“My computer is running very slowly. What’s wrong with it?”
This is a common problem, and there are many possible reasons why your computer is running slowly. Here is a list of a few:
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Your computer might be infected with a virus and/or spyware.
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A classic signal of a failing hard drive is a slow computer. Backup any important data.
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Other hardware within the computer may be faulty.
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You may have many unnecessary startup programs.
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You might be running low on hard drive space.
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Your computer could be overheating.
“I keep getting a virus alert from an unfamiliar program. What should I do?”
Many viruses disguise themselves as being helpful, legitimate programs. You will generally get a pop-up alerting you to a possible infection, and to download the software to get rid of it. Do not, under ANY circumstances, click on or download a program from these alerts, and certainly do not pay for the “service.” These are actually viruses advertising themselves as anti-viruses, and once on your computer, they will bring more viruses on board. The best thing to do if you do start getting these pop-ups is to call us at 541-324-2879.
“My computer won’t start up. What is wrong?”
There are a few things that could be wrong here:
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If you push the power button, and you don’t get any lights or sounds coming from your computer, ensure that the computer is plugged into the power outlet; sometimes the connection can loosen. If the computer is plugged in, but you still aren’t getting power, you likely need a new power supply.
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If you hear sounds and see lights coming from your computer, check the monitor cables and be sure the monitor is getting power, and make sure the connection from the monitor to the computer is tight. If you are still not getting anything on the screen, you can try a different monitor. If that doesn’t help, suspect the video card if you have one (if the monitor port in back is horizontal, you have a video card), or the motherboard (if the monitor port in back is vertical, you get video from the motherboard).
“Why am I not getting an internet connection?”
If you have a router, unplug it for about 20 seconds, then plug it back in. If you don’t have a signal after about 30 seconds, you might have a faulty router (a common occurrence). You might call your internet service provider to make sure they don’t have any outages. Also, sometimes network settings can spontaneously change, which may cause you to lose your connection to the internet. It’s not good to go in and change the settings yourself unless you know what you are doing, so call us at 541-324-2879 if you need help.
“How do I get connected to the internet?”
Well, first off you have to choose an internet provider. If you are in Ashland, the Ashland Fiber Network (AFN) is the way to go; there are many providers that will hook you up with AFN. Infostructure is a great one to go with. Charter is another option for Ashland, Medford, and surrounding areas. If you live on the outskirts of town, and neither of these options are available, Qwest DSL is probably an option for you. There are satellite high-speed internet providers, and there are also dial-up providers. We don’t recommend dial-up these days; it’s usually only $10-$20 more per month for high-speed internet access and it’s worth it!
Once you have an internet service provider, they will usually come set it up for you. In some cases (as with Qwest, usually) you may need someone to help you set it up. If you need help, or if you have other networking needs give us a call at 541-324-2879.
“My hard drive was erased and now all my data is gone! Can you get it back?”
We might be able to get your data back. This is a common issue after getting a computer back from a service or warranty company who doesn’t care about the customer. About 70% of the time we can get your data back after a format, but if we can’t, we don’t charge you for our time.
“I accidentally deleted a file that I need. Can you get it back?”
Probably. But if we can’t, we don’t charge you for it.
“The program I need to use won’t open. What should I do?”
Try restarting your computer. If it still won’t open, you can uninstall the program, then reinstall it. Be sure to back up your data before you uninstall the program; with some programs, if your files are located within the program files, the uninstall might get rid of your important files also!
“What antivirus should I use?”
We use a free antivirus that works very well. It’s called Avast, and all they ask is that you register the program once per year.
