Windows 8 start, Windows 8—topgold (Flickr.com)

Windows 8 is here and the response seems to be mixed in terms of how Microsoft’s new operating system is being received by consumers, both residential and business. As Windows 8 is new, in terms of computer repair we have not had to work with this operating system too much. All of us have taken the time to learn the operating system during the open beta, and we have had a few customers in for a Windows 8 downgrade or minor bug fixes. So far the majority has been setting up new computers with a Windows 8 upgrade, transferring data from old computers, adding user accounts, and of course tutorials on how to use this new Windows 8 interface.

Windows 8 Start Screen Tiles and Windows Phone 7 S…—Filip Skakun (Flickr.com)

As usual when Microsoft releases a new operating system, we get asked about upgrading. Our experiences are mixed in terms of how Windows 8 benefits users. I see where Microsoft is going with this. They have the only operating system which is nearly seamless across the smartphone, tablet, and PC market. This is where Microsoft is hedging it’s future; that customers don’t want to have to learn one operating system to run their desktop, another to play with their tablet, and another to use their phone. By making an operating system which works across all these main devices, it simplifies the learning curve and makes buying future products which run Microsoft’s software much less of a blind jump into new waters.

Windows 8 store, Windows Store—Filip Skakun (Flickr.com)

On top of this, Microsoft is going the way of Apple’s App Store and giving customers a Microsoft Store which allows them to locate new software and buy online directly from within the operating system. Finally even PCs can get new software without having to go to the big box stores. Also, the sync features of Windows 8 allow you to perform personalizations on one device and have them sync to other devices, so software settings on multiple devices can be the same. The Windows 8 Store is a huge step in the right direction for PCs in general. Downloadable software is critical to the future of all things PC. It is actually surprising that it has taken so long for a software store to come to Windows, but now that it is there, developers have direct access to reach their target audience at the exact location the customer is needing the software – right in front of their computer. In turn, customers now have a way to vet out good and bad software, and find what they are looking for from a store which also vets its list of products. In other words, Microsoft will make sure the software works on your PC, and the users will make sure you know if its worth it or not to buy. This feature is not readily apparent in the new Windows 8 operating system – Windows users haven’t had this kind of access to software yet – however once you find a single software title that solves a problem or enhances Windows for you, you will forever think about checking the Microsoft Store before purchasing software in a box, and that bodes well for Microsoft.

Windows 8 desktop, Windows 8 on Desktop—Filip Skakun (Flickr.com)

Oh the Windows 8 Desktop, how could you abandon the Start button? This is where the mixed feelings of Windows 8 really hits home. A few days ago, I reclined in my chair at home. My hand on my mouse, elbow on my armrest, and legs stretched out – my Hulu.com position, in most cases. You’re probably in a similar position right now. From this position, you have little to think about. Move the mouse down to the bottom left, click, and viola, access to all your programs. Don’t like this page and want to close it? A quick flick of the wrist to the far top right, click, and you’ve closed the window. It’s natural and feels right. Bottom right time and date, top left window icon; Windows 7 makes sense. It’s really good, and after a few Windows 8 setups, I am happy to go home to a less stressful Windows 7.

The Windows 8 Desktop is kind of like a ‘behind the scenes’ window. You have the nice looking tiles of the Windows 8 Start Screen, in which the tiles update very nicely with new emails, news, weather, and a large assortment of other information being a click away. Then you can access the desktop itself, either by moving the mouse to a corner and then clicking – or by tapping the Windows key on your keyboard. The Windows 8 desktop looks just like the Windows 7 desktop except for one key feature – the Windows 7 Start Button. It’s no longer there. The intuitive button on which to begin your journey into computing is just not there anymore. Want to get back to the Start Screen? Fiddle around with the corners to find either a side-pop-out Charms menu or an application menu, and click on the Start Screen. Frustrated at this and want to just shut the computer off? Multiple clicks will get you there, but the first time you’ll be searching for it without someone showing you how. I have to touch further on shutting down – its very annoying for people who have multiple monitors, as you have to place the mouse precisely at the right edge of the first screen to access the first series of clicks to shut down. Here is a short video on how to shut down Windows 8:

There is quite a bit of rage over this feature. It feels like a step back. Thankfully there is a solution – you can download and install a Windows Start Button and have it show on the desktop on the bottom left. According to this article, a single company has had over 500,000 downloads of a Windows 8 Start Menu. Upon reading this for the first time, I rolled my eyes – how does Microsoft let a third party come in and add a feature to their new operating system – a feature which has been a staple and a synonym for ‘Microsoft’ for over 10 years? How did they not realize there would be such a demand for this one feature, and why did no one add it as an official feature? I am baffled.

