Virus Alert – WannaCry Ransomware
A wide spread ransomware campaign, known as WannaCry, has impacted organisations globally over the weekend. You will probably have heard about it in the media. The ransomware is spread by taking advantage of a Windows vulnerability, and seeks to seize control of computers until victims pay a ransom. To ensure your organisation is protected, It is crucial that all computers and servers have the latest Windows patches and updates installed on every Windows Computer, PC and Laptop (At the moment Apple computers not running Windows are immune from this particular attack). Your Anti Virus program must be current, up-t0-date with the latest virus definitions You must have a full offsite (cloud) backup of your data files (The IT Guys can supply for $20 per computer per month) Ideally you would also have multiple “local” backups to NAS or external HDDs that would have to be rotated periodically as any attached device during a Ransomware attack will also be encrypted. You can have the IT Guys check that this vulnerability has been patched for you (approx. 15 mins per device) or you can do this for yourself. The following plain-english, illustrated, self-help guides show how to check your devices are fully updated and what to do if they are not. How to update Windows Operating Systems If you require assistance, The IT Guys can perform checks on your behalf. For The IT Guys Managed IT customers, we are currently working to ensure patches are either completed or in progress, so no further action from you is required, however if you are worried about any of your personal devices, please talk to us. As always, we are urging all customers to be vigilant when opening emails and clicking on potentially harmful links. If you have any concerns about the security of your IT systems, please contact The IT Guys on 08 6365 5603 or email support@itguyswa.com Further reading How to protect yourself from a Ransomware attack How to protect yourself from a Ransomware attack Part 2 CRYPTOLOCKER virus still going strong. 3 more clients infected today? Opening an email from Australia Post has had 3 clients in 3 days lose ALL their data to the CRYPTOLOCKER virus :jk:
Macbook Water Damage Repairs
Macbook liquid damage, water spillage to Macbook, Macbook Pro, Macbook Air? We can help. Spilling or immersing an electronic device of any kind in ANY form of liquid is probably the worse thing you can do in terms of damaging it. We may not be able to repair macbook liquid damage but we can recover your data and provide an insurance report. THE GOOD NEWS – You probably wont lose your data and programs as long as you get the device to us quickly. Bring with you an External Hard Drive or you can purchase one from us for $99 and we will copy the data off your device, you can at least then access your data from another computer and we can help you reinstall that data to a new one. THE BAD NEWS – Even if you do manage to dry the computer out (lots of hints here) , it is very unlikely you will ever fully recover the macbook liquid damage If you can get it going, facts are that you have reduced the computers life by years. There is no escaping the onset of corrosion of the motherboard. If you are lucky, It may give you 1 month, 6 months, 1 year or more of worry free operation. So if you get the chance to replace it under your insurance, we would recommend you do so ASAP or plan on a new computer ASAP. If the Macbook is a current model (under 5 years old), the best price for replacing parts will be from an Apple Store but be aware that they may not recover your data. Make sure you ask about this as Apple “expect” you to have a current backup of your data on a drive or in the cloud. Non-Current Macbooks can only be repaired using second-hand parts and we do not recommend it as the parts have no guarantee and are as expensive as purchasing a new machine. Repairs and Upgrades of Other Mac Computers The IT Guys also repair and upgrade all Apple Mac Computers, including iMac Repairs, iMac Upgrades, Macbook Repairs, Macbook Upgrades, Macbook Pro Repairs, Macbook Pro Upgrades, Macbook Air Repairs, Macbook Air Upgrades and Mac Mini Repairs and Mac Mini Upgrades. We can also offer a Macbook Battery Replacement Service. Purchasing New Computer and Transferring programs and data Quite often we may advise our clients that their computer will be cheaper to replace, rather than repair and we may offer you a choice of replacement equipment. We do not sell new Apple equipment but will guide you in the choices available and where they can be purchased. However, we can assist you with the setup, transfer of data and programs from your old computer to the new one. :jk:
Problems with Apple Mail and Bigpond? You are not alone.
We have recently had several Bigpond users experiencing problems sending mail using Apple Mail. But we have a solution. We fixed the problems by removing the mail account and then adding it back. However, before attempting this we suggest you firstly backup or export you mail file. If your not confident in doing it yourself, contact us, we can help you fix remotely from only $33 per 15 minutes. :jk:
What is a NAS drive and why do I need one?
