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Your Power Button Isn’t Really a Power Button

This actually comes up a lot, and most people don’t know this. That button that you use to turn your computer on is not set up to turn your computer off. I am talking about the physical button, not the icon on your screen.

The reason this comes up a lot is that I regularly get phone calls from my customers telling me they accidently clicked on something on the internet, or they sometimes don’t know what happened but now there is a big box covering their entire screen, yelling at them to call some number immediately and clicking anywhere does nothing, so they feel stuck.

I would hope that by now everyone would have heard about this scam but apparently not because I get typically one call per week about this. Many times, people will tap that physical power button and then the screen goes black and they think they are in the clear.

Then they tap the button again to turn it back on and immediately the same screen pops up and the yelling starts again. When this happens, people become really concerned and sometimes think the only way to solve this is to call the number.

This is all part of the scam. The scammers know that when you only tap the power button it is set up to sleep the computer unless someone has gone in and changed this setting. They hope this happens so that you will call them so they can perpetuate their scam.

When people call me about this, I always explain how this button really works. It is mainly a sleep button. To make it actually turn off your computer, you need to hold it down for a little while until all lights and sounds go out. I usually recommend holding it for about 30 seconds.

After that, when you hit this button again you should see the complete start up. The manufacturer logo followed by the circle until Windows loads. This is how you know you held it long enough.

Since it did completely turn off, not just go to sleep, the window with no controls is now gone and there is no more yelling. Just don’t restore your previous session on your browser and everything will be fine.

Some of you might be wondering why the computer makers would make the power button work like this. That is because quickly shutting down your computer can cause damage to the hard drive and the operating system. That is why they make you hold the button for a while. This allows the computer to activate the complete shutdown to avoid damage. This is why it isn’t a good idea to pull the plug from a desktop computer. 

Unless you have a situation similar to the one, I just explained it is always better to use the start icon on your screen and then choose turn off from there. Holding the button just once will probably not damage your computer but doing this regularly could cause damage.

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A Simple Computer Setup Turned into a Big Problem

I wish this was the first time I had this situation, but it is not. I got a call from a customer that recently purchased a new computer. They bought it from a national electronics chain, so they decided to let their in-house services set it up for them.

Once they got home, they soon realized that it was set up with the wrong Microsoft account and all of her documents were now mingled with her husband’s OneDrive. They ended up having a remote session with the company to attempt to fix it and now there are no documents at all on their new computer. 

They called me and I looked all through her new computer and verified that her documents were not there. Now I am going to their house to copy all of her files from her dead old computer so she will have access to her stuff again. Luckily, they did not recycle their dead computer.

When my customer called me, they said the same thing others in the same situation said. Since I was already at the store, I figured this would be easier. Easier is not always better. 

Having someone take their old and new computers into some backroom to attempt to transfer everything without any communication, can’t compare to having someone, like me, who will sit next to you, asking you many questions and making sure it is set up the way you want it done.

I know my customers. And I know how they use their computers. I don’t follow a script to set up a new computer. I do it customized to how my customer wants it done. When I help someone set up a new computer, the process usually takes one to two hours and I encourage my customers to stay as I walk them through everything to make sure nothing is missed and everything on their new computer works just like it did on their old computer.

Save yourself some trouble and call me the next time you need a new computer. I also help many of my customers find their new computer. There is a lot more to think about than just the price. I would rather help you find a good computer that will do what you need it to do, than have to tell you why your new computer is so slow and that it can’t be corrected. This is something that happens occasionally also.

So, if you are thinking about a new computer, give me a call and I can coach you through what to look for, help you decide between a few choices, or even handle the purchase completely. Whatever works best for you.

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Is Your Laptop Really Just a Desktop Computer?

This comes up so often. I get a message from someone that says their laptop battery is only holding a charge for a couple minutes, or worse, not at all. Sometimes they think they need a new computer. 

This is what happens when you treat your laptop like a desktop computer. By that I mean they always leave it plugged in and they are constantly charging it. All laptop batteries are designed to be used for maximum life. That means you should plug it in and charge it 100% and then you should unplug it and use it until it is down to 10% or less. A good rule is to plug it in when the screen starts to dim. This is caused by the built-in battery saver.

This doesn’t mean you can’t leave it plugged in if you are doing something very important and you want to make sure it doesn’t die. You just need to regularly use your battery as much as possible. They sort of have muscle memory and if you only use the top 10% and constantly charge it eventually that 10% is all you will have.Another issue with leaving your laptop plugged in all the time is THERMAL RUNAWAY. Your battery can actually become damaged and begin to swell. In extreme cases the battery can even explode. Here is a picture of a couple batteries, one brand new battery on the right and one that has begun to experience thermal runaway.

