Check Your Batteries Lifespan | IT Tech Corona, CA

I’m not sure if everyone knows that your device batteries have a certain lifespan before you have to replace them. As you use your battery it starts to degrade over time and you’ll start to notice that your battery is getting less and less battery life. Once your battery is on its last leg, you’ll have to make the decision to replace your battery or get a new device with a new battery.

There are way you can go about properly caring for your battery, but all batteries eventually end up dying. There is no was in avoiding to problem. If you are one of the lucky few, you won’t have to replace your battery until it’s time for you to upgrade to a new mobile device, laptop or tablet.

Ways to find out your battery health on a few commonly used devices:

  • iPhones & iPads- You will need a third party application to display the batteries health. For example, CoconutBattery is an app you can install. The app will let you view your batteries status of the connected iPad or iPhone.
  • MacBook- You’ll need to hold down the option key and click the battery icon on the menu bar, then you’ll see a “condition” area displayed.
  • Android Phones- First you’ll need to open the dialed app and dial *#*#4636#*#*, then tap “Battery Information” and you will be able to view the status of your Android device’s battery.

If you think it may be time to replace your devices battery, don’t wait around, and find out what steps you need to take to check your devices battery life.

For information regarding It Tech Services call Up and Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA at 951-737-8558 or visit our website at www.ursc.net.

Proudly serving Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin, and all surrounding areas.

Dell Goes Green | Corona, CA

Did you know that Dell is committed to maximizing the re-use or recycling of all returned Dell products? The Dell Outlet actually refurbishes and sells about 90% of all returned Dell system. The remaining 10% of returned Dell products are resold for parts or recyclable materials, such as plastic, metal, glass.

There are many reasons to buy refurbished Dell systems, for one they don’t use as much new material or as many new parts, which in turn can reduce the environmental impact of your technology purchase. You get the same great quality and value as a new Dell product when you purchase a refurbished Dell product. The Dell Outlet offers three different types of refurbished inventory identity and those include the following:

Certified Refurbished-These PCs are laptops and desktops that have been returned, put through a productions process, and then is tested to make sure it meets all the original factory settings. Some Certified Refurbished products may have slight cosmetic blemishes, but the will not affect the performance.

Previously Ordered New- Previously Ordered New computers are PCs that were shipped out to a customer who opened the box, but then decided to return the PC without ever using it. These PCs are retested and then repackaged by Dell Outlet.

Scratch and Dent- Scratch and Dent products are systems that have a considerable amount of cosmetic blemishes, but these of cosmetic blemishes do not affect the performance. These are a great way to save money and help recycle!

There are actually many things you can do to help Dell go green. So what are those actions you can take to help Dell go green?

  • You can set your system up to go on standby or hibernate modes when it’s not in use instead of using a screen saver.
  • Use less paper! Only print what’s necessary, and if it’s possible, use both sides of the paper.
  • Re-use parts when purchasing a new system. Keep your mouse, monitor and keyboard from your old system.
  • Recycle your old computers. There are organizations you can donate it your computer to.
  • Recycle your bottles because these can be recycled into a new flat panel monitor.

It’s Dell goal to become the greenest technology company around. So let’s help Dell and the world of technology go green!

For more information regarding IT Tech Services call UP & Running Computer Solutions at 951-737-8558 or visit our website www.urcs.net.

Proudly serving Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin, and all surrounding areas

Top 5 Windows 10 Updates | Corona, CA

Even though Windows 10 won’t be released for a little while longer, I’m sure everyone is eager to find out what some of these incredible updates are all about. From having Cortana for desktop to Xbox for Windows, Windows 10 definitely has a lot to offer. The following list will include just a few of the major updates Windows 10 will be releasing:

  • Start Menu Is Back- The startup menu is back in action, and is one of the most noticeable changes. The startup menu is two panels side by side, the panel on the left shows pinned and the most recent apps used, while the right side brings back features back from the Windows 8.1, such as live titles, and can be resized.
  • Cortana on Desktop- When you thought being lazy couldn’t get any easier, Windows 10 is going to feature Cortana on your desktop now! Cortana will make things like multitasking easier for you. Say you’re working on a spreadsheet and need to send out an email, just ask Cortana to and it’s done.
  • Xbox App- Soon you will be able to play any Xbox One games from your PC or tablet when installing the Xbox app for Windows 10. Windows new operating system will improve the speed and graphics performance thank you DirectX 12 support. The Xbox app also lets you recorded, edit and share your victories with Game DVR feature.
  • Improved Multitasking- Another new feature is Multiple Desktops, which lets you run another set of windows as if you’re using another screen but without a physical monitor. You can create a desktop for home only which could be apps such as Netflix and Pinterest, and one specifically for work where you keep Word and Excel.
  • Project Spartan- Say goodbye to Internet Explorer, and hello to Project Spartan. This new browser will include features like PDF support, which helps improves the layout of long articles, and also a note taking feature.  This browser lets you scribble on any webpage and share your comments with friends through social networking by using a slide in menu so you won’t have to leave the browser. Another feature Project Spartan will have is Cortana support within the browser.

