Viruses are known to plague millions of computers each year. They can cause a lot of frustration and annoyance because your computer is not acting the way it should be; it is the difference that you notice that can prevent any further damage done to your computer. It is important to keep a look out for any indication that your computer is infected, so here are 10 simple signs to help you notice a computer virus:
Your computer is really slow. Like really, really, REALLY slow.
Nothing responds when you click on an icon and/or your software applications do not work correctly anymore.
The system reboots, freezes up, or crashes for no reason.
Your antivirus security program and/or firewall is suddenly disabled.
You can’t access your disk drives or hard drive.
You are suddenly unable to print
You start seeing strange pop-up windows stating that you have a virus or that your computer is infected. (Usually the name of the virus program/scanner is something you have never heard of and you can’t seem to close the annoying window).
You start seeing pop-up advertisement windows at unexpected (random) times.
You have major problems trying to install or download software, especially an antivirus software.
You seem to have suddenly lost the icons on the desktop and/or all other program files in our folders.
If you are experiencing any combination of these symptoms on your computer, the best solution is to bring it in to Computer Doctor. We have seen the nastiest of viruses out there, and we are confident that we can nurse your computer back to health. If you have any concerns about your computer at all, please give us a call at 862-7019, we would love to take care of any computer issues you may have! You can take 15% off a Virus Removal and Tune Up service by mentioning this article before November 18, 2016!
Every one of us owns precious files like personal documents, photos, videos, or audio files, and we typically store them on hard drives. Surprisingly, hard drives are one of the few mechanical devices left in a computer because most other components are electronic; and as with any mechanical device, they are bound to fail eventually. The average lifetime of a stationary hard drive today is around 5 – 10 years, depending on the type and manufacturer, and it rapidly declines if the drive is subject to strong variations in temperature, humidity, and motion as in not being stationary. Since a majority of people today own laptops and external hard drives, which get dragged around quite a bit, a realistic hard drive lifetime is probably around 3 – 5 years.
Hard drives can die all of a sudden without warning, and can be especially devastating if you haven’t backed up your data recently. The best case scenario would be for your hard drive to fail gradually, which gives you the chance to react, get a copy of your data, and replace the storage device before facing a fatal disaster. There are a host of signs that hint to a gradual failure of your hard drive, and if you work quickly, you could save your most important pictures and documents before your hard drive’s clock runs out!
1. Slow Computer, Frequent Freezing, and the Blue Screen of Death
While these computer characteristics don’t always indicate hard drive failure and can actually be triggered by a thousand different factors, it is always a good idea to back up your data after experiencing any of these symptoms. Pay special attention to slowness or freezing after completing a fresh installation of an operating system on your computer, or if you boot your Windows computer into Safe Mode to check diagnostically. If the symptoms still persist in these situations, then it is very likely there is an internal hardware issue and possibly a failing hard drive.
2. Corrupted Data
If you begin finding your files take 30 minutes to open, refuse to open completely, or even disappear entirely, that is not normal computer behavior. If your file does open and you see that it has errors or is corrupted, that is a bad sign. This could be caused by a malicious Ransomware Virus or something similar, but it could also be caused by gradual hard drive failure.
3. Accumulation of Bad Sectors
Bad sectors are areas of the hard drive that do not maintain data integrity. They are automatically masked by the operating system and thus hard to identify, especially if large amounts of the disk are currently in use. If you somehow run into a bad sector on the hard drive, however, that is not good. To check your hard drive for bad sectors, there are several ways to do so. Here are step-by-step instructions to perform a hard drive error check for each Windows operating system. Windows Vista. Windows 7. Windows 8 (click “to repair a drive” tab). Windows 10.
4. Strange Sounds
If you previously didn’t hear a peep from your hard drive, but now you do, check it immediately and be prepared to backup your data and replace the drive, because it is about to fail if it hasn’t already. If your drive is making regular clicking or grinding sounds, or a sound known as the “click of death,” chances are you have a mechanical failure within the drive. If you hear anything out of the ordinary, turn off your computer as soon as possible because continued use may damage the disks and make your data unrecoverable. The longer the drive is powered on, the more damage you may be doing. You should then make a note of what happened and contact us at the Computer Doctor immediately!
