Author Archives: brjaffe
When Should You Replace Your Old Apple Products?
People often wonder if when to buy a new computer if their old one is still working. If you have a Mac there are some pretty specific guidelines regarding repairs by the manufacturer and even availability of parts. Apple considers … Continue reading
Beware Fake Tech Support Screen Warnings
I have had several clients contact me after having responded to a scary notice on their computer screen that said their computer had been hacked and recommending that they call the toll free 1-800 number listed to reach a so-called … Continue reading
How Big Is the Internet?
Here are some interesting facts about the Internet: The whole Internet is estimated to have 3,8 billion pages. — Source: http://www.worldwidewebsize.com. Google now processes over 40,000 search queries every second on average, which translates to over 3.5 billion searches per … Continue reading
How to Fix the Spinning Blue Ball on Facebook
Have you been getting an endlessly spinning blue ball when you visit Facebook using Firefox? I recently found out why and found a temporary workaround for the problem. The explanation and instructions for implementing a workaround are below. (Of course, … Continue reading
How to Change Your Homepage
One day your web browser suddenly opens to an Ask.com search page instead of your favorite homepage. What happened? You probably updated Java but didn’t opt out of changing your search engine and homepage to Ask.com. There is a screen … Continue reading
Ransomware: The Worst Virus Yet
Of all the computer viruses I’ve seen in nearly 20 years of helping people with their computers, none is nastier than what is known as “ransomware”. There have been several variations, starting with a virus called Cryptolocker. Later versions were … Continue reading
The End of Windows XP
With Microsoft no longer releasing security updates and patches for Windows XP as of April 8, 2014, a lot of clients and friends have been asking me for my advice. They have two questions: 1) “Is it still safe to … Continue reading
Repairing Fake Damage from a Real Virus
Sometimes after removing a computer virus from a infected Windows PC it looks as though all the user’s documents and programs are GONE. This can cause a panic for the user, not to mention the unseasoned technician. Usually nothing is … Continue reading
Three Words: Backup, Backup, Backup
One of the most important things you can do for your peace of mind and security is to back up your computer’s data. Most people don’t care or even think much about backing up, until something goes wrong. At … Continue reading