The laptop keyboard and trackpad were not working any longer due to the bulging battery.

So, if you have been in the habit of always leaving your laptop plugged in, you might want to start using your battery to preserve its life. If it is too late and your battery is almost dead, I can help you replace it.

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Passwords, They Will Be the Death of All of Us!

I have written about passwords quite a bit but the issue with passwords keeps coming up. Whether it is while setting up a new computer, setting up a new phone, or due to some changes made by a company or site, passwords keep being a major issue for many of us. How can anyone keep track of all of them? Then you need to add all of the multi-factor authentication, and it can get very confusing. Here are my latest recommendations about passwords. 

  1. Password Managers – They are still the best way to keep all of those passwords straight and safe. Whether you import all passwords from a browser or input them one by one as you need them, a password manager will keep all of your passwords safe and even help you change passwords when needed. If you are not familiar with how they work, they store all of your passwords on your devices, but you still need to input your main password into the manager to access all other passwords. It is much easier to remember one password than trying to keep fifty passwords unique and safe. Most require a small subscription for use across multiple devices, but it is well worth it.
  2. Browser built-in password managers – All browsers will offer to save your passwords to make it easier to login to all of your accounts. The important thing to remember about these built-in password managers is that they don’t require any password before they can be accessed. This means if someone can get into your computer and open your browser, they will have access to all of your passwords. There have even been cases where someone was able to steal the login credentials for a browser account and then set that account up on another computer and now, they have access to all of that person’s passwords in an environment where they would never be seen. This type of password manager is great for convenience but not for safety.
  3. Using an Encrypted Spreadsheet – I have known many people that keep all of their passwords on their computer, but they are in a password encrypted spreadsheet. This is fairly easy to set up, and it will keep your passwords safe, but what happens if your computer crashes and the hard drive fails? Unless you keep another copy of that spreadsheet on another drive you might be out of luck. I even know people that keep this spreadsheet on a thumb drive to make sure it is available if their computer dies. Just remember that thumb drives can also fail.
  4. Notebook, printed spreadsheet or address book – This is the way many of us kept our passwords for years. You have a small book where you keep all usernames and passwords, and you erase or cross out old passwords and write in the new ones. Some people even write the date of the change to try to make it as understandable as possible. I have helped set up computers for many people who use this method. It is not fool proof. It is too easy to update a password on the fly and forget to update on your sheet. Another issue with this is not having the list available when you are on your phone and not at home. Also, if you print this from your computer and then make changes you can end up with multiple copies or worse lose your copies. This method is set up to fail.

Out of all methods listed, only the actual password managers can keep you connected and safe in this modern world where each of us has dozens of accounts and we need access to those accounts on more than one device. If you are using methods 2,3, and 4 above I would love to help you get organized and catch up with the best option for your passwords. They are not going away and the longer you wait to adopt this method the worse it will get.

One more thing about all of these passwords and keeping access to your accounts, if you are offered multifactor authentication for any account, I suggest you set that up also and use every authentication method they allow you to use. Set up their authenticator app, use your phone number, and use your email address. Having more than one way to access your account will keep you from permanently losing access to an important account.

Speaking of authenticator apps, just know that when you get a new phone you will need to reset most of those connections. This is why it is important to have other ways to authenticate. Usually once you get into the account you can easily reset the authenticator.

As always, I am available to help with this type of issue.

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Hey Parents! Your Router Can Help You.

Summer has begun and for many parents that means that their kids will be home alone more often. Many parents struggle with getting their kids to help out around the house because many kids spend too much of their time on their devices. Your home router can help you keep this to a workable amount of time.

Most routers come with some kind of parental controls that can keep kids safe and productive. They can block certain kinds of content so your kids can’t access it from their devices. You can also have a schedule that turns their wifi off and on at certain times. This is great for making sure the kids are sleeping at night and not just streaming or hanging out on social media all night.

Most of these routers come with an app for your phone so you can manage it even when you are not at home.

Here are some common features to look for in a new router:

  1. Profile based filtering – This allows you to add your child’s phone, tablet and game console to one profile so you can easily turn wifi off for all of their devices with one tap. You can also use this for specific rules for different ages.
  2. Screen time limits – You can give each child a daily allowance of wifi, or schedule daily shutoff for bedtime.
  3. Content filtering – Automatically block categories like gambling, adult content or even social media.
  4. App blocking – Prevent access to certain apps like TikTok or YouTube instead of just blocking an entire category.
  5. Pause button – Cut internet access to certain devices or all devices for dinner or family time.

