Should I buy a new PC?

                

For some time now, I have been making clients aware of the age of their computer and arguing the value of repairs. Usually, my personal rule of thumb is that you may want to debate repairing your computer if it is over ~5 years of age. In my experience, computers over that age tend to be at a higher risk of hardware failure. Further, the average price of today’s computers makes extensive repairs somewhat risky for the average consumer.

If in the event a client comes to me with a 6yr old PC which requires a new hard drive, I may suggest replacing the computer instead. Aside from the cost of the part, replacing the hard drive would necessitate reinstalling the Operating System and could include transferring the data from the old drive to the new one. That could add up pretty quickly, and I would hate to see the client come back a week later with something like a fried motherboard. When a computer is that old (as upsetting as that sounds), these days, it can make more sense to simply replace the PC.

Though today’s low prices is an almost inarguable factor, I recently decided to check with a few local pawn shops to see what I could get for an old PC. Surprisingly, these pawn shops ran on my same rule, except even more strict. They refused to buy any PC older than ~3 years. Their reason? “It’s more likely that we could run into hardware issues.” Replacing the PC helps to ensure the continued reliability of parts and would also grant the added bonus of a one year (or more) warranty through the manufacturer. 

               

PCMatic - Scam or Legit?

PCMatic.com

As soon as I saw this commercial, I was instantly reminded of the MyCleanPC and/or MaxMySpeed programs. I wrote a blog entry about it awhile back and it has actually gotten quite a few hits: http://mooreithelp.blogspot.com/2012/07/mycleanpccom-scam-or-legit.html

I’ve been meaning to write something regarding all these programs which claim to magically and quickly fix all your computer problems. Not only do these programs usually cost half of what real Internet Security programs cost, they claim that they will even make repairs and tune up a computer, making it run faster than ever. Many of them, including PC Pitstop PC Matic, claim that you will “never get a virus again” which is impossible. These registry cleaners and optimizers claim to speed up your computer by finding and removing orphaned and corrupt registry entries that are responsible for slowing down system performance. Unfortunately, the fact is that there is no statistical evidence to back such claims. These advertisements are borderline scams intended to goad users into using an unnecessary and potential dangerous product. I would not trust any results such programs detect as problematic or needing repair nor recommend using the options to fix them.

The registry is a crucial component of Windows, storing information and settings for all hardware, software, users, and preferences - basically the makeup of the Windows Operating System, to a degree. So, these programs which can aggressively scan and make violent changes to this system can render the system inoperable. Some may argue that these registry cleaners are required for specific types of infections, and that is true. However, improperly removing registry entries can make the removal process more difficult if your computer becomes infected. Removing malware related registry entries before the infection is properly identified (and steps taken to remove said infection) can contribute to system instability and even make the malware undetectable to removal tools.

I could delve into benchmark testing and detailed explanations as to how PCMatic and programs like it are basically advertising bold faced lies, and how its promises and "features" are borderline impossible, but to be frank - its not worth it. This program is just like all the other magic wands. Quickly, if you are willing to dig around the PC Matic web site, you will eventually find information about Super Shield, the proprietary real-time technology component to PC Matic. That page goes into a little detail about their use of a "white list" approach in addition to a "black list". Not mentioned is the company's use and explanation of its heuristic and behavioral detection technology. Aside from the numerous complaints filed against the company, the vendor's website doesn't specifically say how the product “protects against modern security threats”. They also fail to tell customers that their product has high false positive rates.

Expecting results similar to the MyCleanPC.com scams, I didn’t bother to do a scan on a test system like I did in MyCleanPC.com - Scam or Legit. I did, however, find that someone did it for me and it was exactly as I expected. Joe53 of SpywareHammer.com reported that the program found hundreds of "bad" registry entries on his system (which was working perfectly well), that his system had TCP connection problems (when he had no internet connection problems), extreme fragmentation of his hard drive (despite his regular use of Diskeeper), identified his System Restore files as "junk files", and suggested he delete them and identified that all his internet settings (HTTP, TCP, DNS et.al.) as needing to be optimized (despite the fact that SpeedTest measurements showed his connection and ping times to be well within parameters.)

Now,

Many people are starting to say that most of the negative press is from several years ago and that PCMatic has been perfecting itself over the past 4 years or so. To that, I respond with this very same article. The fact remains that this is a PRODUCT that claims to fix all your computer problems! It's half the price of a traditional, reputable AV and yet claims that it will not only REPLACE your Antivirus program, but that you will never get a virus again! The features and claims are so ridiculously silly, its not even worth a detailed examination. 

