The most common questions from our customers and their answers.

1. Have you noticed that your computer is running slower than usual?
2. When you open the internet browser annoying pop-ups appear?
3. What is a computer virus?
4. What is a Spyware?
5. How to protect your computer from viruses and spywares?
6. What happens when you delete a file from your computer?
7. How can I protect my pictures?
8. How to share internet access with multiple computers with only one internet service?

1. Have you noticed that your computer is running slower than usual?

When you get a new computer you are so happy, everything runs smoothly, and fast, but after a few month starts slowing down, why this happens? As you add or remove files and software, all this changes are stored on the “Registry”, and as you keep uninstalling and installing programs or modifying files, this Registry gets overloaded and cluttered causing a sort of performance problems, that’s why some software that clean your system registry named Registry Optimizers are used. The second most common problem is that you have too many programs running in the “background”. In this case, we're not talking about the programs you know about that are running at the bottom of your task bar, such as Outlook, Word, or your internet browser window. But behind the scenes, there can be literally hundreds of programs of various sizes running in the background. These are eating up your computer's available processing capacity and can bring your system to a literal stand still, some of them are spywares and adwares (more? What are Spywares?).

2. When you open the internet browser annoying pop-ups appear?

A pop-up is a new window displaying advertisements that opens without user interaction. The two most common pop-ups are Web Pop-ups and Spyware Pop-ups. Web pop-ups are generated as a new browser window when a user visits a website. Spyware Pop-ups are the most alarming. They can appear anytime, affect any computer running Windows, and do not require an internet connection once installed.
Why are these pop-ups generated? Unfortunately, some people use the internet to include malicious or misleading add-ons on their websites in order to make money. These add-ons can trigger pop-up advertisements that could redirect you to unwanted sites, slow down your computer, delay web page loading, or even alter the appearance of your browser or other applications. Very often spyware pop-ups will install a piece of software that has some sort of Trojan or spyware embedded in it. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you might have just had the misfortune of visiting a site whose ad installed a spyware application; in fact, this type of software could easily be installed remotely on your machine and then used to deliver any type of ads. It could be ads for consumer loans or free spyware scanning just as easily as it could be pornography. (for more information you can visit Wikipedia) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop-up_ad)

3. What is a computer virus?

A computer virus is simply a small program or code that is written by some unscrupulous person. This code is attached to some part of the normal computer operating system or computer program. Instructions in this code tell the computer to perform some task, often a destructive one, such as deleting important information, crashing the hard disk, or simply a happy face on your screen. Computer viruses are called viruses because they share some of the behavior of biological viruses. A computer virus passes from computer to computer like a virus passes from person to person. Why people create virus? Some people simply want to prove that they can “break” into the systems, or like destroy thing, or demonstrate in the “bad way” that they are smarter than other people. A virus can be attached to any file that you copy to your computer. If you download files from the Internet or copy programs or files from friends on floppy disks, you are very susceptible to viruses. Actually, anytime that you download files or put a floppy disk into your computer, you are susceptible to viruses.
There are different kinds of viruses, such as: Worms, Trojans horses, and Email virus, etc
- Email virus: An e-mail virus travels as an attachment to e-mail messages, and usually replicates itself by automatically mailing itself to dozens of people in the victim's e-mail address book.
- Trojans horses: A Trojan horse is simply a computer program. The program claims to do one thing, but it does a different one, like, erase your hard disk). Trojan horses have no way to replicate automatically.
- Worms: A worm is a small piece of software that uses computer networks and security holes to replicate itself. A copy of the worm scans the network for another machine that has a specific security hole. It copies itself to the new machine using the security hole, and then starts replicating from there, as well. The worse one come with an “open code” that allows other people modify it creating “mutations” that make more difficult for antivirus to detect it or delete it.
(More: How stuff works http://www.howstuffworks.com/virus.htm, Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_virus)

4. What is a Spyware?

Spywares are called any program that gathers information from a person or organization without their authorization. When you are surfing the internet these spywares tracks your behavior and habits and sends that information to used advertisers and other parties. They get into your computer like a virus, when you install certain programs with or without your knowledge. Spyware is similar to a virus in that users unintentionally install the product when they install something else; do you read the small unreadable legal disclaimers or licensing agreements? I’m almost sure you don’t, well sometimes some programs besides installing, what you are supposed to install, also install spywares. Another common way to become a victim of spyware is to download certain p2p file sharing products that are available today (e.g. Kazaa, Limewire, Bittorrent, etc). For more information: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware or Webopedia (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/s/spyware.html, Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/basics/spyware.mspx)

