Windows 10 update version 1909 (November 2019)

Windows 10 update issues caused due to major Microsoft Windows updates that are either pending or have failed to install properly. The Windows 10 updates are known as version 1803, 1809, 1903  and 1909 (current as of 26 November 2019) and are major updates Microsoft has rolled out to fix bugs and update older (not supported) versions of Windows 10. To check if you are running the latest version of Windows 10, check the “OS Build version” as follows: Settings -> System -> About Under “Windows specifications” should be: Version: 1909 OS build: 18363 If the OS Build is less than 18363, you have pending or failed updates and these can be slowing down your computer and risking your computer security. How to Update Windows 10 Click Settings -> System -> Update & Security Ignore the fact that windows states “You’re up to date“ Click the “Check for updates” button and wait…. If any updates are found, especially 1803, 1809, 1903 or 1909, either run them straight away or schedule them so they are run after hours as it may take a few minutes to many hours depending on the speed of your hard-disk and the speed of your internet. 1909 cannot be installed before 1803, 1809, 1903 and the computer may need to restart several times before they are totally updated. If you keep putting off and delaying the updates, eventually the update will happen automatically and may put your computers out of action completely or will install at an inconvenient time rendering the computer unusable for a time.   If you have trouble updating Windows 10 yourself, call :phone: or drop by our office, or call out one of our technicians. :jk:

Running Windows on a Mac?

Running Windows on a Mac? Upgraded to Windows 10 yet? Time is running out. If you run Windows 7 on any Mac, you are going to have to upgrade to Windows 10 before January when updates and support ends for Windows 7. Running Windows 10 on older Macs using Parallels may still be possible but using MacOS Bootcamp on older Macs not mentioned below will not be able to make the upgrade which means upgrading your Mac or buying a Windows computer. MacBook introduced in 2015 or later MacBook Air introduced in 2012 or later MacBook Pro introduced in 2012 or later Mac mini introduced in 2012 or later iMac introduced in 2012 or later iMac Pro (all models) Mac Pro introduced in 2013 iMac now has a Windows rival If you run Microsoft Windows on an iMac because of the All-in-One, sleek and stylish design there are now a range of DELL AIO computers that rival iMac, at a fraction of the cost of a new iMac Model 21″ Screen 24″ Screen 27″ Screen Apple iMac $1699 – $2299 N/A $2799 – $7299 Dell OptiPlex 7770 N/A $1651 – $1801 $2169 – $3289 :jk:

Does iPhone offer higher security than an Android/Google Smart Phone?

iPhone v Android. Which Smartphone OS is the most secure. Most Smartphones are either Apple iPhones (using Apple iOS Operating System) or Samsung, Huawei, Google, LG, Nokia, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo etc. (using Android Operating System) There is much debate about which OS (Operating System) iOS or Android offers the best security to prevent hacking and protect your privacy. Neither OS is 100% secure but the general rule of thumb is that you MUST continually make sure your phone has the very latest updates installed and only install Applications (Apps) from official sources such as Google Play or Apple App Store to keep them as safe as they can possibly be, When choosing a new SmartPhone many points come into consideration: The Apple iPhone range tends to be much more expensive than a similar Android equivalent smartphone. An Android user is unlikely to move to a new iPhone and an iPhone users is unlikely to move to a new Android phone, irrespective of which phone offers the best security and is less likely to be hacked or compromised. Existing non-phone devices may influence purchase decisions. Microsoft Windows Devices will happily communicate with both iOS and Android Apps however, Tablets, laptops, Home and Personal Devices may only work with one OS or the other. iPhones work well with Windows devices, Apple iTunes, Apple Music, iPad, Apple TV, MacBook, Air, Mac Mini etc Android phones work well with Windows devices, non-apple devices such as Chromebooks, Google Home, Alexa, Google and Samsung Tablets, Google Play etc Apple iOS devices can ONLY have apps installed from the office Apple App Store. All Apps are tested by Apple for security flaws and OS compatibility before being allowed onto the App Store. This means iOS devices tend to be more locked-down, unable to be customised or run unofficial apps. Apple claims this is why iOS has higher security than Android. Android Apps can be downloaded and installed from the official Google Play store but also from multiple 3rd party sites, some legitimate but others that are highly dubious. Android has the ability to be highly customised and personalised with a wider range of Apps. With this flexibility comes a reduced security regime that hackers and fraudsters are constantly compromising Then there are the social engineering attacks in which cybercriminals attempt to trick users into giving up log-in information, access to bank accounts, and other personal data. It doesn’t matter what mobile operating system you are using: both iOS and Android can be equally vulnerable to these types of phishing attacks. Up until recently Apple had an almost unblemished security reputation which has frustrated law-enforcement agencies and Governments across the globe. See https://www.zdnet.com/article/texas-shooter-fbi-cannot-access-texas-gunman-iphone/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FBI%E2%80%93Apple_encryption_dispute https://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/29/apple-vs-fbi-all-you-need-to-know.html Recently, Google Researchers discovered that the Chinese Government had managed to compromise a number of iPhone used by a Chinese Ethic minority, a fact that Google made much fanfare over but Apple subsequently claimed was a minor and isolated incident rather than widespread exposure. Conclusion In the end, it comes down to a matter of personal choice and budget …… however, a second-hand older-model iPhone is probably a better and more secure choice than a cheap new Android phone. Apple iOS13 is about to become the current Apple OS, and is only supported on the following iPhone models. iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE WARNING – We advise against buying iPhones from sites such as Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace, try and purchase refurbished models from trusted sites such as Kogan for as little as A$199 or from trusted friends and relatives, making sure they sign out of iCloud and put the phone back to factory settings before handing it over. If someone is selling relatively new iPhones for prices much cheaper than Apple are offering, be very wary, they could have been stolen and hence locked by Apple and unusable. :jk:

