Menu

Tips and Tricks

What’s in my Computers? A basic guide

,

By Ayse Stenabaugh

When purchasing a new computer you may find yourself overwhelmed by all of the technical specifications that are presented to you. It’s a good idea to have a basic understanding of what this information means so that you don’t end with a machine that can’t handle the applications you are trying to us. Read on to find out a little bit about what each component is, our recommended specification for each and how components play a role in your computers performance.

 

What’s in my Computers? A basic guide

Motherboard

Think of your computers motherboard like you do your nervous system. It’s a crucial component that links all the other components together. This main board is the primary line of communication between all components. If you buy a pre-built computer most likely you won’t know what the motherboards brand is but some computer specifications will relate to the motherboard. All external connections to your device will be made either directly to your motherboard or to your computer case (via cables that lead to the front panel on a desktop computer). Specifications for your motherboard that you should be aware of include video output (HDMI, DVI, VGA, Display port etc.), USB’s (3.0 is faster for supported devices), audio outputs, memory card readers and any other kind of external connection.

What’s in my Computers? A basic guide

CPU

The CPU is your computers brain. All the instructions and commands that are provided to your computer are processed here. Not all processors are created equal and Atom and Celeron processors are the slowest on the market. Most processors have multiple cores including dual-core, quad-core etc. Processors that have multiple cores divide tasks up between the cores to become more efficient. You cannot upgrade the processor in a laptop computer so its highly recommended that you consider the speed you will need for applications you need and when in doubt contact a computer support professional (such as us at Jester’s Computers) to get recommendations on what will work well for your needs.

What’s in my Computers? A basic guide

Hard Drive

The hard drive is where all of the data on your computer is stored including programs, documents pictures and settings. Standard SATA (and older IDE drives) have moving parts inside and with use they can wear out causing data corruption and eventually total failure or data loss. The failure rate of hard drives is higher during the first year of operation (typically from manufacturer defects) and increases again after three to four years of usage. It’s important to note that hard drives can fail at any moment. It is always a good idea to have some kind of backup solution in place for anything that you can’t live without. Odd hard drive sizes such as 320 GB and 740 GB also tend to have a higher failure rate. Hard drive speeds can vary so if you decide to upgrade or change your existing hard drive make sure your getting a high quality hard drive with the higher speeds to increase computer performance. Solid State Hard Drives will eventually become the standard since they have no moving parts and are much faster and more reliable than standard drives. See our advertisement in this paper to receive a discount when upgrading to a Solid State Drive.

What’s in my Computers? A basic guide

Memory

If you consider your hard drive to be similar to your long-term memory or data storage, your computers memory is similar to your short term memory or short-term data storage. The greater the amount of memory and processing power your computer has the more functions that can be performed faster. When you don’t have enough memory to support the applications you are trying to run, your computer’s hard drive acts as a temporary short-term storage location which is much slower. Each computer’s motherboard works with specific memory speeds and has a maximum amount of memory that can be installed. DDR3 memory and DDR4 memory are the most common types used although DDR4 is not quite as common just yet.

What’s in my Computers? A basic guide

Power Supply

Desktop computers have power supplies that can be removed and replaced whereas laptops and most all-in-one devices plug directly into the motherboard. Smaller or slim-line desktops that don’t have a standard case size require a special power supply which can be almost double the cost to replace over standard power supplies. If your computer isn’t turning on you may have a bad power supply which can be tested at your local repair shop and replaced if need be. Most laptops and all-in-one PC’s will have an external power supply box that is part of the power cable for the device, these can go bad over time and can be replaced inexpensively. To minimize the possibility of a surge on your computer, shut your computers down anytime you are expecting a storm or if you are going to be away from your home for more than a day.

What’s in my Computers? A basic guide

CD/DVD Drive

Many newer laptops don’t come with CD/DVD drives and if needed, an external usb cd drive can be purchased for use on these devices. These drives can go bad with use and are not expensive to replace on a standard desktop computer. For those with a slim-line PC, laptop or all-in-one device you may pay extra for installation fees and/or the replacement hardware. Some laptops have what is called a slot loading CD/DVD drive which has no disc drawer, instead these drives have a button that is pressed to eject the disc much like a car stereo.

 

Need more help? Contact us for support!