NAS (Network-Attached-Storage) drives are a safer way of storing or backing up data, than a conventional External Hard Disk Drive (EHDD). We explain why. If you are not currently doing any form of backing up of your data (photos, music, documents) we suggest you implement local and/or cloud backup immediately You can start without even leaving your chair simply by using an offsite storage (cloud) storage system such as DropBox, Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud or something more sophisticated such as CrashPlan. However, if you are in Business, you need something more robust than a few files in Dropbox. The above mentioned cloud services are certainly recommended but depending on internet availability, it may take quite some time to backup and/or recover a lot of data. The Prices for Cloud storage vary, as you can see from the following image. note 1 – Australian iCloud Prices https://support.apple.com/en-au/ht201238 – 2TB Max storage (Files, pictures, Music, Books etc) – Files can be accessed via browser note 2 – Australian Google Drive Prices – https://www.google.com/drive/pricing/ can expand to 10TB – Files can be accessed via browser note 3 –OneDrive/Sharepoint – https://products.office.com/en-au/onedrive-for-business/compare-onedrive-for-business-plans – Can expand to 25TB – Files can be accessed via browser note 4 – Dropbox Plus prices https://www.dropbox.com/buy/plus – Also unlimited Dropbox Business for $33/m x 5 users gives unlimited storage (Dropbox Business) – Files can be accessed via browser note 5 – IT Guys WA A4 Prices incl GST on a 12 month contract, managed by the IT Guys. (Files only) – Files cannot be accessed via a browser and need to restored. Does not copy programs, only data note 6 – IT Guys WA A$ Prices incl GST 2TB for $150 on a 12 month contract, manager by the IT Guys Backs Up Files and Disk image for Servers. ) – Files can be accessed via browser note 7 – USD Prices https://home.elephantdrive.com/home/pricing-and-plans/ unlimited plans available on application (Files only) ) – Files can be accessed via browser note 8 – https://azure.microsoft.com/en-au/pricing/details/backup/ – real-time replication of your virtual machines (VM) to a backup vault in Azure The IT Guys recommend using a combination of both local and cloud backup such as the Datto Alto 3 Local Backup Making a Local backup (to a storage device in your office or home) can be achieved in three ways: Using an External Hard Disk Drive (EHDD) External hard drives usually consist of a single 2.5″ or 3.5″ conventional Hard Disk Drive or Solid State Drive surrounded by a plastic case which connects to a computer or server with a USB cable. They range in size from 500GB to 6 or 8TB. They don’t like being moved, dropped or shaken (with the exception of Lacie Rugged) When a hard drive fails, the data can be lost forever without recovery. They are the cheapest form of backup device. EHDD’s are effective for backing up individual computers and laptops, but should be rotated periodically with a second or third drive, in case one becomes faulty, full, corrupt or infected with a virus. When they do fail or become full, it is not always obvious and can lead to a false sense of security. If you are looking for something more reliable, fool-proof or idiot-proof. Choose one of the following two options instead. 2. Using a NAS Drive (Network Attached Storage) A NAS Drive is a device that holds multiple 3.5″ drives and is usually static in one place (not very mobile) depending on the number of slots and the type of RAID array, the capacity can be up to 16, 32 or 64TB. Depending on the setup, each drive can be mirrored 2 or 3 times, ensuring that you data is never lost even if one of the HDD‘s dies. Drives are hot-swappable (meaning they can be added or replaced without stopping or interrupting the workings of the drive.) and can be replaced with larger HDD’s thus allowing the NAS drive to increase capacity as an when you need it. NAS drive chassis (without drives) start around $300 and vary greatly depending on the number of bays, capacity and RAM. NAS drives are basically mini-servers and offer …. Mirrored drives using RAID Cloud backup, directly from the NAS drive (optional) Email notification when errors or failures occur Built in redundancy Suitable media server for streaming music/video to TV or Computers. Newer NAS drives are very reliable, but need to be installed and setup correctly to make sure they perform correctly. Special NAS Disk drives such as Western Digital Red Pro’s, offer 3 year warranty and are especially designed for NAS drives. Cheap standard HDD’s will also work but do not offer more than 12 months warranty and are likely to fail prematurely in a NAS environment. NAS drives, 3 years or older tend to be quite slow and should be replaced. Technology has improved greatly in that period and if the drives are 3 years or older, they will need replacing. Although the NAS drive unit may be operational for many years, it would be a prudent measure to replace the actual HDD’s at least every three years. 3. Using a NAS Drive (Network Attached Storage) with Cloud Integration While NAS drives are ideal in the office or home for sharing and storing data locally, accessing those files remotely (such as when working from home or a 2nd Office) can be an issue especially with slow or congested internet. QNAP NAS drives, have built in OneDrive/SharePoint integration This allows for users to work remotely using OneDrive, with office users accessing files directly on the NAS. 3. Using a second computer or server. An alternative to a NAS drive could be another computer or server accessible over the network. However, unless the HDD’s are setup in RAID, it will not be as reliable as a NAS drive but could be more convenient and quick way of backing up using EHDD’s due the the increased speed of data access via a wired network rather than by USB cable. Cloud Backup […]
IT disasters – A medical practice with the CRYPTOLOCKER virus
