Internet FAQ

What is the Internet?
Also called the ‘net’ or the ‘web’, the internet is a huge global network made up of thousands of smaller networks that connect millions of computers to each other in over one hundred countries.

What do I need to get on the internet?
Four things:
1. A computer with an appropriate web browser (Internet Explorer or Firefox).
2. A modem.
3. A BT phone line or NTL cable line.
4. An account with an ISP of your choice.

What is an ISP?
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. This will be a company that provides you with an internet account and log on details that you need to access the internet & e-mail services. Some of the more popular ISP’s are NTL, BT, Virgin, Wanadoo & Tiscali.

What is broadband?
Broadband is a high speed internet connection that is up to 200 times faster than a ‘dial up’ 56k modem. Typical speeds offered by ISP’s are; 512k, 1Mb, 2Mb, 4Mb, 8Mb & 10Mb.

What advantages does a broadband connection have over a dial up connection?
Apart from the very noticeable speed increase when downloading music, film and games etc. is that a broadband connection frees up your telephone line allowing you to make and receive phone calls whilst you are connected to the internet. Also, if you want to have a video chat with a family member or friend, a broadband connection will allow you to do just that. Broadband also allows you to share you internet connection with other PC’s in your house.

I have just bought a second PC, how can I connect this to the internet using my existing broadband internet connection?
You need a router (pronounced ‘rooter’). A router is a device that sits between your modem and any connected PC’s. The router will then distribute the incoming and outgoing signal from your modem equally to all PC’s that it is connected to. Routers can be connected to your PC’s via a cable or through wireless technology. Using the cable option is cheaper as many PC’s come with an ethernet socket, but if you prefer not to have cables running through your home and decide to go wireless, you will need a wireless router, and for each PC connected, a wireless network card.


E-mail FAQ

What is E-mail?
E-mail stands for Electronic Mail. Using an e-mail program such as Microsoft Outlook Express or Mozilla Thunderbird you can write an e-mail and send it to another computer user anywhere in the world and they will receive it almost instantly. E-mails don’t have to consist of just text either; photographs & music are just some of the things that can be sent via e-mail.

If someone sends me an e-mail when my computer is switched off, will I still receive it?
Yes, don’t worry, you will still receive it. The e-mail will be held at your ISP (in some cases for up to six months) until the next time you connect to the internet and start up your e-mail program.

What is spam?
Also known as junk mail & unsolicited commercial e-mail, spam is an e-mail that is sent to hundreds of people at a time to advertise a product or service.

Why am I getting spam?
There are lots of reasons, but the most common ones are signing up to receive newsletters from companies that sell lists of their clients e-mail addresses to spammers. Listing your e-mail address on websites or newsgroups is another way for spammers to get your e-mail address. Even if you have done none of the above, you can still get spam just by having a relatively common name that spammers are able to guess.

How can I stop receiving spam?
Unfortunately there is no surefire way to stop receiving spam altogether, but there are some ISP’s who automatically filter e-mails in order to eliminate the amount of spam received. Many companies have developed software to run in conjunction with your e-mail program that will filter spam; however these do not come cheap and do not always have a 100% success rate. A very good alternative to third party spam programs is Mozilla Thunderbird. This free e-mail program comes with an in built junk mail filter that can be trained to automatically detect and delete spam.


Hardware FAQ

What is the difference between hardware and software?
The word ‘hardware’ is used to describe the physical components in the PC such as the processor, RAM, hard drive, CD drive etc. ‘software’ is the non physical part of your PC such as the operating system, internet browser, e-mail program, word processor, anti virus program etc.

Which part of my system is the computer?
You’d be surprised how often we get asked this. Very simply put; it’s the large box (probably by your feet as you read this) with all the wires going in to it. This houses all of the important and expensive parts of your machine. So, to clear any confusion, the screen is called a monitor and is not the computer and the keyboard is a device that simply allows you type, it is not the computer.

What is a processor?
Also called the CPU, (Central Processing Unit) the processor is the ‘brain’ of the computer. The most common types of processor to be found in modern machines are either made by Intel (Pentium range) or AMD (Athlon range). The speed of the processor is measured in GHz and generally speaking, the faster the processor, the faster your machine will be able to perform the tasks you set for it.

What is a hard drive?
If your PC was a car, the hard drive would be your boot. Also referred to as a hard disc (or disk) the hard drive is where all of your program files, music & photographs are permanently stored.

What is memory / RAM?
The word ‘memory’ usually refers to ‘Random Access Memory’ (RAM)
RAM is a type of memory that carries information to and from the processor as and when it is required. Think of RAM as a container. The operating system (for example Windows XP) is loaded in to this container when you switch on your PC and therefore takes up a certain amount of space within this container. When you start up another program such as Microsoft Word, it too gets loaded into this container and so on for every program that you have open. Data held in RAM is only stored there temporarily and will be lost when you turn off your computer. Permanent files are always saved to your hard drive.