If you would like to learn more about your computers hardware, software or are interested in having a custom computer built to meet your needs, contact Jester’s Computer Services in Fairfield. We can be reached by phone at (717) 642-6611, email at customerservice@jesterscomputers.com or by visiting us at 5135 Fairfield Road. For more free tips and tricks for your PC visit www.jesterscomputers.com

Not in our local area? We offer remote support for those with an active high speed internet connection. 

stop

SCAMS: How to protect yourself and what to do if you are a victim

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Your phone rings, an automated voice states that the IRS has sought a lawsuit against you and the recording urges you to call a phone number to get the matter resolved. Perhaps your phone rings and a live person explains that they are calling from Microsoft and that suspicious behavior was detected on your computer and they need to take control of your device immediately to prevent further damage. STOP! None of these claims are true and a large number of people especially the elderly are being taken advantage of by falling victim to their claims and many people have even paid the “IRS” or “Microsoft” to protect themselves.

Phone Scams

Let me ask you this, does a plumber call you when your pipes leak? Does the Fire department call you when your house is on fire? These scams have become increasingly popular and they are working harder and getting smarter about how they try to trick you into handing over your hard-earned money.

The scammers have gone so far as to make it appear that legitimate companies are calling you. For example, a few weeks ago we received a call with the caller ID stating it was Dell calling us, the number that called us was actually DELL’s phone number but it was not Dell that was calling. The scammers were spoofing their phone number to make it appear that they were Dell in an effort to gain your trust and steal your information or money.


What to do if you are a victim of a phone scam

If you or someone you know has fallen victim to these scams you should document any information related to the incident and forward the information to your local police department. If you allowed someone to take control of your computer they could leave malicious software behind that can log your keystrokes and steal your sensitive account information. You should turn your computer off immediately and seek professional assistance in cleaning up your computer. (Jester’s Computers in Fairfield provides clean-up services and they are fast, reliable and affordable).

If you provided the scammer with account information or sent them money, contact your financial institution right away and have the charges reversed. You should also cancel any accounts that you have provided information for to avoid any unexpected future charges. Many times, the scammers claim that you need to have your computer cleaned and will charge you upwards of $250 for a service that is much less expensive locally ($99 at Jester’s Computers).

E-mail Scams

Many users have reported phishing scams in their email which are very similar to the phone scams. Users receive an email that appears to be from their bank or a popular website such as Ebay, PayPal, FedEx, UPS or Amazon. Phishing scams are emails that are received that appear to be from a legitimate source but are not. Most of the time the emails will state that there is a problem and that they need you to logon to their website to resolve the issue. Upon clicking on the links in the email you may be taken to a website which appears to be the legitimate website but many times they are fake and steal your account information.

If you receive any emails claiming that your entitled to money or instructing you to open an attachment with a password the email could contain a virus. Don’t open any attachments from anyone you don’t know. You should even be wary of friends or family members that send you attachments you are not expecting since their accounts could be compromised. It’s best to send a quick email to them or give them a call to verify that they sent it.

How to protect yourself from e-mail scams

If you receive an email that states your account has a problem don’t click on any links inside the email. Instead you can visit the website directly by typing the web address in the address bar at the top of your web browser. For example, if you receive an email stating that your Paypal account needs verified you should type in the address bar www.paypal.com any information that Paypal sent to you regarding your account should also be available on their website.

If it’s too late and you realize you are the victim of a phishing scam you should immediately change your password for that account. If you have any other accounts that use the same password and username (or email address) you should change those as well. Mark the phishing emails you received as spam to help report the email address.

Anytime you receive an email that comes from a big company you should be able to identify if the email is real or not by looking at the actual email address. Scammers will register similar domain names to appear as though they are from a legitimate source. For example, an email from FedEx should be coming from @fedex.com not @fedx.com. When you click on any email links you can also verify that the web address takes you to the correct website in this example you should land on www.fedex.com not www.fedx.com.

If you find yourself to have fallen victim to a phone or phishing scam contact Jester’s Computers at (717) 642-6611 or email customerservice@jesterscomputers.com to seek help. Jesters computers is located at 5135 Fairfield Road in Fairfield PA and is a family owned and operated business that has been established for over 20 years.