A real account of recent incidents experienced by a Medical practice known to us in Perth, Western Australia (November 2016.) The IT Guys, had provided ad-hoc services to a small doctors surgery in Perth’s Western Suburbs consisting of a server and 5 PC’s. Although they were happy for us to install and maintain a Cloud Backup Service they insisted on maintaining and rotating their own local backup drives through multiple external HDD’s that they wished to manage using their own staff. In November 2016, the surgery was hit by an Cryptolocker Virus attack, set off we suspect by one of their employees clicking on a dubious email link such as those pretending to be from Australia Post or Telstra. Before the anti-virus program could respond and neutralise the virus, it had encrypted most of the data files on the server which also acted as a shared data drive for all the PC’s. When we were asked for help we found that the cloud backup had updated just a few hours before the attack and we were confident of recovering all the current data files without paying any ransom. We offered to start the recovery of the corrupt files back to the server, the only problem was that on their very slow ADSL connection, it would have taken 3 days or more to recover all their data. The Doctor was confident he had a current “local” backup to recover from which should have only been less that a few days old. However, on checking the external HDD used for local backup, it was also found to also be encrypted with the Cryptolocker Virus . As the staff were supposed to be rotating the external backups on a weekly basis, a local-backup only a week old should also have been available, however, it was discovered that this practice had not been happening and that the last good backup was actually 6 months old. The practice used a specialist Medical Management system that was server based and contained all patient, billing and medical history. The system was used exclusively and as it turned out, the staff and doctors could not operate without it. The only choices were : To pay the ransom and take the chance of the criminals decrypting the files Close the business for three days to wait for the cloud backup recovery or Reinstall six months old and then attempt to merge the old and new data files. The doctor opted to restore the 6 month old backup and keep working. After three days we recovered the old files but then spent over 20 hours merging the data files with the old and the new data due to a mismatch between software versions and the old backup. Had we been monitoring the backups, there would have been a full backup of no more than a month old on a local drive. This would have meant minimum data loss and business disruption. Had the practice NOT had cloud backup, they could have lost 6 months of client, financial and business data or tens of thousands of dollars by paying the ransom. Prevention is ALWAYS better than CURE and this can be achieved by. Using monitored Anti Virus software such as AVG Cloudcare. Use Local backups rotated and checked on a regular basis (PC’s and Servers) to NAS drive. Offsite/Cloud backup updated daily such as CrashPlanPro or ReadyCloud All email accounts setup on hosted-exchange platform such as Microsoft Hosted Exchange. Upgrading Internet to NBN or Fibre to facilitate quick cloud backup and restore. Our Preventative Maintenance Plans start from $66 per month, we offer 4 plans: Cloud Backup Plan – setup and installing cloud backup only, we monitor the cloud backup monthly.¹²³ Basic Remote Backup Plan – monthly remote checkup of your local backup¹²³ Onsite Backup Plan – monthly site visit to check computers and servers and local backup¹²³ Comprehensive Backup Plan – monthly site visit to check computers, servers, local and cloud backup¹²³ All plans include a FREE remote or on-site Audit of your companies IT systems before we recommend which plans would be the most suitable. All plans may require the upgrading of email accounts. Users of Microsoft Outlook often have very large email files with multiple folders and emails going back many years. Due to the size and nature of older Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) they may not be able to be readily backed up, especially to a cloud backup source and will need to be moved to a hosted exchange platform Cloud backup plans are only viable given reasonable internet download and upload speeds. Internet speed and NBN/HFC/Broadband availability will determine our recommended backup regime. :jk:
IT disasters – A private organisation with FileCryptor Ransomware
A real account of a recent incident experienced by an private organisation known to us in the Perth, Western Australia (December 2016) infected with FileCryptor Ransomware. An employee of a private organisation in Perth received a dubious email disguised as an invoice. The email did not have an attachment and on face value appeared to be from a genuine source. However, it did contain a link in the email supposedly to an invoice. Upon clicking the link the employee was asked to confirm the source by the anti-virus program and a file was allowed to be downloaded. At that point in time nothing happened to her computer and she thought nothing untoward had happened, except a faulty link that must have been incorrect. She thought no more of the incident. Unbeknown to the employee, an executable program (.exe) had been silently downloaded and saved in the “Startup” directory. Executable files in this directory are automatically run or executed up the start or restart of the computer and it was not until some time later that the file was executed and the Prevention is ALWAYS better than CURE and this can be achieved by implementing ALL of these suggestions. Using monitored Anti-Virus software such as AVG Cloudcare. Local backup rotated and checked on a regular basis (PC’s/Servers) to a NAS drive. Offsite/Cloud backup updated daily such as CrashPlanPro or ReadyCloud All email accounts setup on hosted-exchange platform such as Microsoft Hosted Exchange. Upgrading Internet to HFC, NBN or Fibre to facilitate quick Cloud backup and restore. Educate workforce on how to identify bogus emails and websites. Our Preventative Maintenance Plans start from $66 per month, we offer 4 plans: Cloud Backup Plan – setup and installing cloud backup only, we monitor the cloud backup monthly.¹²³ Basic Remote Backup Plan – monthly remote checkup of your local backup¹²³ Onsite Backup Plan – monthly site visit to check computers and servers and local backup¹²³ Comprehensive Backup Plan – monthly site visit to check computers, servers, local and cloud backup¹²³ All plans include a FREE remote or on-site Audit of your companies IT systems before we recommend which plans would be the most suitable. All plans may require the upgrading of email accounts. Users of Microsoft Outlook often have very large email files with multiple folders and emails going back many years. Due to the size and nature of older Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) they may not be able to be readily backed up, especially to a cloud backup source and will need to be moved to a hosted exchange platform Cloud backup plans are only viable given reasonable internet download and upload speeds. Internet speed and NBN/HFC/Broadband availability will determine our recommended backup regime. :jk:
IT disasters – a 24/7 Supermarket with multiple virus infections.
