Upgrade – CBits Tech Support

Recent Jobs

July 21, 2019by Colin BowenLeave a Comment

Working on a Sunday to catch up with filing job sheets. Here’s a small selection of recent work undertaken.

Decommissioning a Windows XP computer. I was going to remove the hard disk and put it in an enclosure so the data didn’t go off to the recycling centre, but someone had already removed it. So, it’s safe to take it to the tip.

Telephone support for email problems, followed by more phone-based email troubleshooting (this time for TalkTalk email).

Remote support for a regular customer for suspected virus clean-up.

Upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 on a desktop PC and a laptop for the same couple. Microsoft is still not charging for this with the method I use, and since the customer pays me a monthly subscription (retainer) the work was done using up their contract hours making this a free upgrade to Windows 10.

Remember, I offer remote support worldwide, so please contact me if you need my services.

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Windows Vista; time to move on

February 12, 2016by Colin BowenLeave a Comment

Google’s Chrome browser is warning that Windows Vista is no longer supported. Here’s what you should do. For TLDR, see last paragraph of this post. Click here to find out what TLDR means.

Chrome support ending on Vista

The exact message is “This Computer will soon stop receiving Google Chrome updates because Windows XP and Windows Vista will no longer be supported”. Well, if you’re using Windows XP, stop it! Now! If you’re using Windows Vista, now is a good time to think about an upgrade or a new computer.

Google’s Chrome blog here states that they’re removing support for Chrome on Windows Vista this April (2016) “since these platforms are no longer actively supported by Microsoft [snip]. Chrome will continue to function [snip] but will no longer receive updates and security fixes. [Snip] We encourage you to move to a newer operating system to ensure that you continue to receive the latest Chrome versions and features.”

Well, that’s not strictly true, Microsoft will issue security patches through Windows Update until April 2017. Google will not be updating the security features of Chrome on Vista from this April. Microsoft haven’t updated the security on their Internet Explorer on Windows Vista either. Maybe you could install and use Firefox from Mozilla as an alternative, but that’s just a temporary fix.

I think Windows Vista and the software running on it will become less secure from now until the end of Microsoft support for Vista in April 2017, after which I would not recommend using Windows Vista for anything financial certainly, for anything important to you, and for anything password-based like email or Facebook as these passwords could be leaked on insecure Vista.

TLDR and the bottom line: For Windows Vista users, over the next year I recommend either upgrading to a new version of Windows, or buying a new computer, and making a gentle transition to the new system rather than waiting until the last minute. I can advise and help with the purchase and the transition.

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Today at Colin Bowen IT Services

January 20, 2016by Colin BowenLeave a Comment

Working in the office today. Already been for my walk and coffee, so here’s the plan:

Replace the failing hard disk in this PC, and transfer all the data and software over to the new super-fast solid state hard disk. It will look exactly the same to the client, but boot around three times faster and be much faster generally, and have more storage space
Logging in to a computer (at a client’s house) to upgrade it to Windows 10
More remote support to fix Windows Updates which are stuck at some failed updates
Logging in to a business client to set up an email account in Outlook 365 on a new user account
With the remaining time, I’ll be working on other “work in progress” and returning calls to other people who need tech support