Windows 8 fast, The new Windows 8 is incredibly slick fast I\’m mor…—yakobusan Jakob Montrasio 孟亚柯 (Flickr.com)

Overall, Windows 8 is going to be a good step forward for PCs. It will just take a long while to get there. Usually it will require our customers a year of proven success before they will perk up and adopt a new operating system. When they do, it has been around long enough that its not scary to jump into anymore. Since so many devices will share the same user interface, it will become more natural to see Windows 8 on touch screen information kiosks, a phone, a tablet, and many other devices. Because Windows 8 is modular, it is fast on all its current platforms. Windows 8 won’t speed up your games by any account, but the average user will notice a good performance increase in their computer usage in everything from starting the machine to opening multiple apps. The tiles in the Start Screen make new information readily available, so you might find yourself a little more productive too.

If you are looking to upgrade to Windows 8, we would hope that you are an above average computer user who can learn new ways of doing the same old thing. Windows 8 has its little hassles and bugs, but if you can endure a little pain I’m sure the long term experience will end up being a good one. The added features are desirable, as is the application speed. Gamers will likely stick with Windows 7, as will I for a while. If you have Windows 7 and are thinking to upgrade, you’re probably good to stay with 7 for a while – that is unless you have a Surface and a Windows Phone too. In those cases, why not make your life easier by syncing your operating system across devices? In the end, Windows 8 makes sense; it will just take some time for everyone to see it.

Here at A Plus Computer Tech we can help you with your Windows 8 upgrade, or a Windows 8 downgrade should that be more appealing to you. Some users who purchased new computers and laptops over the holidays are looking to get Windows 7 installed on that new hardware. Upgrade or downgrade, we can help with the process. For upgrades, we will make sure you have enough memory and processing power to handle Windows 8, and will make sure to backup all your data and transfer it to the correct locations on the Windows 8 installation. For downgrades, we can cleanly format the hard drive and get Windows 7 installed so you can preserve your familiar desktop. If you have any questions regarding Windows 8, or run into any computer repair problems, please give us a call and we will be glad to help. We are open every day from 10am – 6pm including weekends. If you enjoyed this article, please leave a comment below. Thank you!

Hello everyone!

It’s that time of year again, PAX Prime 2012 is just a couple weeks away.  I have managed to find my way there for a few years now and each time I had to find tickets from a third party.  This year happened to be no different, but after purchasing fake PAX bagdes last year, I wanted to make absolutely sure this time that I was purchasing the real deal.  I luckily found a good seller for a reasonable price, and with these advanced security features on the PAX badges, I am sure to get in the door without any problems.

Check out this video I made to make sure you purchase legitimate PAX Prime 2012 badges!

As one of the biggest spam networks, last week the Grum network accounted for around 126 billion spam emails. Now, thanks to a coordinated effort by global internet security firms, government agencies, and internet service providers, worldwide spam generated by the Grum botnet has been shut down. This means less spam in your email, less congested internet traffic, and a more secure internet.

This shutdown marks a huge leap forward for security firms combating the ever increasing number of spam emails generated over the internet. The key flaw to the Grum botnet was that it did not have a fail-safe should all of it’s master servers go down. This made it a target for security firms for years, as the prolific botnet had a weakness which at some point could be exploited. This weakness culminated in the global offensive on spam which ended up shutting down the Grum botnet in its entirety by 2pm EST Wednesday.

Botnets are composed of computers which are infected with malware. The inected computers check a master server or receive information by some other means – usually undetected by the user – and then carry out commands issued by the master server. Those individual computers unknowingly participate in denial-of-service attacks among other internet mischief, including spam. By severing the ties between the infected computers and the master server, the infected computers no longer receive commands, and thus no longer produce spam or other harmful attacks.

Unfortunately those computers still have the malware on them, and probably any other number of viruses. Infected computers which aren’t cleaned quickly have a tendency to accumulate more viruses, as each virus opens up pathways for other viruses to get in. Although the Grum botnet is shut down, there is still a lot of work to be done. Those 126 billion spam emails last week? That accounted for only 35% of the spam actually generated. The other 15% came from another botnet which took a huge plunge in activity when Grum went down.

Tips for removing spam:

• When you get spam email, mark it as spam – this can alert your email provider that it’s spam, and with enough users marking the same email as spam, your email provider can block those emails entirely.
• If you use Outlook for emails, make sure to install some kind of spam filter such as SPAMfighter.
• Some emails aren’t spam, but are definitely unwanted – check each email for an ‘unsubscribe‘ link at the bottom to remove yourself from their email list.
• If you’re using internet email, go with one of the big providers. Google’s Gmail is 99.9% spam free, automatically without any user interaction. You can sign up for a free account here.

