computer repairs. are too expensive
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Re:
If you can find a local tech-savvy person on here, it'll be cheaper still than posting it internationally. Still, I'll PM you my details in a few minutes.
What's the exact model number? There's several Advent Modenas. M100, M101, M201, etc. Case colour might be handy too, seeing as most are available in black, blue, white etc.
If I know the exact model and colour, I can look up parts availability and fan accessibility in advance. It'd be stupid to send it over and then find out that the fan is indeed broken but isn't available anywhere.
If you can find a local tech-savvy person on here, it'll be cheaper still than posting it internationally. Still, I'll PM you my details in a few minutes.
What's the exact model number? There's several Advent Modenas. M100, M101, M201, etc. Case colour might be handy too, seeing as most are available in black, blue, white etc.
If I know the exact model and colour, I can look up parts availability and fan accessibility in advance. It'd be stupid to send it over and then find out that the fan is indeed broken but isn't available anywhere.
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You'll be able to do most antivirus and software via remote access. Shipping to Belgium isn't going to be cheap.
No amount of antivirus will stop kids (and the wife) clicking things.
Learning to use the cleaning orograms and teaching the kids what not to do is worth it in the long run. It'll only be running slow after a bit.
Saying that, if the fan is rattling, then it probably just worn a new one will keep it quiet.
If it dust and dirt straining it then give it a clean up, see if that speed up the computer as it will probably be throttling to keep the heat down.
Then run cleaner programs one that fixed.
Hinge, probably forget about it and use gaffer tape ;-)
You'll be able to do most antivirus and software via remote access. Shipping to Belgium isn't going to be cheap.
No amount of antivirus will stop kids (and the wife) clicking things.
Learning to use the cleaning orograms and teaching the kids what not to do is worth it in the long run. It'll only be running slow after a bit.
Saying that, if the fan is rattling, then it probably just worn a new one will keep it quiet.
If it dust and dirt straining it then give it a clean up, see if that speed up the computer as it will probably be throttling to keep the heat down.
Then run cleaner programs one that fixed.
Hinge, probably forget about it and use gaffer tape ;-)
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Cleaning via remote access isn't too difficult indeed, Fluffy. LogMeIn should suffice for that.
That being said, I haven't used LogMeIn for over 2 years now. My friends all have dual full HD monitors or worse, and that makes it really laggy no matter how fast my PC is.
It's mainly the hardware issues that I can't sort out remotely. for that alone it will require shipping unless oonaff can do that himself. (with the help of some Youtube videos if necessary)
That being said, I haven't used LogMeIn for over 2 years now. My friends all have dual full HD monitors or worse, and that makes it really laggy no matter how fast my PC is.
It's mainly the hardware issues that I can't sort out remotely. for that alone it will require shipping unless oonaff can do that himself. (with the help of some Youtube videos if necessary)
Re:
I don't agree with that either.
I use MS Security Essentials: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/wind ... s-download for real time protection.
And I occasionally run Malwarebytes: https://www.malwarebytes.org/ and MS Safety Scanner: http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-gb/default.aspx to look for any nasties that shouldn't be there.
In addition, I use a modified hosts file: http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm this "re-routes" your browser to look for known "dodgy" web addresses on your own PC, which of course it won't find there. These are mainly tracking and marketing sites, so when you look at a lot of web sites, you'll see a "page not found" message in place of a lot of banner ads, or blank spaces where they otherwise would be.
I've been using this combination for quite some time and haven't had any real issues so far.
With regards to taking a laptop to bits, I've done it a couple of times and it's a bit of a fiddle, but if you can take a bicycle to bits and put it back together, you shouldn't have a problem. Have a look on the manufacturers web site, you should be able to find a service manual which details the disassembly and reassembly procedure. If you manage to do it without having some tiny screws left over, or losing some, you win a prize.
I don't agree with that either.
I use MS Security Essentials: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/wind ... s-download for real time protection.
