Tidewater Computer Repair Service

You bring a machine in and it is infected with a virus, spyware, and or malware.

It will be scanned with 5 different antivirus programs.
 Average scanning time: approximately 8 hrs

Then the machine will be scanned in "Safe Mode" with several programs to remove hi-jackers, root kits, key loggers and other variant programs.
 Average scanning time: approximately 8hrs

Once your computer is clean then Windows Update will be run, necessary updates will be installed. CCleaner will be installed and run, hard drive will be defragmented, and a quality antivirus installed.
 Average scanning time: approximately 8hrs

Total time 24hrs
Total cost $60.00

You have to read this article from the WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123976230407519659.html

If your computer problems match the article don't hesitate to call me as I can fix it with out erasing the hard drive.

 I hope you all enjoy them as much as I do!

http://www.ccleaner.com/
- CCleaner
- CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less that a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware!

http://www.theorica.net/gamexp.htm
- Game XP
- Game XP is intended to optimize the performance of your computer  for gaming needs. It tweaks and modifies various XP settings (cache settings, CPU priority etc.) and optionally disables or stops several Windows services that are usually not needed. The program does not require any installation, and does not need to be running at all times. Game XP extends your operating system's capabilities and makes Windows faster and comfortable for maximum gaming experience.

http://www.theorica.net/safexp.htm
- Safe XP
- Safe XP allows users to quickly tweak various security  and privacy related settings in XP. The options include Media Player settings, Services settings (error reporting, time synch, remote registry etc.), as well as and option to remove items from the Start menu, network security  settings and more.
Safe XP improves your system performance and makes Windows to run faster, more secure and reliable!
It is suitable for beginners and experts!

http://www.yourwaresolutions.com/
- FreeRAM XP Pro
- FreeRAM XP Pro includes automatic memory monitoring and optimization; advanced tray support; fast, threaded freeing with a stop option; multiple system-metric monitors; a simple and attractive GUI; memory reporting and diagnostic logging; and real-time memory information. FreeRAM XP Pro's AutoFree feature intelligently scales how much RAM is freed with your current system status, thus optimizing RAM without slowing down your computer. Additionally, FreeRAM XP Pro's unique Global Memory Compression technology frees memory instantly in a way that is completely unlike other memory managers.FreeRAM XP Pro has been designed to be easy to use yet highly customizable by computer novices and experts alike.

http://www.download.com/KeyNote/3000...ml?tag=lst-0-1
- KeyNote
- KeyNote is a tabbed notebook with a Rich-Text editor, multilevel tree notes and strong encryption. It's ideal for free-form or structured information. The application stores many notes within one file. Each note can contain a hierarchical tree of topics. KeyNote features powerful editing, formatting, and search functions, and macros, templates, and plug-ins. It has an extremely configurable interface  and behavior. You can import and export: text, RTF, HTML, and TreePad. It has clickable hyperlinks and the ability to drag and drop, and is freeware and open source

CRC errors are physical errors on the hard drive. Right away that eliminates almost all thoughts of software. The fact that you're running typical applications and have a reasonable security set up is fantastic, but doesn't really apply to the kinds of things that would result in CRC errors increasing over time.

So what does matter?

As I said, it's a physical problem, so we look at physical causes. For hard drives that typically means temperature extremes, and for laptop hard drives it also means what I'll call "handling".

Heat

Like almost all components in your computer, hard drives both create, and are sensitive to, heat. By that I mean that if they get too hot, they're going to fail. Typically that failure is either sudden and complete (it just stops working), or possibly as you're seeing, surface errors increasing on the internal hard disk media resulting in CRC errors.

"CRC errors are physical errors on the hard drive. Right away that eliminates almost all thoughts of software."

The problem is that the amount of heat that's typically required to get a hard drive to fail is much higher than you might think. So the fact that your hard drive might be hot to the tough isn't necessarily a sign of a problem - they do run hot. In order to fail they have to get really hot. (I know, that's not a technical term, but how hot is too hot varies from drive to drive, so I'll just leave it at "really hot" as we discuss the concepts.)

Really hot can happen for two reasons:

• Bad ventilation. One of the biggest problems with laptops is how to keep them cool in general. There are fans trying to blow cooling air through the machine, but depending on how you have things set up it's often very easy for the ventilation to be blocked or otherwise impaired. In other words, the cooling system doesn't, and the entire machine gets too warm. Typically other components suffer first, but it's certainly possible for the hard drive to show failure symptoms first.

