Just a few of  points of our experience. 

- We did a fresh install of Windows 7 on our main office computer, and it loaded very fast!! We also did not have to load any drivers at all. Windows 7 ran out of the box.

- We purchased a low budget laptop to upgrade our old XP laptop. Windows 7 runs fairly well considering the laptop has only a single core processor.

- We were impressed with the new wireless system tray module. Much improved over Vista and Xp. Basically, when you click on the wireless icon, a pop up pops up from the system tray and shows all the wireless networks, and is much improved over the earlier Windows versions of the wireless manager.

- Windows 7 does not feel like a resource hog, much like Vista did. I actually am leaving all of the Aero feautures on. In Vista, I would always turn this off, since Vista was such a resource hog.

- Attaching external drives is very fast!! In XP, and in Vista, when attaching an external USB drive, it would need to load the drivers, and would take as long as 10 seconds sometimes. The first time I put in my flash drive into my laptop, it was ready within seconds.

There is more, but we wanted to get a post up about our experience with 7. Within the next few days we will discuss upgrade options relating to Windows 7.

Most of us all know, Vista was a nightmare. Windows 7 is suppossed to be Microsoft’s savior. Apple has seen a growing market share, and a part of that has been because of Vista.

CBS news has a good article on how to upgrade to Windows 7. We agree mostly with the theory that you shouldn’t unnecessarily upgrade the computer you have, rather, you should just buy a new computer. We at Asheville Computer can make sure your transition to a new computer is a smooth one. We can move all your files, and make sure everything is just as you need it to be.

In closing, we will be giving Windows 7 a spin here once it is officially released. We will post later on our initial findings, but the fact of the matter is, well, we dont have a choice. As much as we would like to hold onto Windows XP, eventually XP will not be supported. Vista will go on the techie list of bad operating systems, and 7 will go down as the “we don’t have a choice” operating system. From the research we have done, we have determined that Windows 7 is going to be better then Vista, and today, we can accept progress rather then perfection.  

I use remote desktop to provide support, and also to manage my email, contacts, etc. I have my computer at work set for remote desktop. This basically means that I can access my work computer form anywhere. So no matter where I am at, I can remotely access my computer, access my Outlook, access my calender and my contacts, all of my documents, all of my stored passwords, everything. It’s like taking my office with me.

I also use remote desktop to help my clients with computer issues. If the issue is simple, rather than go to the clients house and charge for a service call, I can remote into their computer and fix the problem. I do this using a program called UltraVNC. Once the client and I disconnect,  I cannot gain access unless the client re-runs this program.

A new link has been added on the right hand side of the screen under the pages category called Computers for Sale. These are current, in-stock computers, or computer on delivery to us. We buy these computers when they come available at good prices, and pass the savings and service onto you. Most of our computers feature Windows XP, as we prefer this operating system over Windows Vista.

We also help move any of your files that may need to be moved, and we optimize the computer and configure it for your needs. This is usually all at a lower price then can be found at Best Buy or any other retail place. So you get excellent service and support by a local tech, Windows XP over Windows Vista, and if needed, we can deliver and setup as well, for no extra charge.  All computers (except older, used systems) come with the original factory packaging, paperwork, and 1 year warranty and support from Dell.

Here is our current inventory: Computers for Sale

     I hated Norton, and Mcafee. Both of these programs were huge resource hogs. And about 4 or 5 years ago, Anti-Virus programs turned into Internet Security programs. This even made those programs more of a resource hog. Also, the firewall part of the program is always popping up with “allow this”, and “allow that”, and for the average user, it is an annoyance.

     Granted, a firewall is a good thing. However, I prefer NAT firewalls that are included in routers, and wireless routers. One is pictured to the left. These provide a “hardware firewall” in between your Internet connection and your computer.

     Even without a router, Windows XP comes with a firewall, however I prefer a router. Even if you dont have a laptop, installing a properly secured wireless router, will offer your friends wireless when they drop by with laptops, and its a one time charge for a firewall.

     So, who do I recommend? I recommend Kasperksy Anti-Virus. It is a very good program, and also offers the ability to change the level of protection. Those with teenagers might need extra protection as Myspace and chat sites are loaded with Trojan viruses.  If your running your business on your computer, and don’t go to Myspace, and don’t chat, and basically just do business, then Kasperksy will let you change the level of protection to use less resources, freeing those resources up for your work.

     I also provide a free 30 day trial, buy clicking on the Kaspersky Download on the right. This link will always be here, so feel free to pass it around. If you want to purchase it, please contact me, as we offer it for over 30 percent off than you would pay on the Kasperksy site. 

     All in all, as long as you are running up-to-date virus software, then that is good. However, if you are using Norton, or Mcafee, I do recommend a switch, as those programs are known among the industry as slowing your computer down.

• Desktop Computer
• Pentium Dual Core 2.2ghz Processor
• 1 GB Ram
• 250 GB Sata Hard Drive
• Windows Xp Pro
• DVD/CD Burner
• Setup and delivered for $499 plus tax.
• add a 19″ flat panel monitor for $110 plus tax.

This is an excellent deal. This computer comes with service and support from Asheville Computer. We will transfer any of your files from your old computer, make sure your email client is setup, and make sure your online and surfing, as well as any other issues you have concerns about.