 

 

Computer-Diagnostics

How to troubleshoot your PC issue before calling for help

, , , , , ,

When things go wrong with your computer it can be so frustrating and overwhelming that you may find yourself reaching out for help immediately. Before you contact someone for help we strongly recommend that you perform some basic steps on your computer before taking drastic measures.

FIRST – Restart your device

There are many operations your computer may be performing that can cause your device to not work properly. For example, let’s say you opened a program early in the day which you then closed later on. Hours later you try to do something and it won’t work. It’s possible that the program that you opened earlier in the day did not close properly and is still using valuable system resources that the action you are now trying to perform needs available for the task to complete.

Restarting your machine should always be the first step to troubleshooting your device no matter what the issue is. Restarting your machine will force programs to close and may trigger updates to complete installation.

 

SECOND – Determine the root of the issue

Many times people believe their computers aren’t working when just one particular thing isn’t working. Try to narrow your issue down as best as you can by first determining if your issue requires internet access. If your trying to visit a website or check your email or anything else that involves the internet you can try restarting the modem that your internet provider sent to you by disconnecting power waiting 30 seconds and reapplying power to the device. After about 2-3 minutes restart your computer and try to perform your action once again. If your issue doesn’t require internet access, try to write down as much information as you can regarding your issue. For example, if your issue is that a program won’t open, you would want to document what program won’t load and any error messages that appear.  Provide any information you have documented regarding your issue to your local repair shop.

THIRD – Be wary of BAD tech support companies and software

We can’t stress this enough – no one will EVER call your phone to tell you your computer has a problem. Dell won’t even call you to tell you if there is a recall on your device! Never trust someone who calls you and asks you to allow them to take control of your computer. If you contact your Internet Provider and they provide you with a 3rd party phone number for tech support be VERY WARY some of these companies provide semi-legitimate services that you could receive at a fraction of the cost at your local computer repair shop (and they will likely be more thorough since they will be able to diagnose the physical hardware of the computer more easily). Some of the customers that have contacted us thought they received a legitimate service but later found that they had unauthorized charges on their credit cards that they did not make.

The same is true for any software or advertisements that you may come across while connected to the internet. Many programs will claim that they can automatically find drivers, clean your registry and perform other maintenance on your computer. Many of these free applications are malware meaning they prompt other advertisements to display on your computer or can appear as free trials prompting you to pay after doing a “free scan”. The rule of thumb is to never trust “free software” unless you have a recommendation from someone knowledgeable you trust!

FOURTH – Do updates

If your having issues with your computer be sure that you have the latest windows updates installed. If you don’t have the latest updates installed something you are expecting to work properly may have already been resolved and without the updates in place you won’t know that is a possible resolution. If you have all your Windows updates in place and your problem is related to a website not working properly or something else involving the internet, make sure you have your web applications fully up to date too. Make sure you have the latest version of your web browsers, Adobe Flash player and Java installed.

 

 

If you aren’t able to resolve your issue on your own contact Jester’s Computer Services for additional support. We are a small family owned and operated business that has been in business for over 20 years! We offer remote support for those with high-speed internet access. Visit our contact us page to reach out for additional help.

Does Technology make you feel left behind?

, , , , , , , ,

By Ayse Stenabaugh

Every time I sit down with a new client for one of our one-on-one technology classes I hear a familiar set of words. They fall along the lines of “I’m computer illiterate” or “I’m a dummy when it comes to computers”. I have found that the biggest thing that holds my clients back is a lack of confidence that they can use the computer and they don’t have to worry as much as they do! Learning from family and friends can be frustrating which is exactly why our resident tutor offers patience and an experience that is completely tailored to our clients’ needs.

The best way for a beginner to learn is to start with some basic skills that are used throughout windows and can be applied in various ways. On Windows computers, there is almost always several ways to complete the same task which can seem confusing but we always try to teach our clients at least one way that will be consistent across all devices.

Learning how to click

First things first you need to know if you are left clicking or right clicking and whether to single click or double click. For almost everything you are going to left click and you are never going to double right click your mouse in Windows to perform any actions.

When you are looking at your desktop screen with no programs open you will see your desktop icons which you click on to open programs. These desktop icons will always require a double click to open. Anytime you are trying to open a folder or a document you are going to double click. If you are clicking on a link on a website, opening your start menu or clicking on an icon on your task bar (the bar at the bottom of your screen that has the clock inside it) you are always going to use a single left click.

