Set it up...back it up...recover it

 

 

I must say one of my happiest moments is getting hold of a new computer or laptop, tablet whatever (you name it) and getting the chance to put it through it's paces. I must say it can be fun to push technology to the extreme to review or just for reference (note, I don't endorse this unless you're experienced and are aware of what you're doing).

 

But, in the excitement of getting set up and playing with our new toy, one thing can get overlooked all too easily. What do we do when it breaks? Can we get our computer back to the beginning? Well yes provided that you have a disk with a Windows installation or a system image from which you can reboot your system.

 

These days, the responsibility is being put more and more on the user to remember to create their backup media and their reboot media in the event the unthinkable happens. Rule 1...get the system image (often called a system recovery disk) created and set up as soon as it is possible to do so. Rule 2...keep it somewhere safe for when you need it. I can guarantee you that many computers end up being replaced or new licenses purchased when they don't need to be because of the loss of recovery media.

 

It's a simple disk to create and most manufacturers put the media creation software into their devices and it will prompt you after a certain time to take action and create your disk. Do NOT ignore this message for too long or you could find yourself with a heavy penalty financially unless you know someone who can bail you out in some legal way (I do not and never will condone pirated software always buy legit or make sure you have access to legit software it always works out better).

 

It is not always the case that recovery media needs to be created from the system when you buy it. Some systems shipped direct from manufacturer have all the required utilities built in to do this from a reserved section of the hard drive and, if you have purchased a Windows disk, this acts as your recovery media but always always double check. If you're being prompted to create media, it'll be because the system doe not have a built in reinstall tool.

 

If you don't know where to start with making this data or if you want to check if it's needed, you would be best to check your manufacturer's documentation supplied with the computer or laptop or with the manufacturer website. They will normally have documentation and FAQs on the subject so do read around but make sure you're checking for support for the correct manufacturer and the correct model type (again this is supplied with the documentation and will most likely be on the system somewhere).

 

If you are having difficulty with this, we can assist you with our out the box range of services to get you fully set up and running and our system recovery options if you need your system restoring. Check out www.worleyitservices.com for more details and as ever, email enquiries@worleyitservices.com if you would like advice at no cost on how to approach these options. But please do not attempt to create backup media or reboot your system unless you are fully confident in your actions and are completely sure it is the best option.

 

For those windows 10 users out there, I have come across a few instances where Windows 10 is unwanted and a rollback is required to the previous operating system. Do not attempt to system restore as this will lock out the hard drive. Windows 10 has a built in utility to downgrade if you wish to revert to your previous operating system within 30 days of upgrading but please, consult with an experienced IT professional first.

 

I do hope you have found this little snippet useful if you are considering purchasing a device in the near future or just for general reference. Comments are welcome so please feel free to leave them at the bottom of this post and we'll get back to you if you have any other questions.

 

Hope to catch you soon

Ash

Blue Screen

A rather nasty failure commonly known as the Blue Screen of Death which we normally take as the computer is broken. Well yes and no so, what exactly is it?

Blue screen is an error that triggers when Windows encounters a system fault and thus saves and initiates an emergency shutdown to help save the computer as best as possible. It is important to remember that this fires after a piece of hardware fails or encounters an error. This is not an error fired generally by software as they have built in (and not always useful) options to inform Microsoft of the issue.

So what should we do when we get greeted with a blue screen error? Well, first of all....don't panic let the computer work through the error. Not all occasions of blue screen are fatal however, turning the system off by the mains will certainly kill the system off completely.

Although not all errors are fatal, they should be taken as a serious warning and that should be the point (if not already) backups should be made of your important files and folders in case the error repeats.

But, what if the computer fails to start again after blue screen? This is normally when a component has irreparably failed and replacement will be necessary. The awkward bit here is, we don't know exactly what has failed and so, many (myself included) have been known to assume that all data is irretrievable. Well not quite, only if the error was as a result of the hard drive failing will the data be irretrievable.

We can offer a free diagnostic to determine if any data can be recovered if this error has ever occurred with fatal results and, if recoverable, we can recover as well (see www.worleyitservices.com/Repairs/HDDRecover.aspx) for more info.

So for the best results, don't panic! Keep calm and restart and remember, help is at hand if it doesn't come back on.

Until next time

Ash

Ubuntu - A Hidden Gem

For most people, the choice of laptop or computer is Windows or Mac both of which are very valid and good strong systems to have. We trust them and we've gotten used to their little quirks over the years (we know the complaints we all have about Windows!).

