Too many of our customers are worried about 2 things:

1. Keeping employees away from harmful, distractive, and unproductive sites
2. Keeping kids away from harmful, sexual or otherwise bad sites.

Thanks to OpenDns.com there are EASY, CHEAP, and BEAUTIFUL solutions for all of our customers.

Families and Homes should use FamilyShield. You set it up in the router and the WHOLE network and EVERY device is shielded. No more managing every PC and worrying if the kids figured out how to unlock your software (Netnanny, SafeEyes, etc). You can manage the whole product from their website, without even being at home. Yes, if you are at work and you want to open up Facebook for an hour for the kids while you are at work, 2 clicks and you are done.

Businesses use OpenDNS’ business products. These range from free to some cost, but are significantly less expensive and far more elegant than in network hardware based solutions. It is the essence of a cloud solution. The entire system is managed from an online portal with web filtering, reporting and statistics, web security, etc at your fingertips.

Educational institutions can take advantage of free solutions too.

If you would like a demo or want to find out more, just contact us below.

Cleaning Viruses in 6 Sort of Easy Steps

Some of our clients are the “DO IT YOURSELF” type so we thought we would try to spell out some basic steps to help you fix a virus on your own. Note: this won’t work for severe infections that require lots of manual tedious work. If you need help along the way just submit a request below.

Step 1: Download the software necessary tools and save them to your desktop

• Malware Bytes
• Super Anti-Spyware
• MS Security Essentials
• AVG Free
• ComboFix
• MVPS Hosts File Repair

Step 2: Turn of System Restore

Right click on the my computer icon and click properties. Then click on system restore and check the box to disable it. Viruses like to hang out in the system restore area so we need to disable it to make their life a little more difficult. In Windows 7 this is called System Protection.

Step 3: Install and Run the first four Viral Cleaning Tools

Each of the first four programs needs installed and then a full scan run. Once the scan finishes fix/remove any infections it finds. Some programs may ask you to reboot. DON’T. Wait until all programs are done before rebooting.

Step 4: Reboot Your PC

Once it reboots, just login as normal.

Step 5: Run Combofix

Follow this guide at Bleeping Computer on the steps to running ComboFix. The guide has plenty of screenshots

Each of the first four programs needs installed and then a full scan run. Once the scan finishes fix/remove any infections it finds.

Step 6: Run MVPS Hosts File

Not many people realize the effectiveness of this tool in preventing future attacks. Unzip the file. Explore the folder in created and run the mvps file by double clicking on it. It will seem like nothing happened, but it did. Continue through the prompt and you are done. This file prevents spyware from redirecting your PC to infectious websites in the future. It is not a guarantee, but it is an awesome preventive tool to have on your PC.

Many new and existing businesses cannot afford to have a full or part-time IT manager on staff. Therefore, most businesses rely on an outsourced computer consultant to manage their PCs, servers, and network equipment. In the Susquehanna Valley area most companies rely on the fast, friendly, and fanatical service of Lewisburg computer consultants, MePush Inc. MePush Inc. offers its clients a number of key benefits.

1. No downtime
2. We fix it anywhere, anytime
3. Comprehensive services
4. Return on investment

To setup service or to have MePush Inc. visit your facility to provide a complimentary network audit contact us.

In the Lewisburg area many DeJazzd customers are now Windstream customers whether they like or not. We thought would provide a tutorial on how to setup your Windstream or DeJazzd email in Outlook. In this examepl we use Outlook 2010 but the settings apply to any email client, such as Thunderbird,  Outlook Express, Windows Mail, etc.

Many people enjoy the freedom a web-based email as it allows you to access your email from any computer. If you would prefer this flexibility we recommend you just use Windstream’s webmail interface at http://webmail.windstream.net. Other people want to check their email in a traditional email client like Outlook, Thunderbird,  Outlook Express, etc. If you use one of the email client and want to setup your Windstream/Dejazzd email please follow the steps outlined in the how to video below!

Click here to watch tutorial video on Outlook Email Setup for Windstream Email Accounts.

If the video is difficult to follow, please follow the basic guidelines below.

