Keep your PC clean of clutter!

Over time, hard drive space can get used up by temporary files (from the Internet, program installations, and more). The easiest and safest way to get rid of these and reclaim disk space is to use the built-in Windows Disk Cleanup Utility. You can search for “Disk Cleanup” in the start menu, or find it under “All Programs” > ”Accessories” > ”System Tools”. Not only will this utility safely find the files unnecessary for your PC, but will allow you to select which of them to be removed.

Another source of frequent clutter on your drive are files stored by your Internet browser.  These files accumulate as you surf the net every day.  To clear these unnecessary temporary files in the latest version of Internet Explorer, IE 9, click the gear icon in the top right-hand corner of your browser and select “Internet Options”. On the very first page/tab, you’ll see a “Browsing History” section in the middle of the window, with the option to “Delete.” On the next window, you get the option of deleting some or all of that data. Some of the information stored within Internet Explorer, like cookies, you may want to keep, as they help track when you revisit certain websites, preferences from last visits, however you can choose to delete all the information here safely. If you’re using another popular browser, like Firefox, you would find similar options under a “Tools/Preferences” menu, typically listed as “private data.”

Keep your PC healthy and up to date!

Updates are an important part to keeping your PC/Mac as secure and bug-free as possible. If you are using Windows, search for “Windows Update” in the Start Menu, or find it directly listed in the “All Programs” menu.  On a Mac, you can click the Apple logo in the top left-hand corner of your screen, and click “Software Update.” For both, it will scan your computer and check for any available updates. Once it has determined which updates you need, you can review them prior to installation, and determine if they appeal to you. If you’re not sure what something is, just use this rule of thumb: if the update is not listed as important, then you don’t have to install them; they’re optional. Anything listed as important, however, is vital to keep your computer as secure, and well behaved, as possible.

Keep your PC safe!

Antivirus or antimalware is another thing to keep in mind while maintaining your PC. If you have an active antivirus program, we recommend opening it on occasion to make sure it is up to date, and has scanned your PC recently. If you don’t have a current antivirus program installed, there are several recommendations we can make.  Norton, Trend Micro, and Kaspersky all make very effective products for a variety of terms and options.  If you prefer a no-cost solution for your antivirus, we can also recommend Microsoft Security Essentials. While lacking some of the features of a paid antivirus product, it offers you basic protection, and is updated by Microsoft themselves.

Keep your PC dust free!

Lastly, there is the physical cleaning of your PC. If your PC is over a year old, or in a dusty location, you may want to clean it with compressed air.  Keeping your PC clean of dust allows air to flow more freely, keeping the temperature down, and protecting the PC from overheating.  If you choose to use compressed air, be careful and follow the instructions listed on the can. Not doing so could result in damage to your computer from condensation (hold the can upright, spray in short bursts).

Geek Squad recommends performing these steps every 6-12 months, to keep your PC in optimal condition.  Not sure this is a project you want to undertake?  These are some of the same steps Geek Squad Agents utilize when performing a PC Tune-Up on your PC.  Agents are standing by 24/7/365 to keep your PC in prime condition.  Chat with an Agent today at GeekSquad.com or give us a call at 1-800-GeekSquad.

-Agent William G.

Agent William G. has been an Agent with Geek Squad since 2004. If he’s not working on computers remotely, or contributing to the Geek Squad Intelligence Blog, he can be seen skateboarding in the city streets of Atlanta.

The video is a simple overview of how to technify your decorations with the addition of two components. The first of which is a programmable light controller that can control any number of lights and other electrical Halloween decorations in a choreographed light show.

There are many different companies that make controllers, such as Light-O-Rama or D-Light. If you’re a hobbyist, you can purchase kits to assemble yourself, or if you’d like, you can even find fully pre-assembled starter packages with everything you’d need.

The second component you’ll need is a computer to control your electronic light show.  In my case, I use an Intel Atom-based computer running Microsoft Windows 7, but the system requirements for a project like this are basic enough that just about any home computer will do.

To program the light controller, you first create a show combining your lighting instructions with the audio or music of your choice.  Sequencing software to do this comes in many different forms, from very simple command line programs to more advanced graphical interface software, such as Aurora, which is featured in my video.

