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Desktop Computers Are Gaining Popularity Again

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Desktop Computers Are Gaining PopularitySatisfaction growing for desktop PCs among mainstream Americans

For enthusiasts, this won’t be news but after feasting on the empty calories of tablets and phones for years, mainstream consumers may finally have had enough and may be looking for something with a little more substance in their tech diets: the old-fashioned desktop PC.

At least that’s part of the conclusion of a new survey released today that gauges American “satisfaction” which says consumers may be turning to desktop PCs again.

Desktops, in fact, now actually satisfy more Americans than tablets and laptops, survey data shows. The annual survey was conducted by the American Customer Satisfaction Index out of Ann Arbor, Mich., And attempts to quantify overall satisfaction with consumer purchases of goods and services.

“Contrary to most predictions, the PC may be on the verge of making a bit of a comeback: sales of desktops are no longer falling after years of significant decline. On the other hand, tablet sales growth appears to have slowed. As the early enthusiasm for tablets wears off, customer satisfaction dips (-1% to 80) and now trails slightly behind desktops (+3% to 81), although both lead laptops (-4% to 76) by a wide margin,” the report says.

Consumption of tablets and smartphones has been off the charts for years which had analysts and the media predicting the death of the PC. Apparently, that isn’t so.

Read More: http://www.maximumpc.com/survey_says_desktops_en_vogue_again_2014

Experts Offer Tips To Avoid Hackers

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Tips to avoid hackers and viruses

Tips To Avoid Hackers and Viruses
Cybersecurity is critical for businesses of all sizes. These 18 tips can help you secure your computers and mobile devices from malicious actors.
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My First Computer Build, Any Advice or tips?
This is going to be my first build, I just wanted some professional advice, opinions, and help. I am only 16 years old and trying to build a gaming computer. This is going to be the build: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/9HyRwP. First: Is it going to be cool …
Read more on Tom’s Hardware Guide

Eight tips for improving battery life on your MacBook
Another tip is not to leave your computer constantly plugged in and charging. Even when using it at home or at work, if it is fully charged, unplug it and let the battery run down really low before charging it again. This is supposed to delay or …
Read more on CNET

Computer Errors are Very Common

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Computer errors and remedies

Computer errors are very common and every computer user may face different kinds of issues so they should learn about the solutions to common computer-related problems. The common factors that cause problems in computers are viruses, spyware, Trojan horses, adware, corrupted registry, faulty hardware, low memory, low capacity hard disk, low CPU speed, and stuffing computers with a large number of software applications. In this article, I have compiled a list of the most common computer problems and their solutions.

The computer is very slow

This is a very common issue and it arises due to several factors such as too many programs running at the start-up, low RAM, low processor speed, spyware running as a background application, errors in the Windows registry, and the buildup of the garbage files on the hard disk. Scanning your computer with up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware program, cleaning and repairing the Windows registries, increasing memory, deleting temporary files, deselecting the programs at start-up, and uninstalling unwanted software applications can solve this problem to a very large extent.

The network server is not accessible

In a networked environment, every computer depends on the server for login authentication, files access, internet, and printing access, and sharing server resources. The downtime and the communication failure with the server are very problematic and frustrating for the users. Check both ends of the network cable and make sure that the attached RJ-45 connectors are properly plugged into the LAN card and hub/switch. Ping the server’s IP and make sure you get the reply from the server. Ensure that your server is on and working fine. A large number of the running applications on the server and simultaneous access to the server from a number of users can slow down the performance and speed of the server. Scan your PC with an up-to-date antivirus program because certain viruses and spyware are responsible for the communication failure. Replace your LAN card with a new one and assign a different IP address and try to connect with the server.

The computer locks up or freezes

Missing .dll files, viruses, faulty registry, defective RAM and spyware slows down the performance of the server and it locks up frequently. Scanning a PC with the anti-virus and anti-spyware program, cleaning and repairing the registry and increasing RAM can solve this issue.

The computer won’t boot

Faulty power cable, power extension, and power supply all contribute to this problem. Checking one by one each of the above components can pinpoint the problematic part. Simply replace that part with a new one and you’re computer is okay.


Computer reboots itself

Defective cooling fan, power supply, RAM, viruses, and spyware can cause this to happen.
Memory usage is maximum in computer

Whether the memory is less than the recommended memory to run certain applications, swap memory chips with each other, or scan your computer for viruses and spyware, increasing the page file and physical memory can overcome this problem.
Browser’s home page has changed itself

This is most likely a spyware problem and scanning computers with an up-to-date anti-spyware program can fix this issue.


The computer’s clock losing time

If you see that your computer’s clock is losing time frequently replace your CMOS battery.
My computer can’t get connected to the internet

Check IP address, and gateway address, scan your PC for viruses and spyware, check network cables and make sure that the server’s or gateway’s firewall application is not blocking HTTP requests from your PC.
Computer making noises

Faulty RAM, VGA, hard disk, Sound card, Processor, and other components produce noises. Make sure that each hardware device is connected correctly to the PC and if the problem is still not resolved then replace the faulty hardware component with a new one.

Credits to B. Bashir who manages Networking Tutorials and regularly writes articles on various topics such at Computer Networking http://www.networktutorials.info

 

Avoid Ransomware Attacks Using These 5 Steps

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Avoid Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware is malicious software used by cybercriminals all across the world to get hold of your computer and computer files for ransom, demanding payment from you to get them back in normal working condition. Although ransomware is not a common malware, over time it has proved to be a very effective one. Various new variants of ransomware are swarming in the digital market these days, all specifically designed to frighten the victim into paying a fee to get their computer back in a normal working state. Lately, many cybercrooks have started targeting it locally, making it even more dangerous than before.

