Laptop Tips

Laptops are at risk from hot air!

Laptops draw in cool air from the outside world and pump out hot air, which helps to keep the laptop at a reasonable running temperature.

However, as well as drawing in air, the cooling fans also tend to suck in dust and fluff. This causes the vent holes to block up and the fans to get clogged, resulting in the laptop overheating.

If the processor gets too hot it will either slow down or keel over! If you were in the middle of writing a vital document, you’ll have lost it!

Does your laptop seem to be slower than it used to be?

Has it ever been cleaned inside? Even worse, has it crashed recently for no particular reason? It could be your laptop is full of fluff! Your data could be at risk of corrupting causing you to overheat!

Laptop Summer Service

Our Laptop Summer Service will improve your laptop’s performance, protect your data and help you keep your cool!

Includes cleaning internally, checking hardware, making any recommendations for upgrades (e.g. more memory) clean externally, including screen and keyboard.

We’ll need your laptop for 2 to 3 hours at our fully equipped workshop in St Ives.

Usual price £96 + VAT; however, for less than half price (just £39.50 including VAT) we will give you peace of mind that your laptop won’t let you down at a vital time.
Get in touch now to book your slot. Call us on 01480 469019 – offer available until July 30th.

More laptop tips soon!

If you have an IT question just email it to us at sales@ktscomp.co.uk – even if you’re not a customer. We’ll do our best to send you a response by email.

You can also send us a question on Twitter  @Ask_Ken

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Do you ever TEST your backup?

One of our clients recently had a computer failure and lost a lot of information.

However, there was no panic because they regularly backed up their records and so thought it was all going to be alright.

To their horror, when they tried to find the information they needed – a lot of it wasn’t there.

They were puzzled. They’d done the back ups. What had gone wrong?

When was the last time you TESTED your backup?

Many companies backup up their data religiously, but when the system fails and they check, they find that there have been error messages (usually ignored) and half the data is just not there. Did you know for instance that if you have a file open (i.e. you have Microsoft Outlook open) during backup, it is not normally backed up. (It is possible to back up ‘open files’ but most small companies do not pay the £400 or so for this extra facility.)

So imagine, you have a failure of the hard drive, go for the backup files and find they are 6 months out of date – how would you survive?

You don’t know who has emailed you for the last 6 months – or what you have sent them. Your client database does not have your newest clients – who are they? Or perhaps you would like to re-enter all your accounts for last 6 months? So, – how valuable is your backup? How valuable is your time?

  1. Scary fact:1 49% of small businesses do not back up their data regularly
  2. Scary fact 2: 80% of businesses that suffer a major data loss or disk failure for more than 24 hours fold within 12 months
  3. Scary fact 3: only 34% of companies that use tape backup ever check the backup, and of those that check, 77% notice some form of backup failure!

KTS Computers Ltd can help you save a potential disaster by testing your backup and making recommendations that could stop you being a statistic – how valuable is that?
In fact, we are so passionate about this that we will give you a complimentary backup review (lasting up to 1 hour) to highlight any potential problems.

KTS Computers Ltd, assuring your business continuity through pro-active IT support
Contact KTS Computers Ltd on 01480 469019 or on http://www.twitter.com/ask_ken and we will discuss options with you.

If you have an IT question just email it to us at sales@ktscomp.co.uk – even if you’re not a customer. We’ll do our best to send you a response by email.

You can also send us a question on Twitter @Ask_Ken

Most of our long standing customers understand that their IT system is a bit like their car (or their own body!) and benefits from regular check ups and a good maintenance programme. Its so much more convenient, not to mention cheaper, to make sure that problems are avoided rather than wait for disaster to strike and then have to go through the annoyance of being without your IT system until it gets fixed. So, to all of our maintenance customers, a big thank you for understanding that this is the best way to get the most from your IT.

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Are you being careless with your customer’s data?

You could lose £500,000 if you are careless with your customers data.

The government has lost a LOT of personal data, we have all heard about the CD’s that went missing with 1000’s of records on them, but what about your database of clients? Is it secured? How much distress would it cause your customers if their details were to be ‘lost’ from your system.

Until recently the Information Commissioner was restricted to serving notices to companies that violated the Data Protection Act, but their powers have been increased. Their new powers mean that if you have a serious data breach that causes your customers “damage or distress” you could be looking at half a million pounds – gone! Would even a fraction of that fine put you or your company at risk?