1. Make sure your incoming (POP3) and outgoing (SMTP) servers are set to be promail.ptd.net
2. Make sure you username is NOT your full email address. For example, if you PTD  email address is johndoe@ptd.net your username would need to be johndoe and NOT johndoe@ptd.net
3. Make sure you have your CORRECT password typed in.
4. Make sure you have chosen outbound authentication (your SMTP server requires authentication) and that it uses the sames settings as your incoming server. This is usually the default radio option in Outlook
5. DO not change the default ports for the mail servers. Ports 25 for SMTP and ports 110 for POP3 are the correct ports to use.

Many people enjoy the freedom a web-based email as it allows you to access your email from any computer. If you would prefer this flexibility we recommend you just use PenTeledata’s webmail interface at http://webmail.ptd.net. Other people want to check their email in a traditional email client like Outlook, Thunderbird,  Outlook Express, etc. If you use one of the email client and want to setup your PTD email please follow the steps outlined in the how to video below!

Click here to watch tutorial video on Outlook Email Setup for PTD Email Accounts.

If the video is difficult to follow, please follow the basic guidelines below.

1. Make sure your incoming (POP3) and outgoing (SMTP) servers are set to be promail.ptd.net
2. Make sure you username is NOT your full email address. For example, if you PTD  email address is johndoe@ptd.net your username would need to be johndoe and NOT johndoe@ptd.net
3. Make sure you have your CORRECT password typed in.
4. Make sure you have chosen outbound authentication (your SMTP server requires authentication) and that it uses the sames settings as your incoming server. This is usually the default radio option in Outlook
5. DO not change the default ports for the mail servers. Ports 25 for SMTP and ports 110 for POP3 are the correct ports to use.

When Your PC Boots Up!

1. Shut down and restart the computer.
2. When the DELL® logo appears, press <F12> key immediately.
3. If you wait too long and the Microsoft® Windows® logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer through the Start menu and try again.
4. When the boot device list appears, highlight Boot to Utility Partition and press <Enter>.
5. When the Dell Diagnostics Main Menu appears, select the tests you want to run.
6. Usually  the express test is fine, but you may want to run the full test.

Guide to Typical Problems that Don’t Need a Computer Repair Specialist

The IT Specialists at MePush Inc. thought it might be helpful to provide some computer repair tips for those common computer service problems in the Lewisburg area. So we tried to break it down into a Q&A.

Problem #1: My computer is stuck and I cannot reboot it…

Answer: Hold in the power button for at least 7 seconds. No, this is not the safest way to shut down a machine, but if your PC is stuck and you can’t use the menus to properly shut it down, this is the last resort.

Problem #2: I have no sound on my computer…

Answer: A) Grab another pair of speakers and test them B) make sure you volume is not muted C) make sure the speaker is plugged into the green jack in your sound card in the back of the pc or on the side of your laptop

Problem #3: I have a virus/maleware/or spyware…

Answer: Install and run full scans of AVG Free, Malware Bytes, and Spybot. If those don’t clear up the issue, please contact our computer service center in Lewisburg, PA. Some issues we can repair remotely, but most will need a visit to our shop.

Problem #4: I cannot see a picture on my monitor…

Answer: Be sure your monitor cable is plugged into the back of your PC. Then try rebooting your PC. Also try turning your monitor on or off. Make sure your PC is not sleeping/hibernating by pushing the power button once quickly on your tower or wiggling your mouse/type something on your keyboard.

Problem #5: I cannot get connected to my wireless network or the internet.

Answer: Power off your modem (DSL or Cable) by unplugging the power cable from the back. Unplug your router as well. Plug back in your modem, then wait 15 seconds and plug in your router. Then reboot your PC. If you still cant get online, make sure all cables are plugged in between your router and modem. Then make sure you see your wireless network and your wireless software shows you are connected. No connection still? Call your ISP (Windstream, PTD, Verizon, etc.) and make sure their is no internet outage. Still an issue? Call our computer repair shop in Lewisburg, PA and we can walk you through some other steps or visit your home or office to resetup your wireless network or likely replace your existing router if it is damaged or faulty.