A real account of a recent incident experienced by a 24/7 Supermarket known to us in Perth, Western Australia (January 2017) with multiple virus infections. The IT Guys manage and monitor the Anti-Virus software of a 24/7 Supermarket through AVG Cloudcare. Unfortunately, they have not heeded our advice regarding their backup regime, Internet connection and upgrading of their email accounts. Hence the following consequences. When one of the clients PC’s contracted a computer virus, we were informed automatically by email and started to investigate. Upon examining the PC we found that the anti-virus program had been removed and the PC was behaving very strangely. We reinstalled the Anti-virus and immediately started receiving further virus notifications from that PC and shortly after received email reports from the other networked PC’s and the Microsoft Server 2008. It was clear a major virus attack had hit their network. After further investigation, it became clear that the virus had come from the clients main email. Viruses transmitted through emails will not only take down the PC they are opened on but can quickly spread to attached servers and backup drives and devices, disrupting or disabling all systems until removed.. The only effective way of completely removing viruses off a network is by using an Anti-Virus rescue software such as AVG Rescue or Avira Rescue and possibly rebuilding the server. Unfortunately, this requires taking the servers and PC’s offline for 4 – 24 hours by booting them to a Rescue CD/DVD or USB. Unfortunately this operation cannot be done remotely and requires a technician to be on site to perform the operation. This can be very costly if the devices are in a remote or rural location. The supermarket in question had to suspend trading for a day while their server was scanned, viruses were removed and the operating system rebuilt. The majority of supermarkets use a proprietary software POS management system such as Grocery Manager, Surefire, MYOB Retail Manager, etc. to connect the POS computers (Tills or Cash Registers) to a Server where the main program runs and collates data and stock control. In addition to the cash-registers and server will always be at least one back-office PC for label printing, emails, ordering accounts etc. The POS computers are usually very basic computers or dumb terminals that only connect to the server and have little interaction with the outside world whereas the server and the back-office PC will most certainly be connected to the internet. In this instance a virus infection on the server corrupted elements of the operating system, which in turn effected the POS software and the terminals ability to communicate with the software. The clients e-mail systems were not setup by the IT guys and are still using the old POP3 email protocol where the mail files reside locally on the PC. These type of mail files tend to become very large and easily corrupted if attacked by viruses. In this case once the viruses had been removed, the email files had to be rebuilt and restored, which turned out to be quite a lengthy process in addition to restoring the server systems. Although removing viruses from PC’s is quite straight forward, removing them from a server is not and a complete server rebuild and backup restore is often required. This process can take many hours, even a few days and may mean severe business disruption. Prevention is ALWAYS better than CURE and this can be achieved by implementing ALL of these suggestions. Using monitored Anti-Virus software such as AVG Cloudcare. Local backup rotated and checked on a regular basis (PC’s/Servers) to a NAS drive. Offsite/Cloud backup updated daily such as CrashPlanPro or ReadyCloud All email accounts setup on hosted-exchange platform such as Microsoft Hosted Exchange. Upgrading Internet to HFC, NBN or Fibre to facilitate quick Cloud backup and restore. Educate workforce on how to identify bogus emails and websites. Our Preventative Maintenance Plans start from $66 per month, we offer 4 plans: Cloud Backup Plan – setup and installing cloud backup only, we monitor the cloud backup monthly.¹²³ Basic Remote Backup Plan – monthly remote checkup of your local backup¹²³ Onsite Backup Plan – monthly site visit to check computers and servers and local backup¹²³ Comprehensive Backup Plan – monthly site visit to check computers, servers, local and cloud backup¹²³ All plans include a FREE remote or on-site Audit of your companies IT systems before we recommend which plans would be the most suitable. All plans may require the upgrading of email accounts. Users of Microsoft Outlook often have very large email files with multiple folders and emails going back many years. Due to the size and nature of older Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) they may not be able to be readily backed up, especially to a cloud backup source and will need to be moved to a hosted exchange platform Cloud backup plans are only viable given reasonable internet download and upload speeds. Internet speed and NBN/HFC/Broadband availability will determine our recommended backup regime. IT disasters – a 24/7 Supermarket with multiple virus infections. IT disasters – A private organisation with FileCryptor Ransomware http://dev.itguyswa.com.au/it-disasters-bakery-corrupt-myob-backup/ http://dev.itguyswa.com.au/it-disasters-medical-practice-cryptolocker/ :jk:
Windows Vista – Time to replace your PC