These are just some of the wonderful features Windows 10 is going to introduce! Windows 10 will be released around late July 2015, and will be free for one year to users that already have Windows 7 and 8.1.

For questions or information regarding IT Services, contact Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA at 951-737-8558 or visit our website at www.urcs.com.

Proudly serving Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin, and surrounding areas.

6 Simple Steps to Clean Your Computer Tower| IT Services Corona, CA

Just like anything else, your computer tower needs a good cleaning every once in a while. You should be cleaning your computer at least every three to six months to prevent dust build up and to keep it from overheating. Ridding your computer of dust and debris build up helps increase you computers performance and keeps it preforming well. The following includes what steps to take to clean your computer tower:

  1. Gather up a soft brush, can of compressed air, electronic safe wipes, a vacuum and a screw driver if you need to remove the computer towers panel.
  2. Make sure to shut down your computer, unplug any cords and let it cool down before you start cleaning.
  3. First start by wiping down the outside of your computer tower with the electronic safe wipe, then proceed by carefully vacuuming out the towers vents.
  4.  Next, remove the panel from the computer tower and start by cautiously vacuuming the inside, be very careful not to touch any of the computers components.
  5.  Now that you’ve vacuumed the loose dust and debris, take you soft brush and brush away the remaining dust. For the extra dusty areas you can use your compressed can of air to help loosen the debris.
  6. Finally, replace the computer panel and plug back in your cables. Now it’s all cleaned up and ready to be used!

There are many benefits that come from cleaning your computer regularly. Dust build up is one of the key factors that cause a computer to overheat, so make sure to keep up on your computer cleanings.

If you think your computer may be damaged from excessive dust and debris build up, contact Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA at 951-737-8558 to get your computer back up and running in great condition. For more information visit our website at www.urcs.net.

Proudly serving Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin and all surrounding areas.

Top 3 Reasons to Migrate from Windows Server 2003 | IT Services Corona, CA

With Microsoft ending support for Windows Server 2003 coming July 14th 2015, you may want to start thinking about a migration process.  Are you unsure what the end of support for Windows Server 2003 even means? Well let me tell you what it means, and maybe you’ll think about migrating sooner rather than later.

  • No Updates– In 2013 37 critical updates were released for Windows Server 2003/R2 under Extended Support.  After the end-of-life support, no more updates will be available for Windows Server 2003.
  • No Application Support– Quite a few applications will stop being supported after the operating system is unsupported. Including all Microsoft applications.
  • No Compliance– Windows Server 2003 will not comply with numerous standards and regulations which can be devastating.

It typically takes 200 days for the average Windows Servers to migrate, so now is the time to take charge and get to planning your migration.

For questions or information regarding IT Services, contact Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA at 951-737-8558 or visit our website at www.urcs.net.  

Proudly serving Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin, and surrounding areas.

Irvine, CA | Why does my business need Managed Computer Services?

Whether you are a large business or small business your computers and network should be monitored. Managed Computer Services which is remote monitoring and maintenance offers 24/7 security against issues that could impact your network and computers. A managed services contract also offers daily support for any problems that arise.

Why does my business need Managed Computer Services?

  • Quick Discovery – the Managed Services team will be notified of any problems and will be able to fix them before they become big problems, such as major software issues, viruses, and hacks. These problems if not taken care of quickly can mean large costs for your business.
  • Cost Effective – Managed Services keeps on top of updates and daily maintenance that help your computers and network increase their life expectancy. It also reduces the chance of needing emergency repairs or replacement products.
  • Maximize Productivity – All repairs and updates on the network and computers can be done after business hours. Your employees can keep working with no lost hours due to operating system maintenance and backups.
  • Invest in your Business – Having a Managed Services team making sure your network runs smoothly, with no issues and no fires to put out, means more time for you as the owner to spend more time expanding your business.

