Having a workstation that will not boot can be one of the most aggravating and scariest problems to run across if you’re using your computer for business. In most cases we can recover your data which is another topic all together, but, what if it’s your mission critical server that goes down, then what? 

If your server was to go down chances are that’s where your holding all your data because that’s what you were told to do by a Technology company (Like us). Having a server can greatly improve productivity but if they go down to the average user it can be a nightmare. This is why you really want someone that knows what they are doing working on your server. There are methods that can be done to attempt to recover a server from a failure WITHOUT having to reinstall the operating system. These methods can save you thousands of dollars in repair time by preventing the need to reinstall: The operating system, drivers, updates, industry specific software, printers and networking configurations, etc.,  and that doesn’t even take into account the cost of the time to try to recover the data from the server.

Yes, there are times that there is nothing you can do but bite the bullet and redo the server entirely but with a good plan of attack this nightmare can be avoided. The most important thing when having server issues is do NOT under any circumstances try to correct a problem unless you know exactly what the repercussions of your actions maybe…and when unsure, call us and we can get your issues taken care of at the least possible cost to you and the least possible downtime.

Having a hard time showing someone what you are doing on your own Linksys router? Or are you are Tech that is getting ready to install a new Linksys Router for the first time and would like to test out first. Well  http://ui.linksys.com/files/ is a website that you can go to and run almost any router they make as a emulator so that you can get used to the router before you touch the router.

HouseCall is made by Trend Micro, this program will help you to identify and remove viruses, Trojans, worms, unwanted browser plug-ins and other malware detected on your system.  You have the option to perform a quick scan, full system scan, or a custom scan.

This Program is free to download and is a portable application so it makes as a great tool to add to your thumb drive if you are an IT Professional. You can download 32 bit and 64 bit versions and it works on most Windows Operating systems including Vista and 7.

As most of you have come to discover, email is the lifeline we all cling to.

But what do you do when you buy a new system, or change computers and you need your email. Well, if you have a web based email account such hotmail or yahoo, those accounts are web based and reside on a server. Those emails will always be accessable from any computer that has Internet access. The email accounts you have up set up through Outlook or Outlook Express, require an expert to transfer them. We at Tech Experts have trained professionals to handle your email needs. Call us, or email us....

Windows operating system has a utility called system restore that allows you to restore your computer to a previous day and time.

The only thing most users do not know, in the event that your system becomes infected, chances are the system restore files are infected as well. The latest malware infections that claim that your system is vunerable, and you must protect it, can be hidden on your system for an extended period of time. To just restore the system to an earlier day and time will not remove the infection. It will more times then not be restored along with all the other files. Your best bet is to have a Tech Expert remove the infection.

When will it stop.

It seems that the rouge antivirus programs have been finding their way everywhere. I have seen infections before, but this one keeps on making itself known, over and over again. I can not stress the importance of watching every window that pops up and be careful. The malware that can infect you happens so quick, you have to pay attention, and realize what they are trying to do. They are trying to infect your system. It is like a bad practical joke. I just wonder... when will it stop. 

Think about a computer as being a human and the more junk food you eat the sicker you will get. The more junk applications you have installed and running on your computer the slower the computer will run. Try uninstalling anything that is not needed when you are done with the trial or maybe the application was not not what you wanted. Just by uninstalling them can help speed up your computer.

As the New Year approachs, most folks have to make the tough choice, what to keep and what to throw away.

Perhaps now is the time for the new resolution, dump your old system and head forward into the new year. The new Windows 7 operating system, by far and away, surpasses the old windows operating systems. So head into the new year with a new operating system on a new computer, and fly into the future 

Everyone loves spring.

Everything is new again, time to dust off the grime from winter. But wait, winter has just arrived. Most people do not realize that the wintertime is when the house is closed up and the fresh air is not coming around the computer like it does during the warmer months. Dust buildup is deadly to your system. You need to make sure your system is operating at peak cooling potential. My advice is to have your system professionally cleaned at least twice a year. And with the holidays approaching, the last thing you need is another bill to pay.