• Continuous, hard use. First I have to say that with proper ventilation this shouldn't happen, but the practical reality is that it does. If you use your hard drive continuously, and by that I mean the disk activity light is on, solid, for hours and hours at a time, the drive is going to get hot. Remember I said that the drive generates heat, and that's not just the drive spinning, which it does all the time,. but also the arms within the drive moving back and forth as data is read and written to the various locations on the hard disk platters.

And of course, both of those two things can happen at the same time: blocked ventilation coupled with really hard disk activity over a long period of time, and the drive could certainly overheat.

Handling

I'm sure you haven't dropped your laptop recently. And it's probably obvious to you that doing so isn't a good thing to do. A true drop is likely to do external damage and dislodge components, but it could also do internal damage to the hard drive as well.

What I see a lot of people do that makes me a little nervous is leaving their computer on while they move it from place to place. Now, I'll admit, I do this as well in limited circumstances, but I'm very careful about how and when I do it.

Carefully carrying your laptop to your next meeting in the office next door? That's probably ok. Late to a meeting and jogging down the hall with your laptop running? Probably a bad idea.

Here's why: when your laptop is off the "heads", the actual read/write mechanism that moves around and either floats over or gently touches the magnetic media is typically parked in a safe area where bouncing around will do little or no damage. On the other hand if the disk head is active because the computer is on, and the computer and the drive within it get jostled around enough, there is a chance that the head might come into damaging contact with the magnetic media and create a tiny, perhaps microscopic, scrape. The result? CRC error.

So if you're regularly bouncing your computer around while it's running, that could result in the problems that you're seeing.

And to tie it all together into a worst case scenario: if your ventilation is blocked and your machine can't cool down, and if your hard drive is continuously active and generating even more heat, and then you bump, jostle or drop the computer - well, I'd be impressed if there wasn't some kind of error that resulted.

So the advice is simple:

• Keep your computer clean and well ventilated.

• If you do run your hard disk continuously for extended periods, consider an additional fan or cooling platform

• Try to minimize bumps and shakes if you do move your computer while it's running.

Laptops are very popular right now. They're sleek and compact and perfect for someone whose office or desk space is limited. They can also be convenient, storing easily in a drawer for quick use at the kitchen table or while you're lounging in front of the television. Their size and convenience have made them a necessity for those who travel often. But laptops lack the comfort of a large, ergonomically-adjusted keyboard and monitor and are limited on the number of ports available for connecting extra devices like webcams, printers and scanners. For these reasons, you may decide to purchase a new desktop computer.

Your next decision is determining the best Central Processing Unit (CPU) for your needs. The CPU is like the engine "under the hood." Dual core is the buzz these days. A dual core is basically two processors that share the workload. You can continue surfing the Internet or working on a document while downloading digital pictures or completing a virus scan in background without having the activity of one operation impact the other. A dual core CPU has many advantages over a single CPU and is worth the expense.

For Vista, 1GB of memory is the minimum recommended, but I'm going to anticipate that over the next several years 1GB will also slow down. With a new computer purchase, decide to at least double-up to 2 GB, but may even go for 3GB of memory to ensure optimum operability for the long run.

My digital camera is always busy, and I download lots of music for my MP3 player, so storage is important and I will want to pay attention to the size of my hard drive. The typical desktop computer sold today comes with 80 to 100 gigabyte hard drives. If you own an external hard drive for backup and storage, 100 GB of storage may be sufficient. However, if video editing or downloading DVDs is an important activity for you, you may want to consider a 320GB hard drive or larger.

Now the specifications get a bit tricky with the notorious "alphabet soup" for read/write CD/DVD drives. I've learned that there are only two choices. If you want full flexibility to read from and write to (the latter is also referred to as "burn") DVDs or CDs, or to record then later retrieve or play back data, photos or music you stored on CDs, you need a DVD +/- RW drive. The other viable choice is a CD-RW/DVD-ROM (Read-Only Memory) combo which allows you to do all but burn to DVDs. If you select just a CD-RW, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM you will be restricting your options for storing and playing back data and media.

As for monitors, I decided that it was time to move away from the bulky CRT and upgrade to a flat panel display. The prices have come down and there are many choices in monitor size. Unless you're a heavy-duty gamer, the graphic card in most new desktop computers should be adequate.

When you consider buying a new desktop computer, think of it as an investment that should serve your needs for many years. Be willing to pay a bit more for a brand with a consistent reputation for reliability and good service. Like buying a vehicle, you should "kick the tires," read reviews, and ask to see a demonstration of the sort of computer you considering. Don't be bashful about talking to others, especially the sales people at electronic stores. The more you know, the more confident you'll be with your decisions — and the more satisfied you'll be with your purchase.