You may get away with a fine, but prison is also possible.

If you couple this with the fact that more and more employees are using their employers network for illegal file sharing (according to research from ScanSafe) which puts the company at risk from malware as well as having illegal content which could have your internet connection shut down, SME’s are at risk.

Malware can access and distribute your customer details, putting them on spam lists and misusing their information. It is not possible to get an email address removed from spam lists.

5 point check list

Here at KTS Computers Ltd we don’t like SME’s to suffer, so below is a 5 point check list to help you to keep your clients data safe:

  1. Ensure all computers have up to date and working internet security package
  2. Do NOT allow your employees to connect any of their personal devices (laptop, iphone, netbook) to the company network without authorisation and certainly not without malware protection
  3. Check your clients financial data (e.g. Act!, Sage) is not available to unauthorised logins (some companies have been known to allow full administrator access to all employees so they can access all financial data)
  4. Have a configured hardware firewall (Windows firewall is not adequate!)
  5. Do NOT store data on CD’s or flash drives etc which is accessible without a password, and preferably they should be encrypted as well.
  6. Ensure your wireless connection is password protected.

I know I said a five point plan but we always like to give a bit extra!

There is more you can do but these are the main points. If you are not sure you are doing all the above then contact KTS Computers Ltd on 01480 469019 or on http://www.twitter.com/ask_ken and we will discuss options with you.

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How secure is your internet connection?

Is your internet connection secure?

Are you worried about people logging on to the internet using your connection?

Is your internet connection secure?

Approximately 80% of businesses that lose data through fire or other disasters go out of business within 2 years but if a business has data stolen some statistics suggest nearly 90% go out of business quickly because they lose all their customer information – sometimes to a competitor.

Some of the things that can happen are annoying but trivial, like having your social networking sites or your email account hacked by spammers. Others are more serious, like your internet banking account being hacked and emptied of funds.

You are probably thinking that’s unlikely to happen to you and yet in the news recently a big company, Google, has been highlighted as having a database of wireless points around the UK taken without permission as they were taking pictures for their Google Street View – Read this for more infowhich highlighted privacy concerns .

The same problem has also been an issue in Germany.

So, do you know if your personal information and your vital business information is safe?

Until recently, most wireless access points sent out with broadband packages or bought from stores were sent out with the security feature turned off. This means that anyone can ‘drive by’ or park outside your office and browse the internet through your connection. If they can access the internet, then they can access your pc.

The latest packages have the security feature turned on but if you have an older one it is possible to turn on the security feature.

However, as Mark Jackson, editor-in-chief of ISPreview, said:

“In theory you could make individuals responsible for Wi-Fi security but surely that is extremely unrealistic. How many people could be expected to know about the encryption settings on a router?”

How true! That is why we, at KTS Computers Ltd, would like to make you an offer.

If you are within a half hours drive of our office in St Ives, Cambs we will perform a security check of your wireless system and either advise or reset it for you if required – completely without charge. How’s that for giving you peace of mind ?

Just send an email request giving your name and contact number before Friday 11th June and we will phone you back to book your visit.

If you have any other IT questions leave them below or post them on Twitter @Ask_Ken

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What’s the point of spam?

What do you do with spam emails?

I’m often asked ‘”what’s the point of spam emails?

Spammers don’t just want to annoy you or disable your computer. What they really want is to get their nasty little viruses and malware codes into your computer so that they can get access to your most sensitive and valuable information.

Do you get more spam on bank holidays?

Statistically you are far more likely to open an email from your bank, or from UPS (or some other carrier) or another carefully crafted email on a bank holiday.

What can you do to avoid computer viruses?

Simply, “Think before you Click”

Always stop to ask ‘when did I give my bank, Microsoft, UPS, DHL ……(fill in your own situation) my email address, or ask ‘Do I know Gertrude Smith?’ This is how things get through. It’s called social engineering.

  1. Make sure your favourite flavour of anti-virus/malware product (NortonAVGSophos) has a chance to be updated before you download email.
  2. Read the subject line and who its from before opening, and if suspicious, delete it
  3. If you have auto preview turn it off.
  4. If you see a subject line you’re not sure about or open an email remember if it sounds too good to be true it probably is so DON’T click any links.

