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H I T SOLUTIONS Q1 NEWSLETTER
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I greatly appreciate your business and look forward to our continued growth in 2008! - Christopher Holder |
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In This Issue...
The Truth About The Reboot
THE BOTTOM LINE: Rebooting your system when problems occur REALLY can help AND can save you money with IT Support calls. FULL ARTICLE
Everyone Else Does It, So Why Can't I?
THE DANGER OF SOFTWARE
DOWNLOADS PART II
THE BOTTOM LINE: Software Updates - Just don't do it! PERIOD! It's bad. Yucky. Just say no! FULL ARTICLE
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New Year's Resolution - PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT
THE BOTTOM LINE: You've spent thousands of dollars on hardware and software. Take care of it with a good, regularly scheduled check-up.
PARTNERING WITH H I T SOLUTIONS Exciting news for 2008... PLUS...
H I T Solutions Cares About The Environment Recycling Old Technology
Microsoft Tips & Tricks for Windows |
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Feel free to share this important knowledge by forwarding to employees & co-workers.
Questions or Comments Regarding the Newsletter? We want to hear from you. Drop us a line: supp...@hit-sol.com |
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Have you ever had a system “lock up” on you and not know what to do, except contact your IT Vendor? When your IT person instructed you to simply turn off power and restart, or reboot, the PC, how did you feel? If it worked, (as it does more often than not), you probably felt relieved that you did not schedule him to come on-site. A professional reboot could have also resulted in a professional invoice to your company! So what really IS the magic of a reboot, you ask? Although the reboot does not fix everything like magic, it actually does work for a number of issues that cause a “locked-up” system. For example, if your memory fills up before your system catches up; this can cause your computer to simply freeze. (You might find this happening when there are multiple applications open at once.) A reboot will cycle the power and flush the memory, thus getting you back up and running quickly. Sometimes programs will fight for control of the same shared information. This produces errors that are simply referencing locked files. The reboot will allow proper priority to be set when accessing the information. So, as a way to save valuable time and unnecessary IT expense, always consider rebooting your system FIRST as a way to rule out these simple causes. A reboot will also give a good indication of just how big the problem is: If the system recovers, there may be either no problem at all, or at least one that can wait until work is finished. If the system, or a particular application, remains locked, then it may be an emergency. Please read and consider the following: Proper Steps for a Successful Reboot:
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THE DANGER OF SOFTWARE DOWNLOADS
PART II Windows STILL does it. Adobe and HP Products STILL do it. Now something called Java wants to join in. iTunes, QuickTime, Microsoft Office, and every accounting package on the market… where does it end? Nearly every program on every system will, at some point, need to be updated. These updates are not the periodic upgrades that require a new software purchase, but programming updates such as security patches and fixes to your existing version of the software. This takes us to Part II of our series on The Dangers of Downloading Software… SOFTWARE UPDATES – THE SYSTEM MADE ME DO IT! Believe it or not, program and operating system updates cause as many problems as freeware (see 2007 Q4 Newsletter for more). Sometimes programmers, while focused on expediting fixes for their own applications, fail to recognize that what they fix often breaks something else. Applications, once released to the public, never seem to re-enter a stage of platform compatibility testing for the service packs and patches that are always released soon afterward. This leads to new and unusual issues, difficult to troubleshoot, and rarely accompanied by error messages with any sort of real meaning. We have seen updates for Microsoft Windows XP create conflicts with a number of accounting software packages. We have seen updates for Microsoft Office cause Windows to crash. Peachtree and Quickbooks updates, designed to resolve issues with specific functionality within the program, have caused problems in other areas of the same program, or with add-on components to that program. With applications forcing you to update (or annoy you with notifications until you agree to update), it’s nearly impossible to avoid these issues; you CAN however, minimize them.
With update notifications disabled, you may yet receive different notifications stating that automatic updates are disabled. These notifications may appear once or twice each time you restart your system. The message can be closed or canceled and is worth any aggravation it may cause when compared to the risk and potential lost productivity by actually performing the updates. In Part III of our series, we’ll look at the different types of Malware designed to ruin your computing experience and some safe practices to avoid software downloads that can occur without your knowledge or consent. |
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New Year’s Resolution: Protect Your Investment Businesses spend thousands of dollars on equipment and software in order to be competitive in today’s market. The pencil and ledger book have been replaced as accounting tools by complex software systems that do more than just balance books, but also track inventory, create invoices, and pay bills. All forms of record keeping, drafting, and management are now performed on computer systems which cost business owners. Consider the following conservative estimate for a very basic small business network: $3,000 New Server $1,500 Backup System $3,600 3 New Workstations $2,000 Network Printer/Scanner/Fax/Copier $1,000 Network Switch, cables, etc. $500 Firewall/Router That’s over $10,000 in hardware alone, just to get started, and it doesn’t include Internet Access, Accounting Software (which can run from $3000 to tens of thousands of dollars), Antivirus, other company-specific applications, or any of the labor required for setup. This is an investment that a business will rely on heavily, and one that is worth protecting. Simply put, vehicles need oil changes, new tires, and maintenance; the human body needs exercise, proper diet, and periodic checkups; and SO DOES YOUR NETWORK. The formula for a good maintenance plan is simple. It should be scheduled regularly, consist of a series of proactive checks and updates, be well documented, and provide the business owner with peace of mind. If any of these requirements are not met, then the plan needs modifying. The following list is an overview of the checks performed by H I T Solutions as part of our standard maintenance plan: Recommended Monthly Checks: 1. Software updates for Microsoft Operating system, Office, and other applications. 2. Confirm Antivirus software is up-to-date. Perform proactive virus scan. 3. Confirm anti-Spyware software is up-to-date. Perform proactive spyware scan. 4. Check system for performance degrading startup items and applications. 5. Examine Event Logs for error messages and other signs of problems. 6. Perform disk cleanup routines, such as the removal of temp files, inappropriate content, etc. 7. Examine backup logs, perform data test restore procedures, review backup selections. 8. Perform server-specific checks and updates with Microsoft Exchange, SQL, etc. 9. Periodic disk integrity checks and defragmentation. 10. Other checks and updates as needed based on individual network requirements. 11. Thoroughly document all checks, findings, available disk space, and corrective procedures for EACH system on the network. Most of our work is done onsite, making us available, in person, to answer questions and address other support issues that the client may have. We also feel that being onsite, along with our documentation, gives the client peace of mind knowing that the work is actually being done. For more information on Maintenance Plans, including discounted rates for monthly maintenance, please call Chris @ 832-978-6336 or email ch...@hit-sol.com. |
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PARTNERING WITH H I T SOLUTIONS
2007 was a great start for our business and we look forward to doing even more for our clients in 2008. Here's what's on the radar so far...
