Northumberland Computer Repair and Pc RepairWelcome to Northumberland Computer Repair and Pc Repair, part of the Computer Repair UK network. Northumberland computer repair and Pc repair covers the entire Northumberland area so to find your local repairer simply enter your city, town or village in the search box on the left to go straight to your area page. First Things First Has your computer stopped working or is it just running poorly? If it is just running slowly then you may only need to install more memory or have your local repairer do this for you. You can check to see if you
have sufficient memory in your computer by running
a free memory
scan which
you can do here. The Crucial Memory
Advisor Tool takes the guesswork out of
upgrading. If it has stopped working then before you call out a computer repairer check to make sure that all the power leads are connected correctly and that none of the fuses have blown. If it is still not working then you will need a computer repair call out. Computer or Laptop Just Running Slow? If your computer is just running slowly we advise that you downloaded and run our recommended system repair software if you have not done so already. Invariably we find that many problems are only software related and this will help you avoid paying for uneccessary call out charges.
If your computer is only running poorly then there is a fair chance that your problem is software or virus related. Each year people waste hundreds of pounds on computer repair call outs that are really not neccessary and ones that they could easily remedy themselves with the appropriate software. With call out charges ranging between £25-£45, a 2-3 hour repair can easily cost well in excess of £100 which is sometimes more than the computer is actually worth. If it is out of hours, or your computer is just running slow, then we recommend you run your own diagnostics before calling out a professional - you could possibly be saving yourself hundreds of pounds in potential call out charges. System repair tools are inexpensive in this day and age and are designed to be easy to use by both the novice and professional alike, and at less than the cost of a typical initial call out charge this software will not only help get your system back up and running quickly, but will also help keep your computer in tip top condition as long as you have the software installed. We would recommend the award winning XP Repair Pro. XP Repair Pro 2007 By ddXSoftware
Northumberland Computer Repairers
Northumberland Computer Repair and Pc Repairs Area Coverage
Computer Repair Tips From Computers Repairs UK PC Security - Trojan Horse Viruses, Not A Myth Most people are familiar with the legend of the Trojan horse. During the siege of Troy, the Greeks left a large wooden horse outside the gates, allegedly as a peace offering. The Trojans brought the horse inside the city walls only to discover it was full of Greek soldiers who quickly sacked the city. A computer Trojan horse is similar. It looks like a benign or useful program but actually contains hidden code that can destroy data or install spyware. A Trojan horse is often referred to as a virus, but unlike a true computer virus doesn't replicate itself. It's simply designed to gain access to your system and wreak havoc - like the mythical Greek soldiers. Many Trojan horses (or simply 'Trojans') are spyware, used to monitor your computer activity and send information to a third party without your knowledge or consent. Spyware can be used to deliver unsolicited pop-up ads, or to log private information such as credit card numbers and passwords, or even reroute your browser to a commercial site. The unscrupulous vendor at that site usually paid the spyware creator to do just that. Another common use for a Trojan is to install a 'backdoor' - an access point to your computer which bypasses the normal login procedure. Hackers use backdoors to gain control of your computer to send spam or to wreak malicious damage. Since the damage appears to originate from your system it can be hard to combat. Geeks make a distinction between 'crackers' who gain access to a system to do harm, and 'hackers' who just want to understand the details of how a system works. We'll stick with the more common, though less accurate, term. How Trojans Are Distributed Trojans are hidden in programs which appear useful. You visit a free utility site, download one and run the program. Your system is infected. They can also be spread by e-mail attachments. If the attachment contains an executable file, that program can also contain a Trojan which will infect your computer as soon as it is run. Executable files have extensions such as .exe but sometimes the extensions are hidden to make the file look like a harmless text file. An example of this would be a file named 'look_at_me.txt.exe. The user may not notice the '.exe' part of the filename (the extension) and think it's a text file. Some operating systems allow users to hide extensions, so in this case the user would simply see 'look_at_me.txt'. Newer tactics involve embedding them in certain image files. The lesson is: never open a file from someone unknown, or when its arrival is unexpected. Even well-meaning individuals pass on viruses this way. It's common for Trojans to be spread through operating system vulnerabilities. An operating system controls the basic functions of the computer. Computers connect to the Internet through 'ports', some of which present security risks. Malware takes advantage of these vulnerabilities. One well-known Trojan is called Sub7. Some claim it has legitimate uses (such as remotely controlling your own computer), though it's often used for illegal activities. Computers with Sub7 installed are accessible from a remote location and can be used to steal credit card numbers by logging keystrokes for example. Fighting Trojans - The modern way Most antivirus software will detect and remove Trojans. Keep your virus database up to date to provide the best protection. Some antivirus programs require you to manually scan attachments or other incoming files. Get one that does it automatically. The cost difference is negligible. Always use caution when opening email attachments, even if they come from a known source. If the attachment is unexpected it should be suspected. Firewalls should also be used to close vulnerabilities when using the Internet. | ||||
