Catanoso Computing's Blog » Catanoso Computing http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog Computer Repair: Tips, Tricks, News, and Much More! Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:44:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 Uninstalling Software http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/04/uninstalling-software/ http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/04/uninstalling-software/#comments Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:14:06 +0000 admin http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/?p=57 Many people like to try different software titles here and there and depending on whether or not they like them they either keep the software on their computer or remove it. The best option if you decide not to use the software is to remove it completely from your system. This way it frees up space on your hard drive so you have room for other important things. The only problem with installing and uninstalling software is that most of the built in uninstallers usually leave bits and pieces in the registry which over time can slow down your system. Some programs don’t come with an uninstaller which in turn forces you to leave it on your machine.

For my computer repair business I use Revo Uninstaller which removes any software in your system and then does a thorough check afterwards to make sure there are no traces left throughout your system. The best part about this software is that it is free. It can be downloaded here. All you have to do is install it and then run it. It will show you a complete list of software that is installed in your system. Pick one that you would like to uninstall and select uninstall. Revo Uninstaller will first use the programs built in uninstaller and then when that is finished I recommend selecting the “moderate” option. This will search the registry for any remaining parts of the software you just removed. After that is finished, delete the remaining traces, and then reboot your computer and you’re all set. This keeps the registry in order so your computer doesn’t begin to bog down. If your computer is already running slow and you’re in need of a tune-up, don’t hesitate to contact Catanoso Computing. We’ll take care of your problem and have it ready usually within the same day.

Nicholas Catanoso
Catanoso Computing
http://www.catanosocomputing.com

]]> http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/04/uninstalling-software/feed/ 2 April Fool’s Virus http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/03/april-fools-virus/ http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/03/april-fools-virus/#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:07:45 +0000 admin http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/?p=37 April 1st is a day in which malware creators like to have their viruses activate and this April Fool’s Day will be no different. According to this article from Yahoo, the virus named Conficker, will activate itself on April 1st. What this means is that there is a possibility that the virus is on your computer right now and is just in a dormant state. It is vitally important that you have the latest Microsoft Updates and Anti-Virus definitions installed on your machine. Please refer to my “Computer Security” blog post which gives you a list of programs that should be installed on your computer. These will greatly reduce your risk of coming in contact with this new virus. Also, if you haven’t done so recently, run your scans as soon as possible to make sure your system is clean and also make sure to do a system backup of your important data. There is also a free online scan here.

This virus has the potential of doing severe damage including wiping out your hard drive and stealing your personal information so be sure to not take this threat lightly. If you have any doubts feel free to contact Catanoso Computing. We’ll update your computer’s security and make sure it is virus free so you have nothing to worry about.

I will continue to update this post with any new patches and information that may come out in regards to this virus. Please continue to check back on a daily bases.

Nicholas Catanoso
Catanoso Computing
http://www.catanosocomputing.com

]]> http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/03/april-fools-virus/feed/ 2 Data Backup http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/03/data-backup/ http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/03/data-backup/#comments Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:47:26 +0000 admin http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/?p=16 Data backup is one of the most important things related to the computer that is overlooked by many people. Viruses, power surges, and a variety of other things can lead to data loss. There are a few ways to backup your data. The first way is to buy an external hard drive. Most external hard drives come with software to help you with backing up your data. It is important though to disconnect the external drive when you are finished using it. The only downfall of using an external hard drive is that they can fail as well, leaving you in the same predicament. Another way is burning your data onto CD/DVD’s. I personally don’t like this method because if you have a lot of data then it will be spread across multiple CD/DVD’s. This method is also not fool proof because the media can become scratched or worn and therefore not usable. The method I recommend is backing your data up with an online company such as Carbonite. For around $50 a year you can backup unlimited data in which they store it on multiple servers throughout the country. This is as fool proof as you’re going to get. So, if you haven’t backed up your data yet, now is a good time to start because you never know what the future can bring. If you don’t feel comfortable setting it up yourself, Catanoso Computing can remotely login to your computer and configure your backup for you for a nominal fee of $54.95.

Nicholas Catanoso
Catanoso Computing
http://www.catanosocomputing.com

]]> http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/03/data-backup/feed/ 0 Computer Security http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/03/computer-security/ http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/03/computer-security/#comments Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:17:22 +0000 admin http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/?p=5 The computer security of personal/businesses nowadays is extremely important. When repairing a customers computer it is a priority of mine to make sure it has anti-virus and anti-spyware programs installed. Having these  installed is just part of the solution. More often than not I see customers’ computers whose anti-virus programs have not been updated for quite some time. With new viruses popping up everyday, updating your anti-virus software is critical.  Another major threat is identity theft. When your computer is left vulnerable you risk someone being able to steal your personal information including passwords to online banking, credit card numbers from online shopping and so on and so on. Here is a list of programs that I recommend:

•    AVG Free Edition
•    Malwarebytes
•    Superantispyware
•    Comodo Firewall Pro (advanced users only)

These programs can all be downloaded for free here. Make sure you run and update them at least once a week. If you don’t feel comfortable installing these yourself, contact Catanoso Computing and we’ll take care of it for you.

Nicholas Catanoso
Catanoso Computing
http://www.catanosocomputing.com

]]> http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/03/computer-security/feed/ 0 NJ Computer Repair http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/03/nj-computer-repair/ http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/2009/03/nj-computer-repair/#comments Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:06:20 +0000 admin http://www.catanosocomputing.com/blog/?p=1 Welcome to Catanoso Computing’s Web Blog. Catanoso Computing is a NJ computer repair business that was started in 2005. We specialize in computer repair, data backup and recovery, computer security, and much more. We will be posting about a variety of topics including computer tips and tricks, latest virus outbreaks, Microsoft updates, and much more. Please continue to check back.

In the meantime, feel free to browse our new website  http://www.catanosocomputing.com.

Nicholas Catanoso
Catanoso Computing
http://www.catanosocomputing.com

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