#0020 I upgraded my personal desktops to Windows 11!
November 16, 2024
SO FAR SO GOOD!
I have quite a few clients already running Windows ll but I had held off on upgrading my
primary desktops for various reasons.
#1 The bulk of my clients are still on Windows 10.
#2 I wasn't sure if all my software would work on Windows 11.
#3 I was somewhat concerned about being able to find things with the new
interface. Habits are hard to break!
I upgraded the livingroom gaming PC first. It had the least amount of software installed
which made it the logical choice. Luckily, it had no issues at all and went
quickly.
Based on that experience, I upgraded my work machine in the office which has a LOT of
software on it. This is where compatibility issues might arise. I pulled the trigger and
started the upgrade. Low and behold - it also upgraded with no issues. I have NOT run
into any software incompatibilites with either machine. (Yet)
UPDATE: I discovered my older Logitec C910 webcam has drivers that stop the installation
of the 24H2 update. This was rectified by manually removing the old drivers. I want to
get a new webcam anyway!
My two laptops are considerably older and cannot be upgraded. I plan to make one of them
into a Linux Mint machine. The other laptop has software that won't work on Windows ll
so it will remain on Windows 10. It doesn't need to be online for what it does.
The next challenge will be to convince more clients to switch to Windows 11!
#0019 Should you buy expensive monitor cables?
November 01, 2024
Short Answer: NO
Several companies make rather expensive HDMI and DisplayPort (DP) cables that can cost
in excess of $40 each. This is often a ploy by manufacturers (Monster) and stores
(BestBuy) to get the consumer to spend extra money. Don't fall for the sales pitch that
they are gold plated. You must remember that the exterior gold plated part is just the
ground and isn't the part that carries a signal! In most cases, the cables that are
included with your device will be sufficient.
If your looking for a brand
recommendation, I would go with CableMatters as found on Amazon.
#0018 Does A VPN hurt your Internet speed?
October 28, 2024
Short Answer: YES
You can run some speed tests find out for yourself. I like to run 2-3 speed tests with
the VPN in place and take an average. Then turn the VPN off and run another 2-3 tests
and take another average. Then compare the two averages.
1) When you use a VPN, you are not communicating directly with the destination
computer. Instead, you are adding at least one additional 'hop' to your network traffic.
The data must go out to the VPN server FIRST and then proceed to the destination. (This
is how a VPN hides your IP address.) The extra hop slows you down as your data is
traveling an extra distance.
2) The speed of the VPN server and the load on the VPN server will be a factor.
You may be able to mitigate this somewhat by choosing a faster VPN server.
3) Your computer must use the processor in your computer to encrypt the data
before sending and decrypt data when receiving. This is additional work and takes time.
It will take a little longer if you have an older/slower computer.
I haven't tested every VPN service as there are so many, but all of them will tend to
reduce your Internet speed anywhere from 10-50%
#0017 Have an older computer that won't run Windows 11?
October 17, 2024
1) Keep using it as is and take your chances. It will become increasingly
vulnerable.
2) Pay the extended support to Microsoft for the next 3 years. This gets you
security updates ONLY.
3) Buy a new computer (The most expensive option.)
4) Convert your older computer to Linux Mint. Contact us for details!
Linux is a great fit for persons who only need to get online to pay bills, check email
and browse the internet. However, it's not that great for gaming. You will want to make
sure it does what you need before switching.
#0016 Support ending for Microsoft Office 2016 & 2019
October 14, 2024
Microsoft has issued a reminder that support and updates for both Office 2016 and Office
2019 will end on October 25, 2025. This gives users a full year to upgrade to a
supported version. The recommended upgrade path is to migrate to Office 365.
Support is also ending for Exchange Server 2016 & 2019 and Skype Business Server 2015 &
2019 at the same time. The upgrade path for Exchange Server is Office 365. The upgrade
path for Skype will be Microsoft Teams.
End of support means that tech support
will no longer be available and no future security updates will be published. You may
still download any existing patches for the older versions via Windows Update.
#0015 New Government Password Recommendations
October 12, 2024
The US Government Agency NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology has issued
new security guidelines for passwords. NIST no longer recommends password complexity
using a mix of upper & lower case with letters and symbols. NIST has determined that
password length is more effective. The new guidline recommends between 16-64 characters.
This allows users to use a short phrase thats much easier to remember. The second
recommendation is for companies to STOP having users change their passwords on regular
intervals. This practice leads to users simply adding a number at the end that
increments with each change.
This blog post is simply a quick summary. For full
details, please refer to NIST Special Publication 800-63B on the NIST.gov website.
#0014 Microsoft Office 2024 Now Available
October 07, 2024
This blog post was enhanced
with AI on 1/30/25.
Microsoft has officially launched Office 2024, and the best part? It’s available
for a one-time payment of $149 for a lifetime license. This version includes the
latest updates to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook — all the essential tools
you need for work or school.
