Computer Tip of the Day: How to Reposition Computer Task Bar

a person typing on a laptop with their hands

Many people keep their computer icons on the main screen. Word, Excel, your browser, like Explorer, Chrome, or Firefox — there they are, ready for access. However, to make the icons more convenient to access when windows are open, many people reposition the computer task bar at the bottom or side of the screen so that can be seen no matter how much stuff you’re working on.

Reposition Computer Task Bar

You know how frustrating it can be when these icons rearrange themselves, seemingly spontaneously. If the toolbar is at the bottom of your screen, it suddenly moves to the left. If it was on the left, it may suddenly appear at the bottom.

Because we are creatures of habit, this can be very frustrating and impact productivity. Fortunately, fixing it is very easy.

To reposition the computer taskbar, simply right-click the blank space on the taskbar. When the menu opens, select “properties.”

Look to see if the taskbar is locked. If so, a checkmark will appear next to “locked”. If so, unlock it by clicking on the check mark.

See if the taskbar is locked, with a checkmark next to the listing if so unlock it, and click the “apply” button.

After this, simply select the placement you do want. Then click the “apply” button again. You can lock the taskbar after this for greater security.

If you ever want to move the icons around on the taskbar, you’ll need to unlock the taskbar again. After that, icon movement is a simple drag-and-drop procedure.

For more information, contact us.

Five Essential Computer Maintenance Tips

a close up of a computer motherboard with some tools on it

Computer Maintenance

Performing computer maintenance on your devices is a matter of both convenience and savings.

With proper maintenance, you’ll experience less downtime and fewer unexpected malfunctions, helping you work with greater efficiency and productivity. You’ll also save on the costs of major repairs or device replacement.

The following computer maintenance tips will help you prolong the life of any device:

  1. Clean it, and treat it gently. The chances that a device will break down increase if it’s kept in hot, humid, or dusty conditions, banged against hard surfaces, or covered in food particles or spilled liquids. Regularly clean your device, eat or drink next to it with caution, and handle it with care.
  2. Take care with what you install on it. For instance, if you’re downloading a file or an app, make sure it comes from a legitimate source, it’s compatible with your device, and it’s free of malware.
  3. Investigate suboptimal performance. Sometimes, a computing device may perform poorly because you’re taxing its resources. For example, a computer with relatively low RAM (the memory called on when you’re using various programs) will struggle more with software involving videos or graphics. However, always check the reasons for slow performance or other problems, such as a program crashing repeatedly. You may have to perform some sort of disk repair, or perhaps it’s a sign that your device is harboring a virus.
  4. Keep your device updated. Updated versions of software include fixes for previous problems, such as security holes that hackers can readily exploit. A device operating with outdated software is much more likely to get compromised by a cyber attack. (One example comes from the healthcare industry, where outdated technology is one of the major cybersecurity vulnerabilities.)
  5. Use a surge protector. If your device is plugged in during a storm, a surge protector can help defend it against a sudden sharp increase in power flowing through your electrical lines. Power surges can wreak havoc with hardware.

For additional computer maintenance advice, please contact us. We can help you maintain your devices by keeping them in good condition and detecting and resolving problems before they have a chance to become emergencies.

Computer Tip of the Day: Reducing the Risk of Malware

a chalkboard with the words think safe written on it

Reducing the Risk of Malware

Believe it or not, most malware incidents that happen in the workplace are very unpredictable. Because you never know when they’re going to happen, it’s always important to be prepared.

For example, what if there was an unexpected power outage in your office, or what if you carelessly deleted an important file? If none of your files or data were backed up, there could be serious consequences.

With that said, another common (and rather unpredictable) incident in the workplace involves malware. Whether it’s found on suspicious websites or a supposedly “harmless” looking email, you always need to be cautious.

There are plenty of ways to avoid becoming susceptible to malware. However, it’s especially important that you know what emails to look for. Many of these viruses show up as attachments in messages. The hacker tricks you into clicking on it, and once you do so, your device becomes infected.

What are some things to look for in these emails that indicate it’s not from a trustworthy source?

First of all, does the message itself contain bad grammar or stilted phrasing? If so, then it might not be from someone you trust. However, even if the message does appear to be from someone you trust, take caution anyway.

Does the tone of the message sound robotic? From what you know of this coworker, employee, or business, do they normally use a similar tone in their emails? If not, then more than likely, the message isn’t from them. When you’re still unsure, seek out the person/business and ask, or simply send a reply email and see if you get a response. If it’s malware, chances are you wont.

For protection from malware, 24/7 it support and managed services, contact us today at Bluwater Technologies. We look forward to hearing from you.

Computer Tip of the Day: GPUs vs CPUs

a laptop computer sitting on top of a wooden table

The current generation of computer technology gives you the ability to upgrade your graphics technology through the GPU as well as your computer speed through the CPU. In the computer tip of the day, we will go through why you might want to look at a GPU upgrade.

GPU Computing is CPU-Plus

Some GPUs have the ability to improve the performance of a computer system by 100 times the rate of a CPU. You might think that you would pay more for this power, but GPU upgrades are actually cheaper than CPU upgrades. If you are looking for green solutions, GPU upgrades are also more power efficient.

Integrating GPUs into Your System

Both PCs and Apple computers have the operating systems to implement GPU upgrades directly. PCs have DirectCompute and Apple computers have OpenCL. The new operating systems make incorporating a new GPU as easy as installing a new card into the computer.

The Uses of GPU

As 3D functionality and virtual reality become an actual reality to the mainstream computer user, GPU speeds will become just as important, if not more important than CPU speeds. Much of the computational rigor of these new technologies is encapsulated in the graphical output, and this is exactly what GPUs were set up to handle.

Once you have your hardware in order, please contact us when you are ready to take your computer maintenance to the next level. Bluwatertech is the company ready with managed IT services to make sure that your systems continue running well into the future.