The only time you are going to right click while using your computer is to open what I like to call your “edit menu”. Right clicking while basically let you edit or manipulate the object that you are right clicking on. You will see a menu appear and while options will vary depending on the target you will typically see options like rename, delete, cut, copy, paste and properties.

Learning about Web Browsers

A web browser is a program that allows you to view webpages. There are several different web browsers and if you own a Windows computer your device will come pre-installed with Internet Explorer and if you are running Windows 10 you will also have Edge pre-installed. If you are running a Mac machine you will have Safari as your default web browser.

Different web browsers will have similar features that may be slightly different to use but the same basic features will be found in each one.  At the top of all web browsers you will see an address bar where web addresses are displayed. In this address bar you can give a website’s exact address, for example our website is www.jesterscomputers.com if you typed that into your address bar it would take you directly to our website

If you just typed Jester’s Computers however, you would be provided with a list of search results because you provided a search term and not an exact web address. Using a search engine to find websites is okay but you should always type in the web address if you know it because you may end up on a different website than what was intended when using a search engine.

In addition to searching the web and viewing webpages, you can use features inside your web browser to bookmark or save your favorite websites to re-visit them easily later. This allows you to provide easy access to websites that you intend to visit frequently, or to save something such as a recipe for when you are going to use it. Keep in mind that the web is constantly changing therefore a favorite website could be removed in the future if you absolutely need the information it’s still a good idea to print it out if possible.

What else can I use my computer for?

Everyone uses their computer differently which is why we offer individual classes tailored to the needs of the student.  Some people take a lot of pictures and want to be able to store their pictures in an organized fashion on their device. You can even use printing services such as Shutterfly or Walmart Photo online to have prints made from the convenience of your home.

Those who love music enjoy being able to download their favorite songs from websites like Amazon or iTunes to be able to store them on an mp3 player or iPod for listening on the go. Other’s enjoy using popular streaming services and apps like iHeartRadio or Spotify to play their favorite music while online.

Some have a need for word-processing and use software such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel etc) or Open office (a free alternative). Those who are in business or track their own financials may primarily user their computers to access software such as Quickbooks or Quicken.

Whatever you may use your computer for if you find yourself struggling with completing a task or just want to learn “a better way” to accomplish tasks more efficiently contact us at Jester’s Computers to schedule an affordable one-one-one class with our computer tutor! We are located at 5135 Fairfield Road in Fairfield PA. You can reach us at (717) 642-6611 or on the web at www.jesterscomputers.com as well as Facebook

Don’t fall for the “Microsoft Support” scam!!

Don’t fall for the “Microsoft Support” scam!!

,

By Ayse Stenabaugh

We preach to our clients that you should never let anyone you don’t know take control of your computer. Unfortunately, scammers are using scare tactics and misleading information to convince users into believing that a reputable company such as Microsoft is who you are speaking with. Some users receive a phone call from individuals claiming to be Microsoft. Many times, even the caller id can say Microsoft even though it is not them trying to reach you. Other users receive a message when they are on a website which takes over their screen with an automated voice warning you that your computer is infected and that you must call this phone number right away.

Once the scammer gets you on the phone they tell you they are working either for or with Microsoft and that they can show you the errors on your computer. If you let them take control of your computer, they will pull up error logs and point out errors which to the untrained eye can look serious. In most cases, they are showing you errors that are common on all computers and in most cases the errors being presented to you are not actually causing any issues within your device. While connected to your computer remotely, they may open a command prompt box with white text and a blinking cursor showing you a number that’s in your computer indicating that your computer needs maintenance. If they are not yet connected to your computer, they may have you perform this action asking if you have a specific number displayed. Users are surprised when their numbers match however this number is found within all devices they are just using this trick to further convince you.

Once the scammers reel you in and make you feel like there is a purpose for their services they will tell you that it will cost over $200 to fix your device and they will ask you to pay with a credit card. If you refuse and you have already connected them to your computer, they may even put a password on your device to prevent you from using your computer until you pay them to “fix the problem”. If you do pay them, many times they perform actions that we would typically include in a clean-up ($99 flat rate fee). In addition to performing what may be unnecessary tasks on your device these scammers have been known to uninstalled PAID antivirus leaving you with no protection or another antivirus application which may not be as good as what you previously had.