Take the first step on the road to having a more productive, cost efficient business, call Up & Running Computer Solutions, Inc. and ask for a FREE consultation of our Managed Services. Call 951-737-8558 or visit our website at www.urcs.net.

Does my business need Computer Networking? | Corona, CA

 

Having a computer network set up at your business only benefits the business and employee productivity. Networking is about sharing. With a computer network you can share information, resources, applications, emails and office documents.

A large hard drive is set up on a central server computer where a common storage area is used to store files that can be shared throughout the office. Individual files can be worked on between several employees without having more than one document created. All users can share the one document and have access to it when they need it.

Printers, scanner and other external devices can be used by all employees. No more need to have a printer on every employee’s desk. This saves you money. With the money you save not having multiple printers, etc. you can invest in one piece of high quality equipment.

Also, different applications can be used by all employees. For example, accounting software, data entry software, etc. can be seen and used by the whole company. Don’t want all employees to have access to all programs? Not a problem. Permissions can be given for only those employees chosen to access those programs.

Thinking about setting up a network at your office but don’t know where to start? Call us at Up & Running Computer Solutions, Inc. at 951-737-8558. Visit our website at www.urcs.net.

Don’t be fooled by Anti-Virus Pop Ups | Computer Repair | Corona, CA

 

Do you get pop ups on your computer saying your anti-virus software is out of date or your computer is infected, but you don’t remember having that anti-virus program? That’s because you don’t. These are rogue anti-virus programs.

The anti-virus programs pretend to be legitimate programs, but end up locking your computer making it appear you have a virus. They will say that your computer has viruses and you will need to activate the program in order to resume use of your computer. To activate the program they require a credit card. This is a scam. Never give out your credit card information.

These anti-virus programs are designed to scare you into buying their product or your computer will not work. But, don’t worry, they can be removed and your computer will be fine.  Call us at Up & Running Computer Solutions, Inc.  and we will help you get that rogue anti-virus program removed.

For any computer repairs or orders you may need, call 951-737-8558. Visit our website at www.urcs.net.

Also servicing, Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, and Irvine .

Help! My Computer is so Slow! | Computer Repair | Corona, CA

Is your computer running slow? Can you go to lunch and be back before its done booting up? This could be caused by several different reasons. Things such as not enough hard drive space to missing windows updates. It could be as simple as your computer needing to be rebooted. Let’s take a look as some of the potential problems and possible solutions.

  • Not enough space on the hard drive: You should have at least 200-500MB of hard drive space left.  If you have below that amount you will need to delete temporary files and used files or programs to free up some hard drive space.
  • Corrupted Hard Drive: Run a ScanDisk to ensure there is nothing physically wrong with the hard drive.
  • Scan for viruses: Use a virus scanner such as Malwarebytes to scan your computer for spyware or malware.
  • Background programs: Disable all programs that automatically start when you boot your computer.
  • Windows Updates: Make sure you have installed all the latest Windows updates and all browser plugins.
  • Overheating: Dust and dirt restricts air flow through the computer. Without proper air flow your computer can overheat. Make sure there are no obstructions around your computer and that all fans are working properly.
  • Not Enough Memory: If you have an older computer the memory might not meet the standard requirements needed today. Adding more memory will fix this problem.

If you have addressed all the above possibilities and your computer is still running slow, your computer may be out of date and you may simply need a new computer.

If you’re not sure how to complete these tasks we can help! Call Up & Running Computer Solutions Inc. in Corona, CA for your entire computer needs at 951-737-8558. We service all large and small business, PC’s, server installs and much more! Visit our website www.urcs.net.

 

Give your website a modern edge by adding a Video Commercial | Corona, CA

Is your website lacking the ability to get your company message across? Are you looking to give your website a new modern look? Adding a Video Commercial to your website can achieve those goals. In only 30 days we can have a professional video commercial added to your website.

Here at Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA I had the opportunity to be involved in the production of our own video commercial. The production team was friendly, efficient and easy to work with. It was a fun, exciting experience that brings the office together and makes you proud of your business.

They will cover all aspects of your business, show your office staff at work, what your office looks like and gives viewers an opportunity to feel like they know your staff and office before they even make that first call.

If you currently do not have a website that’s OK too! We can create a video web page featuring your video commercial with all your company contact information.  Click here for an example.

Promote your business with a professional, modern video commercial. Contact Shelly Rager with our partner business Healthcare Web Image at 951-371-9327.