Tag: Small Business IT Support Minneapolis-St. Paul
Outlook Connector Update Giving You Problems?
That darn Outlook again, this time it’s giving an error for some folks who need the Outlook Connector add-on for some 
email accounts. There was an update sent out and I have already received reports that it’s not updating correctly. As I’m booking appointments now to fix those, I am guessing it’s because Microsoft is having you update the wrong bit version. So if you are having problems doing the update, book an appointment with us to repair.
I woke up today to open Outlook and had the update. I approved it, installed it and my own hotmail account was not sending and receiving. Before I did any technical troubleshooting, I rebooted and now my emails are sending/receiving just fine. So try that first, then call us!
TIP: If you use accounts such as Microsoft Live, Hotmail or MSN and Outlook, you probably have the Connector update. If you use Microsoft Office 365, you might have it installed as well.
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DIY computer cleaning tips!
Just as a tip…when I clean a computer, the first thing I do is go to the Control Panel and hit “add/remove” programs (for XP users that is).
I generally do a quick scan and see what looks like it should be there and what should not be there.
What should be there? Programs you have paid for or knowingly downloaded.
What shouldn’t be there? Spyware programs!
You can easily tell a spyware program by 2 things.
1.) the word “search” is in the name of the program
2.) the program is very small in size (under 1 mb usually)
If you want to delete those little buggers, you can. Just a reminder that sometimes a removal of those spyware will take you to an internet site and require a download of a tool to uninstall it. Generally that is the safest way to go, follow the spyware instructions. Back in the day it was hard to remove the spyware, but today it’s a big easier.
Sometimes the computer will require a reboot after removing. Make sure you watch for that window or option in a window because you may want to wait to reboot until you are done.
TIP…many “coupon” saving websites will download a tool, so if you’re a coupon maniac, you may want to remember that those coupons you are cyber clipping is maybe adding spyware. Most people hate it when I remove that coupon tool, but it’s really best for your computer.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule one of our 22-point checklist cleanings, give us a call at 612-865-4475 or fill out the form below.
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The “blue screen of death” – is it really your hard drive?
In the next few weeks I’ll be posting some blogs from our archives. Digging all the way back to the beginning, you’ll be getting refreshers of some great information 🙂 Here’s the first oldie but goodie all the way from 2008!
So you get the “blue screen” or “blue screen of death,” what do you do now?
If you call someone, you may get this answer, “It’s your hard drive”
Or is it…
I’ve troubleshooted many of these errors. Sometimes simple troubleshooting is all you need to do.
First I would start by turning off your computer.
Then unplug all your cords including monitor
Let the computer sit for 20 minutes
After 20 minutes, only plug in the ac/dc for the computer and monitor and turn it back on.
If it turns on and goes to the Windows start up screen, you may have a bad keyboard, mouse or USB external port issue.
Once it comes back on, if all seems ok…turn it back off.
Plug back in the keyboard and mouse. Turn it on again.
If it blue screens, it’s more than likely your mouse or USB port. If the end of your mouse has a circular end, it’s probably not the issue. If it has a 1/2″ thin metal end, it’s a USB mouse and could be the issue. Try another mouse if you have one.
If your computer turns on fine again, then test your USB plug-ins. (camera, webcam, printer, etc)
If then all seems ok, go in and back up your information/data right away.
Again….if anything at this point fails, it could be a hard drive issue. I don’t always think it’s a bad drive if it blue screens. Sometimes your computer just has a bump in the road and needs to be “reset”. The troubleshooting tricks above often help figure out what may be causing the issue.
USB ports can fail if you plug in a camera or another “external device” meaning…printers, cameras, webcams, etc.
Are you getting a blue screen and not sure what to do? Fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you!
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Will your internet work on Monday? Take the test to find out if you have malware
Taken from Mashable, (they did a great job on the write up).
http://mashable.com/2012/07/06/dnschanger-malware-removal/
A nasty piece of malware called DNSChanger will kick thousands of Mac and PC users off the Internet on Monday, and there’s a chance you could be one of them.
The FBI is shutting down domains that have been affected by the DNSChanger malware, which has been circulating the web since as far back as 2007. The malware redirected Internet traffic to sites with paid advertisements where cybercriminals reaped profit from unsuspecting visitors.
The trojan’s creators — six Estonian nationals — shut down their services when they were caught and arrested about eight months ago.
Although the FBI has been urging consumers for months to check if their systems have been affected by DNSChanger, about 275,000 computers are still at risk of not having Internet access on Monday, July 9.
The good news is that it’s easy to see if your system has been infected and fix it if needed. The DNS Changer Working Group (DCWG) launched a check tool (Click on the link below to test your internet)
— if you click on the link and the box is green, your computer is clean (If the box is red, your Internet will be dead).
A Note from Call That Girl…
If you are in the “red” zone, feel free to call us and get a virus spot check completed or a complete virus removal.
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Tweet That Girl!
You may have noticed an addition to the sidebar of our website recently. The pink box under the blog sign-up is another 
way for me to share computer tips with my social media followers. I’ve had a Twitter account for some time now, but finally decided to vamp up the usage of it. You can now “Tweet That Girl” your computer problems with the hash tag #tweetthatgirl. If the advice fits in 140 characters or less, I’ll give you the best support that I can for free! Check out what advice I’m giving to others in the “Look Who’s Tweeting That Girl” box on the sidebar of our website daily to get some extra tips, too. Click on the image to follow Call That Girl on Twitter and get your own personal advice, along with regular tech tips! And as always, if a simple answer in a tweet can’t fix it give us a call, 612-865-4475, or fill out the form below to set up an appointment.
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I have a Mac, it doesn’t break. Or does it?
Contrary to popular belief, Macs ARE susceptible to malware and CAN benefit from the occasional tune-up. Yes, Apple’s 
Mac Operating System X does maintain itself well, but with time files pile up on the hard drive and start to drag the computer down. Many Macs may experience freezing or locking up of programs, long startups and shutdowns or just plain old slowness. These issues may be caused by little to no available hard drive space, lack of memory to support computer function or malware (malicious software, which includes viruses and spyware. And yes, although it’s less common on Macs, such software still exists).
If you have a Mac and you are experiencing any of these problems, a tune-up may be just the thing to get your computer running at top speed again. The good news is Call That Girl does Mac tune-ups and virus removals! If you’d like our help keeping your Mac healthy, fill out the form below and we’ll get an appointment set up for you.
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