Tag: Up & Running Computer Solutions

Three Common Computer Problems

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headache over computer problems

We here at Up & Running Computer Solutions resolve several technical support calls and emails ranging from simple to advanced computer problems. Computer problems can be such a headache and can even leave you feeling like your about to toss your computer out. The following list are three common computer problems

  • Malicious Software

This sort of problem includes viruses, adware, spyware, worms, trojan horses and any other type of software that is designed to cause mischief with you or your computer.

You can get malware anytime you’re browsing the internet, downloading an email attachment, accessing a different computer through a network, or when you’re plugging in a flash drive that was previously plugged into an infected computer.

  • Slow Computer

Computers are essentially like a new home or car; if you don’t take proper care of them, you’re going to have problems. In order to keep your computer running smoothly, it’s very important to make good use of your computer resources.

Every computer has a limited amount of storage space, ram memory and processing speed. So the more programs, documents, music, videos, pictures and tool bars you have, the slower your computer will run. Computer can also become slower is the have been infected with a virus.

  • Hard Drive Failure

If you’ve been hearing your computer make loud noises it’s never made before, be scared because those noises could be coming from your hard drive. The hard drive is where everything is stored, and hearing a clicking noise when you access data is one of the first signs of hard drive failure.

Hard drives can stop working for a myriad of reasons, but they typically crash due to mechanical failure, a violet shake, electrical surge, or even viruses.

If you’re having any computer problems and looking for technical support, don’t wait till the last minute to ask for help. Be sure to contact Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA at 951-737-8558 for professional assistance today.

Up & Running Computer Solutions serves Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin and all surrounding areas.

Safer Internet Day: 5 Tips to Stay Safe on the Internet

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In our digitally connected world, what can you do to keep yourself and your family safe online? Well today is Safer Internet Day and we here at Up and Running computer Solution would like to help educate and inspire you to better protect yourself and your family online. This years the slogan for Safe Internet Day is “Play your part for a better internet”, so we’ve round up a few tips on how you can play your part in creating a better internet:

  • Update your applications regularly- By keeping the applications and other critical software on your computer updated it enables your system with the latest security fixes, while also protecting it from viruses and other malicious software.
  • Be cautious where you click- I’m sure you’ve seen an interesting topic or video that’s captured you’re attention while browsing a webpage, making you instantly curious to know more about it. Well with one click, this tricky little link could direct you to malicious site where you could share your personal and financial information. Some cyber hackers even hack into emails and send malicious emails to the contacts of the hacked account. Make sure to never open on an attachment from an unknown or “fishy email”.
  • Don’t use the same password- A cybercriminal can figure out a pattern if you’re using the same or a slightly different password for different types of accounts. Most websites suggest that you use a password with a punctuation mark, an upper case letter, a lower case letter, and a number because it makes it much hard for a cybercriminal to hack.
  • Protect your personal info- You should be extremely cautious who you give your personal information to. Don’t give out your social security number or any other sensitive information unless you’re positive who’s receiving it.
  • Keep your children safe online- Start by educating your children about the internet and mold rules around each child’s age. You must also make sure to monitor and pay attention to what your children are doing online.

The tips that have been listed above may seem like common sense, but many times they are over looked, leaving your doors wide open for cybercriminals. Keep yourself and your family safe by exercising caution when browsing the World Wide Web.

Make sure to have a productive Safer Internet Day, contact Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA at 951-737-8558 to get your computer protected today. Visit our website at www.urcs.net for information regarding the services we offer.

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

National Clean Out Your Computer Day

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Is your computer running a bit slower than usual? Have you been putting off cleaning out your files stored on your desktop? Well, since its National Clean Out Your Computer Day today, you should take some time out from busy day and dedicate it to your computer. Imagine what you would do if your computer unexpectedly crashed, permanently deleting all you had stored in it. Before your computer has time to take an unexpected turn for the worse, do yourself a favor and start by cleaning it out today. The following list includes a list of the best practices to keep your computer up and running:

  • Clean Your PC- Cleaning your PC’s exterior will not only get rid of food particles, dust and hair that have settled in your key board, fan, mouse and the rest of its components; it will also allow your computers performance. So start by turning the power off. Clean your key board with compressed air and a safe cleaning solution. Wipe down your mouse. Then proceed to use the compressed air to clean your actual computer.
  • Clean Out Your PC-Cleaning your computers software is just as important as cleaning it’s hardware. Start by deleting junk, duplicate files and programs that you no longer use. Next reorganize your files, folders and desktop. Also make sure to check your PC for adware, viruses and other malicious software that’s slowing your system down.