The only way to protect your personal and important data is to create a backup drive. Purchasing an external hard drive to load all of your documents and pictures on is a smart solution, but a blank DVD or thumb drive would also do the trick if the storage space is large enough. Ideally, having 2 backup locations is the best data loss prevention strategy you can have. It is just as easy to drop your external hard drive as it is to drop your laptop, and without a third backup location, you could lose everything!In the devastating event of hard drive failure or data loss, the quicker you call us at the Computer Doctor the better chance we have of recovering your precious pictures and documents. If you need any help setting up your backup drives or need any advice on products, we are happy to help! Just call us at 862-7019 or stop by our shop at 50 Main Road North in Hampden. If you mention this article, you will receive 10% off a data back up!
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There are many factors that affect the speed of your computer. If you find yourself getting extremely frustrated with the (what seems like) long hours to simply log on to your email, then we have some tips for you to try.
1. Reboot Your Computer
A reboot is when a working computer system is restarting. Try not to do a “cold” reboot, when you would unplug the power or physically press the power button, because it could cause some damage. If possible, do a “warm” reboot by choosing the turn off or restart option in the start menu. In either situation, please do not actually kick your computer.
2. Close Background Programs
Open your Task Manager to see what programs are running in the background and close them if they are not necessary. If there is an antivirus scanner or spyware protection program running, then wait for the scan to complete before you close the program.
3. Delete Temp Files
Temporary files are stored on the hard drive as a computer runs programs, but it can also take up space. Use the Windows Disk Cleanup utility to delete temporary files.
4. Free Hard Drive Space
Check to see that you have at least 200-500 MB of free hard drive space. Click on either Computer or This PC on the desktop to see a small percentage bar of how much disk space is being used on your hard drive. If you need more space, it might be time to delete all those blurry photos from vacation last summer.
5. Bad, Corrupted, or Fragmented Hard Drive
Run ScanDisk to verify there is nothing physically wrong with the hard drive, or Defrag to ensure data is arranged on the hard drive in the most efficient way.
6. Scan for Malware
Spyware and malware can slow down a computer. Even if an antivirus scanner is installed on the computer, it is recommended you run an additional malware scan, such as the free version of Malwarebytes.
7. Scan for Viruses
If your computer is infected with a virus, it can cause your computer to run very slow. If you do not have an antivirus program installed, it is highly recommended you purchase one.
We install Avast Security on most devices infected with viruses that are brought in to the Computer Doctor, and have found that program to be the most efficient.
If you do believe you have a virus, we encourage you to bring your computer to us; we are the onlydoctor in the Bangor Area to get rid of these types of viruses.
8. Update Windows and Internet Browsers
Make sure you have the latest Windows updates installed on your computer by checking online.
If your computer is especially slow on the internet, make sure all browser plugins are up-to-date.
In Internet Explorer and Firefox, browser plugins are called add-ons. In the menu bar, select Tools > Add-ons. A list should pop up of the currently installed add-ons or plugins.
In Google Chrome, plugins are called extensions. Click on the wrench in the upper right-hand corner of the browser, and navigate to Tools > Extensions. You should see a list of the currently installed extensions.
Make sure all plugins are up to date, and try to disable any that you don’t use often.
9. Upgrade Memory
If you have had your computer for more than 2 years, you may need more memory, or RAM. At the Computer Doctor, we can increase your computer’s RAM quickly and easily.
10. Clean Out the Dust
If your computer is overheating, the processor speed will automatically be reduced to help compensate for the heat. Dust, dirt, and hard constrict proper airflow inside your computer. If you have a computer case on, make sure it is clean and the fans are not obstructed.
11. It’s Time to Buy a New One
If your computer is more than 5 years old, simply the age could be slowing it down. Newer software programs are optimized for newer computers, and older computers are not able to perform as well.
At the Computer Doctor, we can assist you in all your computer needs. If your computer is frustratingly slow and you have seriously considered hitting it with a hammer…
Please don’t!
Just bring it down to us and we’ll get it back up to speed!
We’re located at 50 Main Road North in Hampden, Maine. Across the street from the Circle K in the same building as Rivertown Family Eye Care. You can call us anytime at (207) 862-7019. If you mention this article, you will receive 10% off any service until November 7!
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1. Reboot Your Computer
8. Update Windows and Internet Browsers