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why slow computer pc repair frederick damascus mt airy md

No, your computer isn’t slow.

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How many times has this happened to you…

You buy a brand new computer and things are great!  You can browse the web at speed.  Programs open and close when you ask.  Life is good.

Then time goes by – maybe a year.  You’ve accidentally opened some sketchy websites (clicking links on Facebook is more dangerous than you thought!).

The antivirus that came with your computer is flashing expired warnings.  A teenager used it.  You installed a “Java update”… is that a thing?  After all that abuse, your computer is now acting possessed and you are beginning to hate the thing.

You don’t need to buy a new computer for $1000.  If it has been two years or less, your hardware should still be plenty fast.  You just need to get the software refreshed.  This can be done by performing a computer tune-up, or by reinstalling Windows fresh.

A tune-up removes bad programs like viruses, spyware, and advertising programs from your PC.  It also tells good programs to stop running in the background – these background programs are a major cause of slowness.

Re-installing Windows fresh gives you the new computer experience.  You will need to re-install your programs and re-connect your printer.  A skilled technician can back-up and restore your data to the computer so you don’t lose any pictures or documents.

If you would like professional help getting your computer back to full speed, give us a call: (301) 253-5150

 

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Small / medium business security concerns

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I recommend reading over this CNBC article about the latest trends in small business malware attacks.

This is becoming more of a threat over time, and should concern all business owners.

cnbc.com: A wave of new viruses is targeting small businesses

 

The article unfortunately doesn’t discuss defense tactics that the average small business can perform.   This is where having a security-savvy IT person comes in handy.

Cybersecurity Defense Priorities for Small Business

  1. Have good backups.  Backups that are stored with an “air gap” between your business network and the storage media.  Backups that are tested regularly to ensure that they can actually be restored.
  2. Deny an entry.  Make sure all internet-connected computers at your business have antivirus and the latest patches.  Invest in an email filter.  Configure firewalls to only allow “normal” traffic patterns, both inbound and outbound.
  3. Separation. Use the principal of least-privilege so that even if something is accidentally executed, at least it will be executed as a user instead of an administrator.  Individually firewall and protect your servers from the rest of the network.

Despite precautions, things can go wrong.  Backups, good documentation, and a system administrator who can recover your network will give you options when responding.  Don’t feed the wolves!