Is Your Computer Slowing You Down?

My computer is starting to run slow, What can I do to make it run faster???

This is a very common question about a very common problem. Here are the steps I follow when trying to give a little extra oomph to a PC that needs it.

Clean up the disk. Uninstall unneeded programs (especially those that run at startup and/or put something in the system tray), run Disk Cleanup, and defragment the drive. This is a good first step that will almost always take a few seconds off boot time and application loads for any computer.

Run a full anti-virus and anti-spyware scan. You never know what's lurking on your machine, and these anti-malware tools can help you get rid of other PC-clogging detritus on your PC, even if it's not harmful.

Clean up the registry. This is controversial, as some experts claim registry cleaners don't really help. I've seen evidence to the contrary, so I recommend doing it if you've got a major slowdown. CCleaner is free and worth running.

Delete old network connections. Your computer may be trying to connect to shared hard drives that no longer exist. In Windows Explorer right-click on any network shares you don't actively use and click Delete. Under Tools, also click "Disconnect Network Drive" to see if there are any others lurking about.

Stomp auto-starting programs. Click Start > Run and type "msconfig" at the prompt. Click the Startup tab and look at all that junk that loads when you launch your PC. Do you really need "Adobe Reader Speed Launch"? Probably not. Turn off anything else that looks useless, but be careful not to disable Windows system components.

Those are the easy and free things you can do. If your computer is still slow you need to move on to the bigger guns.

Upgrade RAM. This is the one killer trick that will make almost any computer run faster. With an older PC, you will rarely have enough RAM to run today's memory-hogging operating systems and applications, and adding a high-capacity stick or two of quality RAM will give you a quick speed boost. Adding RAM is fairly simple, even for a novice, and you should be able to do the job in 5 or 10 minutes.

Reinstall Windows. If the above tricks haven't helped, it may be time to wipe the slate clean and start again, reformatting your hard drive, reinstalling your applications, and restoring your data files from a backup. You'd be surprised how much more responsive a freshly reinstalled Windows system can be, as you've wiped out years of temp files, garbled registry entries, old versions of software programs that have been upgraded repeatedly, and all sorts of other electronic junk. Reinstalling is easy if you have the "recovery disk" that came with your PC, and only a bit more involved if you're using a retail copy of Windows XP. Just be sure you back up everything you want to take with you before you pull the trigger!

Upgrade your hard drive. This is a more complicated solution, but if you're reinstalling Windows (per the prior tip) you might consider upgrading to a bigger and possibly faster hard drive, too. Hard disk storage is a performance bottleneck on every machine, and magnetic disks degrade over time. Some performance issues could be caused by a failing hard drive, even, and upgrading to a new model could really put some zip back in your system. As a bonus, you can use the original hard drive for backups or occasional storage, if you put it in an enclosure.

For more information, call Fast-teks at (561)450-8411 or visit the website at http://www.fastteks.com. Mention this blog and receive a $25 discount.

Don't Lose Sleep This Hurricane Season...

Offsite data backup is essential for uninterrupted business operations. It can help you retrieve files you recently worked on or had damaged by a disaster such as a fire, flood, or harmful computer virus. The technology offers proven methods to recover and restore data to get you up and running as soon as possible with minimum interruptions.

When you work with an offsite data backup vendor, your critical information goes to a central data storage facility. The facility stores, manages, and protects you customer information, business data, and records. Your information is secure and easily accessible. You can simply log into a web-based system to access the data and pull up the files you need.

A key benefit to offsite data backup is you don't need a huge budget to maintain your information. Your data is instantly protected and you don't have to spend time worrying about it. It isn't as expensive or time consuming as older data storage methods like tape backup. Vendors can work with your existing infrastructure to instantly protect and backup your data while lowering IT costs. This translates to less downtime and increased production for your staff.

Vendors will typically provide additional security features for your offsite data storage needs such as real time backup and seamless access to data. This is important for businesses with limited in-house IT resources. You can also backup new or revised files by sending data to a central data storage server hourly. This way, you can recover information from a specific time while limiting data loss.

To schedule a free consultation with your local Fast-teks office, please call (561)450-8411. Additional information can also be found at www.fastteks.com. Mention this blog and receive a $25 discount.

Detecting and preventing computer viruses

Even if you think your computer is protected, the reality is that a 100% virus-free computer is nearly impossible to guarantee. The daily swarming onslaught of viruses trying to infect your computer can not be underestimated. According to a study from Panda Security, 72.56% of US computers were infected in 2007 and about 31.04% of those users had taken steps to virus-protect their computers.

"Your computer gives you signs that you have to recognize" said Cari Diaz, spokesperson of Fast-teks (www.fastteks.com), a leading computer service outsourcing company. “Some of the symptoms that your computer may have when it has a virus are unusual error messages; Internet and other programs that don't work properly, or maybe your PC is running sluggishly or suddenly turns off. Or, you may notice problems with mouse and keyboard, or that your PC seems to have less memory.”

Of course, virus detection is only the second course of defense. As always, effective prevention is far more cost-effective than a cure. Fast-teks outlines a prevention plan to help keep your computer fully-functional and free from viruses. Whether your system has a virus or not, follow these tips to keep your PC protected and productive:

• Install a legal virus protection program.


• Update your antivirus software every day. New viruses are created daily, making daily updates crucial. Most programs include an automatic update feature.


• Don't forget to scan your computer with your legal antivirus software at least once a week.


• Don't download document or programs of un-trusted Internet sites. They often include spyware/adware bundled into the program.


• Never open emails and email attachments you are not expecting. Email attachments are common carriers of new viruses that your anti-virus software may not be able to detect. Simply delete any questionable e-mail attachments or files, rather than opening them.


• Don't open files with “.exe”, “.vbs”, “.pif”, “.bat” o “.bak” extension or with double extension like “FileName.php.exe”.


• Avoid all popup advertisements and do not click on them.


• Be careful when you share CDs, mp3, and pen drives. Be sure that they are not infected.

Don’t forget to backup essential data files periodically – a few minutes of backing up your files can save hours or even days of frustration and expense if you need to restore them.

For more information on keeping your system virus-free, and/or to schedule a consultation with your local Fast-teks office, please visit us online at www.fastteks.com or call (561)450-8411.

Have you thought about Computer Security?

If not, think again and get serious about it! 11.8 Million Americans (one in 20 adults) have been victimized by identity theft. Even though those annoying pop-ups look innocent, they could have dangerous consequences. If your computer is infected with spyware and adware, you are sending your personal information to a third party, not knowing what they would do with it………………..

Spyware is software that gathers personal information from computer users without their knowledge. Adware is software that displays unwanted advertisements on your computer. The two are like close cousins and most often live together on personal computers.

How do these unwanted guests get invited in?

Spyware and Adware invade personal computers when users click on tempting advertising pop-ups and e-mails from untrusting sources. They are one of the main causes of computer slow downs and system crashes.

The big question is how can you keep them away?

Follow the following easy prevention techniques to help avoid these unwanted guests:

• Avoid opening suspicious pop-up advertisements and e-mails.


• Install basic pop-up blockers available from your preferred internet service provider.


• Keep your computer updated with the latest Anti-Virus.


• Make sure the built-in Windows Firewall is turned on.

If these troubleshooting tips don’t seem to be working, Fast-teks On-Site Computer Services will scan and remove Spyware and Adware from your computer. They will also install software that will prevent most Spyware and Adware activity.

For more information, call Fast-teks at (561)450-8411 or visit the website at www.fastteks.com. Feel free to mention this blog to receive a $25 discount.

Fast-teks, making technology a reality