For those who don’t want to deal with the annual subscription fees of Office
365, this is great news! You can get the software either through retailers or
directly from Microsoft’s website.
However, it’s important to know that while Office 2024 will continue to receive
security updates, it won’t get new features. But honestly, do you really need
anything more than what’s already in the software? For most users, the current
features are more than enough to get the job done.
#0013 Eight Disadvantages of All-In-One (AIO) Computers
October 01, 2024, Last Updated 4/9/25
This blog
post was enhanced with AI on 1/30/25.
All-In-One (AIO) computers are known for saving space since the computer and monitor are
combined into one device. While this might sound great, the downsides usually outweigh
the benefits. If you're thinking about buying one, you might want to consider a regular
desktop instead. Here’s why:
1. If the screen or motherboard goes bad, you might have to buy a whole new
computer.
When something goes wrong with an AIO, it can be tough to fix. If the screen or
motherboard is damaged, you can't just replace one part — you'll likely need to replace
the entire system.
2. They're harder to repair.
AIOs are tricky to work on because they have lots of internal plastic tabs that break
easily, making repairs frustrating and time-consuming.
3. They often use special parts that are hard to find.
Many AIOs have unique parts that aren't always easy to replace or upgrade, making it
difficult to find compatible pieces if something needs fixing.
4. You can’t easily swap out parts.
Unlike regular desktops, AIOs don't have easy-to-replace parts you can buy off the
shelf, which makes it harder to upgrade or fix when something goes wrong.
5. Many AIO's do not have an slot for a dedicated graphics card, so they're not
great for gaming. You will be limited to integrated graphics.
Since AIOs can't accommodate a separate graphics card, they aren't the best choice for
gamers or anyone who needs high-quality graphics performance.
6. Limited storage options.
Most AIOs only have room for a single hard drive and don't allow for easy storage
upgrades, so you may run out of space faster than you would with a traditional
desktop.
7. Fewer RAM slots.
A lot of AIOs only have 2 RAM slots, while most desktops have 4. This means you can't
add as much memory, which can limit performance for certain tasks.
8. Some AIOs use laptop components.
To save space and cut costs, some AIOs are built with parts designed for laptops, which
can be less powerful or harder to upgrade than standard desktop components.
In short, while AIOs are convenient, they come with some serious drawbacks that might
make a traditional desktop a better choice for many users.
You may wish to consider CUSTOM DESKTOP instead.
#0012 What is the BIOS?
September 30, 2024
This blog post was enhanced
with AI on 1/17/25.
Basic Input Output System (BIOS)
The BIOS is a chip on your computer's motherboard. It’s programmed with special software
called firmware that controls the basic functions of your computer. The BIOS keeps track
of what hardware is inside your computer, including things like the processor (CPU),
memory, hard drive, USB ports, fans, and even the system clock. It also has default
settings, but you can adjust them to customize how your computer works. On basic
motherboards, there might only be a few settings to change, but on higher-end models,
there can be hundreds of options.
When you power on your computer, the BIOS runs first. It performs a test called POST
(Power-On Self-Test) to make sure everything is working correctly. If something’s wrong,
you’ll see an error message. If everything passes, the BIOS checks the boot sector of
the hard drive to find the operating system (like Windows or Linux) and load it. The
BIOS also uses a small battery to keep the system clock running and remember your
settings. This whole process happens quickly, before your operating system fully takes
over.
The firmware in the BIOS doesn’t usually need updates, but sometimes it’s necessary to
fix bugs, add new features, or support newer processors. It’s important to only update
the BIOS if you’re having problems, because updating it incorrectly could seriously
damage your computer. Interrupting the update could also cause problems, so be careful
if you decide to do it.
Overclocking
Overclocking means adjusting the BIOS settings to make your CPU run faster than usual.
This is something gamers often do to boost performance and get a small advantage over
others.
#0011 Multiple Antivirus Programs
September 24, 2024
Should a person use more than one Antivirus program?
Short Answer: NO
You won't get a virus but, too much of a good thing can be a detriment to the
performance of your computer. Periodically I will get a client who has 2, 3 or even 5
antivirus programs installed on a computer. This is a bad idea as it will bring your
computer to a near standstill. It will run like molasses. Both the active scans and
background scans will work the drive to death. On a spinning drive, this is called
thrashing. The programs are literally competing against each other for access to the
disk. This activity also creates a massive backlog in the disk queue. This creates
significant delays for the user to get any work done. The Antivirus programs are
competing against each other, as well as the person using the computer.
My advice is to pick a single, good quality antivirus program. There is NO need to
purchase the extra options such as driver updaters, software updaters etc. Just get the
basic antivirus, anti-malware. Your computer will thank you!
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: You may wish to read blog post #40 regarding driver update
software.