What version of Windows do I have?

Windows 10 is the only supported version of Microsoft Windows. Do you know what version of Windows your work or home computer/PC is running? Look at the image of a computer screen below: Unless you can see the Windows 10 logo, as above, in the bottom left corner of the screen, you are NOT running Windows 10. If you want know the specific version you are running, goto either : Settings > System > About > Windows Specification or Control Panel > System and Security > System > Windows Edition Windows Versions – Start Button Icons   :jk:

Weknow.ac – How to remove Weknow.ac Computer Virus from a Mac

The most difficult Apple Mac OS virus we have ever come across ….. Weknow.Ac Weknow.ac resisted all Anti-Virus and Malware removers but was eventually removed after many, many attempts and hours of research, trial and error. How do I know if my computer has the Weknow.ac virus? Open up any browser …. does your search page look like the following or similar? If so, you have the Weknow.ac virus and you need to get rid of it ASAP Following suggestions on another website (MacReports) we managed to clean up Safari browser …. How To Remove Weknow.ac Malware (macOS) The advise offered here regarding Google Chrome did not work, we know this because it is still impossible to change the default search-engine away from we know.ac How did I get the weknow.ac virus? Well in our case we were looking for a Microsoft site called “Success with Teams” and instead of typing successwithteams.com mis-spelled it as sucesswithteams.com which landed me on the following page where I was fooled into thinking that Flash Player needed upgrading We found more advice on removing the we know.ac virus on the Apple Communities Website, where we came across two solutions: Wipe and reformat your HDD by going into recovery mode.(Only advisable if you have a current Time Machine Backup) …. “weknow.ac” changes a group of Chrome policies so as to set a new default homepage, new tab behavior, etc. You can see your current Chrome policies by typing chrome://policy/ into your URL bar. If you’re infected, it should be very obvious as the half-dozen or so policies changed by weknow will be displayed. Use the command line to delete / modify the affected policies. You do this by opening up “Terminal” and copy and paste each of the following entries below. I did each one at a time. I copy and pasted the first line and then hit enter and then went to the next until I had finished all 6 below: defaults write com.google.Chrome HomepageIsNewTabPage -bool false defaults write com.google.Chrome NewTabPageLocation -string “https://www.google.com/” defaults write com.google.Chrome HomepageLocation -string “https://www.google.com/” defaults delete com.google.Chrome DefaultSearchProviderSearchURL defaults delete com.google.Chrome DefaultSearchProviderNewTabURL defaults delete com.google.Chrome DefaultSearchProviderName Quit Chrome and restart it and voila the virus will be gone. I tried everything and 3 phone calls with Apple and this was the only thing that worked.   If you think you have this Virus and your attempts to remove it have failed, bring your computer to our office and our Apple qualified experts can do it for you.   :jk:

Purchase a new computer with Windows 10 preinstalled

If your computer(s) are older than 5 years old, it is recommended that your purchase a new Windows computer (desktop), laptop/notebook, Microsoft Surface or tablet with Microsoft Windows 10 preinstalled If purchasing a new computer yourself, we recommend the following MINIMUM specification. OS: Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro Processor: Minimum Intel i5 RAM: Minimum 8GB Storage: Minimum 256 SSD (Solid state Drive) ….. do not use 500MB or 1TB HDD The IT Guys are Dell Stockists and all Dell computers and Laptops we supply are business grade and come with 3 years onsite warranty. We can supply, setup and transfer your data from your old computer to a new Dell desktop or Laptop prices are approx $1,300 new. However DELL and HP refurbished desktops are available with similar specifications as above, by clicking here We recommend Dell Opitplex 7040 SFF Intel Core i5 6500 Processor 3.2Ghz 8Gb Ram 256Gb Solid State Drive SSD HDMI Display Port WiFi Small Form Factor Desktop Computer PC Windows 10 64Bit (Renewed) for only $399 available from Amazon, here. The IT Guys are also Microsoft Surface suppliers, and can supply, setup and transfer your data from your old computer to a new Surface Microsoft Surface How old is my Windows PC? :jk:

Windows 7, Office 2010 & Server 2008 reached end-of-support Jan 2020

Windows 7 operating system (Home or Pro) has expired. No further security updates or bug fixes have been issued by Microsoft* since January 2020. *Exception if you are a large corporation or enterprise and willing to pay to end support. The same also goes for Office 2010 which needs to be upgraded to Office 365 or Office 2019 Windows 10 has matured a great deal since it was first launched back in 2015 and is now far more reliable, secure and robust that its older counterpart. The IT Guys and Hybrid ICT recommending upgrading as soon as possible. Because Windows 7 has been around since 2009, it has become the mainstay of many computer users, especially Businesses. Many businesses rely on computer software that will ONLY work on Windows 7 (Accounting, Invoicing, Stock Control software etc). Before considering any of the following upgrade options, examine your computers and servers and identify your critical applications. Check with the software manufacturer, if those programs will run on Windows 10 and if so, what is required to make the upgrade. The IT Guys and Hybrid ICT are available to assist you in upgrading critical software products should you requires some technical assistance. If your critical software cannot be upgraded to run natively on Windows 10, there are a number of ways that you can still run programs in Windows 7 even though computers are running Windows 10. Contact Us for details and a price estimate. Upgrade Options – Windows 7 to Windows 10 The free Windows 10 upgrade offer ended quite some time ago, so your only upgrade options are now as follows: Purchase Windows 10 and upgrade your existing Windows 7 computer. Purchase a new computer with Windows 10 preinstalled Subscribe to Microsoft 365 Business and get a FREE upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, Office 365 and Exchange Online mailbox. Upgrade Option 1 Purchase Windows 10 and upgrade your existing Windows 7 computer If your computer(s) are relatively new (less than 3 years old) upgrading the computers operating system to Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro could be an option … more Upgrade Option 2 Purchase a new computer with Windows 10 preinstalled If your computer(s) are older than 3 years old, it is recommended that your purchase a new Windows computer (desktop), laptop/notebook, Microsoft Surface or tablet …more Upgrade Option 3 Subscribe to Microsoft 365 Business and get a FREE upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, Office 365 and Exchange Online mailbox Subscribe to Microsoft 365 Business and get a FREE upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, Office 365, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, business-class communication with Outlook, Teams, and Yammer, cloud storage with One Drive and SharePoint… more Upgrade Office 2010 to Office 365 or Office 2019 Purchasing a new version of Microsoft Office today is different from the past because you now have many choices and it’s quite a minefield to negotiate… If you wish to purchase and install the software yourself, Microsoft Office 365 – Annual Subscription Fee, Personal or Home Office 365 Personal – A$99 per year 12-month subscription for one person (choose Office 365 Home for up to six people) 1 TB OneDrive cloud storage and also collaborate on documents with others online Premium versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access (Publisher and Access are for PC only) with Premium support via chat or phone with Microsoft experts Renewing your existing subscription; simply purchase Office 365 here and enter your login ID from your current Microsoft account Buy Now – Office 365 Personal A$99 | 1 user | 1 year | PC/Mac | box (PC) Office 365 Home – A$109 per year 12-month subscription for up to 6 people 1 TB OneDrive cloud storage and also collaborate on documents with others online Premium versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, and Access (Publisher and Access are for PC Only) with Premium support via chat or phone with Microsoft experts Renewing your existing subscription? Simply purchase Office 365 here and enter your login ID from your current Microsoft account For use on multiple PCs/Macs, tablets, and phones (including Windows, iOS, and Android. OS and Android require separate app download) Buy Now – Office 365 Home A$109 | 1 year | PC/Mac Outright Purchase of Microsoft Office 2019 Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 (for Mac or PC) A$169 inc GST, 1 user …one off purchase One-time purchase for 1 device – Install on 1 PC or Mac – licensed for home use System Requirements Windows 10 or Mac OS Classic 2019 versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Plus OneNote for Windows 10 Microsoft support included for 60 days at no extra cost Does NOT include Microsoft Outlook Buy Now – Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 (for Mac or PC) A$169 Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 | one-time purchase | 1 PC (Windows 10) or Mac | home &/or commercial use | box (PC) $A249 One-time purchase for 1 device – Install on 1 PC or Mac – Licensed for home and commercial use System Requirements Windows 10 or Mac OS Classic 2019 versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint and Outlook. Plus OneNote for Windows 10 Microsoft support included for 60 days at no extra cost Buy Now – Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 (for Mac or PC) A$249 Microsoft Office 365 for Business Microsoft 365 Business, includes the following plans and package. Click on the product name for further details on the packages they contain and fro pricing. Office 365 Business Essentials Office 365 Business Office 365 Business Premium Office 365 Pro Plus Exchange Online Plan 1 Exchange Online Plan 2 Office 365 Enterprise E1 Office 365 Enterprise E3 Office 365 Enterprise E5 Office 365 Enterprise F1 Office 365 Education A1 Office 365 Education A3 Office 365 Education A5 OneDrive For Business Plan 1 OneDrive For Business Plan 2 Advanced eDiscovery Audio Conferencing Common Area Phone Exchange Online Archiving for Exchange Exchange Online for Exchange Server Microsoft Flow P1 Microsoft Flow P2 Microsoft Powerapps P1 […]

IT, Cyber & Computer Systems Auditing Service – District32 Members

FREE 8-point IT, Cyber & Computer Systems Audit and Security Assessment for District32 members. As a member of the District32 Stirling branch, the IT Guys (WA) would like to offer a FREE 8-point IT Systems Audit and Security Assessment Even if you have an in-house IT person, IT team or external IT service provider, would you not like to ensure that they are doing the best for your company?Even though they may have the best of intentions, their skills and experience may not be adequate and up-to-date to identify and protect your business from an ever growing number of cyber security threats. The IT Guys have provided obligation-free, independent and confidential IT & Computer Auditing services to scores of small to medium sized companies across Perth. Our audits cover the following area: Software Security Audit – Check for Microsoft Office 365 Business or 2016 Pro Plus plus all other programs running latest updates and patched in line with OS updates. Operating System Security Audit – Check for min SOE (Standard Operating Environment) Windows 7 Pro or Windows 10 Pro, Mac OS minimum High Sierra. All workstations and servers to have current and updated Anti-Virus software. Email Security Audit – Check for Microsoft Hosted Exchange mailboxes and not running ISP, Google, Hostaway or web hosted email on IMAP and POP Backup Security Audit – Ensure backups occurring regularly locally and offsite (or cloud) ensure backup software running and storage devices have no errors. Data Security Audit – Ensure group or shared data properly secured and being backed up. Network Systems Security Audit – Check router and network is properly password protected, has security and firmware updates properly configured. Server Security Audit – Check server is working, is a currently support OS and has all security patches installed. Also check security login and activity directory properly password protected. Cloud & Web Security Audit – Check website is secure and hosted on secure and updated web host with fully patched hosting software. Full and comprehensive audits over large or multiple sites, buildings, offices etc, will be quoted after our initial FREE Audit. Our audit principles are based on the guideline “Maintaining Information Governance and Security” from the “Office of Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)” Please Email us at support@itguyswa.com and one of our principles will contact you to discuss your requirements and concerns and arrange an initial meeting. :jk:

Office 2010 “Unlicensed Product” error

Many Microsoft Office 2010 users have recently been receiving “Unlicensed Product” error and requiring Re-Activation Can I still use Office 2010? Can I still use Office 2016? Can I still use Office 2013? Can I still use Office 2011 for Mac? Office 365 Purchase the latest versions of Microsoft Office by clicking on the links below Microsoft 365 Personal, 1 Year Subscription 1 User Microsoft 365 Family, 1 Year Subscription 6 User Microsoft Office Home & Student(for Mac or PC) Microsoft Office Home & Business (for PC or Mac) Microsoft Office Professional (for PC or Mac) :jk:

How to stop emails going to junk folder

Are you missing important emails because they keep going to the junk folder? Although 90% of the emails in your junk folder are probably genuinely “junk” or “spam“, the occasional important and genuine email will end up there. The reasons for this are numerous and include suspicious attachments, being on a spam blacklist and in many cases a poorly configured email server. If you are running the latest version of Microsoft Office 365, Outlook (for Windows) provides a very easy way way to “trust” or “un-block” genuine email addresses. Find the email in your junk folder and click on it. Now with your mouse do a “right-click” and a menu appears (see picture above), select “Junk” and another sub menu appears. If the email is from an individual choose “Not Junk” or “Never Block Sender“, if the email is from a list or newsletter you subscribe to, select “Never Block this Group or Mailing List“. It’s as simple as that. Unfortunately earlier versions of Outlook, Mac Mail and Web Mail Clients are not as easy to configure. How to reduce the amount of e-mail SPAM you receive Apple Mail – Dealing with Junk Email :jk:

Windows 10 Slow? You could have update issues

Problems with Windows 10 can usually be fixed by making sure all the latest updates have been installed correctly. This should be automatic but these updates often fail and slow your computer down considerably. Windows 10 updates will often fail without notifying the user and cause the computer to behave erratically. Even though you may see the above “Your device is up to date“ DON’T BELIEVE IT Hit the button and check manually. This has been a particular problem on recent update Windows 10 Version 1803 and Version 1703 “the Creators Update” (May 2018) To check that Windows 10 has all the correct updates, run Windows Update by one of the following means. If updates are available, the process may take several hours. Make sure laptops have power adapters in and that they don’t go to sleep. Select the Start  button, then select Settings  > Update & security  > Windows Update. . Or use the search  facility and search for “Windows Update” 3. Or through “Control Panel”   4. Or by clicking on the “Systems Settings” button From here select “Update & Security” then “Check For Updates“, even though the status may say “Your Device is up to date“, This message may be incorrect….. please carry out the following checks ……     Click on “View Installed Update History” – Do you see one or more “failed to install” messages? If you do, you need to “fix” these failing updates. Even if you dont, try running the troubleshooter just to be on the safe side. The easiest way of performing the “fix” is to bring it into the IT Guys and we will fix this and any other issue or do the following. However, if you wish to fix these issues yourself, try the following. Step 1 – in Settings select “Troubleshoot” > “Windows Update” Step 2 – Click “Run the troubleshooter” Step 3 – If any fixes are found select “Apply this fix“   Step 4 –  Windows will either start downloading any required updates it finds. To make sure all required updates have been installed, click the “Check for Updates” button again. If the troubleshooter does not fix the issues, you may need to manually download the update to a CD or USB and install it from there. You can find the link to the Windows 10 ISO here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO The tool will download, then check for the latest version of Windows 10, which includes the Fall Creators Update. Once downloaded, run it, then select ‘Update Now’. The tool will do the rest. Your PC will restart a few times – so save any work first – and then your PC will be updated with the Fall Creators Update, while all your files and settings will remain where they were. :jk:   How to update Windows Operating Systems Windows updates failing :jk: