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Ask The Teltek Tekspert – How Do I Protect My PC From Computer Viruses?

Thursday, March 7th, 2013

QuestionJeremy in Lancaster, PA asks: It seems like every day there is a new computer virus to be wary of. What is the best way to ensure that my PC is not affected by all the scary bugs out there.

You are correct Jeremy, new malware and viruses are always being developed by the evil geniuses of the world. Although there is never a way to guarantee you won’t get hit by a virus, there are a few steps you can take to ward off infection.

 

Make sure you have antivirus protection installed: Many manufacturers include an antivirus program on new machines, but most of these are trial versions. If you don’t have an antivirus program or it has expired, download Microsoft Security Essentials. This free program integrates well with Windows and provides protection against viruses and  spyware.

Your firewall needs to be activated: Windows includes a firewall with the base operating system. Make sure it’s turned on by going to the Control Panel and clicking on the Security section. Click the Windows Firewall link to access the firewall settings.

Keep your antirus program updated: Activating Windows Automatic Updates will keep your system updated and protect you against security vulnerabilities in programs and operating  systems.

Don’t click on suspicious email links or attachments: check out a previous blog we wrote on this topic and click with caution. Links and attachments can be loaded with viruses.

Install real time Spyware protection: Spyware is not the same as anti-virus. You should have a separate program to prevent against spyware.

Call Teltek: We can evaluate your system and the precautions you have in place to make sure your set up is secure and bug free!

 

Teltek is proud to offer IT services as the fourth component to our multi-systems approach as your single source technology services company. This Managed Service Provider (MSP) offering completes our longstanding goal to provide our clients with a one-call resource for all of their business technology needs. IT outsourcing, remote back up and disaster recovery, helpdesk support, computer network relocations, security products and server/desktop virtualization are just a few of the services now available.

 

 

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Ask The Teltek Tekspert – Need For Speed

Thursday, February 21st, 2013

Question

Barbara from Harrisbug, PA asks:

My PC is running much slower than usual. Is there something wrong? How do I get the processing speed back?

A slow computer can signal a number of problems. Here are a few steps to get the Mach back in your machine:

Diagnose the Problem: Run a diagnostic tool such as Soluto, Hiren’s BootCD or SIW. These tools will identify the source of your slowness so you can take action. Google is also a great resource for this. Type in your issue and see what Google finds!

Check for Viruses: Typically, a virus is not the problem, but if you don’t have antivirus software running already, you can download Microsoft Security Essentials software for no charge. Something you want to consider though, antivirus software may be the cause of your computer’s lethargy, so make sure the antivirus software you are running is fast.

Ensure all Software is Updated: Software updates include fixes and improvements. If you fall behind on updates, your programs may not be running as effectively as possible.

Delete Your Cookies: Web cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer’s browser directory or program data subfolders and allow your browser and websites to track your browsing sessions and save certain useful information, such as account names and passwords, for later retrieval. Getting rid of cookies can save space and increase speed. Go to Google and search for how to do this based on your operating system.

Reduce Web Page History: Internet Explorer stores an archive of all Web sites you have visited. If it gets too big, the browser will be slowed. Microsoft recommends keeping no more than a week’s worth of Web history.

Disable Unused Applications or Add-Ons: To disable add-ons, go to the Internet Explorer option Tools -> Manage Add-ons. Other browsers have similar configuration controls. Please see our previous blog on bloatware and how to get rid of it.

Defragment your Computer: You can find the tool in your Control Panel. Run it monthly for optimum speed.

Free up some Space: A disk that’s running out of space can slow Windows significantly. Run the Disk Cleanup tool to remove Internet cache files, clear the Recycling Bin and delete unused programs. You should also delete emails, photos and videos you no longer need. As a general rule, keep 10% of the disk space unused.

If you are still not able to get your speed back, call Teltek! Our certified engineers can inspect your machine and figure out what is getting in the way of optimum performance.