Once your sequence is completed, it can be loaded into a scheduler program on the computer, to be played back on the day and time you select.  The computer is then connected to the light controller by either network cable or through a special wireless link, so that the light commands can be played back by the controller in time with the audio from the computer.

While there is a good amount of work involved in setting up a holiday light show of your own, it can be very rewarding when the local trick-or-treaters stop by and almost forget to ask for their candy because they’re too busy watching the show.

This update, update id: KB973879, was pushed to install on computers via Windows Update. The update has been temporarily removed from Microsoft’s Web site and Windows Update.

Computers with Service Pack 2 installed prior to August 25, 2009 are not affected by this issue.

If you have a computer that is affected by this issue, please use the following directions to resolve it:

FROM NORMAL MODE OR SAFE MODE:

• Open the Start Menu and launch Programs and Features using Instant Search or via Control Panel
• Click on “View Installed Updates” on the left side
• Find the update KB973879
• Click on uninstall
• Restart when prompted
• Install Service Pack 2 to prevent the issue from occurring in the future

If this does not resolve the issue visit your local Best Buy or call 1-800-GEEKSQUAD (1-800-433-5778).

Not to panic… most connection issues can be resolved by following a few simple steps.

STEP 1: RESTART YOUR COMPUTER
Most simple issues can be solved by rebooting your computer. Give it a try. If that doesn’t resolve your issue, let’s move to STEP 2.

STEP 2: MOVE YOUR COMPUTER CLOSER TO THE WIRELESS ROUTER
If you find that this resolves the problem then you may need to add a wireless repeater . If you’re still having trouble connecting, time to move onto STEP 3.

STEP 3: “POWER CYCLE” YOUR NETWORK
To power cycle your network just follow these instructions in order as they appear:

1. Turn off your computer(s)
2. Find your DSL/cable modem box (it’s the one with the phone line or TV cable attached) and unplug its power cable from the outlet.
3. Identify the router box (usually has 5 or so jacks a little larger than your phone) and unplug the power cable from the outlet.
4. Wait one minute with everything unplugged
5. Plug in the DSL/cable Modem (Remember it’s the one with the phone line or TV cable attached) and wait until all the lights turn on. This will take a minute or two.
6. Plug in the router and wait for all the lights to turn green. Again, this will take about one minute.
7. Turn on your computer(s) and go to www.GeekSquad.com/SpeedTest to test your connection.

If you’re still having trouble after following all these steps you’ll probably need some advanced troubleshooting help.  If you need help from Geek Squad have a couple of options:

• If you have at least one computer connected to the network, talk to one of our Virtual Agents.
• You can 1-800-GEEKSQUAD to arrange an on site service visit.

This driver is accidently being pushed as an optional driver update for many computers that do not even have this touchscreen installed — and in such systems, installation may cause your PS2 mouse and keyboard to stop working.

Microsoft is usually pretty good at resolving issues like this quickly, but if this has happened to you, some have resolved it by using System Restore to roll the system back to the restore point prior to the driver install. If this doesn’t work, plug in a USB mouse and keyboard and remove the IdeaCom HID PS/2 Touchscreen device in the Device Manager. Not sure how to do that? Check out Ed Bott’s fix at http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=2326 for more details.

FYI: If all this leaves you thinking, “The heck with Windows Updates!”, let me put it into perspective. Critical updates for your operating system are VITAL. Think of them as patching a hole in your Operating Sysem that virus and spyware creators often use to gain access to it. Without critical upates, your system is more at risk for malware infections, hijacking, identity theft, and more.

Optional updates, however, are a different story. They are, well… OPTIONAL. They exist to add some potential benefit to the system, but are not necessary for the safe functioning of your computer. These often include driver updates for hardware components Windows Updates recognized as being installed on your computer.

The best rule to consider when thinking of downloading an optional update is this: am I having any problems with the hardware currently installed on my computer? If not, I wouldn’t worry about installing optional updates. If you depend on the latest and greatest performance tweaks that come from running the newest hardware drivers, I recommend downloading drivers directly from the manufacturer of your computer or the card (video and other add-in cards) in question, and installing it directly.

In short, if your PS2 Mouse or keyboard stopped running after downloading updates, give the above steps a try and see if the above helps. If not, come visit us at Geek Squad. We sorta specialize in making your technology work well for you.