NEW WEB SITE - CUSTOMER PORTAL & FREE ADVERTISING We are revamping our web site (as well as many of yours) and we want to use it as more than a marketing tool for H I T Solutions. The new site, to be completed by the end of June, will be a fairly simple and easy to use design, not unlike the current site, but with a few key design changes. We will be adding a number of client-specific items, such as a customer portal, so that you can log in and access information specifically designed to benefit your company. Items such as forms, network configuration information, maintenance checklists, and support downloads will be available online when you need them. Additionally, we are adding a client section to include links to client sites that we have created, letters of recommendation from our clients, and advertisements promoting our clients' businesses. Email your letters of recommendation and any questions you may have to ch...@hit-sol.com.
QUALITY ASSURANCE SCORE CARDS A penny for your thoughts… How about $50 instead? It has begun - we are now contacting clients to ask questions regarding their recent service. Each quarter, we will randomly select one participant to receive a $50 gift card to a local area restaurant, just for helping to make us a better solution provider. Winners and the results of our score cards will be published in our newsletters and online.
CLIENT REFERRAL PROGRAM CONTINUED Through March 31st, 2008, receive referral incentives just for introducing H I T Solutions to your business associates! Here’s how it works: They can call us or we can call them to schedule a free network evaluation. If your referral becomes an H I T Solutions client, you will receive 5% of all collected service billings for six months from the time of their first billed engagement.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT THESE IMPORTANT SERVICES:
Online Service Request – If you have not yet used this free service, give it a try the next time you have an IT related issue. Go to www.hit-sol.com/support.htm and fill out the online request form. When you click Submit, we will automatically be emailed with all of the detail of your request. You can also print out the page prior to submitting it for your records.
Disaster Recovery Planning – It’s never too early to start preparing for next year’s storms. (Details coming next newsletter; or better yet, give us a call).
Online Backup and Recovery Services – Automated, secure, redundant, and reliable backups are a key component to any disaster recovery plan. Ask us about CoreVault secure online backup and recovery.
IT Budgeting – Control costs and plan ahead based on YOUR technology needs, rather than our desire to sell.
Web Design and Updates – Whether you are looking to start a web presence for your company, or would simply like to update the content of an existing site, we can help.
For information on these or any of our services, call Chris at 832-978-6336. What additional Products / services would you like to see us offer in the future? Let us know by emailing us at supp...@hit-sol.com.
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H I T SOLUTIONS CARES ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE SAFETY OF OUR CLIENT DATA. When technology reaches the end of its life cycle, clients rely on H I T Solutions to replace the old technology and dispose of it properly. Many parts within old computers and monitors are not acceptable for disposal in typical trash dumpsters. Computers and related components contain hazardous materials that can leach into a community's water supply. Cathode ray tubes (CRTs), circuit boards, batteries, and mercury switches contain hazardous materials, such as lead, mercury, cadmium and chromium. In addition, the hard drives within retired PCs often contain information such as phone numbers, addresses, even social security numbers that should not be left to typical disposal routines. H I T Solutions adheres to the following safe practices when discarding retired equipment:
While H I T Solutions cannot guarantee the level of commitment by recycling facilities to reuse materials, most facilities extract large amounts of recyclable metal and plastic, and properly dispose of hazardous materials found within the components. H I T Solutions assumes responsibility for all fees associated with this disposal process. We believe it’s important to do our part in the recycling effort, to help keep our world safe and clean for future generations. |
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USING THESE HELPFUL HINTS FROM MICROSOFT MIGHT MAKE YOUR COMPUTING LIFE A LITTLE EASIER...
Windows XP -
Change your monitor resolution Icons and text difficult to see? Want to get more information on your screen? Try changing your monitor resolution to a lower or higher setting and see what happens.
Set your desktop
PC background to a solid color
View files the
way you want
Click View, then select one of the five view options: Thumbnails, Tiles, Icons, List, or Details. With each selection, the folder window changes the way it displays your file and folder icons, allowing you to select a look and information suitable to your needs. For example, when browsing through photos, the Thumbnail view may be best, but when needing specific information about each file, the Details view may be helpful.
Windows VISTA -
View files the
way you want
Each time you click the Views button, the folder window changes the way it displays your file and folder icons, alternating between large icons, a smaller icon view called Tiles, and a view called Details that shows several columns of information about each file. If you click the arrow next to the Views button, you'll find even more choices.
Create a Search Folder
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