The Windows "Installer" Folder and Hard Drive Space

By now, many of you have probably heard of the SSD - the Solid State Drive. This piece of hardware is many times faster than the traditional mechanical hard drive found in most computers, however it is usually significantly more expensive. So, if you have a fairly expensive computer, it may run off of an SSD with the caveat of  being significantly smaller than the traditional drive. This reintroduces the old 90's problem of conserving hard drive space.

Most PC enthusiasts with a Desktop computer will use a small SSD to store their OS and then store all their data on a larger, inexpensive traditional mechanical drive. But over time, various temporary files will begin to fill up your little SSD. These files build up through the course of simply using the computer, whether it be through the course of installing programs to various Windows Updates to program patches to MS Office upgrades. Through various means, you can find a folder within Windows called the "INSTALLER" folder - where a good deal of this stuff is stored. The problem is that a good deal of the stuff in this folder can be referred to as "Orphaned" files - files and folders which are no longer required but remain on the drive regardless, causing this folder to grow to over 15, 20, even 30GB.

Unfortunately, it gets worse - this folder cant just be deleted outright. A good deal of the files and folders within the Installer folder are still used by the system. So, if you are looking to save drive space, save the Installer folder for last. Before risking damage to your system, let me revisit some classic steps to cleaning up your drive, then, if your drive is still pretty full, we can look at the Installer folder again. I have tools that can find the files and folders which are safe to delete, and if that doesnt work, i always provide other options.

Give me a call at 617-396-7044 or shoot me an email at Help@MooreITHelp.com

How Your PC Effects Your Android Device

I've been asked a few times in casual conversation if ones phone can be infected. The short answer is "yes", but it's not too common. But now a new (and rather late, in my opinion) vulnerability to your phone exists; Your computer. We all know that a PC can become infected and how that can result in anything from identity theft to being just plain annoying, but now the vulnerability of your PC can have a direct impact on the vulnerability of your Android Smart Phone.

The Windows Trojan "Droidpak" is designed (like most Trojans) to download itself and desgiese itself as a critical system service. Once installed, the Torjan contacts a remote server which then downloads a configuration file in order to download the malware under the guise of the "Google App Store." The malware, Android.Fakebank.B, is actually a malicious replica of a Korean online banking application. If a legitimate banking app is detected on the Android device, it is  replaced with a fake one in order to obtain user credentials and thus full access to your bank account. The malware is also capable of intercepting SMS messages and sending them to cybercriminals.

Now that we are aware of the program and how it works, most reliable Internet Security Solutions, such as ESET Smart Security 7, can now protect you against this infection. This is another prime example of why 1. a good Internet Security Solution is critical to any user, and 2. why it is critical to keep said Internet Security Solution updated. One should also be aware that there are Internet Security Apps available for the Droid. One such app is LookOut Mobile Security. 

If you are unsure if your computer is running the current most reliable Internet Security Solution, or your computer is running slow and you are suspicious of infection, spyware, or malware - give us a call at 617-396-7044 or check us out on the web at www.MooreITHelp.com

Windows XP Goes The Way of Incandescent Light Bulbs

On April 8th, 2014, support and updates for the now 12 year old OS Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2003 will no longer be available. But believe it or not, many businesses are still running on the aged OS. A recent survey from the research firm Gartner showed that more than 15% of midsize to large businesses still have Windows XP running on at least 10% of their PCs. If you're one of them - this article is for you. 

I personally have worked for the past two years or so with companies such as UBS Financial Services and Morgan Stanley to migrate their users over to Windows 7. For the companies that have moved away from Windows XP, it has been a long and complicated process. Derrick Wood, group CIO at Wood Group, said that it took a three-year multi-million dollar program to get his company ready for life after XP. But don't get the idea that staying in the past would only effect major companies; Windows XP will soon be extremely vulnerable to attack via even the most simple functions such as email and browsing the web.  

The support that Microsoft has been providing for the past 12 years includes security fixes and patches for vulnerable features such as Internet Explorer, not to mention the base OS itself. So after April 8th, any newly discovered exploits won't be fixed, leaving your entire network and systems vulnerable to various cyber attacks such as network intrusions, data theft and identity theft. And no, your antivirus software will not be the band aide for this problem.

If you are one of the many still running XP, migrating to a newer or different OS may be easier said than done. If you're just running things like Quickbooks, Outlook or Excel, then you're probably okay to upgrade or replace your systems rather easily. But if you have small time, independent software, you may want to give me a call.

www.MooreITHelp.com
617-396-7044

Boost System Performance On Windows 7 Machines

Hey Guys,

Recently I serviced a Windows 7 computer that surprisingly only had 2GB of RAM. In case you didn’t know, 4GB is the preferred comfort level for Windows 7 to run properly but I usually recommend 6GB. This made me think to post some easy do it yourself options to boost system performance on Windows 7 machines. Before you do any of this - make sure to backup your system and/or create a Restore Point. Windows 7, though a fantastically awesome OS, has a few features that not everyone needs. Here are a few steps that could help to boost system performance:

1. Remove Unnecesary Startup Items

Programs which have been installed over time often install various helper programs (such as iTunes Helper) which essentially just help the program to start faster. Other startup programs are meant for updates for their corresponding programs. These programs take up system resources such as RAM which could be freed up for more important tasks. 

Going through these start up programs is easy. Click the Start Orb and type MSCONFIG in the Search bar and hit ENTER. As soon as the RUN dialogue comes up, let go. Type in MSCONFIG and click on the START UP tab at the top. Run through these programs with caution - some of them are kind of important so if you are unsure on what one does, Google it. Anything that says iTunes or Adobe are usually safe to remove by simply clicking the tic box to remove the check mark. Skype is another item that loves to chill in the Systray which is totally unnecessary so you can kill that too.

2. Removing Bloatware

"Bloatware" is software installed by your vendor that isnt necessary at all. A great deal of it is free trials of stuff you never asked for. Usually the process is to click on the Start Orb, go to Control Panel, Programs And Features, and then just remove software you no longer plan to use. If you aren't sure what the program is for, Google it.
 

3. Infections

The most secure and guaranteed way to clean your system of infectious and/or malicious programs is to give us a call at 617-386-7044. Virus removal starts at $75 with a cap of $175 depending on the severity of the infection(s). If you would like a free alternative, then I would recommend Microsoft Security Essentials. I ran this on a few test computers and believe it or not, it did a pretty decent job, especially for a free software. I use to recommend AVG Free, but AVG has been doing more and more poorly as time goes on. If your computer is able to get online, we can even clean up your machine remotely. Visit www.MooreITHelp.com or give us a call at 617-386-7044 for more information.

4. Disable or Fine Tune Windows Search Indexing

Windows 7’s search is good, but it can also affect system performance. If you really need to run a tool at full tilt, you can disable indexing altogether. To access the search index, click the Start Orb and type Index in the Search box. From there, select INDEXING OPTIONS. Once the Indexing Options window pops up, you can modify all aspects of how Windows indexes your files and folders. You can pause the indexing process, omit specific file extensions, or even ignore entire hard drives. 

5. Windows Ready Boost
Without getting too detailed, basically a flash drive runs faster than a traditional hard drive (except for SSD). Windows Ready Boost takes advantage of this by replacing the system cache with a flash drive or solid state cards that are traditionally used with cameras such as SD cards and CF cards. On systems with low RAM such as 1GB, Ready Boost can boost system performance an average of about 10%. On machines with more than 1GB of RAM, the results are kind of random but certainly not harmful, so I would give it a shot.

I wont fill up this page with statistical data, but if you are interested in proof, this website does a good job:
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/455/2/
There are a few ways to access Ready Boost. One usually occurs when you first plug in your flash media. An Autoplay dialogue box should pop up and one of the options should be Ready Boost. If you do not see this option, you should be able to right click on the drive within COMPUTER and select Ready Boost. Your flash media should be at least 256MB in size with at least 64KB of free space, have at least a 2.5MB/sec throughput for 4KB random reads, and have at least a 1.75MB/sec throughput for 1MB random writes. This information is usually available on the back of the box the device came in but there are also flash drives that say "Windows Ready Boost Enhanced" right on them. Once the Read Boost window comes up, the program will tell you if the device is compatible. If it is, you should select the "Dedicate This Device to ReadyBoost" option to enable ReadyBoost and specify how much space you want to make available to the disk cache.

Hope this helps,
Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at Help@MooreITHelp.com