Teltek is proud to offer IT services as the fourth component to our multi-systems approach as your single source technology services company. This Managed Service Provider (MSP) offering completes our longstanding goal to provide our clients with a one-call resource for all of their business technology needs. IT outsourcing, remote back up and disaster recovery, helpdesk support, computer network relocations, security products and server/desktop virtualization are just a few of the services now available.

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Ask The Teltek Tekspert – Troubleshooting Printer Problems

Thursday, February 14th, 2013

 

 

 

Valerie in Baltimore, MD asks:

I’ve been trying to print a document, but it never shows up. How do I resolve this?

If you tried to print a document, but it does not emerge from the printer, there’s a good chance it is stuck somewhere. Your best bet is to start with canceling the request and try printing it again.

First, find a Cancel button or a Cancel menu command on the printer and press it.

Next, try turning the printer off and then back on. With certain printer models, this cancels the print job and you can then resend it.

 

If this doesn’t fix the problem, try cancelling it from your computer:

To cancel one or more print jobs, follow these steps.

  1. Click Start, and then click Run
  2. In the Open box, type control printers, and then click OK.
  3. Right-click the icon for your printer, and then click Open.

On certain printers when you click Open you will see this screen:

 

 

 

If this screen shows then you will need to click Documents In Queue in order to get to this screen which
is the queue:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click the document(s) in the queue that you wish to cancel

To cancel individual print jobs, right-click the print job that you want to cancel, and then click Cancel

To cancel all print jobs, click Cancel All Documents on the Printer menu.

Resend the print job to the printer again

If none of this works, you may want to clear out the print queue. Here’s how to do it.

 

Clearing a Stuck Print Job in Windows:

Go to Start, Control Panel and then Administrative Tools. Double click on Services

Find Print Spooler in the list and click the Stop button

Next, open up Windows Explorer and type this into the location bar:

%windir%\System32\spool\PRINTERS

You should now have the ability to delete the files in the folder. Don’t delete the PRINTERS
folder itself, just the files.

Go back to Services and click the Start button to start up the service again, your stuck
print job should be cleared

 

Clearing a Stuck Print Job in Mac OS X

To delete a single printer or print job:

Open Print Center (/Applications/Utilities/). The Printer List window will appear

Select Show Queue from the Printers menu

Select the printer or print job from the desired list and click Delete

To delete multiple printers or print jobs:

Open Print Center (/Applications/Utilities/). The Printer List window appears.

Select Show Queue from the Printers menu

Command-click each printer or print job you wish to delete. Pressing the Command key while clicking
allows you to select multiple items. Click Delete.

 

Still having problems? Call Teltek IT! Our technicians are tech support experts and will figure out the problem and get your printer back to work.

Teltek is proud to offer IT services as the fourth component to our multi-systems approach as your single source technology services company. This Managed Service Provider (MSP) offering completes our longstanding goal to provide our clients with a one-call resource for all of their business technology needs. IT outsourcing, remote back up and disaster recovery, helpdesk support, computer network relocations, security products and server/desktop virtualization are just a few of the services now available.

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Ask The Teltek Tekspert – How Do I Block Social Media Sites?

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

Rebecca in Harrisburg, PA asks:

My office has a strict No Social Media policy, but our employees still frequent Facebook and Twitter and it’s affecting our productivity as a company. What steps can we take to prevent this from happening?

First and foremost, make sure your employees know about that policy. It should be in writing and clearly outline what is permitted and what is not acceptable when it comes to internet usage in general.

There are 3 ways to block users from a particular site or specific types of sites:

1. Through the firewall: log into the firewall, go to security services, content filtering and then click on configure. from there you can customize a list of forbidden domains. Once this is done you will enable it on the firewall to block it for network LAN users.

2 Software: Some types of software will block websites if you instruct it to. There are programs that come with web filtering option that can include blocking access, giving warnings, monitoring or allowing access. In some cases you can choose from categories of web sites to block or create custom categories.

