New computers perform exceptionally well in terms of speed, but as soon as the systems get old, their performance starts to decline. Have you been experiencing the same with your system? Is it too slow? Throwing it out is not the solution! You need to focus on a few important things which will help you boost your system’s performance. Here are a few pointers.

Best Appearance and Best Performance Settings

When you adjust your computer’s setting to make it give its ‘best appearance’, it will not perform as it was prior to this setting. This is because best appearance takes up a lot of memory, thus slowing down your system.. Your system will start hanging and lagging at times. It is better that you adjust your PC for best performance rather than best appearance.

Clearing Trash

Clearing the desktop is not enough. All the items that you delete, add up in the recycle bin. A lot of memory is then taken up by these programs because they are still present in the Bin. As such, you might want to permanently remove programs from your computer and for doing so, you need to clear your Recycle Bin.Right click on the Recycle Bin icon and click on ‘Empty Recycle Bin.’ Alternatively, the next time you are deleting files, you can press Shift+Delete to permanently delete the file.

Deleting Temporary Files

Certain programs create temporary files while they are in use. This helps in recovering data in situations where the computer breaks down or shuts down accidentally and is also used in the general operation of the program. Whilst these files can help in saving data, they should be deleted frequently once you are done working on that program and have saved all your data. These files can take up a lot of space, and thus, should be deleted frequently.

Remove Unwanted Programs

Some of us install new programs and applications on a daily basis, but it should be ensured that only the useful ones are saved in the system. Uninstalling programs which have not been used in the past fifteen days will help in freeing up a lot of storage and memory, thus improving your system’s performance.

Clean Windows Registry

A registry is where the basic settings of programs are stored. Thus, whenever a program is deleted, it leaves empty keys which can affect the performance of your system. Therefore maintaining a clean registry is essential. One effective way of doing this, is to clear the empty keys. This will free considerable space in your system, and improve the performance as well.

Want to optimise your PC? Let Rapid IT Support handle it! With effective computer tech support, we make sure that the performance of your system is improved for sure! Click here for more information about our services.

The spread of spyware and malware has been on the rise. With approximate 317 million malware introduced last year, it has been reported that almost 1 million new threats were released every day. The situation is only getting worse and you need to take effective steps to secure your computer from such threats and viruses. So what can you do to protect your computer? Here are some ways which can help:

Installing Quality Antivirus

Many of us believe that free antivirus application bundles which include anti-malware applications are sufficient to fight viruses.However, this is not always true. Some of these free programs are not sufficient enough to protect your computer from the ever-increasing list of malware threats. You should thus, install professional, business-grade antivirus software on your PC. These programs upgrade automatically and will keep your computer protected from all types of malwares.

Making use of real-time anti-spyware protection

A common perception of computer users is that one single anti-malware program will help them in protecting their computer from viruses, but this is not always the case. some anti-malware programs do not have proactive virus fighting features, accordingly, the security that they provide is limited. Whilstthese programs can detect spyware threats after the system is infected, they do not have the ability to stop the infection from entering the computer.

Keep anti-malware applications up-to-date

Regular updates are required, without updates the computer will not be protected against serious threats. All computer users should make sure that their anti-virus programs are up to date and that they are protected from all types of malware threats. As these threats are increasing rapidly, keepingthese programs up-to-date has become a necessity.

Daily Scans

Have you ever noticed an unusual message popping up whenever you switch on your computer? Observeda new file/program which wasn’t there a day before? Well, these all are signs that your computer has been infected by a virus. To protect yourself from such situations, make sure that you perform scans on a daily basis. This will help in removing any virus or infection that might have entered into your system.

Disable Image Previews in Outlook

Although we aren’t aware of it, outlook can be a major source of viruses. All messages sent and received through outlook may contain viruses. Thus, to prevent your computer from being affected bythe virus, disable the image preview option in your Outlook. New viruses can be transferred with an image file, and opening them may infect your whole computer. Protect yourself and make sure that you do not have this option enabled.

Are you looking for the best computer repairs service in Australia? We, at Rapid IT Support, offer the best computer tech support! With services ranging from computer repair to new system configuration, we make sure that we solve your issues within the least possible time. Click here for more information.

No matter how many precautions you take, you are almost always at risk of losing valuable information your system holds. Hardware failure, power surge, or natural disasters could all make your business vulnerable to data loss if your system is not protected appropriately.

Keeping that in mind, it is essential for businesses to back up their data either on-site or in a remote location. By storing an electronic copy of files in a safe place, you may not only prevent data loss, but also safeguard the integrity of your business.

Let’s take a look at why back up is vital for your business and why you should seriously invest your time and money in this important function.

Independent Storage System

If you are backing up your data at a remote location, it may help you keep your intellectual assets safe from typical threats of theft, fire, or other catastrophic events. With data stored in a secure, encrypted servers and systems, you may almost always prevent data losses, in case of accident and other unfavourable events occurring at the workplace.

Ease of Recovery

Back up services allow you to store multiple copies of data in locations independent of each other. Due to this, users can access or retrieve a backed up version of data anytime, if the original data is unavailable.

Enhanced Security

Businesses carry sensitive information in their systems. If the sensitive or proprietary information is stolen, it may pose serious threat to the integrity and existence of the business.

Back up, however, can reduce the risk through external storage and safekeeping of data. Using powerful encryption and security measures, you can ensure that your data is safe with accessibility to authorized individuals only.

Virus and Spyware Protection

Viruses can enter into your computer through shareware programs without you even noticing it. These programs have the capability to multiply and cause havoc in your system in an instant. In order to avoid data loss in the event of an attack, you need to have a reliable backup system to restore lost data without any hassle.

More Disk Space

Owing to the growth of application and related data, data backup is significant to offload some of the less-used files from your hard disk to a secondary medium so as to ensure smooth functioning of the computer. Removing these inactive files can open up hard drive for new programs or data, without having to lose important records stored in the system.

Speak with top-notch IT consultants in Australia to get backup services and optimise your PC. Contact us online or call us at (02) 8090 6858.

In the past year alone, the incidents of mobile hacking have more than doubled. What is more amazing is that over 90% of the hacks were conducted using the seemingly innocuous apps displayed on your mobile screens. These apps hide malware and spyware whose main purposes are to attack your phone on all fronts and to steal sensitive data.

Here are a few actions that you can take to protect your phone against malware and spyware:

Apple and Google App Store

Both these stores are more vigilant about apps with malware and spyware. The apps are regularly scanned and if their security protocol is found lacking then they are reported. Both app stores take these steps to ensure user safety at all fronts. But there are things you can do that will add to this level of security and will keep your phone free from spyware and malware.

· Don’t Trust Third Party Stores

As much as you can, stick to official stores for apps. Apple, Google and even Windows app stores enforce very strict safety protocols. If an app didn’t make it to these stores, then there is probably a very good reason why. That is why you should think long and hard before trusting a third party app store. These stores will not offer you security certifications and will not take responsibility for any unpleasant outcomes.

· Don’t Change Your Phone’s Security Settings

Most phones are programmed to accept apps only from official device stores. This is a safety feature designed to ensure that you don’t accidently download an app from the wrong source. But if you are still adamant to download an app from an external source, then you will have to change your phone’s settings, which is probably one of the worst mistakes you can make. By changing your phone’s settings, you are lowering your security and making the device more vulnerable.

· Don’t Forget to Download an Anti-Virus App

In fact it’s the first app you should download after you get a phone. The app will regularly scan your phone for spyware and malware and protect your phone from any mishaps. You can set the app up for automatic or manual scans, but make sure whatever the choice, the scans should be conducted regularly.

· Updates

New updates bring with them security enhancements that are meant to protect your phone. Yes, they do take long to download but at the end of the day you are going to be the one to benefit from them. So make sure that from now on, you don’t skip any important updates.

Despite all these precautions, if your phone is still attacked then you can contact us to remove the malware and spyware from your mobile devices. You can also contact us for effective virus removal from computers. Register with us today to avail the best IT support services.

There was once a time when you just bought a PC as it came – no room for customization, selecting your preferred storage components and the like. Most people are content with the HDD (Hard Disk Drives) their desktops and laptops come with, but they might start to think otherwise when they find out there are faster alternatives available. SSD (Solid State Drives) are quickly becoming the preference of most businesses and individuals. So how is it that the two differ, and what makes one better than the other? Let’s find out.

Short Description

· HDD

Hard Disk Drives (HDD) are the traditional component for storage on a computer. It’s the basic nonvolatile storage on a PC, that is to say, it is the type of system memory that is not erased when the PC is turned off. The components include a rotating metal platter with magnetic coating, which stores all the data on your computer.

· SDD

The functionality of Solid State Drives (SDD) is pretty much the same. But where it differs is the metal platter, which is to say that it doesn’t have one. The data is stored on interconnected flash memory chips. These chips have the availability to retain data even without a power source. You can install them on desktops and laptops, or connect them externally.

Main Differences

· Capacity

500GB is considered standard hard drive capacity. However, you can easily find 1TB units and have them installed in your PC without any issues. With the SDD, you can go up to 4TBs, but while you may be able to get speed, capacity is less cost effective SSDs. On the other hand, conventional mechanical HDDs are slower but offer higher capacity for lower cost and therefore considered better for storage.

· Speed

This is where SSDs win hands down. An SSD will allow your computer to boot in less than a minute. In contrast conventional hard drives decrease speed as it ages and the booting time will increase. SSDs are unaffected by age and maintain their high speed throughout their life. The data transfer rate of SSDs is also significantly higher than that of HDDs.

· Durability

Have you ever noticed that your desktop or laptop stops working upon being jostled? That ‘s because the HDD contains moving parts, and too much movement disrupts its functionality. On the other hand, because there aren’t any moveable parts in the SDD, it keeps on working even if you drop or shunt your laptop.

· Availability

When it comes to availability, both the contenders are quite easily available at most PC parts suppliers. You will find plenty of manufacturers offering HDDs and SSDs at great prices. Just like conventional drives, SSDs are common-place now and are used in most good custom built computers.

· Noise

Have you ever noticed the hum or the loud sound your computer emits when it operates? That’s the combined sound of your fan and your hard drive spinning. The sound comes from the metal disk rotating within the drive. This is considered normal functionality with conventional drives; however, SSDs do not emit any noise. The flash chips are in a solid state, meaning that there are no moving parts inside the drive.

· Price

If you are very budget conscious, you might want to give the SSDs a pass. An HDD with 1TB capacity will not cost you more than $100, while a low capacity SSD costs more than double the cost of a large capacity HDD. Depending on the manufacturer, an SSD with 1TB capacity can go as high as $900.

If you still find yourself a little confused about which drive will suit your system the best, call us any time of the day to have your IT related general questions answered. Once you register with Rapid IT Support, you will be able to avail this service along with rapid laptop repair services, and 24/7 computer support services.

It’s true that depending upon their job requirements, some people actually change their PCs a couple of times a year or more. But a majority of people generally buy a computer to last them a few years at the very least. Therefore, the decision to buy a new PC is often long and hard. With the wide variety available in the market, most people tend to get confused about what type of device would suit their needs the most.

To save you from that frustration, we have devised a list of points that you must take into account before making your final purchase.

1.     Laptop or Desktop?

This decision completely depends on your budget and needs. If you are budget conscious, then buying a desktop is going to cost you a lot less. With a desktop, you will always have access to a steady terminal whenever you want to work. However, if you live an “on the go” lifestyle, then a laptop will suit you much better. They might cost more, but you can take the laptop anywhere you want. Plus, they provide all the features of a desktop, and then some, in a conveniently compact package.

2.     What Operating System Should You Go With?

This decision might prove to be a little tricky as you have many great options to select from. You could always choose Windows, seeing as it is the most popular OS in the world. A great thing about Windows is that it lets its users have control over the computer. But if you don’t like to get tangled with setup options, then you might consider Mac OS, which keeps everything basic and enhances the user experience. There is also Linux, but if you actually have to Google what Linux is, then it might be a better idea to avoid it until you know more about it.

3.     Choose the Right Processor

How fast do you want your PC to be? That is the question you have to ask when choosing the processor (aka the brain) for your computer. A faster processor will indeed make operations smooth and seamless, but the faster they are, the more expensive they tend to be.

4.     Consider the RAM

In simple terms, RAM (Random Access Memory) is tasked with keeping data accessible when you multitask. Without RAM, the computer would have to search for data every time you begin a task. But RAM saves that time by giving the computer easy and rapid access to that data. So if you like to multitask, then consider the amount of RAM you’ll be plugging in carefully.

5.     How Much Data Do You Want to Store?

Hard drives are the primary storage devices of your computer. If you prefer to keep all your data at hand and at one location, then you might want to consider buying a rather large hard drive (in terms of TBs that is). But if you prefer to rely on external storage options, then you might be okay with a smaller hard drive.

Once you’ve made up your mind about what to buy, you can call us to properly install the device for you. Our computing support technicians will be more than happy to help you with any computer related problems. You can contact us 24/7 for complete PC support and other services.