However, you can save your system from giving in to the ransomware attack by employing these simple, yet effective steps-

Back up your valuable data

This one is an overall security tip on which you can fall back if your computer system is attacked by ransomware. Have a regularly updated backup of your valuable data so that even if you do become a victim of ransomware, you don’t have to lose all your vital data. In such a case, you can easily restore your system and refurbish all your important documents from backup. Having a regular backup regimen is really important for you, preferably on an external hard disk or any backup service.

Use a robust security suite

It’s always good to have a strong backing of a robust Internet security software program to help you pick out the identity thefts, suspicious activities, and unsolicited dangers. These days many new variants of viruses, malware, and ransomware have hit the digital world, escaping even from the strong detection systems. Hence, it becomes really essential to have an added layer of protection to help detect the ransomware or mitigate its effects after the attack. Install CryptoPrevent as well as a commercial-grade anti-virus like ESET Nod 32.

Patch/update your software

The ransomware authors and programmers heavily rely on the people who are running outdated software. This outdated software is vulnerable itself and it makes the whole computer system susceptible to any malicious attack, which can exploit other programs on your computer to silently get into your system. So, keeping all your software updated can decrease the potential threat of ransomware. For this purpose, you can turn the update notification system of your software program, which will timely alert you about the security updates and patches.

Disconnect from the Internet immediately

Getting a ransomware note from an unknown source can prove to be a real threat to your computer system. In such a case, don’t panic; rather disconnect your system from the Internet so that your personal information isn’t transmitted to cybercriminals and hijackers. The best action could be to simply shut down your computer system and re-install the software and data backup after turning it on. This way, you can not only start afresh but your computer system will be saved from literal damage by a malicious program.

In the end, all you have to do is to stay alert and use a robust security suite to prevent ransomware attacks. Though, following these steps will help you avoid your computer system from becoming a victim of ransomware.

Article Credit Tech Genie @ http://blog.techgenie.com/security-how-to/five-steps-to-avoid-ransomware-attack.html

Why Is My Computer SO Slow to Start Up?

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“Why is my computer SO slow to start up?” It happens to most of us–you go to start work on an urgent email, or finish that document you really need to print, or finally edit that photo of the kids–and five minutes later after you started your system, the computer STILL isn’t ready!

It’s extremely frustrating, but there are things that can help. The first culprit that we usually see impeding start-up time is malware infection. These insidious bits of software do everything they can to take over processing priority, and you’ll especially notice the performance hit at start-up.

Another common culprit is simply too many (legitimate) programs stampeding to load at a start-up, unbeknownst to you. These are the programs that load in the system tray by default, and 90% of them–especially non-Microsoft processes–don’t really need to load at start-up, though they set themselves to do that. Finally, one of the more common culprits is low RAM.

Many computers ship with the bare minimum needed to run Windows (this keeps the price enticingly low at the store), but does not exactly make them perform well on a daily basis in practice. It is fairly inexpensive to upgrade the RAM in your system.

That said, if you REALLY want to speed things up, you can choose to switch out your hard drive for the newest variety, an SSD hard drive. These hard drives have no moving parts and are super-fast. We have these installed in almost all our computers at home.

On our big rig, this change alone changed the boot time from almost seven minutes to less than 30 seconds. They are smaller and somewhat more expensive than traditional drives, but if these trade-offs are worth it to you, the speed you will enjoy is quite nice.

So if your computer is slower than molasses on a cold day, We can fix this! Just let us know.

Bank Account Stealing Malware Returns

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Malicious software used to steal millions from bank accounts has re-emerged a month after US authorities broke up a major hacker network using the scheme, security researchers say.

Bank Account Stealing Malware Returns

The security firm Malcovery said it identified a new trojan based on the Gameover Zeus malware, which officials said infected up to one million computers in 12 countries, and was blamed in the theft of more than $100 million.

“This discovery indicates that the criminals responsible for Gameover’s distribution do not intend to give up on this botnet even after suffering one of the most expansive botnet takeovers/takedowns in history,”.

By infecting large numbers of computers, the cybercriminals were able to control the devices to steal passwords and send out emails to further spread the infection.

The news came as the Department of Justice said it had made progress in rooting out the malware infections.

In a status report filed in court, officials said that “all or nearly all of the active computers infected with Gameover Zeus have been liberated from the criminals’ control and are now communicating exclusively with the substitute server established pursuant to a court order.”

A blog post by the security firm Emsisoft said the new variant may be harder to combat because it is using “an evasive technique that allows the botnet to hide its distributive phishing sites behind a constantly shuffling list of infected, proxy computers.”

Gameover Zeus, which first appeared in September 2011, stole bank information and other confidential details from victims.

The FBI blamed the Gameover Zeus botnet for the theft of more than $100 million, obtained by using the stolen bank data and then “emptying the victims’ bank accounts and diverting the money to themselves.”

The June crackdown also targeted another computer virus, dubbed “Cryptolocker,” which appeared in September 2013.

Russian Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev, 30, an alleged administrator of the network, was charged in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with 14 counts including conspiracy, computer hacking, bank fraud, and money laundering in the Gameover Zeus and Cryptoblocker schemes.

Originally from: http://news.yahoo.com/bank-stealing-malware-returns-us-crackdown-193233883.html