3. Hosts File: This can be edited to block websites. When you access a website, your computer contacts your domain name system (DNS) server and requests its numerical IP address. Your hosts file is a file, local to your computer, that can override this behavior. When you surf to a site, Windows automatically checks to see if the address is located in the Hosts file. You can open the Hosts file in Notepad and edit the entries so the sites you want to avoid are blocked. A PC can be configured in a way that it can only see specific addresses.

A word of warning. Despite your best efforts, your employees may still find a way to access these sites. There are ways around these measures and where there is a will, there is a way, but it’s worth a try!

If you would like a consultation on how to implement policies and procedures to enhance productivity in your office, call Teltek IT! We are happy to advise you on the best practices for instituting procedures and ensuring compliance utilizing hardware and software solutions.

Teltek is proud to offer IT services as the fourth component to our multi-systems approach as your single source technology services company. This Managed Service Provider (MSP) offering completes our longstanding goal to provide our clients with a one-call resource for all of their business technology needs. IT outsourcing, remote back up and disaster recovery, helpdesk support, computer network relocations, security products and server/desktop virtualization are just a few of the services available.

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Ask The Teltek Tekspert – Integrating Personal Devices Into The Office

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

Calvin in Rockville, MD asks:

Some of our employees want to use their own smartphones, laptops and tablets in the office. Is it a good idea to allow this? If so, what is the best way to integrate these devices into our workplace?

Allowing your employees to use personal electronic devices  at work has some advantages; the wireless nature of them allows for a little more physical freedom and this practice can save a company money if you don’t need to purchase and maintain the hardware yourself. This trend is often referred to as “BYOD” or Bring Your Own Device.

Information Security is the biggest challenge with BYOD, but device management vendors recognize this need and are providing solutions, now referred to as MDM, Mobile Device Management. With tools available from companies such as MobileIron, Symantec and Mobile Active Defense, IT departments can set the level of access for individual users on the network, block certain applications and remotely erase corporate information from misplaced devices.

As a rule, some companies block access to cloud-based apps and services since this can prevent employees from uploading sensitive files onto another company’s servers. The release of Windows 8 has assisted the BYOD trend since the Windows platform is very corporate friendly and Microsoft devices are easy to incorporate into an existing enterprise system. Obviously, the learning curve is non-existent since users are intimately familiar with their own devices.

The downside; some studies have shown that the support costs, compliance risks and usage reimbursement typically lead to a higher total cost of ownership and no real benefit to the user or the company. Also, new applications and software releases will continually challenge IT departments to stay current and keep everything secure.

There is talk about dual personality software becoming more widely available for mobile devices. This technology separates corporate data from personal. With the two kinds of data divided, IT departments can have a little more control.

A great first step is to have a discussion with management about the advantages and disadvantages of going BYOD. Next, you will need a very clear company policy about which devices and software are allowed and the usage parameters. It’s an excellent opportunity to collaborate with your workforce to formulate best practices for your company.

If you would like some guidance with this, call Teltek IT! Our certified engineers can help you determine which devices can enhance your business and keep your employees happy and productive. We can also ensure that you have the proper software and safeguards implemented to protect your workers and information.

Teltek is proud to offer IT services as the fourth component to our multi-systems approach as your single source technology services company. This Managed Service Provider (MSP) offering completes our longstanding goal to provide our clients with a one-call resource for all of their business technology needs. IT outsourcing, remote back up and disaster recovery, helpdesk support, computer network relocations, security products and server/desktop virtualization are just a few of the services available.

As a Microsoft Certified Partner and Dell Registered Partner, Teltek has the knowledge and resources necessary to keep your computer network and IT infrastructure current and functioning efficiently with the personalized service Teltek clients have grown to admire. With office locations in Baltimore, Bethesda and Westminster, Maryland, we serve clients across MD, DC and VA.

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Ask The Teltek Tekspert – How Do We Go Paperless?

Tuesday, January 15th, 2013

Nathan in National Harbor, MD asks:

Management has declared that our company needs to go paperless in 2013. What tools are out there to assist us with this goal?

