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Anti-Virus
Software...
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Windows
Live OneCare. The only internet security suite
designed and maintained by the people who built your
operating system. It's the best because; it's
cheap, it can be used on up to three PCs and because
Microsoft are generally ahead of the game when it
comes to bugs. what's more it has additional
features such as 'Performance Plus' - a disk
defragmenter and security updae tool, 'Backup and
Restore' to keep your system and data files safe |
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We treat
all our clients confidentially and look after data
responsibly and securely |
1.
Can I upgrade my PC’s base unit (case) without affecting the
warranty?
A
bit of a difficult
one to answer... If you upgrade your own base unit within the warranty period
and something goes wrong this
might invalidate your warranty. So if you are in any doubt please contact im2 – we will always perform any upgrades for
existing customers at very favourable rates.
2.
Is my machine ‘future proof’ - how can I get the maximum speed
from my PC?
Nothing is future proof, but for most of our machines the
following upgrades are possible...
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Memory
can be upgraded to a max of 2, 4 or 8GB - depending upon the mainboard |
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If
an integrated graphics adaptor has been supplied then usually the
onboard graphics accelerator can be disabled and a
separate graphics adaptor can be installed |
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Be
careful not to exceed the Wattage that your power
supply can handle or your PC will not boot up |
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Some
manufacturers (ACER, MESH and others) place a
warranty seal across the rear of the case and side
panel. If your PC has a warranty seal that will be
damaged by removing your side panel you will
invalidate your warranty |
3.
How do I protect my PC from virus or spyware damage?
See the section
'best practices...'
below
4.
What happens if I upgrade the PC’s drivers or install a Windows XP
update?
You are responsible for any software modifications – and there is no reason why you should not
do this, however we reserve the right to charge for
re-installation of any system software if you encounter problems
after adding or upgrading software. Please note that you should be
able to create a restore point prior to upgrading your software
and in the event of problems you may be able to 'turn back the
clock' to your restore point if you encounter a software failure.
5.
Can I connect this computer to a network or to other computers?
Yes. Connection to a local area network requires either a
network crossover cable or a network hub
and cables. This will enable file transfer, printer sharing and ‘peer to peer’
gaming. We can arrange to do this for you if you are not
comfortable with the process.
6.
When do we deliver your PC?
We
reserve the right to wait until your payment has cleared before
delivery (by arrangement.) Please note we will only deliver
to the invoice address. This
will help ensure that we can answer any initial
questions you may have.
7.
I'm new to computing - what can I do to improve my I.T. skills?
Why not get yourself onto a 'LearnDirect' course - these courses offer
easy to follow training which can be done either from home or at your local 'LearnDirect'
centre.
8.
Does my computer come with assembly instructions and all the CDs (eg: Windows XP
Home?)
Yes...your PC will be supplied with the following;
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Easy
to follow assembly instructions
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Windows
XP Home CD, manual and unique software key
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Mainboard
CD with all necessary drivers
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Any
additional CDs as supplied with peripherals you may have specified in your
order
9.
I would like you to install my system for me can you do this?
Yes. Please contact us for details of charges. Most companies will charge
you a heavy premium for this service - but not us!
10.
What type of warranty comes with my PC?
We always try to supply monitors with a three year on-site warranty. However,
some monitors are supplied with a one year warranty - in which case we will
always inform you of this. Your PC comes with one year's warranty -
please read our terms and conditions. Note our business has been built
primarily on referral rather than advertising, we take pride in this approach
and will always try to resolve any warranty problems fairly and without fuss.
Some
'Best Practices' To Keep Your PC Healthy
The
following articles have been written following the experiences of some of our
customers (and ourselves) to help keep your computer in the best of health.
Ensure
your PC’s Windows software is up to date…
When
you first try out your PC. The “windows update” balloon will appear in the
bottom right corner of your screen. This offers you a chance to download the
latest software updates. Due to new ways that virus hackers are finding
their way into your PC we strongly recommend that you allow Microsoft to update
your version of Windows XP. All you have to do is:
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When
prompted click on the balloon and let the computer take over, or
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From
Internet Explorer click on Tools followed by Windows Update
You
must be connected to the Internet to allow this function to work.
Please allow approximately 30 to 60 minutes for this operation to complete.
Ensure
your anti-virus software is up to date…
To
keep your PC virus free most anti-virus software can be updated with the latest
virus protection data when you access the Internet.
You can often schedule a regular time to download the latest virus updates or
select a specific time, or you can opt for a specific ‘time period’ (e.g.
9:00am to 5:00pm) to allow updates to be downloaded.
Make sure you can get back to where you started…
Scenario:
You are thinking of loading some new software onto your PC but worried
that it might damage your computer, here’s what you should you do to minimise
damage to your PC…
If
you are running Windows XP™ you can create a System Restore Point to ensure
that you can ‘roll back’ to how your computer was prior to installing your
new software.
System Restore
System Restore
lets you set your computer back to a time when it was
working without inciden. System Restore takes a snapshot of
your computer's configurations, files and settings. It then tightly
compresses this snapshot and stores it on your hard disk, creating a restore
point that you can revert to in times of computer crisis.
System Restore does NOT affect your data.
To
set up a System Restore Point:
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Click
the Start button.
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Point
to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools,
and then…
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Click
System Restore.
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Choose
Create a restore point, and then click Next.
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In
the Restore point description box, type a name for your restore point
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Click
Next & then click OK.
“My
software installation went wrong – what can I do…”
Once
you have restore points configured, it's easy to revert to them. Don't worry
about losing information in recent documents or e-mail messages, as System
Restore doesn't alter your personal files. You also have the option of reversing
any changes that System Restore makes to your computer.
To
restore your computer settings from an earlier time:
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Click the
Start button
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Point to
Programs,
point to Accessories, point to System Tools
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Click
System Restore
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Choose
Restore my
computer to an earlier time, and then click Next
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Click a day on the
calendar, check and click the restore point description, then Click Next
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Make sure you have closed
all your files and open programs
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Click
OK to close
the dialog box and then click Next
Your
system will revert to its previous settings, your time will return to its usual
dimensions, and you can go full speed ahead.
Adding new hardware, such as a camera - to your system…
One
of Windows XP’s best features is its compatibility with multimedia devices.
But even XP has its limits.
To ensure that you have an event free time installing your new hardware
device please consider the following:
Make
sure your device will work with the operating system you are using - you can do
some research on the Internet to ensure your new device is ‘up to scratch’
before you have purchased the article
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Ensure
you have set a restore point (see previous article) if you haven’t set a
restore point do it now
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Quit
all other programs which you are running
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Ensure
you have the appropriate software disk supporting your hardware – you will
need this disk to install the device correctly
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Follow
the installation instructions carefully
Remember
if it all goes wrong you can still restore your PC to a previous (or future)
restore point.
Back Up Your Data Regularly
Loosing
all of your data is the probably the most important contingency you should plan
for.
To minimise the damage you should back up your data files on a regular
basis.
The following steps apply to the Windows XP operating system only – if
you are using another operating system you will have to install separate
CD-writing software.
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Insert
a writeable (or re-writeable) CD into your CD unit
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In
Windows Explorer, select the files/folders you wish to write to the CD by
right-clicking on each file/folder
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Point
to Send To
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Point
to CD-RW Drive
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A
message – “You have files waiting to be written to the CD” will
appear in a balloon at the bottom right of your screen
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Continue
steps 2 to 4 above until you are sure you have all the data you want to back
up
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Click
on the balloon
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A
new window opens showing the files and folders you have selected to write to
CD
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Select
Write These Files To CD on the left margin of the window
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