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2010-7
26

“Holy #$%^&*!! I just lost all my data!”

Category: Backup Strategies, File Sharing, Servers | 2 Comments

This is how a tiny cube can save your bacon…

  • Never again worry about data loss!
  • All computers backed up automatically
  • Share files, music, movies, USB printers, etc
  • No need for external drives and wiring
  • Multi-terabyte storage with plug-n-play expansion
  • Our personalized delivery, installation, and
    configuration service is included in the price.
According to research by the University of Texas, of all small businesses that suffer a catastrophic data loss, only 6% survive the ordeal. 43% never reopen and 51% close within two years. Recovering lost data can cost thousands of dollars and weeks of lost productivity.

But this isn’t a problem only for businesses. Every month, we help everyday home computer users who have lost years worth of precious data due to computer failure. Important financial and budget data, precious digital photos, expensive music and movie collections, or your kids’ homework projects can disappear in a flash, or require costly “clean room” data recovery services to get it back. (Clean room recoveries often cost well in excess of $1000 – $1500 per hard drive).

It’s not a matter of IF your computer storage will fail, but WHEN.

Computer hard drives, which store all of your data inside your computers, are complex mechanical devices that can and do fail. If you haven’t suffered a failure yet, sooner or later you will. Sources of failure include excessive heat, manufacturing flaws, power surges, physical jarring or shock, or just age and bad luck.

Wouldn’t it be great to never worry about losing your data? What if, at the same time, you had a way to easily share data between all of your computers, a way to easily share printers, and a way to automatically back up your laptop and desktop computers without tethering them to external hard drives? Wouldn’t it be great for your critical data to be stored on its own dedicated server, where nobody is surfing potentially dangerous web sites or opening infected email attachments? Wouldn’t it be great for all of this to be centrally managed and fully automatic and painless?

Computer Troubleshooters is offering to hand-deliver such a great solution to you, through a program dubbed “At Your Service” .

Computer Troubleshooters has access to a limited supply of At Your Service centralized storage servers starting at just $595 including hardware, software, installation service, and a one year hardware warranty. As part of the service, we will deliver the server to your home or small business and configure each of your computers for automated hands-off backup, and file and printer sharing. Options include up to 4 terabytes of storage (or even more), and redundant backup of folders shared between computers.

Usually, configuring a server-class computer for managing multiple computers can cost thousands of dollars. An At Your Service server not only backs up all of your computers every day, but also allows you to share files such as music, photos, and movies. Each unit is designed for space and energy efficiency, fitting in a tiny space approximately 8 inches on a side, and drawing about the same energy as a lightbulb.

We believe in this solution because we use it ourselves!

We use this same fantastic little cube to manage multiple computers at our Computer Troubleshooters office, and we use it in our homes. The peace of mind is priceless.

Act now while our supplier is making these servers available at tremendous discount from the normal price, and making our At Your Service program possible. To learn more about how the At Your Service program can take the worry out of computing, contact Computer Troubleshooters at 760-512-0042, or visit this link: At Your Service
2010-6
1

THIS is how you get infected!

Category: Virus / Malware | 1 Comment

So many people suffer computer infections, yet have no idea how it happened. We get the same question over and over: “Can you tell me how I got infected?”  Usually, the answer is no, because we only see the end result, and not the cause. We can give you general answers about how infections occur, but cannot be too specific about a given case.

We came across an excellent video that demonstrates, step-by-step, one common way that computers get infected. We think it’s a good idea for all of our clients to spent a couple of minutes watching this video. It shows how anyone can become infected, simply by doing a seemingly innocent Google web search.
You can view by clicking this link.

You will note from the video that although these criminals are clever, there are definite “red flags” that an alert user should be able to notice. The red flags we notice in this demonstration include: an odd URL (web address) link; the link leads to a page that has nothing except what appears to be a video; and clicking on the video does not actually play a video, but instead asks you to download software (hoping that you will assume the download is required to watch the video).

Of course, the biggest red flag of all comes after you have already unwittingly downloaded the software: it immediately hijacks your computer and tries to get you to submit your credit card and pay a fee for removal, which of course you should not do. If you have missed the previous red flags and gotten to this stage, your best bet is to call us for a professional and secure cleansing of the computer.