At this point, unless you are a techie, you are going to need help from a professional. We have fixed this virus, and many others, and also offer a discount on Kaspersky Anti-Virus as well. Best Buy sells this program for $59.95, but we can offer it for $39.95. We can also fix your virus issues (depending on the severity of the virus)remotely, using our remote desktop control software. Compare that to bringing your computer to a shop, paying retail prices for software, and the hassle of unplugging your computer, etc. and you will soon realize that this is a convenient way to handle problems.

We hope that you do not run into this virus, or any virus for that matter, but if you do, know that we are here to help. Click on the Contact Us link on the left hand side of the page for our office hours and contact information.

So where does the average consumer start? I wish their was an easy solution for the average consumer but I haven’t found one. Most secondary backup drives sold come with some type of software that will automate the software, but I have tried a few, and haven’t found an “easy solution.”  Here are the reasons why:

1. The software must backup at specific intervals. It must be fully automated. If it requires the average user to initiate, then it probably will not be done a lot of times. People are busy, the last thing they are going to be thinking of are backups during day-to-day activities.

2. The software must back up everything needed. This includes Favorite’s, and either Outlook or Outlook Express files (Windows Mail if on Vista). Also, any Quicken type of software, or any other specialized programs as well.

We do not recommend programs like Norton Ghost, or anything claiming to clone your hard drive. I’ve tried these programs in the past, and they never restored either properly or at all!! It’s best just to backup the files you need, have your restore disk available, and all of your program disks available, as well.

I use a nifty program from Microsoft called Synctoy. It is a simple program. You tell it what folders to backup , and where to back them up to. You can also schedule it, using Windows schedule tasks (which is horrible in Vista), and it will run at a specific time everyday. The problem with this is most users do not know where their Outlook, Favorites, and files are. However, if your a techie, this program is great. I have  found working with version 2.0 more complicated, so I use version 1.4.                                                        

External hard drives are not recommended for use as a backup since it is in the same location as the computer. It is recommended that once a week, or once a month, you create a CD or DVD of your files, and store them off site. You could store them at your office, although some recommend a safe deposit box. This way if a fire occurs, your files are safe.

Online systems provide another way of doing backups. I do like this method for businesses, but not so much for the home user. Main reason is the cost. You are tied to a monthly recurring cost. This system involves installing software on your computer that will back up specific folders and files to an online backup center. I’ve used Esureit and they work well.

Doing backups is very important, and sadly, not many people do it. These days, everything is done on the computer, and a lot of folks are using their home computers as an integral part of their business, especially those who are self-employed. I cannot stress enough the importance of a backup system or plan. If you don’t want to invest the time researching what will work for you, give us a call at 828-242-0341, and we can do it all for you. In some instances, a backup system can be put in place using a network and using shared drives as well. The cost is minimal as it doesn’t take long to install, but the benefits to you are great, as you do not have to worry about losing all your precious files, pictures, etc.

 For those who do now know- Windows Vista is the current Microsoft operating system being installed on most computers being sold today. The Operating System is the software that controls your omputer. Windows XP  was the previous OS that was sold by Microsoft. Before that we had Windows ME ( which also was horrible and didnt last long), and before that we had Windows 98 ( which at the time was pretty good).

We, at Asheville Computer, do not recommend Windows Vista. Why not? For one, it is slow, and a resource-hog. A resource-hog means it uses too many resources for the job that it does. (Another resource hog is Norton Internet Security, but that’s another post). Here is a link to some of the other criticisms. Also, Windows XP still seems to be the preferred OS for businesses.

 We trial ran Windows Vista on a fairly adequate laptop for about 4 months when Vista was released. Our experience was not very good, and we soon reverted back to XP.

Our conclusion: if you took two computers that were the same in hardware, etc, and installed XP on one, and Vista on the other, the Windows XP machine would be faster, and run more seamlessly.

So what does all this mean to you? Here are some suggestions.

• If you are in the market for a new computer, contact us. All computers at the retail stores (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.) all have Windows Vista. This is Microsoft’s way of forcing this OS on the consumers. There are other options. We highly recommend our new computer plan. We help you choose the computer you need (we usually use brand new or factory refurbished Dell computers, all with Windows XP), we can move all of your data from your old computer, set everything up, and you still might spend less money than you would at the retail stores for a new computer with Vista.
• If you already have Vista.  Its not the end of the world. If you have been cruising along, and everything has been fine, then disregard this article, and continue on. We do recommend that you have at least 2GB of RAM however, and some of the earlier Windows Vista machines shipped with 512mb or 1GB of RAM, which is not enough. If you dont know how to find out, call us, and we can walk you through checking to see how much RAM you have.  If you are experiencing problems with Vista, or your computer just seems slow, etc, then contact us. It may just need to be tweaked, and there is a possibility of doing a downgrade to XP.

So what does the future hold? Especially for us holding onto Windows Xp for dear life? Our hope is that Windows 7 will be our savior. We havn’t had much research into Windows 7 yet, but we are hoping this will be much better than Vista. Windows 7 is currently being beta-tested, and more will be revealed in the future. Who knows, we may beta test Windows 7 and post about it.

Stay tuned…