I have talked about this many times before, but last week it happened to one of my customers again. His computer would not boot up after a restart and it kept going to the repair options. He Googled where to go from there and tried to fix this himself.
One of the options is System Restore. Your computer has the capability to periodically create restore points so that if there is a problem and the computer fails to start you can restore to a point in the past where it was still working.
When my customer tried this option, the computer said that System Restore was not turned on. The default used to be that it was automatically turned on and you had to go in and turn it off if you didn’t want it. That is not how it is now. If you want to have this safety feature ready for you it has to be turned on. If my customer had been aware of this, it would have saved him a lot of time and money. After he tried all of the Google ideas, he called me, and I had to reinstall Windows to get his computer working again.
If you want to make sure this is turned on on your computer, it is pretty easy to do. If you have the search bar next to the start button –
You can type “system restore” and it will give you the option to create a restore point. Click on that and it will tell you if System Restore is turned on or off. You only need it for your main drive, not any others since they don’t have the operating system on them.
This one simple thing can help make sure your computer keeps working. If you need help with this, I can walk you through it. Here is a video that explains this and another big issue that can make you lose access to your computer:
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It seems like everywhere you turn lately some kind of AI (Artificial Intelligence) is being talked about. Some tout it as the next big thing, while others, in the words of mama from The Waterboy, see it as “The Devil.” I am sure the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
While I was researching my second book – The Higher Education Scam, I interviewed many people. One of them mentioned to me what they heard about AI from a supposed expert. This expert said, “you will not lose your job to AI, but you will lose your job to someone who knows how to use AI.”
Based on all of this, I thought this would be a good topic to write about, so I decided to ask ChatGPT to write an outline for me. Here is the conversation:
I asked:
“I am writing about how to get started using AI in my monthly newsletter this month. Can you give me an outline and a few pointers?”
ChatGPT said:
Absolutely, Duane — that’s a great topic for your monthly newsletter. An article like this can position you as both helpful and forward-thinking for your clients. Here’s a clear outline and key pointers to get you started:
Newsletter Title:
“Getting Started with AI: What You Need to Know”
Outline:
1. Introduction: Why AI Matters Now
Briefly define AI in simple terms.
Mention how it’s already changing the way small businesses and individuals operate (e.g., chatbots, automation, content creation).
Reassure readers: you don’t need to be a tech genius to get started.
2. Real-Life Examples of AI You May Already Be Using
Voice assistants (Siri, Alexa)
Auto-correct or predictive typing
Spam filters in email
AI in photo editing apps or customer service chats
Grammarly – Writing assistant with AI-powered suggestions.
Canva’s Magic Tools – AI image and design generation.
Google Gemini or Microsoft Copilot – For document help or web search.
Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai – Automatically transcribe meetings or calls.
Include a tip: Try using AI to write your next social media post, respond to a tricky email, or create a to-do list.
4. Do’s and Don’ts for Using AI Effectively
✅ DO start small—experiment with one tool at a time.
✅ DO fact-check—AI can sound confident but still be wrong.
❌ DON’T share sensitive client data with AI tools.
❌ DON’T expect it to do your job for you—use it as a helper, not a replacement.
5. How Duane’s Reliable Computer Services Can Help
Offer help choosing and setting up AI tools.
Offer a 1:1 intro session or group demo.
Mention any AI tools you’re integrating into your own service (e.g., EDR with AI-driven detection, automated maintenance alerts, etc.)
6. Final Thoughts / Call to Action
Encourage them to give AI a try this month.
Offer a quick consultation to help them find the right tool.
Example: “Reply to this email with ‘AI HELP’ and I’ll send you my top tool recommendation for your business.”
Pointers for Writing:
Keep it conversational and non-technical.
Use real-world analogies (e.g., “Think of AI like a really smart assistant that doesn’t sleep.”)
Include a screenshot or short demo gif if possible.
Keep it short and skimmable—use bullet points, bold key ideas.
Would you like help drafting the full article based on this outline, or do you want to write it and have me review it?”
This took about ten seconds for ChatGPT to give me this outline and some pointers. I don’t normally just copy and paste the response into a document. I usually use it as a starting point, but I wanted to show you a real-life example of what it can do and how it works.
I have been using AI for a couple years now. I regularly run emails through it if I want them to sound more professional, less threatening, or more concise, for example. I also use a program called Otter.ai when I am in meetings. This program will listen to the entire conversation and then transcribe it for me. It then creates an outline and lists any action items. I do pay for this tool, but it saves me hours per month, so it is well worth it.
If you haven’t tried AI yet, you can go to chatgpt.com and create a free account. It is best to create an account because over time ChatGPT will learn more about you and become even more helpful. Just don’t share sensitive information with it. In other words, AI could possibly help you do your taxes, but since it searches online you don’t want to input your social security number.
It is also important to verify any information that AI finds because sometimes it is wrong. I heard about a jr attorney that used AI to prepare for trial, and he found a case that was very similar to his current case, and he used it as an example in the opening statement which a senior attorney had to read. As he read about the other case in the courtroom the judge looked it up on his computer only to find it did not exist. I am sure someone lost their job over that one.
If you are interested in learning more about AI or trying it for yourself, reach out to me. I can help you set up an account and get you started.
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The average US home in 2023 had 17 internet connected devices. Between smart TVs, smart home devices like Alexa and Hey Google, security systems, smart watches, phones and of course computers, making a change to your wifi name or password can be an all-day task of setting up devices again. Just getting a new router or switching to a new ISP is a scary thought.
I had a customer call me recently because he decided to switch from CenturyLink internet and go to Verizon with their whole house wifi pod. He received the new router in the mail and followed the instructions and was successful in getting his computer on the new wifi but none of his other devices connected. He called me to come to help and having gone through this last year, I was ready for the challenge.
The first thing I did was verify his new connection and connect to my laptop so I could make sure the internet was working properly. Next, I ask him to tell me the previous wifi name and password. He had added one character to the old wifi name for the new wifi name. The passwords were the same. I logged into his new system and changed the new name to what the old name was and in just a few minutes all of his many devices began to connect to his new internet.
We did not have to reset any of his devices. Every one of them is connected to the new wifi. So, if you are switching ISPs or even just getting a new router, use the same name as before and the same password and you will probably have all of your devices reconnect also.
If you need to change the wifi name or password because they are compromised, do some research beforehand, so you have all the information at hand to quickly reset all devices. If you need help with this, I am available for this type of work.
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