What is virtual memory?
If you ‘run out’ of RAM, your computer looks to your hard drive as an emergency temporary storage device for the excess data (this is called ‘virtual memory’). The only problem is that the hard drive is not a very good substitute for RAM as it is a lot slower to send and receive data from compared to RAM. When this happens, your PC will slow down considerably. The more RAM you have, the less likely it is that you ‘run out’. We recommend having at least 256 MB of RAM (preferably 512 MB or even 1GB) to run modern programs smoothly

What is a modem?
A modem is a hardware component that converts computer information into electronic signals that can be transmitted over a phone/cable line. At the other end of the line, another modem owned by your ISP converts the signals back into computer information.
Your modem can come in one of two forms - an internal circuit board that is inside your PC or an external device that connects to your PC via an Ethernet, FireWire, USB or a phone socket type connection.

What is a graphics card / video card / video adapter?
The graphics card is a hardware component inside your computer that connects to your monitor via a cable allowing you to see the pictures your screen.

What is a motherboard?
The motherboard is the main circuit board in your PC that all the smaller circuit boards plug in to. In one way or another, everything is connected to the motherboard. It is worth noting that some motherboards are designed to use Intel processors while others are designed to use AMD processors.

What is a pen drive / flash drive / memory stick?
These are small (in physical size) re-useable mass storage devices that connect to your computer via a USB connection. These drives come in various sizes up to 8GB. Because of the capacity of these drives, they have replaced floppy disks as a way of transferring files from one computer to another.

What is FireWire? (AKA) IEEE 1394
Originally developed by Apple, but now also used by Windows based computers, FireWire is a type of connection commonly used to connect digital video cameras, & external hard drives to your PC.

What is USB?
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a type of connection used to connect peripheral devices such as, mice, keyboards, flash drives, printers, scanners, cameras etc. to your PC.


Software FAQ

What is the difference between software and hardware?
The word ‘software’ is used to describe the non physical parts of your PC such as the operating system, internet browser, e-mail program, word processor, anti virus program etc. Hardware is used to describe the physical components in the PC such as the processor, RAM, hard drive, CD drive etc.

What are drivers?
Drivers are programs that contain instructions which tell the operating system (e.g. Windows XP) how to communicate with the hardware in your PC. Each piece of hardware on your system has its own specific driver; your audio card, video card, and modem are just some of the components that require drivers. If you just add the component, the operating system won’t know what to do with it, but when you install the correct driver, the operating system knows exactly what it is and what to do with it. Think of a driver as a translator between the hardware and your operating system. As improvements in software and hardware are made, drivers are often rewritten by manufactures in order to give better performance from their hardware, so it is wise to visit manufactures website to find out more information about the latest available drivers for your hardware.


Upgrade FAQ

What hardware components can be upgraded?
The processor, RAM, motherboard, hard drive, floppy drive, CD & DVD drives, sound card, graphics card, power supply unit & even the case can all be upgraded.

What software upgrades/updates can be carried out on my PC?
There are thousands of computer programs available on the market, so it is difficult to anticipate what software updates/upgrades are available for your specific machine, but the most common tasks that we are asked to perform are; operating system upgrades i.e. upgrading from Windows 98 to Windows XP, service pack updates, anti virus protection (installation & updates), spyware detection & removal, CD/DVD burning software & driver installation.

Do I need to upgrade my system?
Only if you find that your PC is struggling to complete the task you want it to do. If your PC is below or at the minimum specification required to use a program that you want to use, then it would be worth your while investing in upgrading your PC. For example; if you like playing games, but the game you want to play stutters or causes your PC to run very slowly, you may need to upgrade the processor, graphics card or RAM (or all).


Virus / Spyware & Adware FAQ

What is a Virus?
A computer virus is designed to replicate itself by attaching itself to a host file and spreading to other files and/or computers. Thousands of viruses exist and can cause numerous problems such as, loss of files, PC not switching on, PC not switching off, internet not working, e-mail not working etc. Unlike spyware or adware, viruses are designed to damage your PC.

How did I get a virus on my PC?
The most common way to get a virus is through e-mail, but it is not uncommon to download them unwittingly from the internet or receive them through MSN messenger.

What is Spyware & Adware?
Spyware and adware are malicious programs that are designed to track or steer your internet browsing habits and deliver unwanted adverts to you when you are connected to the internet. They are not designed to damage to your PC, but they will spoil your enjoyment of using it as they can cause a dramatic slow down in your PC’s performance. Even worse, some of these programs are designed to obtain credit card details from your online transactions while others even have the capability to change the settings on your PC causing all sorts of problems including changing your internet dial up connection number to a premium rate number. These are known as ‘Diallers’ (See below)

How did I get Spyware/Adware on my PC?
One of the most common causes of receiving these types of programs is by clicking on advertising banners on website's that trick you into downloading a program. Another common way is through downloading and using peer to peer (or p2p) file sharing software such as Kazaa or Bear Share.