If you are interested in this type of help and your current router doesn’t offer anything like this a quick Google search can find many that fit the bill. If you need assistance with this, I can help also.

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Cloud Storage is Full

This is a topic that keeps coming back to me. I get calls and emails about this all the time. Usually the first question is “Is this real?” Followed up by, “Do I even use this and do I need this?” Of course, the answer to these questions is different depending on who is asking.

First of all, there have been a number of scams based on “your cloud storage is full.” So, the first thing to know is if you do use cloud storage and if so, which cloud storage you use. In the scams the emails are usually very vague about the actual name of the cloud service so that is always the first give away that it is a scam.

In case you are not sure what a cloud storage service is, the major players are Microsoft with OneDrive, Google with Google Drive, Apple with iCloud, and Dropbox. There are others but most people have one or more of these if they use a cloud storage service. They all work very similarly. They all give you a small amount of online storage for free in the hope that you will put more in these accounts and then they can charge you for excess use. Basically, cloud storage is just someone else’s computer where your data is stored and with the correct credentials you can access it from any computer, browser, tablet or phone.

How do you know if you use a cloud service and which one you use? If you look at File Explorer on a Windows computer or Finder on a Mac, you should see your cloud listed in the left column. You can then open that folder to see what you have stored in the cloud. Both OneDrive on a PC and iCloud on a Mac could easily be installed without you really being aware of it. It takes more effort to install Google Drive and Dropbox onto a computer. Any of these can easily be set up on a phone. Based on all of this you might need to do a little research to figure out what you use, where you use it, and what is actually stored in it. When you get a legitimate email about full storage from Google or Apple it is usually pointing to photos on your phone since that is the largest use of space for most of us.

If you are not sure if you have a cloud service or if you need one, I am happy to discuss this with you. For some it is necessary or a great convenience and for others it is not needed at all. With a few simple questions we can figure this out.

Now getting back to that email you received about your cloud storage being full. The first thing is to look at who it is coming from. All of the cloud services mentioned above will send an email from their company name so if the sending email address is some random name, you can be sure it is fake. Next, don’t click any link in the email. Instead look for the account on your device and log into it from there. If your storage is full, you will be told about that as soon as you open their app. 

If you are using their free version and your storage is full you will need to make a decision about paying for more storage or removing the service from your device. If you are not sure, I can help you make that decision also.Finally, some of these services call their service a backup. They really are not a backup but a sync. Here is a video I made a couple of years ago that explains the difference. https://youtu.be/wzqLy-6cJWQ

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Preventative Maintenance, Not Just for Your Car

I noticed a trend last year. I have two kinds of customers. Those that I see a few times a year and those I only see once every few years. The ones I see often usually have very small issues and they are easily solved. The ones I see every few years usually have larger issues and are much more difficult to solve. This isn’t always the case, but it is a trend.

Based on this, I have combined together the items that seem to come up most often and I am now offering a semi-annual maintenance plan to keep these things from becoming a major problem for my customers.

These items encompass: 

  1. Administration of the computer which can keep my customers from getting locked out of their computers due to corrupt files, bad updates, and encryption.
  2. Data issues include backups, space usage, and malware/viruses.
  3. Computer Tune up to ensure all updates happen, only necessary programs are running, and everything is working in the most efficient way.

I have found that my customers’ computers last longer and work better when I keep up with these things.

I have started this service with an initial on-site service to get everything set up and then the future visits can be completed remotely, which is more convenient and cost effective. My goal is to remove as many emergency calls as possible. Since many of these things, when ignored, become emergencies, this should help everyone.

If you are interested in this service, give me a call or email duane@callduane.com.

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Taming the Lightning Threat

I talk about this every year, but it still needs to be said again and again. Lightning can and does kill electronics. Taking precautions can save your devices.

Every year, thousands of people have to make a claim with their homeowner’s insurance due to lightning strikes that destroy their electronics. If these electronics are computers, the loss might even be greater than money if they lose precious data that can’t be replaced. Hopefully all of you have backups in place for that, but that is not what I am talking about today.

Today, I want to focus on protecting from power surges that can send too much electricity through your devices and actually destroy them. Lightning is a very dangerous thing and it can happen at almost any time.

Any electronic device in your household (computers, stereos, printers, televisions, routers, gaming systems and anything else that is plugged into an electric outlet) should be plugged into a surge protector instead. A surge protector is similar to a power strip except that it has a protection built into it that will cut the circuit to the devices if there is a dangerous amount of electricity going through the surge protector.