2010-5
31

What Your Web Site Says About You

Category: Tips and Tricks, Web Sites | 2 Comments

First impressions count and today it’s likely that the first impression of your business will come from your website.  So what does your website say about you?  Is it permanently ‘under construction’?  Was it last updated in 1998?  Or is it an effective and measurable marketing tool?

To begin with, your website must say who you are, what you do and why you are different than or better than your competitors.  Deciding on a structure for your website doesn’t need to be daunting.  Go back to the basics and decide what the purpose of your site is.  Is it to close a sale and deliver a purchase or is it to inform and interest the reader enough to contact you?  If your website doesn’t provide the delivery mechanism for your products, then don’t try to jam it full of every single reason to buy from your business.  Instead, decide on key groups of customers and focus on the issues and challenges that cause them to look for a business like yours.  Next, pick out your unique selling points that show why you are different than your competitors.  If you say that you do the same things as the rest of your industry, people will have nothing to compare you with except your price.

While these marketing concepts are universal and can be applied to any advertising media, websites carry some unique capabilities that not everyone uses to their fullest potential.  Make sure that your website:

  • Is technically well designed to enable a better ranking in search engine results (e.g. Google).
  • Is updated regularly.  Search engines love regularly changing, relevant content so you want the ability to be able to add and change your text without it being a lengthy chore.
  • Captures the interest of visitors that meet your demographic goals. This is most effectively done by offering valuable information that is important to your target profile (age, gender, business size & type etc).  Remember, you know more than your customers about your product or service so you probably have the contents of a ‘free report’ in your head.
  • Tracks statistics such as referring pages, which of your pages are the most popular and which pages your customers last read before they leave.  This detailed information will enable you to see the impact of any changes that you make to your site’s contents or structure.

Talk to your Computer Troubleshooters about how to turn your website into a valuable marketing resource.

2010-5
30

Ted Nothorn of Computer Problem Solvers Joins Computer Troubleshooters

Category: Staff | No Comments

Ted Nothorn, Principle Technician

In response to surging business opportunities, Computer Troubleshooters has added Ted Nothorn to its staff as Principle Technician and Account Manager. Nothorn, former owner of Computer Problem Solvers of Denver, Colorado, brings a wealth of technology and business expertise to the Computer Troubleshooters team. Formerly a vice president for Sorrento Valley software firm Aonix, Nothorn has relocated back to his native San Diego in order to join forces with Computer Troubleshooters.

“Ted had built a successful technology services business in Denver, serving hundreds of clients and enjoying a great reputation for quality and service,” said Dave Wood, owner of Computer Troubleshooters of Encinitas. “I was excited to learn that Ted was relocating to San Diego and jumped at the chance to add him to our organization to aid in our continued expansion to all of coastal North County San Diego.”

Nothorn’s role will be to act as chief liaison for Computer Troubleshooters’ growing business-to-business sales and service operations, increasing reach throughout North County San Diego.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the Computer Troubleshooters operation,” said Nothorn. “I’ve known Dave since we were both executives in the same software company, and I know we share a common vision for how to serve the computer IT needs of North County’s businesses and residences.”

Nothorn has been working on computers and technology for three decades since earning his Computer Science degree at the University of Nebraska, then honed his skills in a variety of engineering, technical support, technical sales, and executive positions in both commercial and military industries. He has worked extensively with the world’s largest corporations and also small home based businesses, and with individual computer users.

Nothorn joins a growing team that includes Wood, as well as Field Technician Anthony Massas and Consulting Technician Jim Gutman. To learn more about our team, check our About page.

2010-5
29

Recycle Your Old Computing Equipment

Category: Going Green, Recycling | No Comments

Recycle your computer equpment...

Don’t just discard your old computer monitors and other equipment in the trash! Not only is it bad for the environment, it’s also illegal as many of these components contain hazardous material.

At our Computer Troubleshooters office in Encinitas we routinely recycle old computers when you buy a new one through us. There is no charge for this service. However, if you aren’t replacing an old computer, but just want to discard it, take it to a recycling depot. In North County San Diego, EDCO provides an equipment recycling dropoff location in San Marcos.

By the way, when we recycle your computer, we first do a military-grade data wipe of the hard drive, and then provide it to the recycling company for physical destruction. This ensures that your private data will never be compromised.