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We Have Moved!

We’re now conveniently located near the corner of Whitcomb and Westnedge behind the Burger King. We are the upper suite in the rear of the building. If you need driving directions, please don’t hesitate to call!

Geek Easy Computers
435 Whitcomb St. UL 201
Kalamazoo, MI 49001
(269)548-TECH (8324)

Posts Tagged ‘malware’

Q&A : User Questions, Tech Answers Halloween Edition

It’s almost Halloween! In the spirit of the holiday, specifically zombies, in this post we cover some of the most recurring (back from the dead) questions we’ve run into so far this year!


Q:  I see a lot of these online “PC Optimizers” advertised on tv.  Do they really work?

A:  Well… like anything advertised on tv, there are good ones, and there are bad ones.  Unfortunately in this case, even the “good” ones barely do anything beneficial for your computer.  You’d be better off taking your computer to an actual local computer professional, where you’ll get the service & support you need.  On the flip side, the “bad” ones are REALLY bad. They can load your computer with malware, give someone access to your computer, and upload personal information!  Not to mention, that by then they also have your credit card information! Not a good situation at all. Geek Easy Computers recommendation is to PASS on online “PC Optimizers”.

Q:  I keep getting weird emails with links/attachments.  Should I click/open them?

A:  No! Never open an attachment or click on a link in an email unless you are 1000% sure you know and trust the source of the email.  Doing so otherwise could potentially expose your computer to anything from viruses to identity theft to hijacking of your machine! Never open or click on them.  Ever.

Q: My computer is running super slow. How do I speed it up?

A: There are a lot of factors that could cause your computer to slow down. But usually, most computers performance can be noticeably improved by one or both of the following solutions: 

The simplest and usually the one that gets the most visible results is a RAM upgrade. RAM doesn’t actually “speed up” your computer. What it does is let your computer do more things at once, so things get done faster. The other most common solution is getting your computer a tune-up.

Q. How much will it cost to fix a broken laptop screen?

A. That depends on several factors. Notably the brand and model of the laptop, pricing and availability of parts, and how much labor is required for the repair. Computers that look similar but are different brands could have totally different repair costs. Even different models within the same brand! Also affecting the price is whether it’s just the LCD or if it’s part of a “sandwich” construction where everything is glued together forming the top of the laptop. This is why we try not to give “estimates” regarding screen repair over the phone. We need to see exactly what we are working with, and get current part pricing. If it’s a model we’ve repaired a lot, we can usually give a rough estimate range before seeing the laptop.

Q. When I get infected by a virus or malware, can’t I just download antivirus/antimalware software to remove it?

A. Short answer – no. Not effectively. Antivirus and antimalware software are designed to prevent infection from occurring. As such, they are not as effective in working after the fact to remove the malicious invaders. If you install the software after you’re already infected, the files that the software looks at have already been altered, so the software may not recognize that. Some malware can even prevent the antimalware software from working or even installing! Light infections or annoying advertising programs can often be removed this way, but a real infection will probably stick around.

Q. Do you fix phones\tablets?

A. No. We do not repair or service phones, tablets, or any other mobile devices. Although today’s smartphones & tablets are much more powerful than before, and can do many of the tasks that a computer does, they are not computers. The service & repair of those devices takes a different skill set that we’ve chosen to leave to those who specialize in it.

The crew at Geek Easy Computers is always available to answer your computer questions and help you with any technology issues.  We want to make your technology easy!


Adonis Pointer is a photographer, a collector of vintage razors, and a certified technology geek!
Adonis has been involved in computer technology since well, a LONG time! He has been involved in nearly every aspect of the industry from sales to repair to training to consulting. As the Social Media Manager he writes the majority of the posts on the Geek Easy Computers blog.

Jan/Feb/March Newsletter

Well it has been an eventful first quarter of 2018, has it not? The latest newsletter edition has travel tips, resolutions, and helpful tidbits!

Have you signed up for our monthly newsletter?  It’s got great information, packed with helpful tech tips, relevant news, and money saving promotions!

Here’s the PDF version of this month’s issue:
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Q & A: User Questions, Tech Answers! Year End 2017

Welcome to the 2017 edition of our “User Questions, Tech Answers”. In our ongoing mission to help make your technology easier, we like to provide you with tools and knowledge to make your computer interaction more “user friendly.” This edition will showcase some of the most popular questions asked throughout 2017, and also include some new things that we haven’t covered yet.

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Google Chrome

One of the questions we get asked frequently is “Which browser is the best?.” Well the answer to that question is subjective on many factors, but our typical recommendation is Google Chrome. In this article we tell you why.

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Phishing: What is it & How to detect it!

You get an new email. It’s from Paypal. It says there is a problem with your account. It provides a link and instructs you to click on it to “verify your login credentials.” You follow instructions, but when you you enter in your username and password, it doesn’t take you to your account. It takes you to a fake (but mostly legit-looking) page, and now your info is in the hands of criminals. What just happened? It’s called “phishing”.

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Q & A: User Questions, Tech Answers! Year End 2016

In our ongoing mission to help make your technology easier, we like to provide you with tools and knowledge to make your computer interaction more “user friendly.” This edition will showcase some of the most popular questions asked throughout 2016, and also include some that we haven’t covered yet. So without further adieu…

 

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Vishing – “Hi, Your Computer is Infected.”

The Setup

Scenario 1: You’re on your computer, casually surfing the web. A website here, a photo site there, maybe playing some music. Suddenly, the screen goes weird and then there’s a big error message claiming your computer has been infected! What do you do now? Then you notice that under the error message, there is the number for Microsoft! How convenient! A little too convenient actually.

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What Not To Do…

Many people come to us confused about what they can do to avoid viruses and malware. Our first typical answer is protect your computer with a layered approach. A leading antivirus program (like BitDefender) AND the leading anti-malware package (Malwarebytes). The combination of the two differing approaches to pro-active protection should protect you from most “attacks”. But that’s only part of the solution (and the easiest part). The rest of the story depends on you.

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AntiVirus or AntiMalware?

I’m sure you’ve heard the horror stories. A colleague clicked on something he shouldn’t have and now all of his files are encrypted. A family member opens an unknown email and now pop-ups are appearing all over the place. A friend downloads “a free movie” and now can’t access her WiFi.

virus_computer

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Slow Computer Is Slow Part 2

This is a question we get a lot. So as part of Geek Easy Computers series on expanded answers to common questions, we thought we would follow up on “Why is my computer slow?” and include reminders as well as some things we didn’t before since it’s a question that can have many different answers. In this post, we will also touch on the most common causes. If you missed the first post, see: Slow Computer is Slow Part I

Slow Work Progress. Detailed Vector

Slow Work Progress. Detailed Vector

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