RCS Technology of Michigan LLC

COMPUTER SUPPORT Tips from RCS Technology's Computer Pro - Protect Yourself from Virus Attack in 5 Simple Steps.

Viruses are as prevalent today as they have ever been. In 2009 alone, they have caused a total of over 5 Billion dollars in damages through lost productivity and downtime to businesses worldwide.

And the number one way those viruses find their way into businesses today remains directly through email.

Still today as I do my computer support in Waterford, MI, I’m amazed at how many companies fail to take the proper precautions to protect themselves.

By taking these 5 simple precautions, you will find yourself better protected than the vast majority of your peers that might be leaving themselves wide open to attack.

1.    Make sure that your Antivirus application is installed and up to date – Far too often do I come across workstations where the user decided to uninstall the Antivirus application because they thought it would “speed up” the computer. Let’s see how fast that computer runs when it can’t even boot because it’s been attacked!

Also found often are computers that are simply failing to receive daily updates to the Antivirus signature files. The causes for failed updates are many, but the solution is simple. Just make sure to monitor the Antivirus activity daily (easily done with a service like the managed support plan offered by RCS Technology, a provider of IT support in Waterford, MI).

2.    Install a quality Spam Filter application – Lots of viruses are passed around the Internet automatically through automated Spam messaging. By having a quality Spam Filter installed either on your local computer or on your email server, you can prevent a number of potentially infected messages from ever reaching your inbox.

3.    Don’t open attachments – The most common way to transmit spam messages is through an infected file attached to the email. If you receive an email from a sender you’re unfamiliar with, simply delete the attachment along with the email without ever opening it. If it was really an important attachment from a real sender, chances are they’ll contact you to make sure you receive it properly the next time they send it.

4.    Scan attachments before opening – When you do receive an email from someone you know and an expected file is attached, there is still the distinct possibility that the file has been unintentionally infected prior to being sent to you. Take the precaution of running your virus scan on the file before opening it (simply right-click the file and click “scan for viruses”).

5.    Shut off the Preview Pane – The path to get there will differ depending on what email client you’re using, (my customers of RCS Technology’s computer support in Waterford, MI use Outlook), but what you want to do is turn off the preview pane that lets you read an email without actually opening it.

Viruses can be embedded in the HTML coding of the email message itself, and when the message is read, even in the preview pane, the virus can be activated. By shutting off the Preview Pane, you reduce the chance of accidentally unleashing a virus from an email you had no intention of opening in the first place.

By taking these simple precautions, you will be going a long way towards protecting your company from some potentially very costly downtime.

Bjorn Richter is a provider of professional computer support in Waterford, MI If you need IT SUPPORT for your small business, please contact us at brichter@rcstechmi.com .

COMPUTER SUPPORT Tips from the Waterford Computer Pro –Upgrading From Office 2003.

It’s surprising, but when providing computer support in Michigan, I see an awful lot of people who simply haven’t upgraded from Microsoft Office 2003… whether to Office 2007, or to Office 2010.

Many longtime Office users were confused and distressed by the new “ribbon” interface, and simply avoided upgrading… and when those users also happened to be in charge of software licensing for an office, entire companies were left on Office 2003 for several years after they should have upgraded.

One of the more useful reasons to upgrade now is that Office 2007, being the “previous” version of Office at present, is actually a great deal less expensive. If the objections were financial, owing to the cost of upgrading so many people at once, upgrading to Office 2007 is a lot easier on your budget while still providing many of the new features added since Office 2003.

Another key reason is that the new “ribbon” interface, while it takes several weeks to become accustomed to it, really is easier and more intuitive to use – as someone providing computer support in Michigan, I frequently need to create reports in Office, and once you get past the initial shock of using the newer versions (it took me a little over a month) you’ll probably find that the old versions of Office have become hopelessly difficult to use. I certainly did.

Finally, the newer versions of Office are lighter on system resources than Office 2003 – the memory management systems within each application are much improved, especially under Vista and Windows 7, and often provide performance much improved over Office 2003… especially on older and less-beefy machines.

Providing IT Support in Michigan has shown me many times that system upgrades are often foregone simply because the computer is old, and there are concerns that the newer versions of software will not run on the system that needs upgrading. For Office 2007 and 2010, at least, these concerns are largely unfounded – most computers which can run Office 2003 are capable of running the newer versions much faster and more reliably.

In short, while it may be a little scary to think about moving to the new versions of Office, putting off the upgrade any longer is just going to make future upgrades more difficult. It’s worth taking the plunge, if only because waiting isn’t going to make it any easier, and the sooner you start adjusting – the sooner you’ll adjust.

RCS Technology is a provider of professional computer support in Michigan. If you need IT SUPPORT for your small business, please contact us at info@rcstechmi.com

COMPUTER SUPPORT Tips from the Waterford Computer Pro – 3 Good Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 7.

Windows 7 has been out since October 2009, and many users still working with Vista or XP continue to hold out, wondering… “is it safe to upgrade to Windows 7 now?” After all, only about 19% of XP users made the switch to Vista, and the vast majority agrees… it was a step in the wrong direction.

Well, I’m happy to report that Windows 7 definitely shows some solid improvements over its predecessors. When providing computer support in Michigan, I have been upgrading my clients regularly now, and the majority of the users are quite happy with the new improvements.

1.    The driver support is greatly improved over the earlier versions of Vista, which had so many users frustrated and sometimes downright angry that they simply couldn’t get their older (but not necessarily old) products to work.

This problem has been addressed in the new version of Windows and many more products are compatible and can be easily installed.

2.    Security is always a great concern. I know when I provide computer support in Waterford, Michigan, my clients regularly make it clear that security is of primary importance. The security in Windows 7 has been greatly improved over earlier versions and now includes UAC (User Access Control), DEP (data execution prevention), ASLR (address space layout randomization) as well as improved operating system kernel protection. Plus, the Ultimate version includes BitLocker and BitLocker-to-Go encryption, which protects your files from loss to hackers or theft.

3.    Keep up with technology. Now that we know that Windows 7 is a solid and widely accepted new Operating System, we can be sure that support for the older versions of Windows will disappear soon enough. I always make sure that for my clients of IT support in Michigan keep up to date, as I know how much my customers like their new toys… and few things are more frustrating than bringing home a new device just to find out it won’t work with your outdated computer.

The biggest deciding factor in upgrading to Windows 7 probably won’t be whether or not you should make the move, but rather should you make the move NOW? And that will be decided by the age of your current computer.

Did you just buy your machine in the last year or so and it came with a version of Vista or XP? Then it might make sense to upgrade to Windows 7 sooner rather than later so that you can take full advantage of all of the new features as soon as possible.

If your computer however is several years old, then you’re probably best off waiting until it’s time to replace your computer completely, where Windows 7 will come preinstalled. As Windows 7 is more powerful than its predecessors, it also requires more powerful hardware to run it properly, and your older computer might not be equipped to handle it.

RCS Technology is a provider of professional computer support in Michigan. If you need IT support for your small business, please contact us at info@rcstechmi.com