy trick might be to use your Outlook Calendar to "schedule" the backups unt il you get into a routine. Some internet based emails also have it built into their software so that you can email yourself reminders. The bottom line is DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to get yourself in a regular schedule. 2. Back up data to reliable form - Floppy disks are not fine for backing up they are so unreliable you would not believe, they have a relatively short shelf life and can be easily damaged. Zip disks are better, but still not 100% safe. Recordable CD's are better but the cheap ones do not last the years they are supposed to, look more at 6 to 12 months, if kept in a cool dark place, inside individual covers. The Best backup strategy is on CD rewritable (CDRW) these have a metallic composite medium th at stores data reliably for years. The same goes for DVD's, use DVDR W's as your serious backup medium. 3. Back up offsite if your business relies on that data. If you have a fire, break-in or other disaster do not put your entire business at risk by having all your data i n the one spot. - just do it it takes 15 minutes a month and can save you more heartaches than you can possibly imagine, try getting a tax audit and all your files went with t he last virus infection. Recommended Backup Media 1. External hard rives many of these come with easy to use backup software 2. DVD burners allow you to backup multiple times conveniently 3. CD burners for smaller amounts of information. 4. Online backup solutions are available that store your information in a se rver in a different location, often in a different country. Set a strict backup regime and stick to it, if you run a business or store important information on your computer always assume that the computer will be go ne tomorrow, how much can you afford to loose?
Mistake Number 13 Ah ha, the big Mistake that everyone makes, we finally come to it. This insiders secret could save you thousands over your computing lifetime. The big corporations don't want you to know about it, the few who know it are to o deep in the industry to realise that the normal person on the street does not know thi s. The Uber Geek in fact treats the average computer users with some disdain for not knowing this secret. Enough already I hear you say What is this secret?
For this secret I ask you to help me out just this once. You see I am curious as to how many people will download and read this eBook so as a way to keep track of the number of people who have read it I have put this secret on a webpage so I can count the numb er of people visiting to read the 13th Mistake. In order to view the 13th Mistake all you have to do is go to the web address: www.ComputerHelpers.com.au/13 There it is the 13th Mistake I bet that really opened your eyes didn't it. You w on't look at computers the same ever again will you? Since the computerhelpers website is gone here is Mistake 13 Buying Computers from the Major Retailers
If If If If If
you you you you you
like like like like like
paying for all the flashy TV ads. paying for all the glossy brochures paying for all that floorspace unprofessional advice from non-technical salesmen buying overpriced computer equipment....
Then go to one of the big name stores.... And pay more than Recommended Retail Price !!!! I am not joking, this is outrageous, with the massive purchasing power these giants have they actually sell some well known computer brands at prices higher than you would pay if you purchased from the manufacturers own stores or websit e. $200 or $300 dollars more in most instances. Instead call your local INDEPENDANT technician and get some unbiased opinion s on what you really need in a computer and get advise from an insider who will know the real ins and outs of the industry, don't take some minimum wage spotty teenagers advice that is based purely on how much commission he will earn. Please read on to our bonus chapter on saving an average of 50% on your phone bi lls.
Cut Your Telephone Bill in Half !!! Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the new and innovative way to make and receive phone calls. It involves the transmission of ordinary telephone calls ov er the Internet. In other words, VoIP can send voice over the Internet, rather t han through the regular telephone network. Traditionally, VoIP technology has only been used by large corporations that can afford to invest in this cost saving technology. This same technology is now affordable di rectly to the consumer household. As an VOIP user, you can make calls with any touch-tone telephone and receive ca lls from any type of phone on any service. If the person you are calling also has an VO IP number, those calls can be completely free from any telephony charges. All you need is a broadband Internet connection, a VOIP box which you p lug into your router and then plug your normal telephone into the VOIP box. Then start to save ! As VOIP technology has improved the quality of the calls is now the same stand ard as a standard copper line, but with much greater functionality, and cheaper cost. A standard VOIP box will support up to two seperate telephone lines (and numbers ) over a standard offering 256Mb Broadband Connection, this can give considerable s avings to a small business. Faxes are also available over this service. Best of all you can travel around with your VOIP box and make and receive calls as if you were in your local area! Travel to Melbourne for business often? Take you ph one number with you! There is no limit how far you can travel, as long as you have access to a broadband internet connection at the other end. Very exciting for businesses. Check these call rates from one provider: Calls between major cities 10c untimed 10c untimed Local calls 5c per minute National Calls 29c per minute Calls to Mobiles Calls within the network Free International (26 countries) 4c per minute or less
For more up-to-date information visit: www.ComputerHelpers.com.au/VOIP
So Long And Thanks For All The Fish! And so we come to the end of this short guide, I hope you find some interesting information here and I hope it helps you save yourself some time and money. To keep up to date with new ebooks you can subscribe to the monthly newsletter a t : www.ComputerHelpers.com.au Just look for the 'Subscribe' button in the right hand panel. If you live in Sydney you may find it useful to subscribe to this newsletter to also keep upto-date with the latest specials on computers and servicing supplied by Compute r Helpers, you will also receive timely virus alerts and our scam watch. In the meantime happy computing to all and to all a good night. (If you were wonder ing the title of this chapter is a referrence to a Dougl as Adams book, but don't worry about it too much the Dolphins will still be here tomorrow).