Problem #6: I can receive email but not send…

Answer: Make sure there are no stuck messages in the outbox. If so, clear them all out by deleting them (you may need to work offline to do so…go to File –> Work Offline). Then try sending a a basic test message to yourself. If you received it you can begin sending again. Otherwise, make sure all of your email account settings are correct. Typically, your ISP will enforce that your outgoing mail authenticate for SMTP. Please make sure this option is checked. Typically, use same settings as incoming server is sufficient.

Problem #7: My computer is running slowly…

Answer: This one is not as simple as sluggisheness could come from a number of different places. You can try the following:

• Upgrade Ram
• Clear Startup List –> Go to Star, Run, type “msconfig” (no quotes) and hit enter. Go to the startup tab and uncheck all programs you don’t need to startup when your computer boots. Generally, antivirus is the only application that should startup. Printers, AOL, Skype, MS Office, etc don’t need to be in the startup list.
• Defrag your hard drive. Start, Programs, Accessorties, System Tools.
• Run Ccleaner. Ccleaner allows you to wipe out history, temp files, cookies, and other junk files unnecessary to your pc. Also run its registry cleaner.

We all want to get the the best experience from our computers so it is perhaps natural that many users have asked us about upgrading to Apple’s newest desktop operating system: Mac OS X 10.6 code named “Snow Leopard”. Apple’s PR claims that Snow Leopard builds upon the strengths of their previous release 10.5 code named “Leopard” while improving performance and adding support for Microsoft’s enterprise communications product Exchange.

Real World Experience

Snow Leopard is what we call an incremental release more like a Service Pack in the Windows world than a whole new version for example XP SP1 versus XP SP3 rather than XP versus Windows 7. Snow Leopard does a lot to let users take advantage of new capabilities in the latest hardware rather than drastically changing the way you use your computer. Thus it should be no surprise that our advice is Snow Leopard is a worthwhile upgrade primarily for users of newer hardware with at least 2 GB of memory (RAM) installed.

Q. But what about Exchange support for users of older computers?

A. To get full Exchange support you may have to buy a new computer. Unfortunately that is not part of the economic reality for most of us, however, most of the features you want to use are available in older versions of the Mac OS as Apple has been slowly developing support for Exchange since version 10.3. The PR for Snow Leopard really refers to the fact that Apple has finished implementing support for the publicly documented parts of Exchange.

Q. I bought my computer 2 years ago. Is that new enough?

A. You only need a Mac featuring an Intel Processor to run Snow Leopard so most Mac built during or after 2006 are strictly new enough. Most of the advantage of running Snow Leopard though comes from the enhanced support for 64 bit Intel processors These are the Core 2 Duo and newer. Since all Macs with processors newer than the Core 2 Duo however shipped with Snow Leopard preinstalled this means that the target audience for Snow Leopard upgrades is really those users of Core 2 Duo machines only.

Q. How can I tell what processor is in my machine?

A. The easiest way is to go the the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen and choose the first item in the menu “About This Mac”. In the window that appears your current Operating System version and your processor will be listed. The computer on which the image below was taken can take advantage of Snow Leopard.

About This Mac Dialog

Installing

Once you have determined that your computer is supported you will need to purchase a copy of Snow Leopard from any retailer. Unlike Windows which comes in multiple flavors, Apple offers only two versions of their OS, one for servers and one for all other Macs. You can however get a discount if you are upgrading multiple computers by purchasing a “Family Pack”.

It is always wise to have a backup of your computer either managed by Time Machine or manually with a product like Carbon Copy Cloner before upgrading your OS. Don’t have a backup? MePush can help… When the does arrive software arrive, the actually upgrade process is fairly simple. You insert the disk into your computer’s optical drive then reboot your computer. Hold down the ‘c’ key on your keyboard while your Mac boots and it will boot into the installer. At this point you should only need to follow the on screen prompts. Very rarely, a problem may crop up; like the installer saying that it can not install onto this computer. Should a problem arise, stop, shutdown the computer and give us a call. Normally, however, you will complete the prompts and the installer will begin modifications to your computer’s software. At this point you can go grab a cup of coffee as the install can take up to half an hour. Finally, your computer will reboot and you will have upgraded to the latest version of the OS. Take a moment and run Software Update for your computer, second item down under the Apple Menu and for your non Apple supplied applications, varies by application but often under the first menu to the right of the Apple Menu or for Microsoft products in the “Help” menu.