And I occasionally run Malwarebytes: https://www.malwarebytes.org/ and MS Safety Scanner: http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-gb/default.aspx to look for any nasties that shouldn't be there.
In addition, I use a modified hosts file: http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm this "re-routes" your browser to look for known "dodgy" web addresses on your own PC, which of course it won't find there. These are mainly tracking and marketing sites, so when you look at a lot of web sites, you'll see a "page not found" message in place of a lot of banner ads, or blank spaces where they otherwise would be.
I've been using this combination for quite some time and haven't had any real issues so far.
With regards to taking a laptop to bits, I've done it a couple of times and it's a bit of a fiddle, but if you can take a bicycle to bits and put it back together, you shouldn't have a problem. Have a look on the manufacturers web site, you should be able to find a service manual which details the disassembly and reassembly procedure. If you manage to do it without having some tiny screws left over, or losing some, you win a prize.
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I was a qualified computer repairer in a former life and still do a bit so if you get stuck, give me a PM or something
*I'll qualify it a bit further to say that I was certified to repair Samsung, HP, Compaq (HP), Apple (now woefully out of date on that one!), Asus, Acer, Toshiba as a warranty/ returns 'engineer' (I use that term VERY loosely). I used to repair iPods, Macbooks etc.
my old gaff, bankrupt in 2006 and now huuuuuge again (on paper)
http://www.regenersis.com/
*I'll qualify it a bit further to say that I was certified to repair Samsung, HP, Compaq (HP), Apple (now woefully out of date on that one!), Asus, Acer, Toshiba as a warranty/ returns 'engineer' (I use that term VERY loosely). I used to repair iPods, Macbooks etc.
my old gaff, bankrupt in 2006 and now huuuuuge again (on paper)
http://www.regenersis.com/
bugloss
Retrobike Rider
Can I pitch in a little here. Although I'm a Mac user and always have been, I found that after messing around with raspberry pi an Openswan vpn and all the other guff that it leads to, that a good starter with anti virus is to lock down all of the unnecessary and redundant ports on your router.
The malware and virus bots that trawl the internet looking for computers to infect go for the weakest point in the first interface to the unprotected internet/DMZ (DMZ= De-Militarised Zone-geek speak for the unprotected internet, where all the information and horrid crap is), which is your router.
As standard when you purchase a router from your service provider it comes with a load of ports open, such as the ones used in gaming, when you want to share a game over the internet (viruses and malware love these ports). If you don't use these ports then I suggest that you close them down in your router. A bit like locking your windows and doors at home.
You really only need to have the ports that you use open and none other.
For example I have 8 that I use open. You probably have 15 or so open that you don't know about.
Mine are;
Web- https
mail- smtp, pop3, mail-ssl
remote access- Secure Shell Server
VPN-IPSEC (if you run one from home or work)
Website-dns-udp (if you host your own)
Server port.
This will provide a robust and free first line of defence that is administered by you and not anyone else. Also change the username and password to your router from the standard which may be root, root or admin, admin. How easy is that to guess, doh!
The next line of defence should be keeping all of your software up to date. As mentioned before by other posters.
Then consider paying for 3rd party software as a last resort if you still don't feel comfortable.
You only need to do a few simple steps to provide security for yourself. I do have free Sophos antivirus and also Trusteer which is provided by my bank foc. My home/office firewall is provided by my locked down router and base station wifi and they are all protected by difficult to guess passwords and usernames so no one can stand in the street and access my wifi or router.
Hope that helps a bit and is not too confusing to understand.
The malware and virus bots that trawl the internet looking for computers to infect go for the weakest point in the first interface to the unprotected internet/DMZ (DMZ= De-Militarised Zone-geek speak for the unprotected internet, where all the information and horrid crap is), which is your router.
As standard when you purchase a router from your service provider it comes with a load of ports open, such as the ones used in gaming, when you want to share a game over the internet (viruses and malware love these ports). If you don't use these ports then I suggest that you close them down in your router. A bit like locking your windows and doors at home.
You really only need to have the ports that you use open and none other.