All surge protectors are power strips, but not all power strips are surge protectors. When purchasing a strip make sure it also offers surge protection. Many will also offer a warranty that includes an amount of protection for the devices connected if the surge fails. This protection can take the place of using your insurance in many situations. When shopping for surge protectors, look on the packaging for this type of added protection. This can save you from an insurance rate increase for a small claim.

I think most people have surge protectors for their electronics that are stationary like desktop computers, televisions, and printers, but many people forget about phone chargers and even laptops since they get plugged into the closest outlet whenever needed, instead of a permanent spot that has a surge connected. These devices can be affected by lightning just as much as the stationary devices, and might be more vulnerable since they are not stationary.

All of us should get into the habit of plugging phone chargers into a surge before charging our lifeline devices. I also recommend adding a surge protector to your laptop bag, so you always have one handy even when you are not at home. Lightning can strike at a coffee shop just as easily as your home. Plus it might be helpful to be able to plug in more than one device at the coffee shop sometimes.

You spend a lot of money on these devices, why not spend a little more to protect them.

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Laptop Battery Life, How to Keep It from Disappearing.

This is an issue that comes up frequently. Someone has a laptop that is only a couple years old, but the battery won’t hold a charge for more than about an hour when it used to last for many hours. 

What I usually find out is that this person leaves it plugged in almost all of the time. They only unplug if they want to use their laptop somewhere besides the desk or table they normally use. They think it might run out of juice.

That is the worst thing you can do with your laptop battery. It needs to be used. The entire battery, not just the top 10%. If you always keep it plugged in the battery will become useless. It is best to only plug it in when it is less than 10% left and then charge it until it is full. Once it is full, unplug it. By doing this your battery will last much longer and continue to give you hours of use per charge.

I know sometimes this is not possible if you are in an important meeting and can’t risk having the battery go dead. Leaving it plugged in once in a while will not cause damage but the constant plug in will. Another good thing to do is once a month let it die completely. This is like a reset for the battery.

One more reason to not leave your laptop plugged in all the time is that it can cause a chemical reaction that can break your laptop or in extreme cases cause a fire. Here is a picture of a battery I replaced recently. The one on the right is a new battery. The one on the left was removed from a laptop. It had actually broken one of the screws holding the bottom onto the laptop.

Here is a video I made a few years ago that talks about this.

So, what can you do if your battery is not holding a change any longer and your computer is not that old? It used to be easy to replace batteries since they were only held to the laptop with a couple clips on the bottom of the laptop. You can still replace batteries but now you need to remove the back cover of the laptop to do it. If you need help doing this, I can swap your battery for you.

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Microsoft Office 365 Desktop Applications – How to get the most out of it.

This topic could expand into both business and personal applications but today I am talking about the personal applications and the Microsoft subscription model.

There are two versions of this subscription for individuals. Office 365 Personal is for one person only and it can be installed on up to five devices for that individual. The annual cost is currently $99.99 per year, and it comes with the most popular programs and a terabyte of OneDrive online storage. Office 365 Family allows you to have the same as above and also share it with 5 family members for the annual cost of $129.99. I am writing about this because many people don’t understand how to use this product to its fullest.

I had a customer call me today because she kept getting notice that her OneDrive was full, but she has the Microsoft Office Family subscription. What we discovered was that she has two different Microsoft accounts and she used one of them to log into her computer and that account was attached to her OneDrive. Her other account was being used for her Office 365 Family subscription, and she had signed into her office applications with that.

Since she didn’t have her office 365 family plan connected to the account with her OneDrive, she only had 5 GB which is what Microsoft gives for free to everyone that has a Microsoft account in the hope that they will fill it up and then pay for storage. In her case we just had to log in with the correct account and that solved her problem.

Then she mentioned that her husband was using and paying for DropBox for his pictures, and she wondered if he could use some of her terabyte for those pictures. Since she has the Microsoft family plan she can just go into her Microsoft account and send him a share link for the family plan and he can sign into his own Microsoft account and get his own terabyte of storage and also get access to all of the Microsoft desktop applications too.

Then she mentioned that they have a computer connected to a TV for storing and playing movies and she wanted to know how she could add that computer to her family plan. We ended up creating another Microsoft account with a new free email from Microsoft and she then shared her family plan with that account and now that computer has its own terabyte of storage.

I have helped many families and even small businesses use this Microsoft Family subscription to share their Office very economically. If you have a situation where this would be helpful let me know and I can help you set this up.

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