A paperless office is an accomplishment that has many benefits. It’s cleaner, greener and more cost effective method of doing business. Since we have already implemented many procedures at Teltek to reduce our own paper usage, we are happy to share what works.

 

Here are a few tips on going paperless:

*pay employees via direct deposit instead of issuing printed checks

*save some postage by sending invoices and statements electronically and ask your vendors to do the same

*discourage employees from printing emails unless absolutely necessary

*upgrade to a CRM system that holds all the information that would typically be organized in paper file folders

*scan documents instead of making paper copies of them

*lose the fax machine and send/receive faxes electronically

 

How can Teltek help you accomplish this?

 

1. Let us install a fax server in your office: this will allow you to send and receive faxes electronically. Outbound faxes can be sent by web client or through Microsoft Office applications. Inbound faxes are converted to PDF or TIFF files and delivered to a recipient’s in-box or a network folder.

2. Utilize our data center for storage of your sensitive information. Instead of maintaining rows of filing cabinets stuffed with paper, let our secure servers hold all of it! We have a 71,000 square foot Tier III data center near Washington, DC that offers enterprise-class security, disaster recovery, storage and managed hosting services.

3. Give online collaboration a try: Microsoft’s SkyDrive and OneNote products allow team members to share, edit and discuss documents online

4. Take notes on a Tablet PC instead of using a legal pad: You can write notes on it as you go and record meetings for later playback alongside your notes. With a tablet and Microsoft OneNote, you won’t need a three ring binder ever again! Since Teltek is a Microsoft Certified Partner and Dell Registered Partner, we can set you up with the hardware and software needed to leave the paper trail behind!

 

As a one stop shop for all of your IT and telecom service and equipment needs, we are here to consult with you and find the best solution to ensuring your office is more efficient in 2013. Call Teltek IT today!

Teltek is proud to offer IT services as the fourth component to our multi-systems approach as your single source technology services company. This Managed Service Provider (MSP) offering completes our longstanding goal to provide our clients with a one-call resource for all of their business technology needs. IT outsourcing, remote back up and disaster recovery, helpdesk support, computer network relocations, security products and server/desktop virtualization are just a few of the services available. With office locations in Baltimore, Bethesda and Westminster, Maryland, we serve clients across MD, DC and VA.

 

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Ask The Teltek Tekspert – How Can I Make Safe Online Payments?

Wednesday, January 9th, 2013

Bonnie from Richmond, VA asks:

I do a lot of business online and worry about entering my credit card number and other pieces of sensitive information. How do I prevent identity theft and the misuse of my credit card number?

It’s important to protect your personal and financial information at all times, but all of us want the freedom to purchase goods and services online. Here are a few tips for safe online shopping:

 

1. Only purchase from sites you know and trust: There are lots of shady sites and knockoffs out there, so know where you are before you buy. If the store name is misspelled or the site is found at a .net instead  of a .com, it could be bogus.

2. Make sure it’s a secure site: When entering payment information, the web page address (URL) should always start with “HTTPS” instead of just “HTTP“; the “S“ signifies a secure connection. There should also be a padlock icon, further confirmation that it is a secure site. This is usually found in the top or bottom right corner of the browser window.

3. Protect Your Computer: Have effective anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed, plus a firewall and keep all of it current.

4. Pay with a credit card, not a debit card: In the instances of fraud, it’s much easier to stop payment or dispute the charges if made to a credit card. Additionally, many credit card companies monitor your usage and will notify you if they spot a purchase that is outside of your typical buying habits.

5. Use a third-party payment service: Services like PayPal allow you to purchase items from online businesses and donate money to charities. When you create a PayPal account, your financial information is securely stored and encrypted on their servers, so you don’t need to share it directly with the person or company you’re buying from.

6. Passwords Should Be Strong: For tips on creating a bullet-proof password, click here.

7. Keep a Close Eye on Your Statements: Regularly checking you bank and credit card statments helps keep fraud at bay. If you notice something unusual, report it immediately.

