Computers on Sonia Cuff

Fixing Code 19 error in device manager for CD/DVD drive � configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged

Fri, 25 Oct 2013 06:25:29 +0000

Windows XP laptop with a DVD writer not working � can�t see or play CDs or DVDs, not even appearing as a drive letter.

Device manager shows the drive with an exclamation mark and the error:
�Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. To fix this problem you should uninstall and then reinstall the hardware device. (Code 19)�

The troubleshooter suggest uninstalling & reinstalling the device, which gives exactly the same error. Updating drivers & windows etc didn�t help. It was hard to find any information on this message that actually related to the registry.

To the cloud .. or not? (A personal account)

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 07:32:26 +0000

This isn�t intended as a comprehensive argument on how to evaluate if Cloud Computing is right for you or not. �I�ve written it to show where we use Cloud Computing in our own business, and where we don�t. �As most of my readers aren�t IT Providers, you may find something relevant in this, or you may not. �But I�m a firm believer in recommending the best solution to a client for their individual needs, so our own decision on Cloud Computing has been based on our current business needs.

BigPond ADSL ? Your ADSL Service Cancellation Notice email

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:50:09 +0000

Disturbing email doing the rounds over the long Easter weekend in Australia, pretending to be from BigPond. I?m blogging about this in the hope that you?ll find this entry?if you receive that email and Google it first.? It?s a scam, and a very clever one.

First the details: sender address?ebilling@bt.com?(that?s your first alarm bell-bt.com is not a bigpond or telstra domain name)

Subject: Your ADSL Service Cancellation Notice?(second alarm bell ? I am not and have never been a BigPond ADSL customer)

Issues with security update patch for IE7 WinXP KB2416400?

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 08:01:13 +0000

Our friends at the Kaseya NOC have decided not to rollout out a Microsoft security patch just released for Internet Explorere 7 machines (on Windows XP).� They�ve seen some issues once it�s been installed and there are a few blog sites with people reporting problems.� Suggest hold off installing this one for a while until it�s sorted:

�Post: We have noticed that after applying the patch KB2416400 (MS10-090), when browsing a particular site, all links stop working following clicking a link to open a java script pop-up window. Hitting F-5 to reload the page restores functionality of the links. So to avoid this miss-functionality we have denied this patch from all Virtual Manage machines.

Attention!!!! All your personal files were encrypted with a strong algorythm RSA-1024 �

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 08:31:28 +0000

.. and you can�t get an access to them without making of what we need!

Read �How to decrypt� txt-file on your desktop for details

Just do it as fast as you can!

Remember: Don�t try to tell someone about this message if you want to get your files back! Just do all we told.

*Eeek*� If your computer�s desktop has suddenly turned very pale and is displaying the above message, I hope you have a good backup*.

Protect your PC Against Adobe PDF Reader Security Flaws

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:33:25 +0000

Not an original blog entry this time, but advice definately worth sharing from the security experts at AVG � thanks Lloyd!

Melbourne and Amsterdam, 13 August 2010�� It should go without saying that the best way to deal with malware is, of course, not to get infected in the first place.

Lloyd Borrett, Security Evangelist�for�AVG (AU/NZ)�says, �Being aware of what products are being targeted by the bad guys may help you as well, so it may be useful to know that at the moment Adobe products are virtually the number one target across the world with millions of PCs being hit by infected Adobe PDFs. Others are being pwned via Adobe Flash ads via Facebook and other social media web sites.�

Technology considerations for your new startup business

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:34:54 +0000

If you�re thinking about starting a business (congratulations!!), then technology might be the very last consideration on your mind.� With a long list of tasks in front of you (like getting a logo and stationery designed, finding an office, and working out your marketing plan), you may just requisition your home computer to start running your new business.��Let�s�look at some of your very first technology decisions.

New computer or your home PC?�� For a while, your home computer may be adequate to handle the necessities of your business.� However, if your computer time is conflicting with the children�s need to surf the internet for their homework, it may be time to consider a dedicated business computer.� Study any system specifications carefully and check the manufacturer�s websites.� Many �cheap� retail deals are superseded models, cannot be upgraded easily or may not connect to a bigger computer network, which will all be important as you grow.� Also, talk to your accountant about any tax benefits that may be gained from leasing instead of purchasing your IT assets.

Planning the survival of your business

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:38:43 +0000

If your technology stopped working, would your business stop functioning too? Is your business totally reliant on the information stored on your computer systems or could you continue to deliver 95% of your products and services and catch up on the computer work later? No matter which end of this scale your business is at, you will fare much better during a major technology outage if you plan in advance, before it happens. This month we take some of the mystery out of Business Continuity Planning.

Office 2010 � great new features!

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 08:40:19 +0000

Written for the Computer Troubleshooters franchise for distribution to our global client base:

Microsoft�s release of Office 2010 has been somewhat overshadowed by the recent Apple iPad release, however the new version of Office has some fantastic improvements that are worth shouting about. This month, we highlight a few of the features that will make your life easier.

Work better together�� Do you e-mail files for people to review, managing revision numbers and tracking editing changes? Or do you use technology like Google Apps for internet-based sharing and collaboration? With Office 2010, your document can now be shared easily on the internet and edited by multiple people at the same time (for real-time co-authoring). This feature alone may change how teams work together internally and how businesses work with their customers.

