A slow computer can be caused by any number of reasons. The most typical reason is due to virus and malware infection. But not always! A slow computer may also be due to a failing hard drive, defective memory or even a severely clogged cooling system. Regardless of the reason, a slow computer is very frustrating and it costs you time and money. But Vicki's  PC Repair Service can diagnose your issue and fix the problem for you all in the comfort of your home or office.

A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user. Is your computer infected with a virus? We can eliminate it for you!  A virus can only spread from one computer to another when its host is taken to the uninfected computer, for instance by a user sending it over a network or the Internet, or by carrying it on a removable medium such as a floppy disk, CD, or USB drive. Some can’t be seen when the program is not running but as soon as the program is started, the virus kicks in, and that is why it is so hard for people to find viruses themselves.  Some viruses are programmed to damage the computer by damaging programs, deleting files, or reformatting the hard disk. They typically take up computer memory used by legitimate programs. As a result, they often cause erratic behavior and can result in system crashes. In addition, many viruses are bug-ridden, and these bugs may lead to system crashes and data loss.

Do you backup your computer?

Your computer has a lot of important information – more than you might realize. If it’s your personal computer, think of all the pictures, music, documents and other files that you’ve accumulated over the years that could be lost if your computer breaks and you need computer repair or virus removal. Plus, if it’s a computer that you use for work, losing files could potentially set your entire company back. That’s why backing up your data is crucial.  There are several ways to back up your computer, such as storing the information on a flash drive, hard drive (internal or external), CD or cloud storage (storing your information on an online server). The type of back up depends on how much information you need to save.  A flash drive or CD doesn’t hold that much storage capability, for example, but both are inexpensive. So, if you want to back up a specific presentation or photo album, both are valid options – although CDs are being used less and less. On the other hand, an external hard drive and cloud storage can both accommodate large amounts of data, which is better for backing up your computer’s entire hard drive and files.  After you determine the back up system that is right for you, remember that you need to organize your data into files so that saving it is condensed into one easy step.  “One obstacle to any backup scheme is organization. Regardless of the hardware or software involved, you need to be able to point to the files you wanted backed up… If you save files that you care about all over the place, your only backup option is to copy the entire computer, which is always a pain in the neck,” writes CNET’s Michael Horowitz.  If you are having trouble backing up your personal or professional files, you should contact Vicki's PC Repair Service. 315-539-3486