For example I have 8 that I use open. You probably have 15 or so open that you don't know about.
Mine are;
Web- https
mail- smtp, pop3, mail-ssl
remote access- Secure Shell Server
VPN-IPSEC (if you run one from home or work)
Website-dns-udp (if you host your own)
Server port.
This will provide a robust and free first line of defence that is administered by you and not anyone else. Also change the username and password to your router from the standard which may be root, root or admin, admin. How easy is that to guess, doh!
The next line of defence should be keeping all of your software up to date. As mentioned before by other posters.
Then consider paying for 3rd party software as a last resort if you still don't feel comfortable.
You only need to do a few simple steps to provide security for yourself. I do have free Sophos antivirus and also Trusteer which is provided by my bank foc. My home/office firewall is provided by my locked down router and base station wifi and they are all protected by difficult to guess passwords and usernames so no one can stand in the street and access my wifi or router.
Hope that helps a bit and is not too confusing to understand.
bugloss
Retrobike Rider
Just incase you were wondering where the ports are, they're not round the back of your router. You'll need to log in to the thing by typing 192.168.1.1 or something like that in your browser window to take you to the login window of your router.
You can then log into your router and fiddle with the ports.
Do a screen grab first ( take a picture of your screen) so you know what was open before you start fiddling with it. Then close all the ports except the first 4 on my list and see if the internet works, you can browse and that you can send and receive your mail. If that's all you need then leave it at that. If you have Netflix or something like that you will need to open the port for that. Google is your friend here.
You'll still be able to get into your router if you fudge it up as you are working on a local area network inside your home and that doesn't need the outside web to work.
The ports will have a number and a suffix either TCP or UDP i.e. for https port443 TCP
****"DO NOT OPEN THE DMZ PORT" **** got that ?
If you get carried away and someone suggests that you log in to your computer as root and type the magic letters....... ......rm -rf /...... DONT As this will wipe all of your data and it'll be gone forever and ever............Got that too?
Enjoy taking control and not relying on the man.
You can then log into your router and fiddle with the ports.
Do a screen grab first ( take a picture of your screen) so you know what was open before you start fiddling with it. Then close all the ports except the first 4 on my list and see if the internet works, you can browse and that you can send and receive your mail. If that's all you need then leave it at that. If you have Netflix or something like that you will need to open the port for that. Google is your friend here.
You'll still be able to get into your router if you fudge it up as you are working on a local area network inside your home and that doesn't need the outside web to work.
The ports will have a number and a suffix either TCP or UDP i.e. for https port443 TCP
****"DO NOT OPEN THE DMZ PORT" **** got that ?
If you get carried away and someone suggests that you log in to your computer as root and type the magic letters....... ......rm -rf /...... DONT As this will wipe all of your data and it'll be gone forever and ever............Got that too?
Enjoy taking control and not relying on the man.
TBH, they might be expensive, but they are also easy.
If you can work Google, wield a screwdriver and patiently follow instructions anything is doable.
I've got no patience and can't follow instructions, still managed to replace the c: drive (fitted an ssd) refitted and repurposed the old harddrive (movies, photos and music) reinstalled Windows from scratch (on the empty new drive) and then get it all to talk to everything else on the network (router, printer, couple of other laptops and a dozen "devices")
And fitted a new graphics card.
And reinstalled all the software, cleaned out the bloat ware and had a couple of beers.
Took me a long afternoon.
Next job is a NAS.
Lots of googling to be done first.
If you can work Google, wield a screwdriver and patiently follow instructions anything is doable.
I've got no patience and can't follow instructions, still managed to replace the c: drive (fitted an ssd) refitted and repurposed the old harddrive (movies, photos and music) reinstalled Windows from scratch (on the empty new drive) and then get it all to talk to everything else on the network (router, printer, couple of other laptops and a dozen "devices")
And fitted a new graphics card.
And reinstalled all the software, cleaned out the bloat ware and had a couple of beers.
Took me a long afternoon.
Next job is a NAS.
Lots of googling to be done first.
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