Support for Windows Vista officially ended on 11th April 2017. If your computer is still running Windows Vista your computer is most likely 6 or more years old and more than likely to have a hard disc drive about to die!!! But even if you have upgraded the HDD (Hard Disk) in the last few years, there are a number of compelling reasons for you to buy a new Windows 10 (or Windows 7 Pro) computer. Security Vulnerability If you continue to use Windows Vista now that support for Vista has ended, your computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Internet Explorer 9 is no longer supported, so if your Windows Vista PC is connected to the Internet and you use Internet Explorer 9 to surf the web, you might be exposing your PC to additional threats. Also, as more software and hardware manufacturers continue to optimize for more recent versions of Windows, you can expect to encounter more apps and devices that do not work with Windows Vista. Anti Virus (Microsoft Security Essentials) Not supported or Updated Microsoft has also stopped providing Microsoft Security Essentials for download on Windows Vista. If you already have Microsoft Security Essentials installed, you’ll continue to receive antimalware signature updates for a limited time. However, please note that Microsoft Security Essentials (or any other antivirus software) will have limited effectiveness on PCs that do not have the latest security updates. This means that PCs running Windows Vista will not be secure and will still be at risk for virus and malware. Windows Vista was never a great operating system, slow, buggy and as secure as a sponge. But all bad things must come to an end and it is time to do the humane thing and put it and you out of your collective misery. If your computer has never been upgraded, the Hard Disk Drives (HDD) will be older than 4 years and has a 50% chance of failing, most likely without warning. This could result in a complete loss of data so we strongly suggest immediately making a backup of the computers data before it is to late. How do I know if I’m running Windows Vista? To find out if you’re running Windows Vista, follow these steps: Click the Start Start button icon button, and then type winver in the search box.D Double-click winver in the list of results to open the About Windows dialog box, where you’ll see the version of Windows that your PC is running. How to Transfer your Data and Programs to Windows 7 or Windows 10 Restoring data from your backup to a new computer running the latest operating system (Windows 10) is relatively easy, transferring the programs is not (unless you have the original programs on CD) You can continue to use Office 2007 as support for Office 2007 also ends this year (October 2017), whereas Office 2010 will be supported until 2020 and will still work on Windows 10. If you cannot find the original discs and the licence key, you will need to have someone (such as The IT Guys) recover the key from your Vista PC. Upgrading a Vista PC or Replace? Forget about upgrading a PC or Laptop that is 5 or 6 years old. With the cost of Windows 7 Pro or Windows 10 starting at $160, it is not worth the effort. Even the most basic new computer is going to 5 to 10 times faster and more reliable that a 6 year old PC and small desktop replacements with Windows 10 can be picked up at OfficeWorks for as little as $400. Lenovo Desktop Tower PC H30-05 can be purchased for only $397 and includes 4GB Ram and a 500GB HDD. The IT Guys can transfer your old data and most programs for $198 inc GST. After purchasing your new desktop bring the old and new PC’s to our office and given 1 -2 business days we will transfer all your data, emails and any compatible programs. :jk:
Has your Macbook got the latest updates? You maybe shocked!!!
You may think you have the latest updates on your Mac!! but do you? Even if updates have been downloaded, did they ever get installed? How do you find out what update you have on your Mac? click on “About This Mac” ….. In the above case the Version is 10.11.1 Latest Versions of Mac OS at November 6th 2016 are as follows: macOS Sierra – 10.12.1 (see here for current) …. new updates scheduled OS X El Capitan – 10.11.6 (see here for current) …. new updates scheduled OS X Yosemite – 10.10.5 (No later Updates available) …upgrade to El Capitan or Sierra There is Only 1 way to install updates And that is not by closing the lid or letting the screen go blank (go to sleep mode) Only by restarting your Mac will any downloaded updates install. Firstly, make a TimeMachine Backup and only when satisfied you have a backup, Restart your MacBook. This is NOT the way to update your MacBook, Pro or Air. … closing the lid or shell of a MacBook, simply puts the device to Sleep.. Restart the Macbook and keep clicking on About This Mac >> Software Update and click on “Update All” Let the updates download. Restart and repeat the process ……. Until you see the following message Now your Macbook is truly up-to-date. :jk:
How to Fix Apple Spinning Wheel of Death (SWOD)
What is the cause of the Mac Spinning Wheel of Death (SWOD)? AKA “Spinning rainbow pinwheel” , “Spinning ball”, “Spinning wheel”, “Spinning beach ball” and how can it be fixed? Apple even refer to it as a “spinning wait cursor“ The IT Guys (WA) repair iMac’s, Macbooks and Mac Mini’s daily that are brought to us because they have been rendered useless due to SWOD. Our Certified Apple Engineers can quickly diagnose and fix the issue by bringing your device to our workshop in Subiaco. What causes the SWOD? The spinning wheel (SWOD) usually appears when an Application or process has become un-responsive or frozen. This can usually be fixed by Forcing the Application to Quit by clicking on the Apple symbol in the top left and then choosing “Force Quit” or by pressing Command-Option-Escape, select the suspected unresponsive application and selecting the “Force Quit” button. How to fix the SWOD? Restart Application – If you are lucky, the application will quit or you can use Force-Quit (see above). Once the application is is relaunched it may have corrected itself. Uninstall and Reinstall Application – If the Application continues to be unresponsive, uninstall and reinstall the Application to see if that fixes the issue. You can uninstall most applications by simply dragging them to the Trash. Reinstall OSx. If reinstalling the application fails to correct the problem, the only solution maybe to reinstall the entire Operating System (OSx) and Applications, that is provided that the underlying cause of the problem is software and not hardware related. Make sure you make a complete Time-machine backup before attempting this.Unfortunately, only a certified Apple Technician with the correct testing tools will be able to diagnose if the problem is hardware related or not. Repair or Replace Hardware. The