 

Teltek IT is here to help with your information security. Give us a call for a free site survey to ensure that your software is current and that your business is well protected.

Teltek is proud to offer IT services as the fourth component to our multi-systems approach as your single source technology services company. This Managed Service Provider (MSP) offering completes our longstanding goal to provide our clients with a one-call resource for all of their business technology needs. IT outsourcing, remote back up and disaster recovery, helpdesk support, computer network relocations, security products, computer repair and server/desktop virtualization are just a few of the services available.

 

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Ask The Teltek Tekspert – Do I Need To Delete Unused Software?

Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013

 

Rudolph in North East, MD asks:

My computer has all kinds of applications and programs I don’t use and some that I never even wanted. Should I delete whatever I don’t need or just leave it alone?

The start of a new year is a great time to do some virtual housekeeping. Computers, phones and other devices are often bogged down with what is know as “bloatware” or extra, unused applications that take the form of games and apps intended to assist you with everything from predicting the weather to navigating the world. At a time when many of us are feeling bloated from too many cookies and glasses of wine enjoyed over the holidays, both humans and machines could benefit from having a little less extra.

Most bloatware is pre-installed on devices by the manufacturer who is often paid by software vendors to push basic versions of their products in hopes that the end user will be wooed into purchasing the full versions. Urban Dictionary defines bloatware as follows; “A piece of software, hardware or website that attempts to do too much and becomes utterly useless for users. An example of bloatware would be a word processing application that also tries to be your page layout program, drawing tool, and web browser; absorbing half your hard drive and all your RAM in the process.”

Unused applications can take up valuable memory and could conflict with other applications. Some retailers will elimate the bloatware for a fee, but with a few simple steps, you can shed much of it yourself and you will be left with a leaner, less cluttered and faster machine!

1. Take Inventory: If you haven’t used it, you probably don’t need it; take stock of what you have and if you have not used a certain program or application in a long time, it can probably go the way of the dinosaurs.

2. Find Suitable Replacements: it’s not always about giving the boot to programs you don’t need, sometimes you can find an application that performs the same function, but takes up less RAM. In some situations, Microsoft Outlook can be replaced by Thunderbird and iTunes can be dropped in favor of DoubleTwist.

3. Enlist the Decrapifier: PC Decrapifier (www.pcdecrapifier.com) is a free program that can remove unwanted programs and trial offers on your PC. It will list the programs and then prompt you to select which ones to kick to the curb.

4. Start At the Beginning: If only it were always this easy. Go to Start > Control Panel > Uninstall a Program and you will see a list of all the programs you’ve installed on your computer and you can select the ones to go.

5. For Really Stubborn Ones: A few programs will not have uninstall options or the uninstall feature is unresponsive. In these cases, you can boot the PC into Safe mode by holding down the F8 key after you power on the computer. Look for the offending program in Add or Remove Programs (XP) or Programs and Features (Vista) and try to uninstall it.

6. Wipeout as a last resort: If none of the other tips has solved your bloatware problem, another option is to erase your hard drive and reinstall Windows. WipeDrive removes data by overwriting it with random information. This tool will erase everything on the drive, so back up what you need to a disc or an external drive and make sure you have the discs for the operating system before wiping so you can reinstall them on the clean hard drive.

7. Call Teltek IT! Our expert technicians are here to help you and your devices slim down for 2013. Bring us your machine and we’ll take out the stuff you no longer need.

Teltek is proud to offer IT services as the fourth component to our multi-systems approach as your single source technology services company. This Managed Service Provider (MSP) offering completes our longstanding goal to provide our clients with a one-call resource for all of their business technology needs. IT outsourcing, remote back up and disaster recovery, helpdesk support, computer network relocations, security products, computer repair and server/desktop virtualization are just a few of the services available.

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Ask The Teltek Tekspert – Keyboard Cleanup Tips

Tuesday, December 4th, 2012

Bruno in Washington, DC asks:

Help! I spilled a cup of coffee on my computer keyboard. What’s the best way to clean this up?

Oh yikes. For future reference, electronics and beverages need to keep their distance from each other. IT equipment does not like to get wet and bad things can happen if it does. Sugary drinks; coffee with cream and sugar, soda and juice, can be especially destructive to a keyboard. It’s the ultimate Sticky Situation!

Here’s the best course of action:

1. Turn off the power to the computer and unplug it; if it’s a laptop computer, you should also remove the battery

2. Get the spill under control and turn your keyboard upside-down so the liquid can drain out

3. Clean up what you can with paper towels

4. Using a small screwdriver, unscrew all the screws on the bottom of the  keyboard so you can access the inside of your keyboard to remove any residual liquid

5. It’s a good idea to wear gloves as you clean off any liquid from the parts you have exposed. Use a dry, clean, disposable cloth. Cotton swabs work well for the crevices
6. Blow the residue away with compressed air
7. Allow the parts to dry for several hours.
8. Reassemble the computer and turn it on. If it does not turn on or some of the keys still stick, take it to a repair shop to see if there is anything more that can be done.
Teltek is here to answer your questions and clean up the messes! We offer computer repair for MACs and PCs, so call today for an estimate for whatever the problem is.
If you have particularly klutzy employees or children, contact us and ask us to quote you for a spill proof keyboard! Logitech’s K310 Keyboard is fully submersible and was one of the products featured at our Margarita Party back in October.
Teltek is proud to offer IT services as the fourth component to our multi-systems approach as your single source technology services company. This Managed Service Provider (MSP) offering completes our longstanding goal to provide our clients with a one-call resource for all of their business technology needs. IT outsourcing, remote back up and disaster recovery, helpdesk support, computer network relocations, security products and server/desktop virtualization are just a few of the services now available.

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Ask The Teltek Tekspert – What’s The Best Way To Send A Large File?

Friday, November 16th, 2012

Emily in Vienna, VA asks:

I need to email a very large file to one of my contacts and it keeps bouncing back to me because it’s too large for his in-box. Do you have a solution to this problem?

Most mail servers restrict attachment sizes (incoming and outgoing) to a maximum of 10MB, so it’s best to use an alternate method of delivery if you’re trying to send someone a video file, several photos or a document that will exceed the size restrictions.

There are quite a few free services that allow you to upload the file to their site and then the recipient can retrieve it from there. Here are a few you can check out to decide which one will best suit your needs:

Box.com: Lets you store all of your content online, so you can access, manage and share it from anywhere. It’s a great tool for online collaboration and there are permission options and reporting capabilities to keep your information secure. You’re notified whenever someone reviews content you’ve uploaded

MailBigFile: Allows you to send moderately large files (up to 300 MB) to a single email recipient. A pro version allows for larger files and more downloads

Pando: This service integrates with Outlook, Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail, AIM Mail and Yahoo! Messenger, but it lacks a web interface and can only be used through Mac and Windows clients

SendSpace: Since 2005, SendSpace has assisted users with the secure transfer of large files. It’s compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux, as well as Android phones and iPhones. You can send a single file up to 300MB for free. Larger files require the Pro or Pro Plus plan

YouSendIt:  With the free version, you have 2 gigabytes of storage and can send files up to 50 megabytes in size, but subscription levels are available for bigger jobs. Password protection, commenting feature and document signing critical documents  is available and you can use yousendit from Androids and iPhones

Do you have a question for the Teltek Tekspert? Use the space below to email it to us!

Teltek is proud to offer IT services as the fourth component to our multi-systems approach as your single source technology services company. This Managed Service Provider (MSP) offering completes our longstanding goal to provide our clients with a one-call resource for all of their business technology needs. IT outsourcing, remote back up and disaster recovery, helpdesk support, computer network relocations, PC and MAC computer repair, security products and server/desktop virtualization are just a few of the services now available.

 

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