The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) has designated Charlie’s PC Repair as a CompTIA A+ Authorized Service Center™.

“Designation as a CompTIA A+ Authorized Service Center is validation that a computer service center has achieved the technology industry’s highest recognized level of competence,” said Richard Rysiewicz, Senior Dir., Services, at CompTIA. “It is a strong sign that the professionals of Charlie’s PC Repair take pride in their work and are committed to advancing the quality of their operations and service.”

The CompTIA Authorized Service Center™ program recognizes computer, network, server printer and document imaging support businesses that employ certified technicians. These certifications are recognized around the world and throughout the IT industry as the foundation-level skills standards for technology professionals.

To achieve status as a CompTIA A+ Authorized Service Center, at least 50 percent of the service center’s technical staff must be CompTIA A+ certified. CompTIA A+ certification is the IT industry’s recognized skills benchmark for entry into a technology career. Earning CompTIA A+ certification demonstrates a technician has a broad base of knowledge and competency in core hardware and operating system technologies, including installation, configuration, diagnosing, preventive maintenance, and basic networking.

For more information on CompTIA, please visit www.comptia.org.

No matter the cause, we all know that bunny hoarding is not an appropriate way to handle dust bunnies. I know you love them, and they are cute but sometimes we all just need to let go. It’s best for everyone.

Some consequences of dust-bunny overpopulation:

• Dust bunnies frolic into fans, wearing out the electric motors, causing lots of noise and fan failure.
• Dust bunnies hop into heat-sinks and block airflow that your computer needs to keep itself cool.
• Dust bunnies collect on circuitboards and act like a blanket causing heat buildup and short-circuits.
• Dust bunnies annoy you with allergens and multiply mold.

If you say, “Hey Charlie, most of these things have to do with heat!” you can bet your fluffy tail you’d be right.

But if next you say, “I don’t need to worry about heat in my computer, it has been fine all Winter”, I would have to remind you that it’s cold in Winter, and with the heat of Summer just around the corner, you will want your computer to be the heat dissipation machine it was designed to be.

In the spirit of Easter (and bad puns) I’m dangling a carrot for you and offering a Spring Cleaning Special!

Awwww... Cuuuute!

• Relocation of your freedom-loving dust bunnies to a home more suited for them. (They love dustbins, vacuum bags, and the great outdoors the best)
• Cleaning of surfaces inside and out.
• Airflow testing and temperature monitoring under stress to make sure your system is handling heat correctly.
• Inspection for mechanical problems.
• Complete virus scan and general system check up. (If we find anything amiss, we will let you know)

What are you waiting for? Contact Us today to get more info or schedule a time to drop your dust bunny colony… erm… computer off at our shop!

Sincerely,
Charlie

Once it has fully infected your computer, on reboot you will see a blank desktop with the Palladium start-up screen below:

The virus will only allow safe startup which will run a scan and find several infections. The software then will not let you access your computer until you purchase the (bogus) full version.

Basically, this virus takes over your computer and will “ransom” it back to you for money. Do not purchase the program. If you already have, you should contact your credit card company immediately to dispute the charges.

We know how to remove this and other malware. If you have been infected, contact us right now.

Here’s what it looks like:

When you interact with the pop-up, the virus installs itself to your computer automatically. Once installed, the ThinkPoint virus has been reported to disable internet/network access. It can also prevent you from logging on to the infected computer.

Getting rid of this nasty little bugger requires removal of specific files and registry keys. If you or someone you know has been infected by the ThinkPoint virus, don’t worry. I can log in remotely and do the necessary clean up. Please feel free to give me a call or just click the “Appointment” tab on the right side of the screen to schedule a remote desktop appointment. I only charge $20 for a 30-minute session.

• Aesthetic tweaks to the header images
• changed background color from white to a light blue to reduce eye-strain
• Added service area information and appointment scheduling calendar directly to the front page
• Added badges and social networking links to the bottom of the front page

As always, comments/suggestions are always welcome!

In response to this, I have added an automatically updating real-time list of current security risks and news

As for the ‘Here you have’ worm… The best bet, as always, is to never open attachments from someone you don’t know and/or for files that you don’t recognize. If you had the misfortune to have been exposed to this or any other malware, DON’T WAIT! Get it fixed as soon as is possible. Let me know by calling or just use the appointment widget on the side of the screen to schedule yourself a visit.

-Charlie