For the full detailed CNN article on the takedown of the Grum botnet click here.

As always, the technicians here at A Plus Computer Tech are the front-line troops when it comes to dealing with spam, malware and viruses. We combat these infections on a daily basis using our own established techniques. Due to our experience, we can happily attest that no matter how bad a virus might be, we have the experience and skills to remove it without harming your user data. If you feel your computer is infected with malware or a virus, check our virus removal page, or give us a call and we will happily assist you.

Even now as most people have a computer and most have been using one for a long time, I still get the question, “How often should I turn off my computer?”  Sometimes someone asks if it’s ok to leave it on all night, or if sleep mode is good enough.  I will go over a few of these issues and hopefully give you a better idea of what you should be doing.

Keyword: Should

“Should” is a tricky word.  Should you turn off your computer every night if you have critical backups scheduled for 1am?  Probably not.  Should you turn off your computer every night because your power bill is always too high?  Yes.  Computers are fairly rugged, and if you’re concerned about the wear and tear of leaving the computer on all the time, don’t worry.  All the components are tested for years of use. The main reason to turn off your computer is based on your personal use and preference.  The environmental savvy user will turn off their computer to save electricity, while the demanding user might want their computer ready at a moment’s notice.  So ask yourself a few questions:

• Is the convenience of immediate access worth the extra electricity cost?
• Do I have any programs that need to be accessed 24/7?
• Do I need remote access into my computer at any time?

For a direct answer – yes, most users should turn off their computer every night.  Doing so saves energy, reduces your power bill, and resets the state of your computer.  One overlooked issue, and something those who leave their computer on all the time run into, is that your computer is constantly dealing with errors.  Every second, your computer is handling processor queries and memory functions that result in an error.  The efficiency of the processor is why you see so many different processors of relatively the same type.  In general, low-end processors are the same makeup of the high-end ones, just with larger error-rates and lower heat tolerances.  That’s something to get into on another post, but basically that means over time your computer will store erroneous data in memory.  Sometimes this causes games to freeze, programs to crash, and any number of issues can arise.  The end result?  The user restarts their computer.  If you turn the computer off every night, you reduce the chance of memory errors building up and affecting your computer.

Most servers need to be restarted regularly as well.  One of the top game design companies, Blizzard Entertainment, has a scheduled restart of their servers every week for their World of Warcraft game. CCP, the makers of EVE Online, restart their servers every day!  So as a general computer user, just make sure you have some kind of plan to restart your computer, or there’s a good chance you’ll be contacting us for computer repair when things start acting up.

The Cost

The power supply in your computer is rated to be able to provide up to a certain number of Watts.  For an average computer, you might be pulling up to 350 Watts.  I know here around Bellevue, the cost of electricity is around 11 cents per kilowatt hour.  That means at full load that average computer costs around 92 cents per day.  Gaming computers with multiple video cards, high end processors and 1000 Watt power supplies might be spending over $2 per day keeping that beast on all the time.  Not included are: speakers, monitor and attached peripherals.  If you don’t mind spending an extra $30-$60 per month on your electric bill (per computer you own, I might add), then go right ahead.  Otherwise, do yourself a favor and turn them off every night.

Wear and Tear

Although computer components are rated for many years of use without problems, we wouldn’t be a computer repair company if things actually performed to expectation.  One thing to take note of is that most computers have at least one moving part – the fan.  It uses an electric motor, and eventually all fans wear out.  In addition, most magnetic hard drives use an electric motor to spin their discs at high speeds to read and write data.  Even when idle, or while in certain sleep modes, the hard drive continues to spin.  Although a hard drive should last for years of constant use, the fact is they do eventually fail.  And when that happens, it’s a big problem.  Personally, I wouldn’t leave my car on idling over night, so why would I want to leave my hard drive and cooling fans spinning when not in use?

We often get asked somewhere during the computer repair process (usually after the price quote) if we think it is worth it to get a computer fixed, or if the expense should be applied towards a new computer. This question is a tough one for us because there are so many different forms of value when it comes to computers. Many times the importance of all the programs and settings you have on your computer outweigh the difficulty in reinstalling and reconfiguring the entire system should you get a new computer. The most important part of the computer, however, is the data. You can’t buy new photos of your trip to the San Juan Islands. You won’t be able to replicate the videos of your children in a play. You will have a hard time downloading all those songs all over again. And you will be even harder pressed to get all your business documents organized in their folders the same way you had them before. In other words, the time you have put into the computer’s operation is worth something, and it’s hard for us to determine what that is. It’s really up to you.