If you aren’t sure how to clean your computer or don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, make sure to pass your PC on over to a professional for additional help. Once your computer is cleaned inside out, enjoy its seamless, quick and quiet performance. Also, make sure to clean it more often to keep it up and running.

If you are having problems removing a virus or a malicious software, contact Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA at 951-737-8558 for help or visit our website at www.urcs.net for additional information regarding our services.

Up & Running Computer Solutions proudly serves Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin and all surrounding areas.

What to Do About a Slow Computer | Computer Repair Corona, CA

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Waiting what may seem like decades for your computer to complete a simple task can be quite the annoyance. A slow running PC can start occurring after years of having it, or in some cases it occurs after only having your PC for a few months. There are several things that can contribute to your computer slowing down. It could be caused by bugs in the operating system, failing hardware, or even static electricity from carpet. Before taking your computer in for repair or buying a new PC all together, try out these quick fixes to see it they can get your computer running a bit faster again.

  • Uninstall Unused Programs- When buying a new computer, it usually comes with programs pre-installed and over time your computer compiles more programs.  Most of them you’ll never use and some of them actually run in the back ground, ultimately slowing your computer down.
  • Delete Temporary Files- When you use the internet all of your browsing history remains deep in your computer, and the same goes for when you install something. Make sure to get rid of all the clutter to free up space on your system.
  • Get More Hard Drive Storage- It doesn’t matter how tidy you keep your computer, if you have too much on your hard drive, it will affect the speed of your computer. If you use your computer for things such as recording media or video it’s more likely that you’re hard drive will become full, thus slowing your computer down.
  • Stop Unnecessary Start-ups- Every time you start up your PC there are some programs that automatically start to run in the background. Skype are one of the programs known for this. Every application that is running will use your PCs memory and slow it down.
  • Clean it up- You won’t believe how much dust your computer can accumulate over time. The dust gets sucked in by the cooling fan and can clog the airflow of the computer causing it to overheat and slow down. Use a vacuum on a low setting to gently clean out the insides. Make sure your computer is disconnected from all mains.

If your computer is still running slowly after trying out these quick fixes, contact Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA at 951-737-8558 or visit our website at www.urcs.net for more information regarding our services

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

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

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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.

Signs Your Hard Drive Is Failing | IT Services Corona, CA

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Hard drive failure can be quite devastating for most people. Our hard drives are typically full of important files like personal information, photos, audio files and videos. Few people fail to realize just like any other electronic devices, hard drives have a limited life span as well. The average lifespan of a stationary hard drive is about 5-10 years. Fortunately, your hard drive will start to show signs of failure before facing a fatal failure, which will give you a chance to react. There are plenty of signs and symptoms you can keep an eye and ear out for, those include the following:

  • Computer Freezes- If your computer hard drive is about to fail you will find your computer slowing drastically and freezing constantly. If your computer is freezing while trying to access particular files, you should shut down and restart your computer. If your computer still freezing while trying to access that same files, you may be experiencing hard drive failure.
  • Corrupted Data- If your files are starting to disappear or are failing to open even though they were saved with no error, you should worry a bit. This could be a possible sign of gradual hard drive failure.
  • Strange Sounds- When you start hearing noises coming from your hard drive such as clicking or grinding, that’s when you should really start worrying. This very common sign of a failing hard drive is known as the click of death.
  • Chkdsk Command- This is another common sign of a failing hard drive. If every time you start up your computer,  it automatically runs the Chkdsk command while its booting up this may indicate hard drive failure.