How to prevent yourself from being scammed

First and foremost, as I said before you should NEVER let someone you don’t know take control of your computer. The only exception to this rule is if YOU call a reputable company such as HP for example to help you troubleshoot your printer. When searching for a companies phone number be sure you have their number and not a third party company. The best way to ensure this is to look at the products documentation using the example above if you had just gotten a new HP printer your printer should come with a booklet with HP’s support number. If you have to search for a phone number ensure you are on that companies website HP’s website should be www.hp.com not www.hp-support.com NO ONE will ever call you to tell you there is something wrong with your computer. If you need support many local computer repair companies offer remote support. Here at Jester’s Computers if you have internet access we offer remote support for $1 per minute with a $10 minimum. All remote support applications that you request should have some kind of one time access code that you provide that is required in order for the remote agent to assist you.

How to close pop-up scams that appear while on the internet.

If you click on a website or a link and then suddenly your screen is taken over warning you that you need to call a number, you have not yet been infected you just need to force your web browser to close. To do this you first need to open task manager. To open task manager on your keyboard press and hold the control and alt keys. While holding them down press the delete key. This should take you to a window letting you choose to open task manager. With task manager open you want to visit the processes tab at the top. Locate your web browser in the list (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome etc). Click on your web browser and then click the button that says end task at the bottom. This should close your web browser. If you re-open your browser and the page still loads, try the same steps again. If you see the option to restore the previous pages do NOT click restore or the pop-up scam will be back. For a video instructions on how to complete these steps visit Jester’s Computers page on Facebook.

If you have been scammed, you may want to have your device properly cleaned to ensure that they did not leave any harmful software on your computer. We recommend having a clean-up done once yearly on each computer to keep it running smoothly and to diagnose any potential hardware failures. If you are struggling to learn how to use your computer or if you need technical support Jester’s Computers can help!  In addition to our computer repair services, we offer one-on-one technology classes in our office or in the local area. Contact us today by calling (717) 642-6611 or by visiting us on the web at www.jesterscomputers.com or on Facebook.

Facebook How to keep your privacy and still be social!

, ,

By Ayse Stenabaugh

It can be difficult to use social media without putting all your business out there but it doesn’t have to be! Facebook has lots of ways to limit the audience so only who you want to see your posts can see it. If you have a Facebook friend that you don’t want to remove but don’t want to see their posts, there’s a way to do that also. Read below to find out more so you can get control of your social media audience.

Who appears in your feed

First, let’s cover how you change what friends appear inside your Facebook news feed. You can tell Facebook to show certain friends’ posts first in your newsfeed or not to show them at all. To make the change visit your friends Facebook page by using the search at the top of the Facebook page to enter their name. Once you select the friend you will be taken to their Facebook page. At the top of their page you will see “Friends” to indicate that you are friends with that user. To the right of the Friends option you will see “Following”. Drop this box down to choose either “see posts first” to see their Facebook posts at the top of your newsfeed or to choose “unfollow”. Don’t worry if you change your mind you can follow the same steps and choose default to go back to the standard settings.

Excluding specific users

Next let’s learn more about how Friend Lists can help you better manage your Facebook page. Friend Lists are NOT public therefore you can combine any group of friends and it will be private for you to see only. If you have a group of people that you NEVER want to see your Facebook posts but you still want to remain friends, then you can use the Friends Lists function to create a group of people. Once you create that List you can post to all friends EXCEPT that group of users. You will need to be on a computer and not a mobile device to create the lists however, once your lists are created you can select to exclude or post to any of those lists whether you are on a PC or mobile device.

To find “Friend lists” visit Facebook while logged in and look on the left side of your newsfeed. Look for the headline “Explorer”, Friend Lists will be listed in that section. If you don’t see it click on “See More…” to fully expand the list. Once you visit this page you will see that Facebook has already created some lists for you based on your profile information such as places you worked or where you went to school. At the top, you will click on “+ Create List” and then give your list a name. For example, I have one I labeled “privacy” where I keep all the people who I would rather not share my private posts with. It’s important to note that anything you label as public on Facebook will be visible to these friends and anyone who you are not friends with on Facebook. After you give your list a name you will be able to begin entering names in the members box. Facebook will search through your friends as your adding names so you will want to list your Friends as their names appear on Facebook. Once you have listed all the people you want in your list click “Create”.

Changing your page’s privacy

If you want to change who can see Facebook posts that you add you will want to change the privacy settings for the individual post. To do that when you go to post anything on Facebook beside the post button you want to drop down the box to the left of Post which usually says “Friends”.  There you can change your privacy to make your post Public, Friends only or for you only. If you click on the more options button at the bottom you will have the option to choose from the lists you created. If you want to individually select who can see your post or if you want to EXCLUDE certain people from you post you can choose to share with or exclude individual people or lists from this screen. For instance using the example above If I wanted to exclude my “privacy” list I would click more options, then in the box labeled “Don’t share with” I would enter privacy and my list would appear. Now when you go to make your post the button beside post will say “Custom”. Facebook will retain these settings on your device and the next time you go to post you will see “Custom” in the box again. If you want to change your privacy settings just click on it once again to select a different option.

Limit past posts visibility

If you’ve been posting publicly and suddenly decide that you want to limit your previous posts to be “friends only” you can do that as well. On a PC, visit Facebook and click the drop down arrow towards the top right of your Facebook page and choose settings. On the left-hand side of your screen click on “Privacy”. On a mobile device click the 3-vertical lined menu and scroll all the way to the bottom of the page until you see account settings. Choose account settings and then choose privacy.  From this screen you can choose to “limit the audience for posts you’ve shared with friends of friends or public” and then click on limit old posts to confirm.

If you are new to Facebook or need additional help to learn how to use Facebook contact Jester’s Computers for affordable one-on-one classes where we can show you hands on the in’s and outs of the Facebook features, you would like to learn. At Jester’s Computers, we provide quick and affordable service for desktops and laptops you can reach us at (717) 642-6611 or visit us on the web at www.jesterscomputers.com

 

 

How to change your web browser homepage

, , , , , , , ,

Frequently we are asked \”How do I set my homepage in my web browser\”. We made a video to show you exactly how to do that!

This video covers:

  • Suggestions on what to set your homepage as
  • How to set one or multiple pages as your homepage
  • Setting your homepage in Internet Explorer
  • Setting your homepage in Mozilla Firefox (skip to 2:30)
  • Setting your homepage in Google Chrome (skip to 3:50)

 

We hope you enjoyed this free informational video from Jester\’s Computers.

If you find yourself needing additional help with your web browsers or your computer in general contact us at (717) 642-6611 or visit our contact us page to send us an email.

 

custombuildad

Should you buy a custom-built desktop PC instead of mass production PC?

, , , , ,

By Ayse Stenabaugh

With so many options for computers deciding on the one that is right for you can be stressful. Due to their proprietary nature, you won’t find many custom-built desktops, however, many computer repair businesses offer custom build desktops. There are many differences between buying a computer that is pre-built to having one custom build by a computer technician that you can trust. We can’t speak for other companies that built their own computers, however, read on below to learn the difference between a desktop computer being purchased from a big box store compared to ones that we build here at Jester’s Computers

Meeting your needs – You will likely be purchasing a computer that is faster than your previous system but even then, the specifications can be confusing. If you purchase an already built system you are relying on the manufacturer to provide you with enough speed for the applications you will be using.  If you purchase a custom-built computer, in most cases, your technician will ask what types of applications you will be running on the device, to ensure that the computer will meet or exceed the minimum system requirements.

\"disc\"Getting the software, you need – Contrary to popular belief Microsoft Office’s Word, Excel, Outlook etc. do NOT come with a new computer. Some companies will bundle Office with the computer but the price is always built into the computer’s price. You can always re-install Office if you have your license and the disk. If you can’t locate your software and product key and Office it is still installed on a working computer, your technician may be able to retrieve the information to install Office on your new computer. Some new computers don’t come loaded with programs that many people require including Flash, Java and Adobe reader. If these programs are already installed many times they will require updates along with Windows right out of the box because updates come out frequently and its unlikely that you will be purchasing a device that hasn’t been sitting long enough to accumulate some necessary updates.

Getting your computer setup – You may be surprised at how different things look on a new computer especially if you are using a new operating system. At Jester’s Computers, we transfer your old computer data to your new custom built desktop PC for no additional fee ($65 value). We also tweak your operating system to run more efficiently and setup things like your email and your printer for no additional fees. If you prefer to have someone come to your home to setup your computer we offer that service for an additional fee as well.

\"stop\"Eliminate the junk – Computer manufacturers tend to install an enormous amount of what we like to call “Bloatware”. Many of these programs are trial programs that not only take up storage on your device but may be slowing it down right out of the box. A custom-built computer will include only the main operating system and very little else (which is a GOOD thing!).

Warranty & Support – Nobody wants to contact support to wait on hold just to end up talking to someone that is difficult to understand. When purchasing a custom-built computer be sure to ask about what support you are provided with afterwards. Here at Jester’s Computers we perform all hardware repairs within the first year and in most cases, we replace the part on the spot rather than waiting for your device to be replaced through the manufacturer. Additionally, most parts carry warranties above and beyond the 1 year period which are still in effect, if you purchase a pre-built computer you won’t receive any warranty on the internal hardware above the manufacturers 1 year warranty.

\"costbenefit\"Cost – Typically a custom PC will cost a bit more than ones that you can find in the store. You will also find that the parts that are used tend to be a higher quality than most computers found in the store. Consider this, most technicians purchase parts that have been reliable and are trustworthy and familiar to them. This means that you are not only receiving better quality but better support as well.

If you are interested in purchasing a new custom-built machine be sure to view our systems page for Jester’s Computers which can be found on here.

For fast, quality service you can rely on for your computers contact Jester’s Computers at (717) 642-6611 or visit on the web at www.jesterscomputers.com

 

HP_LOGO

**RECALL** HP / Compaq Laptop Batteries

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

On June 14th 2016 HP in compliance with government regulation agencies voluntarily recalled laptop batteries that could overheat causing potential fire or burn hazards.

Batteries that have the potential to be affected by this recall were sold in laptop model including HP ProBook, HP Envy, Compaq Presario and HP Pavilion Notebook Computers sold between March 2013 and August 2015. If you had one of the previously mentioned models or have had your battery replaced by HP during that time frame you can visit HP’s website here to see if your device is included in the recall.

Fore more information regarding the recall program and to learn how to see if your device is affected from HP click here to view recall program details.

Verification is easy and can be done by either running the tool found in the above link or enter in the required information to verify if your model was affected.

Computer Recommendations

,

At Jester’s Computers we will provide you our professional recommendation based on what we have experienced with PC’s over the years! If you aren’t sure you are welcome to call us during business hours (717) 642-6611 (Mon, Wed, Fri 9am -5pm & Tue / Thurs 9am-7pm)

  • We do not recommend ALL-IN-ONE computers because the ability to perform repairs are minimal!
  • We recommend Desktops over laptops because the parts and repair costs are substantially lower on desktops and some repairs are not possible on laptops!
Click here to print our recommendation sheet

Brands

To consider:

  • Lenovo
  • Acer

To avoid:

  • Dell
  • HP

We recommend avoiding the brands on the right primarily because of their poor customer service. With ANY laptop we highly recommend an extended warranty. By having an extended warranty consumers can avoid many of the issues that our customers have experienced.

Specifications

To consider:

  • Highly recommend an extended warranty
  • CPU (Processor) – Quad-core or better, higher Ghz the better
  • Memory – A minimum of 4GB, 8GB, or more is recommended
  • Hard drives – some mechanical hard drives are slow, solid-state is faster/more reliable
  • CD Drive – some laptops don’t come with Disc drives
  • Number of USB ports

To avoid:

  • CD/DVD DRIVE – Some don’t have disc drives
  • CPU – Celeron or Atom processors are VERY slow
  • Memory – less than 4 GB is not enough
  • Hard drive – Make sure you have enough storage space. TB is bigger than GB. Solid State Hard drives are recommended.
  • Video – If your a gamer you will want something better than on-board video

Desktop Computers

We build Desktop PC’s which carry a 1-year parts and labor hardware warranty through us!

Since we purchase and build your computer many of the parts that are included in your system carry hardware warranties beyond the standard 1 year!

OUR CURRENT CUSTOM BUILD DESKTOP 

Load More