It’s one of the most common statements we hear. “My computer is running slow.” The problem is, most local PC repair shops, or even the friendly Geek Squad at your local Best Buy, can seem a little overwhelming. You’ve probably heard stories of friends and family taking their slow-running or troubled computer into a place like this and feeling ripped off when they get home. Well worry no more, we have the how-to information and clean up utilities you need to speed up that old computer and it is 100% FREE.
Archive for the ‘Free Programs’ Category
My Computer is Running Slow – Help Me Fix It [How-To]
Saturday, January 15th, 2011Stuff Breaks & People Steal! – The Guide to Gift Protection
Thursday, December 16th, 2010
Christmas is here and in just a few days millions of people will begin opening their presents from one another. Many of us will unwrap gadgets and/or electronics, but very few of us will be prepared for the inevitable. Those flashy new gizmos and whatnots will eventually meet with mechanical malfunction, a fatal fall, a catastrophic crack or even theft. Stuff Breaks and People Steal!
iPads. iPods. Smart phones. Laptops. Desktops. You name it. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of expensive gadgets on the lists of “must have” Christmas gifts this year. If you, or a loved one, receive one of these gifts there are steps that you MUST take to protect your new gift from the inevitable. We’ve got you covered.
(more…)
AVG Update Could Cause Your PC Major Problems
Friday, December 3rd, 2010
AVG users beware: A recent virus database update could be to blame for your Windows 7 system failure.
According to a recent forum post on the AVG web site, “that latest virus database 271.1.1/3292 (432/3292) released 12:53 AM CET requested computer restart with inability to start the system again with error.” In other words, if your computer auto-updated the virus database (the expected behavior of any truly protected PC) and restarted, you could very well have a PC that will not boot fully into Windows 7.
AVG has already corrected the issue by removing the failing version of the database, but users who have already been affected by the update FAIL can turn to the same AVG forum for assistance on repairing their PC. A detailed How-To has been posted as well as instructions on using the AVG Rescue CD.
While problems do occur with any business or product, some users might be a bit frustrated by this mistake and looking to “jump ship” on the go-to anti-virus provider. While we at JumpstartMyPC.com don’t necessarily recommend a switch, we do realize that everyone needs choices. Feel free to visit our Software and Tools section for links to popular FREE software programs, like avast! Home Edition anti-virus.
Now I Remember Why I NEVER Use Internet Explorer
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010
Do you feel trapped by your place of work? Is the computer you use every day locked down tighter than the doors on a submarine? Are Facebook and Twitter considered “colorful metaphors” to the IT staff? Well, there may be some relief and a way to get back to the social networking world you desire. Firefox Add-Ons!
I recently went back to work, this time for a very large company with an IT staff dedicated to keeping things on total lock-down so we (the employees) can’t waste time or share corporate secrets via the internet or installed programs. What this meant for me was a return to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer as my one and only browser choice. My first thought was “how bad could it be?”
PC Maintenance Reminder for June
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
Regular PC maintenance is as important as routinely changing the fluids in your car. Without this regular upkeep, your computer can become a slow, draggy, unusable box that has you thinking about a trip to your local electronics retailer.
In today’s article, we’ve posted links to the tools you need and a simple “5-Point Maintenance Plan” that you can follow to keep your PC running like new (or better). The average user can perform these tasks in 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the size (hard drive) and speed (RAM and processor) of the computer.
Google Voice Will Change The Way You Communicate
Monday, June 28th, 2010
There have been very few game-changers in phones and phone calls since the invention of the cellular phone. Sure, we have more sophisticated devices that rival the PCs of just a few years ago and those devices are capable of storing the phone numbers of our friends and family, but the way two people connect hasn’t been improved by much. If you want to call your friend (let’s call him Troy), you need his number and he needs to be there to answer the call. If Troy isn’t answering, you can leave him a voice mail (which he can check when he gets a chance) or you can send him a text and see if he responds to that message.
In a world where most everyone we communicate with has a cell phone, a work phone, a home phone, an email address, a Facebook page and (sometimes) a Twitter account, “getting in touch” with someone should be easier than ever. Instead, you have to play the guessing game of where to start “looking” for Troy. I think that must have been the issue that Google focused on when they decided to start Google Voice. I was lucky enough to participate in the BETA of Google Voice (for about a year now) and the application/tool is now available for everyone to use.
Shop Smart with Apps – Why Retail Stores Should be Scared
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
Saving money by shopping online has been a passion of mine for at least 10 years and I have tried (repeatedly) to share my shopping tips and tricks with anyone who would listen. While I have convinced a few of you to use coupon codes, comparison shoppers and auction sites to save big money, there are still many of you who think online shopping is just…. silly. I am not sure why so many people think shopping should be confined to the walls of a big-box retail store, but I have heard a few arguments that I think carry at least a little weight.
- I like to see an item in person before purchasing
- I want to be able to return the item easily, in case it’s not what the site showed/described
- I need it now and can’t afford to wait a week
- I would only save a few dollars by buying online – it’s not worth the hassle
- I don’t have the time to sit at the computer and comparison shop
While there are times when you absolutely must have an item in hand immediately, I think most purchases are a little rushed and impulsive. Time is an important factor in shopping, but it doesn’t have to be a barrier. Thanks to the makers of some very smart applications for smart-phones, online shopping doesn’t have to be scary, time-consuming or unrewarding.
Norton Helps Protect Facebook Users with a FREE App
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
A recent survey by Norton revealed that 44% of people have been “victim of a cybercrime perpetrated via a social network – viruses, online credit fraud, unsolicited pornography, receiving excessive spam and ‘phishing’ e-mails (bogus messages sent by fraudsters posing as banks and other retail companies).” This number is increasing and the users of Facebook are growing more and more vulnerable to attacks from cyber-terrorists. So, as a user of the largest social networking site on the planet, how do you protect yourself? Norton is here to help answer that question with a FREE application called Norton Safe Web (BETA).
“The truth is that the security team at Facebook works hard to counter threats on their site — it’s just that policing 350 million users can’t be an easy job for anyone…” said Graham Cluley (Sophos) in a recent CNET article. That is where Norton Safe Web steps in. The new tool works much like Web of Trust (WOT) and has already been available as an online service for some time. The folks over at Norton have just integrated it into Facebook for the specific purpose of testing your feed for links to unsafe/malicious content. There are some limitations to this new application, but it is a step in the right direction for Facebook users and their computers.
Hohm Sweet Home – Analyze Energy Costs and Save
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
If I told you that I could give you detailed instructions on how to save $1,000 or more per year, would it be worth an hour of your time? No, this is not a pitch to get you trapped in a room with time-share vultures. This is legitimate information on saving money on your energy consumption and it is 100% FREE! That’s right, thanks to a BETA service from Micorsoft called Hohm, you can begin analyzing your energy consumption and saving money almost immediately. All you have to do is invest the time and supply Hohm with the necessary information about you residence and past consumption.
Before you jump in and begin entering information, lets take a look at this service. According to the press release issued by Microsoft (June, 2009), Hohm is a “new online application that enables consumers to better understand their energy usage, get recommendations and start saving money.” Recommendations are tailored to the individual home, based on house features, usage patterns and appliance information provided by the user. As a user, you can also compare your usage to neighbors and gain access to the community of participants online to share ideas and compare savings.