How do I know if my computer has been infected by Spyware, Adware, or virus?
Usually there will be tell tale signs that your PC could be infected with any of the above programs, however it is possible that your PC could be infected without you knowing it as some of these malicious programs are designed not to be detected. If you notice any of the following behaviour your PC may already be infected:
1. A dramatic slow down in performance.
2. The PC turns itself off unexpectedly.
3. The firewall turns itself off.
4. New programs appear seemingly from nowhere.
5. New toolbars (buttons) appearing in Internet Explorer
6. Pop up adverts appearing consistently throughout your internet sessions

Can spyware, adware & viruses be removed?
The majority of these malicious programs can be removed, but there are some viruses that can actually damage hardware permanently. To lessen the risk of these programs infecting your PC, your anti virus software should be kept up to date – contact us for advice.

My friend told me that she had a ‘dialler’ and it ran up a £600 phone bill, which BT made her pay. What is a dialler and how can I avoid getting one?
A dialler is a malicious program that dials premium rate numbers through your dial up modem. Good protection software and internet browser updates should be able to stop the dialler from using your dial up modem. If you have a broadband connection, you don’t need to worry as Diallers will not affect you.


Reformat FAQ

What is a reformat?
This is when all data is wiped form your hard drive and a fresh installation of your operating system is put back on. This is often confused with the term ‘Reboot’ which simply means to restart your PC.

When should my PC be reformatted?
The most common reason for a reformat is after something has gone wrong with your operating system, maybe after a system crash or a virus infection. But just like a car needs a service every few years or every few thousand miles to keep it running smoothly, your PC needs a reformat every so often to keep it running smoothly too.

I have been told that my PC needs to be reformatted. Will I lose all my files/ photographs/ emails etc?
In our experience, data can be usually saved with little or no problems, unless the hard drive is damaged in some way. Files such as photographs, word documents, MP3’s, e-mails, internet settings, favourites, bookmarks etc. can be transferred to CD/DVD or another hard drive for safe storage while your hard drive is being reformatted. These files can then be transferred back to your newly reformatted hard drive.


General CD & DVD FAQ

What do I need to back up, create or copy CD’s / DVD’s?
Three things:
1. A CD R/RW drive for copying CD’s or a DVD R/RW for copying DVD’s & CD’s.
2. DVD/CD burning software.
3. Blank CD’s / DVD’s.

How much data can a CD hold?
CD’s can hold either 650MB or 700MB of information.

What types of CD are available?
CD-R (recordable) – for one time use (or multi session use)
CD-RW (Re-Writable) – re-usable (data can be erased and rewritten)

How much data can a DVD hold?
Single layer (DVD5) – 4.7GB
Dual layer (DVD9) – 8.5GB

What types of DVD are available?
DVD-R (recordable) – for one time use (or multi session use)
DVD-RW (Re-Writable) – re-usable (data can be erased and rewritten)
The most common DVD formats are: plus (+) & minus (-)


Audio / Music & MP3 FAQ

What are MP3’s?
MP3’s are audio files that have been ‘shrunk’ down to one tenth of their original size, without any significant loss of audio quality. This process allows more audio files to be stored on a CD or hard drive.

What are WMA files?
Developed by Microsoft, WMA (Windows Media Audio) files are similar to MP3 files, but are typically used when streaming audio from the Internet.

What is iTunes?
Designed by Apple, but also used on Windows based computers, iTunes is a digital media player that can connect to the iTunes Music Store (an online shop) to buy music & videos. iTunes can also be used to transfer music files to and from an iPod.

What is an iPod?
An iPod is a portable music player manufactured by Apple.


General FAQ

What does ‘Reboot’ mean?
This just means to restart your PC. This is often confused with the term ‘Reformat’ which is when all data is wiped from your hard drive and a fresh installation of your operating system is put back on.

I have deleted important files from my recycle bin, is there any way to retrieve them?
Possibly, the first thing to do is to stop using your PC immediately! as further use can permanently delete your files.Contact us for advice.

Do you work on Macintosh computers?
No. We don’t offer any services for Mac’s at the moment.

Do you supply software & hardware components?
Yes. We can supply software & hardware components to order and we endeavour to find the best available prices for all goods that we supply. Also, customers are welcome to supply their own hardware & software for fitting & installation by us. However while we are happy to fit parts supplied by our customers, we will not be held responsible for any damage that they may cause to your machine.

I work shifts and my PC has a problem, can you come out in the evening/night?
Yes. We know the problems that come with shift work (been there done that!) just contact us to arrange an out of hour’s call out.