5. How to protect your computer from viruses and spywares?

Most of us at some point have experienced annoying pop-ups windows whenever you open you internet browser, sometimes covering the entire desktop, with those, “You have been selected…” “You are the winner!, “Free spyware scan”, etc ads. These are some of symptoms of spywares and viruses in your computer, actually these pop-ups are not the worst part, the worse is that some of these programs are design to destroy you data, or steal your information and send it to somebody to use it illegally, other can use your computer without your authorization to send spam email to other people from your contact list, or the worst scenario are the programs named Trojans that take absolute control of your machine.
These days antivirus and antispyware softwares are a “must have” if you want a healthy, secure and fast computer.
There are some easy steps to follow which will help to reduce drastically the occurrences of these common problems.
First Step to avoid spywares and virus:
- Use Pop-up blockers (Internet Explorer, Google, Firefox, etc.)
- Get an antivirus program and keep it updated
- Never click internet ads (close them, alt+f4) verify on the status bar where is sending you.
- Never download files without first scan it with an antivirus, especially .exe .zip files, even if these files have been sent by a friend, remember that some spywares send email from a host computer without the user’s authorization. (Hotmail, Yahoo have scanning services)
- Spam email (Viagra 80% off, etc) Email from Banks (loan approved, you account information) Not true!
- P2P programs that offer free music, videos can also open a door on your computer for spywares, antivirus and a lot of Trojans, even when they say “these music is legal” not tue! (Limewire, Bit torrent, Kazaa) This is illegal!
- Freeware: read the “Terms and Conditions” statement, usually when the software is free, unless is an Opensource (e.g. Linux), they install in your computer other staff. (pretty wallpapers, screensavers, etc).
- Some free online scanning software, antivirus and antispywares.

Avoid paranoia, and don’t be scared, enjoy the internet and surf on it, but be smart and precautious.

6. What happens when you delete a file from your computer?

Have you ever wondered what happens to a file when you delete it and empty the recycle bin? They don’t go actually to the recycle bin, they not even move from where they are, what it really happen is that its complete path and name is removed and placed in a hidden folder called recycled and the file is then renamed, its original name and path been stored in a hidden index file called info2 located in the recycled folder, that’s why when you have a file in the recycle bin and hit “Restore” the computers reestablish this path. What happens when you empty the recycle bin? The file don’t get deleted either, what happens is that Windows show the space used by the file as available, and stays intact until that space is used by another file or program, that’s why some file recovery applications can be used to recover lost files.

7. How can I protect my pictures?

You have hundreds of pictures on your computer - years of memories - and you don’t want to lose them. You don’t want to print them all, but how can you protect them? One way is to copy them on to a CD or DVD; the best way is to use one of several websites that offer you free photo storage. How does it work? Simple. You create an account, and are ready to upload pictures on to their website. Most of the time you are allowed to create albums and organize your pictures in different ways. Most also offer competitive printing prices, lower than pharmacies and superstores. Who are they? Some include Shutterfly (http://www.shutterfly.com/), Snapfish (http://www.snapfish.com), and Picasa (http://picasa.google.com/). Again, there are many offerings, be sure to do your research!

8. How to share internet access with multiple computers with only one internet service?

Your kids are in college, you office growths, you end with have several computers and laptops and want them all with access to the internet, you want them to share information and use the printer in the “corner”. You don’t want to swap cables and lay them all over the floor and walls, you don’t want you house of office looking like a Christmas Tree, you don’t want go to Home Depot to buy $20 in potting to cover the holes on the walls, what you need is a Wireless Network.
What you need:
- Wireless router or access point connected to your internet connection Cable, DSL, FiOs, please not a Dial-Up connection, your retirement will get to you sooner than a website).
- A network adapter in each computer (most laptops come with a built-in wireless network adapter these days.
- Configure everything, connect the router to the internet provider, secure the wireless network, and connect the computer or laptops to the access point.
- If you house or office if huge, you may need a range expander.