Computer Tip of the Day: How to Remove Adware from Your Computer

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Are you experiencing annoying pop-up ads on your computer? These ads, which appear on your desktop home or on your internet browsers, are caused by adware. Adware will show you unwanted ads when you browse the internet, sometimes even modifying web pages to display their ads and links. Learn how to remove adware.

remove adware

Adware is extremely annoying and usually gets installed on your computer when you unknowingly download it together with a legit program. This is known as bundled downloads (where unwanted programs are bundled together with good programs).

To remove the adware, you first need to check for any unknown programs on your computer. Go to your control panel and look at your list of installed programs. Check your recently installed programs and see if any of them seem to be the cause of the problem. Uninstall the programs that you don’t want.

You may not recognize which programs are causing the damage, so your next step should be to scan your computer for adware. Malwarebytes has software called AdwCleaner, which will scan your files for adware and remove it if found.

Next, you want to make sure that you don’t have any other malicious programs or malware on your PC. Install an anti-malware program and scan your computer for malware. Anti-malware programs are different than anti-virus programs, and you should have both of them installed on your PC. Malwarebytes and Hitman Pro are two of the most popular anti-malware programs out there. You can also use the Zemana Anti-Malware Portable to scan for browser hijackers and automatically remove them.

Lastly, you can reset your browser settings if you’re still experiencing problems.

For help with adware removal and for all of your PC needs, just contact us.

How to Recover Unsaved Word Documents: Computer Tip of the Day

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It’s happened to all of us. You’ve been typing away at the keyboard. You are interrupted — maybe the phone or doorbell rings. You close the document. And you don’t save it. Our computer tip of the day is all about how to recover unsaved word documents.

It doesn’t have to be a phone or doorbell. It could be a lightning or thunder that suddenly shuts off the computer. It could be, let’s face it, just a moment of inattentiveness. You shut down your file, but either think you’ve saved it or hit the wrong key.

How to Recover Unsaved Word Documents

This can make you want to scream, whether it’s compiling your tax deductions or working on a recipe.

Well, don’t scream. There are several different methods to recovering unsaved word documents. And they are the computer tip of the day!

First, don’t panic.

Then, go to the top left corner of your ribbon and click on “File.” Scroll all the way to the bottom and you will see, in the middle of the page, the wonderful words “Recover Unsaved Documents” next to a small file icon.

Click on it, and voila! You will be taken to a folder called “Unsaved Files.” You document will be there, usually named the first several words of the document.

What do you do if “Recover Unsaved Documents” doesn’t appear? Well, don’t panic then, either.

You can get to the “Unsaved Files” file by going to the following directory on your computer: C drive/Users/[whatever you are individually called as user — I’m “R” because my name begins with R]/Appdata/Local/Microsoft/Office/Unsaved Files.

There’s also a way to prevent losing a lot of unsaved material. It’s setting your computer to save often. Microsoft’s default is 10 minutes. We all know, though, that a lot can happen in 10 minutes. To set your system to save in a shorter time, click on File again. Then go to Options. A number of categories will open. Go to Save and click on it. Use the pulldown menu to set the number of minutes to elapse before it saves.

Contact us for further information.

Eliminate Threats by Regularly Backing Up Your Data

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Backing Up Your Data

Are you doing regular data backups? You can eliminate a lot of threats by backing up your data. Many companies neglect to back up their data often enough. Unfortunately, many of them have already suffered the consequences. Let’s look at some of the reasons why regular backups are important.

Viruses and Malware Affecting Your Data

Let’s face it. Hackers want your data, and they’ll try as hard as they can to get it. The most dangerous of them all are ransomware hackers. These hackers install malicious code that slowly encrypts your data without your knowledge. They then deny you access to your files until you pay a ransom. Since they have the decryption key, it’s impossible to retrieve your information unless you pay up. Many companies, hospitals, and even law enforcement and sheriff’s offices have been forced to give in — only because they didn’t have a backup of their files on hand.

System Failures

What will you do if your computer, network, server, or system suddenly crashes? This happens all the time, and you’ll need a backup file to restore everything back to normal.

Natural Disasters

Power outages, storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes — these are all natural disasters that can ravage your offices and ruin your files. You have no control over these occurrences, so you need to be prepared.

It’s not enough to just back up your data; you need to back it up the right way. One of the wrong ways of backing up is by keeping some sort of connection between your computers and your backup files — if hackers gain access to your computers, they can gain access to your backup files as well. Contact us for professional and automatic backup solutions, so that you can set it and forget it.

4 Reasons To Organize Your Computer Hardware

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Businesses rely on a variety of computer hardware, ranging from laptops to servers and including tablets and smartphones, not to mention peripherals such as printers. It’s easier than ever to lose track of the devices that you and your employees use. But it’s also something you can’t afford to do. Why is it critical to organize your computer hardware?

Organize Your Computer Hardware

1) You won’t have to needlessly replace them

Hardware is pretty expensive. Replacing a laptop, smartphone, or another computing device will eat into your budget. If you misplace or otherwise neglect your hardware, you’ll face steeper costs. Keep in mind that the costs stem not only from the hardware itself but from its contents, including important data that you may not have backed up.

2) You’ll prevent data breaches

Poorly organized hardware will increase your chances of device theft and other forms of data breaches. A misplaced device is more likely to get stolen with all of its data. Devices left unattended, or that you lose track of, are more easily accessible to unauthorized parties – both through physical interaction with the device and remotely, through hacking. For instance, if you forget to perform security updates on a device, you’ll leave it more vulnerable to malware.

3) You’ll catch problems early on

If you keep your hardware well-organized, you’re in a bit better position to know the condition of each device. You can keep your devices in better condition with regular maintenance, and you’ll know whether any of them need repairs (or have possibly reached the point where they need to get replaced).

4) Moving from one office to another will be much easier

If you’re relocating your office, keeping track of your hardware will make it easier to set up your computing devices in your new workplace. You’ll be less likely to misplace or damage items along the way, or suffer delays because you forgot that you need space to accommodate certain items.

IT support professionals can help keep your hardware organized, protected, and well-maintained. Please contact us for more details about our services.

How Can Cloud Computing Help Your Business Thrive

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How Can Cloud Computing Help Your Business

How can cloud computing help your business?

In the workplace, flash drives are one of the best ways to store your data. Not only are they portable, but you can carry them with you wherever you go. There are some downsides, though. Due to their size, it’s very easy for them to get misplaced, and even stolen by others in the workplace. Fortunately, though, this is where cloud computing comes into play. One of the best ways to store your data, how can it help you and your business, especially when it comes to protecting your data? Here’s what’s important to take into consideration.

How Can Cloud Computing Help Your Business

One of the biggest advantages of cloud computing is that it makes your data virtual. By storing your information over the Internet instead of your computer’s hard drive, it’s protected from just about any disaster in the workplace.

  • Whether it’s a generic computer virus or even a hurricane, your info is still accessible from any device with Internet connection and is practically untouchable.
  • Another benefit of cloud computing is that you can access your data from anywhere. No longer are you limited to your cramped office space. You can even access your files directly from your smartphone.
  • Not only does cloud computing protect you from virtually any threat in the workplace, but by being able to access your data from anywhere, you’re taking the business with you wherever you go.

For more information how the cloud can help your business, feel free to contact us today at Bluwater Technologies. We look forward to hearing from you and assisting you in the best way possible.