SWOD can be caused by failing hardware such as a faulty hard-disk-drive (HDD), memory (RAM) or main circuit board (motherboard), graphic card, power-board etc. etc. Only a certified Apple Technician with the correct testing tools will be able to diagnose if the problem is hardware related or not. Upgrade RAM or HDD. Some memory-hungry applications need 8 or 16 GB RAM to work properly. Early model Macs only came with 2 GB or 4 GB RAM. Upgrading RAM to 8/16 GB may fix the SWOD problem. Upgrading the HDD to an SSD will increase your overall speed by up to 400%, consider an SSD upgrade if your HDD drive is over 4 years old. Check for Viruses and Malware. Yes, Macs DO get viruses. If the problems appears not to be hardware related, the problem could also be a Computer Virus or Malware. A thorough scanning and removal of suspect applications maybe a fix. Reduce the number of open Applications. Good housekeeping may help. Do not have open unnecessary applications, especially if you have limited RAM. (see 6 below) Install latest OSx Update. A recent OSx update may have also caused the problem, contact The IT Guys (WA) or consult the Apple support forums, they may help you realise this. You may have to wait until the problem has been rectified by Apple with the release of a new OSx patch or update. Signs your Mac Has a corrupt OS A very common Mac issue happens when upgrading the Apple Operating System (OSx) to a newer version such as Mojave or Catalina. You may see the following and not be able to reach the login screen. If you see an image such as the above when starting the Apple computer and it does not progress or go away, the OSx patch or upgrade has not been successful and will need to be re installed completely. See Also iMac Upgrades – Apple iMac Upgrades Macbook Air Upgrades – Apple Macintosh Upgrades Macbook Upgrades – Apple Macbook and Macbook Pro Upgrades Mac Mini Upgrades Windows PC’s Upgrades Windows Laptop Upgrades :jk:
How to update iPhone or iPad to iOS 10 using iTunes on Windows 10
Windows 10 – How to update your iPhone or iPad to iOS 10 Apple’s latest iOS update has just come available as on 13th September 2016, featuring a huge amount of new features and fixes. However, unlike previous updates, this one is particularly large and even Apple do not advise making the change before backing up your iPhone or iPad first. We recommend doing this using your charger cable connecting your iPhone/iPad to your Windows 10 PC or Laptop via a USB port rather than an iCloud backup. If the update goes wrong…. you are in danger of wiping all the data from your iPhone or iPad. Updating and backing up via Apple iTunes is strongly recommended. Connect iPhone/iPad to your Windows 10 PC/Laptop Depending on how you have Windows 10 configured, on plugging in your device iTunes may launch automatically or Windows picture importer may start (see below) If this happens, you will need to select iTunes from the Start menu Don’t have iTunes? Download iTunes for Windows here. To , backup and update your iPhone/iPad using iTunes, you must be running version 12.5.1 or later, so follow prompts and allow installation. iTunes and Windows 10 may require confirmation that they trust each other before you can proceed. Confirm trust on iPhone/iPad Confirm trust on iTunes Upon starting iTunes it will check to see if any updates are required, if prompted, update to the latest version. select “Download iTunes” Latest version of iTunes will be downloaded via the Apple Software updater If iTunes is still open during the update, you maybe prompted to close. With iTunes updated, iTunes will launch, select the iPhone/iPad symbol iOS 10 needs 1.1 GB Free for the installation. If less than 1.1 GB available, you will need to delete some files or programs in order to proceed …. with enough free space, select “Backup Now” to make a full copy of all your iPhone/iPad data to your Windows 10 PC/Laptop. We suggested making an Unencrypted backup, so select “Don’t Encrypt” at the next prompt. Backup should commence and progress can be seen by watching the blue bar. Confirm by checking the time and date of the “Latest Backup“, ensure this is a few moments ago, else repeat the process. With full backup completed, downloading and updating your iPhone/iPad to iOS 10 can commence. As the download is a large one (1.1 GB), ensure your Windows 10 PC/Laptop is connected to the power supply and ideally is connected to the Internet via an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi. A power failure or interrupted internet connection may result in your iPhone or iPad being “bricked” (become unusable). If this happens follow the advice of the following blog post. Here’s what to do if iOS 10 temporarily bricked your iPhone Commence the update for you iPhone/iMac by clicking the “Update” button Downloading will commence, note the status. Upon downloading, a series of Windows detailing iOS 10 features will appear along with terms and conditions. Click on “Agree” and “Next” when prompted. When completed, your iPhone/iPad will restart and all those new features will be made available. Although the above example is specifically for Windows 10, the same instructions apply for Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 with the exception of how to launch iTunes. If you have any problems or wish to add any comments/updates, please post your comments below. If you live in Perth and you’d like us to assist you with the upgrade, please call and book and book an appointment. :jk:
How to update iPhone or iPad to iOS 10 using iTunes on an iMac or Macbook
