Now that the holiday season is over, you are probably spending more time at your computer.  Are you having trouble getting that new computer accessory or program to work properly?  Or are you experiencing problems with your current computer system?  We can help!  You may have known Keystone Community Network only as an Internet Service Provider, but the secret is getting out.  We have skilled computer technicians who are ready to address your computer woes.

Problems we can fix:
The computer is running slower than usual
Errors are displayed as soon as the computer starts or it will not turn on
The computer is infected with a virus or worm
Popup advertisements create a slow and non-enjoyable internet experience
The modem stops working
The hard drive has "crashed"
The CDROM or CDRW drive does not work properly
…and many more

Pricing:
The majority of computers brought in are repaired under our minimum bench fee.  This cost covers problems dealing with software repair and new hardware installation.  Computers brought in because of software errors or for virus and worm removal may require a complete system reformat.  A system reformat will erase everything on the hard drive.  A technician will back up any data that you want saved before starting this process.  Once your data is backed up, a technician will then reinstall and configure the operating system.

You will always be contacted by phone before new hardware is installed in your computer or if the cost of repair exceeds the original quote.  Our technicians can advise whether it would be more cost effective to purchase a new computer versus repairing your broken computer.  We understand that you are concerned about how much you spend on your computer.  This approach to computer repair allows you, the customer, to be in charge of how much money is invested into your computer.

Excellent Service:
KCnet is a leader in computer repair services.  We always provide free computer technical support over the phone.  If you would prefer to receive assistance by email, you can email our technical support team at:  support@kcnet.org.  We can provide you with PC troubleshooting techniques that can help identify your problems in a few simple steps.  If the problem cannot be resolved over the phone, or through email correspondence, then an appointment can be made to have your computer serviced at our local computer repair center.  We strive for a maximum three day turn around on all computers brought in for service.

You may have heard that KCnet only services internet related problems.  The truth is that we have the tools and personnel to service all** of your computer, software and hardware, problems.  Start taking advantage of these great computer repair services today! 

** Issues that involve third party software or hardware devices may require support from the product vendor.  Our technicians will provide an explanation of the problem and will do their best to guide you to the answer.

A slow computer is not a fun computer.  Viruses, spyware and adware are the worst culprits!  They can slow your computer to a crawl. 

Most Internet Service Providers, including KCnet, have anti-virus programs on their servers.  All mail coming to and going from members is checked for virus.  If a virus is found, the mail is not sent; it is rejected and returned to sender.

Email is not the only way to get a virus.  Using File-sharing, such as that done when music is downloaded, is a major way to receive a virus from someone’s infected computer.  And, using someone else’s floppy disk or compact disk (CD) can also infect your computer, if the disk creator’s computer was infected.  Therefore, it is important that all computers have an anti-virus program installed and updated.  Experts estimate that half of the computers being used do not have up-to-date anti-virus programs on them.

The other 2 culprits, spyware and adware are usually sent to your computer through the Internet.  Some of them are loaded when you install a free program!  Spyware and adware are small programs installed on your computer that track your every move, give you popup ads and can even steal information from your computer.

If you haven’t installed programs to remove viruses, spyware and adware, you are just asking for trouble.  There are free programs as well as ones you can buy.  The free ones usually get the job done; they are usually more manual and don’t have as many bells and whistles, but they are free.  To find these types of programs, just put one of these words in your favorite search engine.  When you type in “anti-virus + free” into Google, you will get over 12 million sites that refer to free anti-virus programs.  One such program is found at www.grisoft.com.

No Viruses, no spyware, no adware, but my computer is still slow!

Here are some tips that computer users can use to improve performance.  Some of them are not for the novice computer owner, so if you are not comfortable making some of these changes, don’t do them. 

If your computer is a year old or more, you will want to look seriously at this list.  If you are not one to make changes, you may want to take this list to a computer shop and ask them to do these things for you. 

Computers are shipped to the customer with factory settings and drivers, meant to standardize the performance and appearance of a particular brand or model. So, right out of the box, there are some things you can do to improve performance. Try a few of these tips and you may see significant increase in speed!

   1. Clean Out Your System Tray
      If you have a new PC, this is something to watch. If your PC is a few months (or even weeks) old, here’s a helpful tip: Eliminate every unnecessary application. These programs, that start up when you turn your computer on, drain your processor’s cycles and memory. That means a gradual slowdown, until you’re crawling.
   2. Update Your Drivers
      It’s easy and fast, yet most PC users never bother. Keeping on top of video card and chipset drivers by visiting the manufacturer's site frequently can deliver amazing performance benefits. Do a once-a-month checkup of drivers. You’ll be happy you did.
   3. Visit windowsupdate.com Regularly
      This is a big one. Also very fast and simple. The “patches” that are made available on a weekly basis not only provide protection for your PC, they are also designed to improve performance. Do this at least twice per month.
   4. Use Quick Launch
      Common problem. Simple fix. Instead of cluttering your Desktop with shortcuts, just right-click the Taskbar, go to Toolbars, and make sure Quick Launch is checked. Then drag your favorite shortcuts to the Quick Launch bar for easy access, anytime.
   5. Speed Up Your User Interface
      Today’s PCs often come to you with many graphical bells and whistles, and while they’re cute, they rob your system of fundamental power. Faster is better. Here’s our recommendation: Go to the Display control panel, click the Appearance tab and hit the Effects button. Uncheck the first two options, as well as “Show shadows under menus.” Use minimal graphics and go faster.
   6. Defrag. Defrag. Defrag.
      A “must” for busy PC users, made simple. Here’s how: Regular defragmentation can improve your machine’s hard drive performance by massive amounts. To begin defragging, right-click your hard drive in My Computer, select Properties, go to the Tools tab, then click defrag. Do this religiously every month or so and you’ll enjoy smooth sailing.

Until next week...

KCnet Board Of Directors Officers:   President Judy Yoho, Vice President Bill Raco, Secretary Donna Lannan, and Treasurer Don Miller.    Other members of the board:  Carsten Jon Ahrens, Fred Bierly, R.  Keith Kelly, Paul Korn, Amy Lapriola, Tom Livingston,  Ray McGill,  Bob Rolley, and Rich Wykoff.