What Can You Expect

Soon after Snow Leopard’s release there were a number of reports of problems. At the time of this writing we can happily say that most of those issues have been resolved with Software Updates released in the interim. Most users tell us that the biggest change they notice form Leopard is in Time Machine running much quicker and with fewer problems. You may also notice a number of user interface refinements but our feeling is that by at large the greatest advantage is to those users upgrading from Mac OS X 10.4 “Tiger” who will gain the benefits of Leopard plus the accelerations built into Snow Leopard.

Many customers are asking about Windows 7 and we are selling a ton of Dell PCs with Windows 7 so we thought we would provide some answers to the common questions we hear.

Q: Can I upgrade my PC to Windows 7?

A: The answer is likely YES, but we say NO. That is, if your pc is more than about 1.5 years old I would recommend you do not upgrade your PC. PCs running some flavor of Vista (woe is you if you run Vista) can usually do the upgrade without too much issue, but you still may need to beef up the RAM on your PC because though Windows 7 is a phenomenal operating system it also loves fast computers. Therefore, your pc that is a year or 2 old could be upgraded, but by the time you add the cost of the software ($100+), more RAM ($50-$90), and cost of installation (which is more as you will need to wipe your Windows XP PC clean) you are likely 1/3 or 1/2 of the way to a new PC anyway and then you are stuck with a PC that is a few years old anyway.

Q: Is Windows 7 better than Vista or XP?

A: Definitely better than Vista. Vista is awful and i feel bad for anyone who must run it. As for XP it is better in a lot of ways, but we feel strongly that XP is still a great operating system for a large percentage of users. Windows 7 has an array of new features that many home owners will find very useful, but for the standard business user who is running a piece of business software, Outlook for email, and using MS Office for productivity, etc. doesn’t really need the upgrade.

Q: Should my business upgrade from XP to Windows 7?

A: First you need to answer whether the business software you run to manage the operations is Windows 7 compatible. Most software vendors have caught up and are Windows 7 compatible, some are still not there yet. That said, most applications that run in XP will run in 7. Even if you have the funds to upgrade your entire business or just a single PC to 7, we still recommend most businesses continue to run Windows XP and therefore many of the PCs we sell are installed with XP by Dell and have the option to upgrade to 7 for free. This allows a business the most flexibility in the long run. By installing XP, users get the same operating system they are used to and thus no loss in productivity for the business.

Q: What hardware specs does Windows 7 require?

A: The official system requirements can be found here, but we recommend 4 Gigs of memory and a Core 2 Duo Processor at a minimum. Otherwise, you have a PC with Windows 7, but it feels just as slow as your old PC.

Q: Can I move all my files and email to Windows 7?

A: Yes, as long as you have the software to install on your new PC, you can move your docs, email, contacts over to the new PC without a hitch.

The new Motorola Droid does carry a hefty price tag of $299 with 2 year activation, however, it does boast some long term monthly savings.

1. Droid only requires the $30 unlimited data plan instead of the $45 data plan for Exchange /Corporate email.
2. With PDAnet app ($25 fee one time) you can tether your PC to the Droid and use it for high speed internet access. This means technically you could cancel your internet connection at home and just run off the Droid. This is likely not ideal in small offices etc that require a local network for file and print sharing. For many though, this could be a $40 dollar a month savings by cutting internet service. Keep in mind that the Droid pulls 3G speed which is fine for most browsing and file downloads, but power users who rely on a 5mbps connection or greater may notice a lack of speed.
3. Turn by turn directions for free with Google Maps means you dont have to waste money on a Tom Tom or Garmin. a $50 dollar car mount and your have your phone mounted as your in car GPS. This also saves you the cost of paying Verizon every month for VZ Navigator service.
4. There are a few hundred other conveniences the Droid offers. We will try to write something to focus on the apps available and what conveniences they allow.
5. Our friends at Cellular Connection can sell you the Droid of course. Ask for Caleb or John if you are frequenting the Lewisburg store.