If your computer is having any of these issues or any other issues you know are a problem, call Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA at 951-737-8558. For more information about our company and our services visit our website at www.urcs.net

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

Cryptolocker Prevention Tips | IT Services Corona, CA

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Virus Alert

Cryptolocker is a malicious malware that cyber criminals designed to attack Windows operating systems by encrypting all of the files from the system.  These cyber criminals have been emailing it to massive numbers of people, mostly targeting the US and UK. Tens of thousands of machines have been affected by Cryptolocker, don’t be next. Here are some a few tips to avoid this ransomware virus:

  • Make sure to update your operating system and security software regularly.
  • Be sure to back up important data regularly and keep it on unconnected storage.
  • Make sure to keep up with the most recent security patches and other fixes.
  • Be sure to keep your anti-virus and internet security up to date.
  • Don’t open attachments from suspicious email addresses or unknown senders.
  • If you think your computer has been infected make sure to change network passwords and online account passwords right away.

If think your computer has been infected with Cryptolocker or another type of virus, contact Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA for help today or visit our website at www.URSC.net.

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

Computer Repair – Power Outages Can Devastate Your Computer – Corona, CA

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Power outages can be devastating to your computer. Not only can you lose files, but your computer itself could be at risk for severe damage. If this happens seek immediate computer repair. If you are lucky enough to have your computer make it through a power outage, you still won’t be able to use it, nor extract important files from it. A UPS or uninterruptible power supply can aid in power outages.

A UPS is a battery containing device that supplies back up power to your computer in case of a power outage. The battery allows for you to keep working during a power outage or at least give you an opportunity to shut down your computer properly without losing data, thus saving you money from costly computer repair. They also work well during brown outs and electricity spikes.

The UPS will come with power management software that can be configured to sense an outage and safely shut your computer down in the event you are not in front of your computer at the time. You can also set your computer to come back on when power is restored. This works well when you are accessing your computer from another location.

If you need help purchasing a UPS or your computer has been damaged by a power outage, call Up and Running Computer Solutions, Inc. in Corona, CA for help. Our experienced and trained technicians can help with any computer type purchases or computer repair problems you may need. Call today 951-737-8558 or visit our website at www.urcs.net.

Also servicing Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin and surrounding areas.

FAA to Relax Rules on Electronic Devices – Computer Repair – Corona, CA

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The FAA is set to relax their rules on portable electronic devices on commercial flights. These changes should take effect next year. When boarding an airplane you will no longer have to power off you electronic devices.

Currently before take and off and landing your electronic devices must be turned off. In a world where we are dependent on technology, these rules have consistently been up for debate. The FAA states that they are uncertain about radio signals the devices give off. If certain radio signals are given off from a device it could interfere with the airplanes communication, navigation and flight control.

The new rules will allow passengers to use e-readers, phones and tablets to watch videos, read and play games. There will still be a ban on phone calls and texts. Being able to pass the time watching a movie or playing games will definitely win the praise of passengers, especially on long flights.

Electronic devices rule our business and social world. If your laptop, smartphone or any type of computer goes down call Up and Running Computer Solutions, Inc. in Corona, CA for help. Our team of highly knowledgeable and experienced computer repair technicians can help with any problem you are having from network issues to setting up your smartphone. Call today 951-737-8558 or visit our website www.urcs.net.

Also servicing Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin and all surrounding areas.

Beware of Ransomware! | Computer Repair | Corona, CA

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Computer owners beware! There is a new Ransomware computer virus going around. Ransomware is malicious software that gets installed on your computer and criminals can lock it from another location. You will get a pop up window warning that looks like it’s from an official authority. They say something about your computer being locked because of illegal activity and demand payment before you can access your computer again. Computer repair will then be needed.

The newest ransomware has a pop up with the FBI logo, warning you that you are guilty of illegal music downloads or some other illegal internet activity. Then your computer locks up. The message tells you to pay a fine or you will be arrested. It states that if you pay the fine your computer will be unlocked. This is a scam. Do not give money, credit card information or personal information to anyone asking for it on your computer and seek a computer repair technician immediately.

Antivirus companies are constantly working to keep up with the newest viruses to prevent this from happening. However, computer criminals are always finding new ways to get around antivirus software security. Be sure to keep all your antivirus software up to date.

If you happen to get a ransomware virus and are in need of computer repair or need antivirus software installed contact Up and Running Computer Solutions for help at 951-737-8558. Visit our website at www.urcs.net.

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