iMac/Macbook – How to update your iPhone or iPad to iOS 10 Apple’s latest iOS update has just come available as on 13th September 2016, featuring a huge amount of new features and fixes. However, unlike previous updates, this one is particularly large and even Apple do not advise making the change before backing up your iPhone or iPad first. We recommend doing this using your charger cable connecting your iPhone/iPad to your iMac/Macbook via a USB port rather than an iCloud backup. If the update goes wrong…. you are in danger of wiping all the data from your iPhone or iPad. Updating and backing up via Apple iTunes is strongly recommended. Connect iPhone/iPad to your iMac/Macbook Apple iTunes may automatically start and you will probably be requested to update itunes to version 12.5.1 or later. If iTunes does not start automatically, select it from your list of applications To , backup and update your iPhone/iPad using itunes, you must be running itunes version 12.5.1 or later, so follow prompts and allow installation. iTunes and iPhone/iPad will require confirmation that they trust each other before you can proceed. Confirm trust on iPhone/iPad Confirm trust on iMac/Macbook iTunes Latest version of iTunes will be downloaded via the App Store If iTunes is still open during the update, you maybe prompted to close. With iTunes updated, iTunes will launch, select the iPhone/iPad symbol iOS 10 needs 1.1 GB Free for the installation. If less than 1.1 GB available, you will need to delete some files or programs in order to proceed with enough free space, select “Backup Now” to make a full copy of all your iPhone/iPad data to your iMac/Macbook. We suggested making an Unencrypted backup, so select “Don’t Encrypt” at the next prompt. Backup should commence and progress can be seen by watching the blue bar. Confirm by checking the time and date of the “Latest Backup“, ensure this is a few moments ago, else repeat the process. With full backup completed, downloading and updating your iPhone/iPad to iOS 10 can commence. As the download is a large one (1.1 GB), ensure your iMac/Macbook is connected to the power supply and ideally is connected to the Internet via an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi. A power failure or interrupted internet connection may result in your iPhone or iPad being “bricked” (become unusable). If this happens follow the advice of the following blog post. Here’s what to do if iOS 10 temporarily bricked your iPhone Commence the update for you iPhone/iMac by clicking the “Update” button Downloading will commence, note the status. Upon downloading, a series of Windows detailing iOS 10 features will appear along with terms and conditions. Click on “Agree” and “Next” when prompted. When completed, your iPhone/iPad will restart and all those new features will be made available. Has your iMac/Macbook been updated to latest OSx? The above instructions are specifically for all versions of iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air running on OSx El Capitan 10.11.6 You may firstly need to update the operating system (OSx) of your Mac to the latest version before you can use iTunes for backing up and installing iOS 10 to your iPhone or iPad. For instructions on updating OSX see the following post How to check Mac, iMac, Mini or MacBook for MacOS Updates If you have any problems or wish to add any comments/updates, please post your comments below and if you live in Perth and you’d like us to assist you with the upgrade, please call and book an appointment. :jk:
Apple iOS 10 now available, but be careful how you install it
Apple’s latest and greatest iOS (operating system) has just become available (13 Sept 2016). Should I update to it? Apple’s latest iOS update has just come available as on 13th September 2016, featuring a huge amount of new features and fixes. However, unlike previous updates, this one is particularly large and even Apple do not advise making the charge before backing up your iPhone or iPad first. Now the problem Apple do not realise is that many, many iPhone/iPad users have NEVER backed-up their device, have no idea how to do so and have NEVER synced or even connected it to iTunes on an iMac or MacBook or even a Windows PC/Laptop using the supplied USB lead, If the update goes wrong…. you are in danger of wiping all the data from your iPhone or iPad. Updating via Apple iTunes is strongly recommended. Before attempting the upgrade Apple strongly advise you to BACKUP your data using iTunes rather than attempting the upgrade directly through your device. What is iOS 10? Do I want it or need it? How to update iPhone or iPad to iOS 10 using iTunes on an iMac or Macbook How to update iPhone or iPad to iOS 10 using iTunes on Windows 10 :jk:
Computer Repairs Woodlands WA 6018
The IT Guys specialise in Computer Repairs and Fixes to Woodlands, PC Repairs to Woodlands, Apple Repairs to Woodlands and IT Services to Woodlands. Home/Business call outs from $45 The IT Guys operate out of Subiaco to residents and businesses in Woodlands. We specialise in providing Computer Repairs to Woodlands, PC Repairs to Woodlands, Apple Repairs to Woodlands and IT Services to Woodlands. The IT Guys are your “one-stop” IT and Computer Specialists. Our services range from simple Computer Repairs for individuals through to complex business solutions over multiple offices and include: 24/7 Helpdesk & Onsite Support, IT Consulting & Solutions, Cloud Solutions, Fully Managed IT Services, Hardware and Software Procurement, Networking, Wi-Fi and Internet , Project Management, Web Development & Internet Marketing, Computer and Laptop Repairs, Data Recovery Perth – PC/Mac, HDD, USB, Email, Email Solutions, Networking and Internet Solutions for Homes and Offices, Virus and Spyware and Ransomware Removal Mac or PC, Apple or Microsoft, we swing both ways Whether your problem is with an Apple Mac or a PC or Laptop running Microsoft Windows or even a Linux server in Woodlands, the IT Guys have the experience in configuring, troubleshooting and repairing individual devices or hybrid networks. The IT Guys assess, evaluate and provide a fixed-price estimate to fix your Computer, PC, Apple, Printer, Internet, Network or E-Mail issue for only :assess-fee: (providing you can bring the device to our workshop or give us remote access). We can come out to your premises, but we prefer to save you money by having you bring the problem to us. WARNING: Don’t waste your time and money by calling out PC Geek and Computer Nerd mobile technician services to your home or business in Woodlands. It is expensive and can compromises your security and privacy. Calls are answered by eastern states or overseas call-centers and the “technicians” despatched are often unqualified “contractors” that have neither insurance nor police clearance. MOST COMPUTER PROBLEMS CANNOT BE FIXED BY MOBILE TECHNICIANS at your home or business in Woodlands. Calling out a mobile “Geek” or “Nerd” Technician services to Woodlands is a waste of time and money. If a computer, PC or Mac cannot start or is behaving slowly or erratically, the repair can only be carried out economically and efficiently in Woodlands by a qualified computer professional at a computer workshop. If you work or reside in Woodlands, bring your Computer, PC, Apple or device to our workshop and we will provide a written, fixed price quote to solve your problem. Our opening hours are :opening-hours: no appointments are necessary. SIMPLE COMPUTER PROBLEMS in Woodlands Simple computer problems not requiring the replacing of parts (Operating System Updates, viruses, data recovery, E-Mail issues etc.) will typically fall in the $66 to $200 price range and can be turned around within 24 to 72 hours. MAJOR COMPUTER PROBLEMS in Woodlands Major Computer Problems usually require the supply or new parts, components or software. Depending on availability they can take from 24 hours to several weeks to source. Repairs involving the replacement of parts such as Disk Drives (HDD) or RAM start from only $120. If the cost of repairs outweighs the cost to replace, we may advise clients to do just that. You can either supply your own replacement or we can source something cheaper or better suited. Furthermore, we can then help in the transfer of data and programs from the old to the new device or computer. HOME/BUSINESS CALL-OUT, COLLECTION AND DELIVERY in Woodlands If circumstances require on-site analysis (Network, Internet, WI-FI, Printer issues etc.) or the client is unable or unwilling to bring the device/equipment to us, we can make a call-out (site visit) for call-out prices click here. This fee is in addition to any time taken to quote, analyse, fix or repair the problem. Please call for more details, a fixed price quote and to book an appointment. :jk:
Computer Repairs West Perth WA 6005
The IT Guys specialise in Computer Repairs and Fixes to West Perth, PC Repairs to West Perth, Apple Repairs to West Perth and IT Services to West Perth. Home/Business call outs from $45 The IT Guys operate out of Subiaco to residents and businesses in West Perth. We specialise in providing Computer Repairs to West Perth, PC Repairs to West Perth, Apple Repairs to West Perth and IT Services to West Perth. The IT Guys are your “one-stop” IT and Computer Specialists. Our services range from simple Computer Repairs for individuals through to complex business solutions over multiple offices and include: 24/7 Helpdesk & Onsite Support, IT Consulting & Solutions, Cloud Solutions, Fully Managed IT Services, Hardware and Software Procurement, Networking, Wi-Fi and Internet , Project Management, Web Development & Internet Marketing, Computer and Laptop Repairs, Data Recovery Perth – PC/Mac, HDD, USB, Email, Email Solutions, Networking and Internet Solutions for Homes and Offices, Virus and Spyware and Ransomware Removal Mac or PC, Apple or Microsoft, we swing both ways Whether your problem is with an Apple Mac or a PC or Laptop running Microsoft Windows or even a Linux server in West Perth, the IT Guys have the experience in configuring, troubleshooting and repairing individual devices or hybrid networks. The IT Guys assess, evaluate and provide a fixed-price estimate to fix your Computer, PC, Apple, Printer, Internet, Network or E-Mail issue for only :assess-fee: (providing you can bring the device to our workshop or give us remote access). We can come out to your premises, but we prefer to save you money by having you bring the problem to us. WARNING: Don’t waste your time and money by calling out PC Geek and Computer Nerd mobile technician services to your home or business in West Perth. It is expensive and can compromises your security and privacy. Calls are answered by eastern states or overseas call-centers and the “technicians” despatched are often unqualified “contractors” that have neither insurance nor police clearance. MOST COMPUTER PROBLEMS CANNOT BE FIXED BY MOBILE TECHNICIANS at your home or business in West Perth. Calling out a mobile “Geek” or “Nerd” Technician services to West Perth is a waste of time and money. If a computer, PC or Mac cannot start or is behaving slowly or erratically, the repair can only be carried out economically and efficiently in West Perth by a qualified computer professional at a computer workshop. If you work or reside in West Perth, bring your Computer, PC, Apple or device to our workshop and we will provide a written, fixed price quote to solve your problem. Our opening hours are :opening-hours: no appointments are necessary. SIMPLE COMPUTER PROBLEMS in West Perth Simple computer problems not requiring the replacing of parts (Operating System Updates, viruses, data recovery, E-Mail issues etc.) will typically fall in the $66 to $200 price range and can be turned around within 24 to 72 hours. MAJOR COMPUTER PROBLEMS in West Perth Major Computer Problems usually require the supply or new parts, components or software. Depending on availability they can take from 24 hours to several weeks to source. Repairs involving the replacement of parts such as Disk Drives (HDD) or RAM start from only $120. If the cost of repairs outweighs the cost to replace, we may advise clients to do just that. You can either supply your own replacement or we can source something cheaper or better suited. Furthermore, we can then help in the transfer of data and programs from the old to the new device or computer. HOME/BUSINESS CALL-OUT, COLLECTION AND DELIVERY in West Perth If circumstances require on-site analysis (Network, Internet, WI-FI, Printer issues etc.) or the client is unable or unwilling to bring the device/equipment to us, we can make a call-out (site visit) for call-out prices click here. This fee is in addition to any time taken to quote, analyse, fix or repair the problem. Please call for more details, a fixed price quote and to book an appointment. :jk:
