The Official Pro Computer Solutions Facebook Contest

• Log on to Facebook and "Like" Pro Computer Solutions    AND
• Send Valid e-mail address to matt@procomputersol.com with Pro Computers Contest in the Subject line for notification. 
• After we reach 250 likes the random drawing will be held on February 29, 2012.
• Winner will be notified via e-mail. 
  
• Winner must provide Valid photo I.D. at Pro Computer Solutions 12 E. Washington Street, Champaign, IL 61820 Phone: 217-607-2494
  
• Winner must log in to Facebook at Pro Computer Solutions for official verification.
• Contestants are encouraged to invite as many friends as possible to help reach the 250 likes.

Contest Terms:

 We are going for 250 likes on our Facebook page by February 29, 2012.(The people who have already "liked" our page will also be included in this contest.) If 250 "likes" are received by February 29, 2012 we will draw ONE name, from the 250 names, as the winner. Contestants will be required to submit their frequently checked email address to matt@procomputersol.com for notification purposes, enter Pro Computers Contest in the subject line. Your email and information will not be sold or otherwise distributed to any other business or entity and will only be used by Midwest Automotive & Diesel and Pro Computer Solutions for periodic marketing. By participating in this contest hosted by Pro Computer Solutions, the participant must comply with all but not limited to that which is stated on this disclaimer in order to be a candidate for winning the prize.  The winning participant will receive a PCS 100 or re-certified equivalent. Pro Computer Solutions reserves the right to change the prize at any time before the end of this contest. Pro Computer Solutions reserves the right to disqualify any contestant at any time if Pro Computer Solutions feels that the contestant is involved in any foul play or misrepresentation during the contest. Pro Computer Solutions reserves the right to refuse any individual applying to be in the contest if Pro Computer Solutions feels that there is a conflict of interest. This Contest is held for the general public and for all individuals representing ONLY themselves. Neither Corporate entities nor “Teams” composed of more than one individual may represent one contestant to win. Pro Computer Solutions will provide details of beginning date and ending date of the contest. No actions from any contestant(s) will be taken into consideration of winning this contest before the beginning date or after the ending date specified by Pro Computer Solutions.  There is no age limit for contestants. Pro Computer Solutions will not be Held Liable for any individual(s) attending this contest. All who become a contestant will do so purely on his or her own free will. Pro Computer Solutions will not be liable for the actions of any contestants during this contest. If 250 likes are not received by February 29, 2012, all terms of this contest will be void, and the prize will be held for another contest. If the contest winner is found to have not complied with the rules and terms of this contest an alternate winner will be drawn. If the contest winner does not redeem prize by March 30, 2012 an alternate winner will be drawn and will have 10 days to claim their prize. Upon winning, contestants will be required to log in to there Facebook account in front of an official at Pro Computer Solutions and also show photo I.D. for verification purposes only.

Also be sure to check out Midwest Automotive & Diesels contest. The rules are the same with a different prize.

Computer Registry

Whenever you use your PC, it either reads or inserts entry onto a particular spot in its system. Overtime, this process can accumulate and cause some problems which are hard to ignore. It's because of this that you regularly have to scan and fix registry errors of your PC. This can be done by accessing the registry manually or by using software that is specially design to do this for you. Obviously there are many risks in doing it manually and this method requires extensive training. Continue reading to learn more about this. I will also be discussing a top quality registry cleaner software that we at Pro Computer Solutions use regularly.

The computer has to remember a lot of things - hardware attached, selected system options, running applications, etc. Each time you use it, it has to go through all of these entries. However, there may also be invalid, missing or double entries. Such can be caused by anything from removing a hardware previously attached, to deleting a file or program.

When this happens, you will notice that the PC will begin to work a lot slower than before. Although it goes through all these entries in a very fast manner, still it may take some time if there's too much to read. Eventually, you will also notice certain programs will refuse to run, and system crashes will surface more frequently.

Of course you can always take your computer to an expert to have all unnecessary entries removed, however this is a simple process with the correct software and is supposed to be done periodically to keep your computer in tip-top shape. Doing it on your own is definitely not recommendable, as you can even cause some irreversible damages.

Installing and running a registry cleaner is the best way for someone to help keep their computer running like normal and save the money it would cost to bring your computer in every month or so. This will automatically examine each of the entries made from day one. It removes safely and effectively those which are already invalid, missing or were recorded twice. This is a much safer way for you to do so, instead of attempting to manually remove entries which can cause major PC problems.

You may scan and fix the registry using free software you can find online. In downloading them, carefully read the system requirements so you're installing something that will work best for your computer. Also, see to it you get one from a reputable website. We like Cnet as they promise that none of the software they recommend contains any viruses. There are also those which you may purchase, often with other useful tools. The professionals at Pro Computer Solutions like to use CCleaner for all of their registry issues.

Let us know in the comments section what you have tried in the past and what you use today.
We look forward to hearing from you
This article was copied from  http://www.articlecity.com/

The Official Pro Computer Solutions Facebook Contest

• Log on to Facebook and "Like" Pro Computer Solutions    AND
• Send Valid e-mail address to matt@procomputersol.com with Pro Computers Contest in the Subject line for notification. 
• After we reach 250 likes the random drawing will be held on February 29, 2012.
• Winner will be notified via e-mail. 
  
• Winner must provide Valid photo I.D. at Pro Computer Solutions 12 E. Washington Street, Champaign, IL 61820 Phone: 217-607-2494
  
• Winner must log in to Facebook at Pro Computer Solutions for official verification.
• Contestants are encouraged to invite as many friends as possible to help reach the 250 likes.

Contest Terms:

 We are going for 250 likes on our Facebook page by February 29, 2012.(The people who have already "liked" our page will also be included in this contest.) If 250 "likes" are received by February 29, 2012 we will draw ONE name, from the 250 names, as the winner. Contestants will be required to submit their frequently checked email address to matt@procomputersol.com for notification purposes, enter Pro Computers Contest in the subject line. Your email and information will not be sold or otherwise distributed to any other business or entity and will only be used by Midwest Automotive & Diesel and Pro Computer Solutions for periodic marketing. By participating in this contest hosted by Pro Computer Solutions, the participant must comply with all but not limited to that which is stated on this disclaimer in order to be a candidate for winning the prize.  The winning participant will receive a PCS 100 or re-certified equivalent. Pro Computer Solutions reserves the right to change the prize at any time before the end of this contest. Pro Computer Solutions reserves the right to disqualify any contestant at any time if Pro Computer Solutions feels that the contestant is involved in any foul play or misrepresentation during the contest. Pro Computer Solutions reserves the right to refuse any individual applying to be in the contest if Pro Computer Solutions feels that there is a conflict of interest. This Contest is held for the general public and for all individuals representing ONLY themselves. Neither Corporate entities nor “Teams” composed of more than one individual may represent one contestant to win. Pro Computer Solutions will provide details of beginning date and ending date of the contest. No actions from any contestant(s) will be taken into consideration of winning this contest before the beginning date or after the ending date specified by Pro Computer Solutions.  There is no age limit for contestants. Pro Computer Solutions will not be Held Liable for any individual(s) attending this contest. All who become a contestant will do so purely on his or her own free will. Pro Computer Solutions will not be liable for the actions of any contestants during this contest. If 250 likes are not received by February 29, 2012, all terms of this contest will be void, and the prize will be held for another contest. If the contest winner is found to have not complied with the rules and terms of this contest an alternate winner will be drawn. If the contest winner does not redeem prize by March 30, 2012 an alternate winner will be drawn and will have 10 days to claim their prize. Upon winning, contestants will be required to log in to there Facebook account in front of an official at Pro Computer Solutions and also show photo I.D. for verification purposes only.

Also be sure to check out Midwest Automotive & Diesels contest. The rules are the same with a different prize.

Making Windows 7 Faster

Windows 7 has numerous design, performance and security enhancements over its predecessors. Still new or old computers running on Windows 7 face sluggishness in their performance. There could be a number of reasons for an old computer to run slow, but what about a new one? A Windows OS has many performance settings, which are set to default in a new machine. Here, we will discuss how you can speed up a computer running on Windows 7.

Low RAM
The first and foremost thing about any computers performance is hardware configuration. Make sure you have an adequate amount of RAM installed in the computer. If it is low, then you can sometimes upgrade. The minimum required RAM to install Windows 7 is 1GB but it is recommended to have 3GB RAM (or more) for optimal performance. You can consult an expert at Pro Computer Solutions to help find out what your system specifications are and if you would benefit from a RAM upgrade.

Limiting Start-up Operations
Almost each application is designed to load at start-up, when Windows starts, automatically in order to have maximum use and fast launch. However, this option causes the computer to start slowly. The bottom right corner of your screen nearby the clock is the system tray. Here, all the programs loading on start-up will appear. You can also click the arrow icon to see the hidden programs.

One can use Microsoft start-up System Configuration utility or Autoruns to block the programs from loading on startup. Blocking unnecessary applications can decrease the startup time but selecting the system default utilities can stop the proper functioning of associated programs. Therefore, it is recommended to have expert assistance for limiting the startup.

Remove the Clutter
Use Disk Cleanup to remove the unwanted, temporary, and system-generated junk files from your computer. This will also allow you to remove the unnecessary old system log and empty the Recycle Bin. Removing these files helps your processor to work faster and focus only on the work related files.

Performance Troubleshooter
Go to Start menu and click Control Panel. Type ‘troubleshooter’ in the search box, click ‘Troubleshooting’ in ‘System & Security’. Now, select ‘Check for performance issues’. This will open the Performance Troubleshooter Wizard. Follow it step by step to analyze the performance issues. If you’re not able to understand or resolve the problem then it is the time to give us a call here at Pro Computer Solutions 217-607-2494

Virtual Memory
As the name suggests, this is the virtual memory on the primary or secondary hard drives assigned to do the system work. Windows recognizes this area as primary memory. It is recommended to assign 1.5 times the RAM as a minimum and 2 times as a maximum amount of virtual memory. By default, it is selected to be assigned automatically by Windows. Set the virtual memory property from 1.5 to 2 times the amount of  RAM and check performance to see if there is a difference after restart.

Conclusion
You can follow the above steps to optimize the performance of a Windows 7 computer. If it still runs slow after you have followed these steps then it is advised that the computer be brought in to a professional at Pro Computer Solutions for further assistance.
This article was copied from  http://www.articlecity.com/

Virus Removal and Protection

Scanning and removing viruses from your computer usually isn't considered a fun filled activity. Malicious programs can infect a PC through various mediums, the most prominent which are emails, removable media and wireless networks. Once you know how to get rid of viruses, measures can be taken to make sure that such viruses are identified and removed the moment they infiltrate.

One thing to know is what viruses are and what you can perform. Having knowledge about common infections allows the consumer to identify the virus by its symptoms on the PC. It is very important to know how Trojans, worms, spyware and adware infiltrate and infect the operating system. This step will help you prepare to get rid of virus infections quickly considering that the user will then be acquainted with the best way viruses work.

Be armed and ready while using the latest available anti-virus. There are a large number of anti-virus software that now come in bundles and supply multiple services to you, the user. A good antivirus program comes full of firewalls, network monitors, file system scanner, anti-spyware, anti-adware, email scanners and internet stealth protection add-ons. Having the latest antivirus program trims the prospect of malicious activity occurring on any PC.

Having excellent anti-virus software will only be lucrative when you are updating it regularly. Automatic updates are readily available with whatever software you are using. Update the virus database weekly and if threat of infection is high, updating daily is suggested. Constant updates will ensure you will get rid of the  latest virus threats when they infiltrate the system.

Caution needs to be taken when surfing websites, with there being some sites that demand installing certain add-ons and plug-ins. Other websites offer free software and screen savers when they're visited. Ensure you don’t download and run software that is either not trusted or  the internet monitor cautions you not to download. The latest ant-virus usually gets rid of virus threats before they infect the operating system.


Email protection becomes necessary with the frequency of email viruses being greater than any other kind of virus type. Some emails tend to be pretty obvious, being a friendly invitation from a girl or a gift offer from Microsoft. Such emails mustn't be opened and nothing must be downloaded from them. Viruses might also infiltrate a PC through emails from personal contacts, as a result it is critical to run an email monitor together with your anti-virus software.

 

Our recommendation is that all email activity should be carried out in rich text format and not inside the HTML format that email services are presently deploying. Viruses can attach themselves easily to HTML emails instead of text emails that are purely text and contain no items which allow a virus to add itself to the email.

Yet another way viruses descend onto a PC is P2P software. It is highly recommended that software like Limewire, Gnutella, Bearshare and Torrents usually are not used. But if you must, at the very least have your firewall ready and running at max. P2P engines are only able to download information in chunks (this means you don’t know very well what is on its way in), hence enhancing the chance of an infiltration. So keep the firewall up rather than disable it, and always scan you’re completed downloads before opening them.

Freeware VS Commercial
 
All this talk about having updated anti-virus programs and firewalls sounds a bit geeky, but it’s safer to be safe than allowing a virus epidemic on your PC. It is better to possess a commercial (i.e. paid) anti-virus when compared to a free one. Freeware anti-virus will usually identify viruses, but will lack the ability to clean the virus and can quarantine the files and not delete them, allowing the threat to escalate. Commercial software will always have complete features along with a well-organized virus database to combat the prevailing threats to escalate.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Hope everyone had a Good New Year Celebration! This New Year is going to be huge. 2012 is set to be a big year for Pro Computer Solutions. Currently James Wang is managing the store with Chris Bielert on hardware repair and Robert Brank on software repair and web design. We are growing at a quick pace and soon will have the store set up with various displays that you can interact with and "Test Drive" Before you buy. Also, we will be expanding our workforce to better accommodate our growing client base. Be looking for more updates on this blog, on our website, and on our facebook page. You can also contact us at 217-607-2494 with any of your computer questions.
GOOD LUCK in the new year and we hope to see you soon. 

Midwest Automotive & Diesel: Let's Get Started, Shall We

Midwest Automotive & Diesel: Let's Get Started, Shall We