Remember the best security software lies in your head!

If you do get viruses or other malware or have any other IT problem or query just call us on +44 (0)1480 469 019  You can also ask us any IT question on our LinkedIn Group, leave us a comment below, or post them on Twitter at  @Ask_Ken!)

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The language of impact

Today we attended a seminar by Joel Roberts.

Joel helped us to precisely articulate the purpose of our business.

Joel invited some delegates on stage, including a lady who had us in stitches. By the end of 5 minutes we had no idea what she did, our minds had run riot and made up all sorts of things and all we knew is she called herself an Ecstatic Dancer! We have been left on tenterhooks to find out tomorrow….I will let you know. After using this as an example and helping everyone hear where they were ‘abstract’, Joel helped us to identify precisely how our message should be phrased to appeal to our potential clients.

Language of impact

He makes the valid point that attention spans are decreasing and we have to work with it. This need for a clear but brief message is becoming known as the “Language of Impact”.

By using the above information we should be able to hit the nail on the head and drive it home when needed for anything from an elevator pitch upwards.

Looking for examples.

What examples have you had or know of, where someone has rambled or used technical language to state what they or their company do? Let me know in the comments below, or even better, you can ask me on Twitter at @Ask_Ken

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How much time do you spend on marketing?

I’ve just taken part in a presentation by Alex Mandossian, who earns more money an hour than most of us do a year!

Two of the phrases he used that stuck in my mind are: Rich business owners focus on business and poor business owners are scattered!

Play the game to win, don’t play to not lose. He mentioned many business owners will do what they can not to fail, and lose sight of the end game, the goal of the business.

He also asked us how much time we spend on MarketingProduction and Operations. Most small businesses spend either 33% on each (because they were told they should) or about 50% on Production and 30% on Operations then only 20% on Marketing.

Keep admin costs low

He made the point that production and operations are costs to the business, but marketing should be an income as until people know you exist, you don’t have an income. He recommends therefore that admin costs should be kept as low as possible and the target would be only 20% of your time, the same with production, however marketing should be 60% of time

What’s your opinion?

What is your opinion on the time we should spend on these activities?

Please leave us a comment below, or you could ask me on Twitter at @Ask_Ken

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Wood Green Business Fair – Ask Ken

We had a great time at the Wood Green Business Fair and a few people were asking our team for help with their system.

One interesting query was from Barry Hyam of Etchells Electrical who commented his Microsoft Outlook was locking up and system was running slow.

Although we don’t have enough details for a full answer, it is an interesting question as so many people have problems with slow computers these days. Often the solution is simple if time consuming.

The two most common causes

We find the two most common causes of slow systems is:

  1. Insufficient memory (RAM) or / and
  2. Malware (virustrojanwormsspyware or other malicious software) on your computer.

To determine if the RAM is the issue we find a general rule of thumb is that if you are running Windows XP then you require over 512MB RAM, 1GB preferred, but the page file also needs setting to take full advantage of the RAM increase. With 512MB or less, the computer WILL be slow.

Checking for malicious software

To check the second issue, click these links to visit either TrendMicro Housecall or Norton (Symantec) online scanner, and run a scan. The result will let you know what to do next (or use Twitter to @Ask _Ken of course).

Just a note when using Symantec link above, don’t click [download now] as this will add yet another program to your system which will make it run even slower, but click [continue to Symantec security check] then click [start] under virus check.

Hopefully this information will not only get Barry up and running but help others out there too.

If you need a hand…

If you have technical queries, then remember we are here to help, phone us on 01480 469 019, email us at sales@ktscomp.co.uk , or just bring your recalcitrant computer in for us to service!

You can also send us a question on Twitter   @Ask_Ken 🙂

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Ask Ken!

We are preparing for the exhibition at Wood Green Business Fair on Thursday and we are looking forward to meeting all of our friends and customers there.

It looks as if this is going to be a well attended event, particularly by the local business community.

We have been looking forward to this event for some time now, and one of the things that we’ll be doing is inviting people to “Ask Ken” their IT support questions which we’ll answer on this blog.

Go on – Ask Ken!

If you have an IT support question, or want to know absolutely anything about your computer or your software then leave your question in the comment box below. You could also ask me your support questions on Twitter at any time at @Ask_Ken and I’ll happily answer your support questions for you as soon as I can!

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