RPCR August 2022 Newsletter
Greetings!
I hope your summer is going well. The business landscape has changed significantly since COVID-19 became a severe health issue. I am dedicated to helping you succeed using technology to benefit your company. Feel free to contact me if you have IT-related questions, especially if you are planning an IT project.
RPCR has a new logo! I spent many years trying to create a new logo. I finally made one that I am happy with. It has the same theme as my first logo: personalized technology support.
What to do With an Old Computer
Do you have an old computer that still works? A question that people ask is what they can do with an old computer. Perhaps you replaced a computer with a newer one to increase performance or capabilities. Well, if the old computer still works, you may be able to repurpose it. I have several older computers that I have repurposed. Here are some ideas for using old computers.
Keep it as a backup system
Just because a system is new doesn’t mean it won’t fail. I’ve had new computers and servers that failed when purchased. It could be a bad memory module, faulty motherboard, or failed hard drive. Having a backup system is always a good idea.
Repurpose it for General Use
You might consider installing a less bloated operating system than Windows to use on a system for basic use. There are several distributions (distros) of Linux that you might try, e.g., Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
I’ve converted older systems to the Linux operating system (e.g., Linux Mint) to be used for general web surfing, checking emails, watching videos, etc. Linux Operating system tends to require fewer resources than Windows. Therefore, you can use an older system and get good performance using a Linux distro. That is one of my favorite things with an old system.
Donate it
There may be someone in your own neighborhood or family that cannot afford a good computer system. You could donate it to them. You could also donate your old computer to a non-profit, local daycare, etc.
E-ecycle It
Old computer systems, as well as old electronics, can be e-cycled. Companies will come and pick up your computer. I’ve even used junk removal services who said they try to recycle items before sending them to a landfill.
Should I Upgrade to Windows 11
Previously I recommended that people wait to upgrade from Windows 10 to 11. However, now it may be safer to do the upgrade. In particular, the Windows 11 22H2 upgrade is much safer than the first Windows 11 upgrade. Microsoft has resolved many software and driver incompatibilities. Therefore, you may consider upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10. It’s a free upgrade.
You will see a notification on the Windows upgrade screen if you are eligible for the upgrade. You may see a link to “See if it is ready to install.” Click on that and follow the prompts. See the image below as an example.
You will see a box similar to the one shown below if the Windows 11 upgrade is ready.
Before Upgrading
I highly recommend that you backup your system before performing the upgrade. There are two recommended backups you should perform.
- System backup (the operating system)
- Data backups (your files)
However, if necessary, you will have 10 days to roll Windows 11 back to Windows 10. It is good practice to have backups, though.
The system backup will preserve all the programs you have installed. You would only need to restore to that system backup. If you have only one drive in your system, the operating system (Windows) and your data are stored on the same drive (most likely drive C:). Backing up the C: drive will preserve all the programs and data, in addition to Windows 10.
You can safely install Windows 11 once you have created a system backup. Contact RPCR for assistance or more information.
I also recommend that you check that any device (e.g., printer, scanner) and software you use is compatible with Windows 11. You can go to the company’s website or search for that information.
Windows 11 is a different-looking operating system than Windows 10. There are several enhancements and added features. There are also Windows 10 features that didn’t carry over to Windows 11.
Do not upgrade to Windows 11 right before an important deadline in case things don’t go smoothly.
Business Pain Points
What are some business pain points you have with technology? There may even be pain points that are not technology-based, but technology may be able to help eliminate your pain. Over the years, business owners shared some pain points and discovered I could solve them using technology.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions about using technology in your businesses, especially web technologies. I’m here to help.
Business Continuity
Are you prepared for a disaster? What would happen to your business if power was down at your office? What would happen if your server or computer crashed, leaving your precious company data unreachable?
It would be best to consider developing a disaster plan and how your business would continue functioning even in the middle of one. Are you using cloud-based systems, backups, redundancy, etc.? I highly recommend you think about disaster recovery and business continuity to protect your business from a disaster.
Check out the article “Are You Ready for a Disaster?” for more information.
Password Manager
Are you using a password manager yet? Password managers allow you to generate strong passwords for your online resources without needing to remember them. I recommend two password managers: LastPass and RoboForm.
Please consider using a password manager to help protect your data from unauthorized access and hacking.
Low-Cost Business Websites
I offer affordable templated-based websites for small businesses. They are based on one of many available templates, so I do not have to create a design from scratch, saving you money on development costs. All you need to do is replace the content and images with your own.
Contact me for a lower-cost website for your business.
Phone: 215.362.0967
Email: [email protected]