Well this is getting out of hand.

You think the box that just popped up is asking you to protect your computer. It says you could be at risk. You will be if you click.

The box that just opened may look legit, but it is not. The fake antivirus programs change so fast it is hard to keep up with them.

I just had one try to infect my system during a download of a driver I needed. We all have to watch and be carefuel not to click to fast. Because the program you think may be trying to keep you safe, is in fact the virus itself.

Ok, I know change is hard to accept. But the latest edition to the Window's tree is Window 7, which has been buzzing all over the Internet ever since its release. Windows7 has three releases Ultimate, Professional and Home Edition. Microsoft really wants to get as much consumer's attention they can possibly get and for this very reason they are now targeting the netbook users, by giving them option to download and install Windows 7 via USB drive. That is right ...download to a USB drive.

For netbook users whom probably don't have a CD or DVD drive, this is actually a nice option to get a hold of the new Windows 7.

The Microsoft tool would download the Window 7 files into the USB and convert your USB drive into a bootable installer. The program may also be called Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (WUDT). Remember you need to have a USB drive which has sufficient enough space to hold on all the files.

In this day of energy saving, many times we leave our gadgets Mobile phones, PDAs, MP3 players, Cameras, Laptops etc with charger plugged in overnight. Lets check if this is a major waste of energy..

I just saw a commercial on television, sponsored by some kind of environmentalist group. They claimed that a cell phone charger or any charging unit plugged into an outlet was "wasting energy" even when there was NOTHING attached to it. Is it possible to draw energy with nothing attached?

Because there is current being drawn from it. The power converter of your cell phone is constantly turning the AC power from your wall to the DC power that your cell phone requires for charging. The same is true for any object with a power converter (those bulky boxes between the device and the wall, sometimes plugged in directly to the wall). Common devices include laptops, some stereos, speakers, etc.

In the world of technology, this old saying is truly words of wisdom.

My fellow Expert Guys here on this site have written more than one blog about the importance of backups. I would like to call attention to the fact that at least 95% of the clients I deal with have only one backup in place, which is done right in their office and one has to wonder "is that backup happening and can I restore data from it". Any attempt at a backup is better then none at all. But we offer a service, at Tech Experts, that is very affordable for even the smallest backups. Online offsite backups allow you to relax and rest assured that your data is being backed up and will be ready, if and when needed at a moments notice.

These backups occur automatically and require no interaction on the clients part. But the best part is the data is being backed up to a backup and recovery device that is located in a different location. In addition to all local backups, this service offers peace of mind, and it is truly "out of sight".  

I was watching the 6 o'clock local news, and they had a warning for all computer users to watch for a new virus.

They went on to describe a type of virus that has been out there for sometime now.

These viruses parade themselves as legit programs that are trying to protect you from infections. But please be aware, these programs that claim they can help, are in the business of trying to get you to send them money. Antivirus 2009 is just one of many fake programs out there that claim they can help you get rid of a virus you never had... until you download them. So pay attention, and as always, if you did not ask for it....

DLL or Dynamic Link Library files are a group of files that silently function in the background of your computer and you may not be aware of their existence until one of them goes missing. An application may stop working, your computer may refuse to start, or it may even freeze. So, what are these DLL files anyway and why do these files go missing? Is it possible to avoid them from disappearing? Let us find out.

Simply put, DLL files are used by the Windows operating system, applications and device drivers to save code libraries that can be used to perform specific functions on your computer. The best thing about these files is that the application using them needs to load them in the memory only when it wants to access the code stored in this file. Also, a single DLL file can be shared among multiple applications on your computer. These DLL features help in optimizing your applications for better performance and at the same time save on precious PC system resources.

Your Windows computer has hundreds of DLL files at any given point of time. Many of these are shared and many are not. The most common reason for errors related to DLLs to appear is when the DLL file goes missing. The following are two examples of missing DLL errors:

“rundll32.exe – Unable To Locate Component

This application has failed to start because framedyn.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.”

“Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: <windows_root>\System32\hal.dll. Please reinstall a copy of the above file”

At times, the file really goes missing because it gets deleted due to user error or when an application is installed. However, at times the problem may occur if the existing file is damaged or is infected with a malware. Incorrect registry entries and buggy software may also result in missing DLL file errors.

To avoid and perform missing DLL error fixes, you need to take care of the following:

• You must install only the latest versions of software on your computer. Even if you install older versions, NEVER overwrite new versions of files on your computer with older versions that the installation may try to add to your computer.
• When uninstalling software, make sure that you don’t remove files are that are shared among multiple applications.
• Always have robust virus and spyware scanner tools on your computer and keep them updated with the latest definitions. You need to schedule these tools to perform periodic scans and cleanups of your computer.
• Lastly, you must have a trustworthy and efficient registry tool to scan, clean and repair registry problems from time-to-time.

Always remember that regular preventive PC maintenance will help you keep your PC running like new for a long time.

How many times have I heard, "this website is loading so slow".

I wish I had the perfect answer for this question, but the variable is it might not be the website. It could be the Internet access provider that you have, is experiencing an issue in your area causing a bottleneck type condition that can lead to very slow response.

Another cause can be that the server that the particular website is hosted on may be having a problem with the extreme amount of traffic trying to access the site.

Some very popular sites can experience an influx of traffic during peak times that can slow down even the fastest computer. If you feel that your Internet speed is just not what it should be, there are sites that you can visit to test your access. One of these sites speedtest.net can test your Internet access speed from anywhere in the country.

To many computer users, it may seem like computer errors occur randomly and without any reason. While it is true that they usually occur without any prior warning, there are usually signs that something is not right. So, there is usually a logical reason behind most computer errors. This reason can vary depending upon the hardware or software component involved and the type of error. If we are able to ascertain why a particular computer error takes place, it will not only help us in troubleshooting, but will also help to avoid the problem altogether.

This post discusses a common computer application error known as DLL errors, which frequently harass PC users. Since little is known about these errors, most users are not even aware that they can be easily avoided most of the time. Before we proceed to investigate DLL errors, it is wise to understand the term DLL.

DLL refers to Dynamic Link Library. DLL files are a group of files which end with the .DLL extension. The main function of these files is to act as common files which can be quickly called upon by various programs or applications to execute a particular task. The reason for sharing is to speed up things, simplify processes and save computer resources.

Why do DLL errors Occur?

Well, for one they are just like any other computer files which are vulnerable to errors. They can get misplaced; can be deleted by mistake and overwritten by a bad file of the same name. A common example of a missing file error is the advrcntr2.dll error which is associated with Nero. You may receive the following message:

“File advrcntr2.dll not found”

Incomplete installation or uninstallation of an application can also cause DLL errors. An example of this is the “tai2.dll not found error” which is generated due to incomplete installation of AOL’s software component known as Topspeed.

DLL files can get infected by malware such as computer virus or spy-ware. They can also conflict with other DLL files and develop problems. They can also be generated due to problems in drivers of peripheral devices such as printers (such as hpzimc09.dll error). Malfunctioning of certain hardware components and the Windows registry can also cause DLL file errors.

How to Avoid DLL errors

You can considerably reduce the chances of DLL errors if you follow the guidelines given below:

1. Always keep your computer protected from computer viruses and spyware by deploying quality anti-malware tools and using them optimally. You must keep updating the definitions to ensure total protection of your computer.
2. Keep your Windows operating system and other applications on your PC updated constantly to patch up any security holes or bugs.
3. Avoid downloading software that you are not sure is genuine. Only download software which you absolutely require and be sure to download from reliable sources.
4. Maintain your Windows registry by scanning and repairing dysfunctional or corrupt registry keys on a regular basis. You can easily achieve this by using a good quality Windows registry cleaning software.