But for some Windows or Mac isn't the big flashy system we want. Many will have heard of Linux but not necessarily have used Linux. Possibly one of the largest collections of operating systems, Linux systems are just as robust and just as useful. In fact, they can be more secure than their Windows and Mac counterparts as well as less resource hungry resulting in better efficiency. For this reason many servers run a flavour of Linux and this is invisible to the end user.

Now this may sound great but, certain Linux distributions (Red Hat springs to mind) can be quite costly however, as the core of Linux (Unix) has exceptionally similar counterparts, we are fortunate to be able to obtain certain Linux distributions for free...ain't that awesome? These Unix-based systems form the core of a number of distributions and also point to the cheaper price Mac OS X software compared to Windows (seriously read on and I'll explain that further).

The biggest of these distributions is a fantastic operating system called Ubuntu which many may of heard from time to time. A great system with all the features that we've come to love over the years in Windows and Mac and looks a little bit like this:

For those of us that are Mac users, you can probably see the similarities between Ubuntu and Mac in the layout this is because they have the same core system. Pretty cool?

So what are the key advantages of Ubuntu then? Well for a start...it's free including updates and upgrades (apps purchased from the store may come at additional cost). Second, Ubuntu is an open source project meaning that anyone can contribute to the project. Now yes, that sounds risky but these people are experts and have been working on this for decades. But it is due to this, that Ubuntu is relatively secure and immune to viruses. However, this shouldn't be taken for granted and for peace of mind you should source some antivirus software to be safe. There are some good freebies out there.

It doesn't stop here though. As a taster, when you download Ubuntu to a disc, you can boot what is called a live version of Ubuntu on your computer to trial the software. In doing this, your current operating system is not affected and you can experiment with Ubuntu to your hearts content and then remove the disc, restart and you have your computer back as before. This is possibly the only case (certainly the only one I have come across) where you can 'try before you buy' (in this case install).

As well as this, if you're not a hundred percent on giving up your current operating system, you can install Ubuntu side by side with Windows or Mac and use the two. All in all not a bad deal and the installation is clear and well described at every stage.

As well as this, there is a huge amount of support documentation easily accessible by just typing in the issue you have and the answers are there for you, very clear and concise.

So if you've decided that you don't want Windows or Mac or you just feel like something different, give it a spin (please don't do anything you're not confident with without seeking help or consulting the Ubuntu documentation online) and see how you find it. The system will sit on the majority of computers and laptops that have been running Windows and Mac so you don't have to splash out for a new computer.

Hope for those who give it a try you enjoy the user experience of the upcoming system in the computer world.

Until next time enjoy!

Ash

To upgrade or not?

With every new operating system that comes out, be it Mac, Windows, Android or iOS, the most frequent question is should I upgrade my software? The answer to be quite honest, is complex lets not forget the let down Vista was and the abomination that was called Windows 8.

Many did think upgrading to be the best option and were very quickly upset to find several stability issues. However, when the operating system after came round, these users were more cautious of upgrading to then find they were missing out on the complete package that is Windows 7. I can't speak for Windows 10 yet as it is in it's infancy after Wednesday's release however, so far I've heard positive remarks.

Now, upgrading does have numerous benefits including security improvements, especially those still using XP after it's support has ended. But at the same time, the newer systems that are supported by their vendors receive copious updates to keep these vulnerabilities at bay.

To be quite honest with you, it's personal preference. If there are any reader's still on XP then upgrading to at least Windows 7 is a must. If you're on Windows 7, you don't need to be too worried about upgrading at this time as it will be supported for a good few years to come. However, this depends on if you want to take advantage of the free Windows 10 upgrade offered by Microsoft for the next 12 months. If you're on Windows 8, you have nothing to lose in upgrading and you're systems will be the best to handle a newly released operating system.

As I said its preference over necessity at this point for a few years but Windows 10 will ultimately be the defacto in the coming years when 7 is gone.

If you need some more information, visit our new Windows 10 page for upgrading possibilities and advice at www.worleyitservices.com/Windows-10.aspx or get in touch for independent advice on enquiries@worleyitservices.com.

I'll leave it for you to mull over but that's the best way to look at the question. It is preference over necessity at the current time if you don't use XP.

 

The same applies to Mac and Android although, there's not so much a case of security risk as older versions are supported much longer and updates come out more frequently. More often than not, the system will get upgraded when you install updates.

 

At the very least you should aim to have either the current version of software or the version before. These are the most heavily supported systems and will keep you active for much longer before the money needs to be spent on the next best version.

 

Keep it in mind and I'll leave it to you to discuss and debate.

 

ATB

Ash