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This
is a list of frequently asked questions. Please read through these to see if your
question may already be answered here.
You may also call us at:
(570) 620-2808 |
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| SERVICE RELATED |
• What are your business hours?
•
What makes you different from other service companies?
• What areas do you service? |
| COMPUTER QUESTIONS |
• Do you sell used computers?
•
What is a virus?
• What
is a worm?
• What is a Trojan?
• How do I know if I have a virus?
• What is Spyware?
• Should I Upgrade to Vista? |
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| Q: |
WHAT
ARE YOUR HOURS? |
| A: |
Regular business hours are
from 9:00am to 6:00pm. |
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| Q: |
WHAT
MAKES YOU DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SERVICE COMPANIES? |
| A: |
People and Businesses around
the world depend on Computer Troubleshooters. We’re the world’s #1
network of computer professionals. There are many reasons our customers call Computer
Troubleshooters instead of someone else. Here are just a few – •
We understand computers and technology issues.
• We come to you with onsite and professional service.
• Computer Troubleshooters care about our customers.
• We won’t call a job complete until the problem is resolved.
Computer Troubleshooters provides the service and peace of mind you deserve.
Call us today!
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| Q: |
WHAT
AREAS DO YOU SERVICE? |
| A: |
We service the Pocono Mountain
and the surrounding areas. If you need service
out of this area, please call (319) 234-5600 for availability information. |
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| Q: |
DO
YOU SELL USED COMPUTERS OR PARTS? |
| A: |
No, we only sell new computers
and parts. |
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| Q: |
WHAT
IS A VIRUS? |
| A: |
A computer virus is a program
– a piece of executable code – that has the unique ability to replicate.
Like biological viruses, computer viruses can spread quickly and are often difficult
to eradicate. They can attach themselves to just about any type of file and are
spread as files that are copied and sent from individual to individual.
In addition to replication, some computer viruses share another commonality: a
damage routine that delivers the virus payload. While payloads may only display
messages or images, they can also destroy files, reformat your hard drive, or
cause other damage. If the virus does not contain a damage routine, it can cause
trouble by consuming storage space and memory, and degrading the overall performance
of your computer.
Several years ago most viruses spread primarily via floppy disk, but the Internet
has introduced new virus distribution mechanisms. With email now used as an essential
business communication tool, viruses are spreading faster than ever. Viruses attached
to email messages can infect an entire enterprise in a matter of minutes, costing
companies millions of dollars annually in lost productivity and clean-up expenses.
Viruses won't go away anytime soon: More than 60,000 have been identified, and
400 new ones are created every month, according to the International Computer
Security Association (ICSA). With numbers like this, it's safe to say that most
organizations will regularly encounter virus outbreaks. No one who uses computers
is immune to viruses. |
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| Q: |
WHAT
IS A WORM? |
| A: |
A worm is a computer program
that has the ability to copy itself from machine to machine. Worms normally move
around and infect other machines through computer networks. Using a network, a
worm can expand from a single copy incredibly quickly. For example, the Code Red
worm replicated itself over 250,000 times in approximately nine hours on July
19, 2001. A worm usually exploits some sort of security hole in a piece of software
or the operating system. For example, the Slammer worm (which caused mayhem in
January 2003) exploited a hole in Microsoft's SQL server.
Worms use up computer time and network bandwidth when they are replicating, and
they often have some sort of evil intent. A worm called Code Red made huge headlines
in 2001. Experts predicted that this worm could clog the Internet so effectively
that things would completely grind to a halt.
The Code Red worm slowed down Internet traffic when it began to replicate itself,
but not nearly as badly as predicted. Each copy of the worm scanned the Internet
for Windows NT or Windows 2000 servers that do not have the Microsoft security
patch installed. Each time it found an unsecured server, the worm copied itself
to that server. The new copy then scanned for other servers to infect. Depending
on the number of unsecured servers, a worm could conceivably create hundreds of
thousands of copies. |
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| Q: |
WHAT
IS A TROJAN? |
| A: |
A Trojan is a piece of code
that performs unexpected or unauthorized, often malicious, actions. The main difference
between a Trojan and a virus is the inability to replicate. Trojans cause damage,
unexpected system behavior, and compromise the security of systems, but do not
replicate. If it replicates, then it should be classified as a virus.
A Trojan, coined from Greek mythology's Trojan horse, typically comes in good
packaging but has some hidden malicious intent within its code. When a Trojan
is executed users will likely experience unwanted system problems in operation,
and sometimes loss of valuable data. |
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| Q: |
HOW
DO I KNOW IF I HAVE A VIRUS? |
| A: |
You must remember that there
are very many things that can go wrong with your computer and a virus is not always
to blame.
The only way you can know whether or not your computer is infected is by scanning
your machine with an up to date anti-virus program. |
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| Q: |
WHAT
IS SPYWARE? |
| A: |
Spyware apps sneak onto your
machine when you download many file-sharing services, open infected e-mails, or
click on dubious Internet pop-up ads. They can manipulate your system, record
your habits, and steal your passwords and credit card numbers. Depending on their
degree of aggressiveness, they can steal your privacy or even your identity. And
they can be terribly difficult to remove. |
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| Q: |
SHOULD I UPGRADE TO VISTA? |
| A: |
Windows Vista was released at the beginning of 2007, and most new consumer class PC's will come standard with it now, but you can still buy Business Class PC's and certainly Custom Built PC's with XP. The question many business's are asking, is when should I upgrade existing PC's to Vista and should I purchase Vista with any New PC I Buy.
Windows XP was not all that demanding from a Hardware Standpoint, many business's were able to upgrade existing Win 98SE and 2000 PC's with little hardware changes. But with Vista, to get the full functionality of the OS, upgrades may be necessary and costly.
Windows Vista claims to be able to run with the following minimum specifications:
Microsoft Vista Home Basic
800-megahertz (MHz) 32-bit (x86) processor or 800-MHz 64-bit (x64) processor
512 megabytes (MB) of system memory
DirectX 9-class graphics card
32 MB of graphics memory
20-gigabyte (GB) hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space
Internal or external DVD drive
Internet access capability
Audio output capability
Microsoft Vista Home Premium, Microsoft Vista Business, Microsoft Vista Enterprise, and Microsoft Vista Ultimate
1-gigahertz (GHz) 32-bit (x86) processor or 1-GHz 64-bit (x64) processor
1 GB of system memory
Windows Aero-capable graphics card
128 MB of graphics memory
40-GB hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space (the 15GB of free space provides room for temporary file storage during the install or upgrade.)
Internal or external DVD drive
Internet access capability
Audio output capability
Add to the hardware upgrade, the cost of the Software which is double the price of XP - Windows XP Professional (Retail for $200). Windows Vista Ultimate will cost $400 (MSRP).
One other major consideration is existing Hardware Devices (Printers, Modems, Scanners, etc…) and Software Applications. Before moving forward with any upgrade you should make a list of all of your Hardware Devices (Manufacturer, Part Number, etc…) visit their web site or contact tech support to determine if they have updated drivers and have been tested on Windows Vista. Also any 3rd party Software should be verified to work on Vista, some versions of very well known applications have proven not to run on Vista, and the companies have suggested upgrading the software to their latest versions. They will not be distributing patches for the older versions. This can skyrocket the cost of any upgrade to Vista.
I would suggest waiting, there will surely be some issues with Vista, and patches and updates will be released on an ongoing basis. Also 3rd Party Hardware and Software companies will catch up and release their latest drivers. I would wait till at least the end of the summer of 2007 or possibly the beginning of 2008. Keep in mind it will be more difficult to purchase PC’s with XP as time goes by, so if you’re in need of PC’s in the next few months and you want XP, you may want to buy sooner rather than later.
When the time to upgrade comes, our suggestion on hardware would be:
Processor: 2.0Ghz Dual-core (Core Duo Intel) or better
Memory: 1-2GB
Hard Drive: 100gb to 200gb
Drives: DVD+R/W
Vista: Vista Business or Ultimate for Video/Graphics editing
Keep in mind, I do think Windows Vista will be a great improvement to the Windows OS Family, there are many benefits with regard to security, functionality, graphics, etc...and if you really want to see the latest and greatest than go for it, my hesitation is with regard to a business environment where the risk of downtime can cost business's a great deal of money and productivity.
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