The 5 things YOU must know about your business�s computers

Mon, 31 May 2010 08:41:44 +0000

If someone else is responsible for the technology in your business, it can feel fantastic that you don�t have to worry about that part of your business operation.� But whether that person is an employee, a freelance computer guy or a larger I.T. support company, the responsibility for this part of your�business still ultimately lies with you.� Here�s�a list of�what all business owners should know about their own computers:1. Administrator passwords�� Local administrator accounts� have full access to make changes to your computers.� If you have a server, there may also be a �domain administrator� account.� Make sure you have a record of these account passwords in a safe place.� If your business provides laptops and mobile phones to your staff, also keep a record of any passwords or PIN numbers that are used to secure these mobile devices (e.g. are prompted for when the device is turned on).� This may seem a bit over the top, but it only takes a disgruntled employee or an issue with your support provider and you can find yourself locked out of your own systems, at the mercy of someone else who knows the passwords when you don�t.� I�ve actually seen I.T. companies refuse to release administrator passwords.� Remember, your information is your property, not theirs.

Found a webpage crashing my Internet Explorer tab � how I got around it!

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 08:43:50 +0000

I have a business information blog website set as my homepage.� Today when I started up Internet Explorer, the page content would start to load, I�d see all of the text, and then the tab would �crash�, stating that the page had caused a problem and it was going to try to reload it.� After a couple of attempts at this, I got:

Website restore error.� Internet Explorer has stopped trying to restore this website. It appears that the website continues to have a problem.

Instead of taking me in a constant reload loop, IE had given up.

The trials & tribulations of a digital certificate file (aka why you should listen to your husband)

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:46:51 +0000

I should have listened to my husband.

Armed with my shiny new copy of Windows 7, I was keen to install it onto my laptop to see if the claims were true that this new operating system would give my laptop a new lease of life.� �Remember to take an image* of it first�, called hubby.� I logically thought this through and reasoned that all of my important files were in My Documents which is synchronised to our server, therefore there was nothing else on the laptop that I needed to keep.� I even thought about my digital certificate file from the ATO, and remembered that I�d previously made a backup copy of this file on another location on our server.� So, with all of my bases covered, I began to format my hard disk.

Windows Updates? Why bother?

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:49:55 +0000

So many people I know are cynical about Microsoft�s �Windows Updates� .. that is, if they even know it exists.� Valiant attempts by Microsoft to make these updates deploy automatically (to your internet-connected PC) have hit some snags � the installations don�t always work and sometimes they can even break the functionality of corporate applications.� To ease the headache for system administrators, Microsoft�instituted �Patch Tuesday� .. being the 2nd Tuesday of every month when all the newest, tested updates would be sent out.� This lets systems administrators know when they will be hit and gives them a chance to test the latest updates in a lab against their corporate software programs, before releasing�them into the bigger corporate network.

OK, Windows 7 it is.

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:52:28 +0000

A lot has happened since my last blog entry.� Mortgage approval, in-laws 7 week stay, birth of new baby, end of rental lease, moving back in with my parents and storing a houseload of stuff at a friend�s, oh and continuing to run our small business.� So you�ll forgive me for not posting earlier�🙂

I am getting back into the swing of things with my writing committments, amongst which is the customer newsletter distributed globally through our franchise.� With Windows 7 now released, our early Oct edition was a quick glimpse into why you might bother with the new OS � well, as much as a glimpse as you can get in 500 words.

HP recalls some Australian laptop batteries

Thu, 28 May 2009 08:54:44 +0000

HP is recalling more than 3,000 rechargeable battery packs used in laptop computers due to a potential fire hazard. �The voluntary recall comes after the company received reports that a fault in the lithium-ion battery pack could cause it to overheat. �HP Australia estimates 3,405 potentially affected battery packs have been sold in Australia.

There have been 19 instances of overheating recorded worldwide but none in Australia.

The company is recalling battery packs sold individually or used in�HP Pavilion notebook�computer models:

Free search engine (SEO) tips from Google for small business

Fri, 22 May 2009 08:56:01 +0000

I�m going to keep this post brief so you can just get straight to the video on YouTube and watch.

Matt Cutts from Google gives you his search engine optimization tips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gscFgaMTm48

-SCuffy

Update on Support On Click � Police alert to Scam

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:57:01 +0000

It�s official � the Queensland state Police have investigated complaints and found the Support On Click offering is a scam�(when they call and pretend to be Microsoft).� Here is the official press release, with a link to the police website:http://www.police.qld.gov.au/News+and+Alerts/Media+Releases/2009/04/New+scam+targets+computer+users.htm

The Queensland Police Service has issued a warning about a new scam targeting computer users.

The scam involves people taking a call from a person working at a foreign call centre. The victim receives a call from the offender, who claims to belong to a software support company that has been requested by Microsoft to fix problems on the victim�s computer.

Support On Click (aka reading the fine print)

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 08:58:14 +0000

It�s that time of the night (usually around 6:30pm) and the phone rings.� A lovely Indian voice from Support On Click tells you that your computer has serious problems which must be fixed by paying them a subscription fee for a remote support session.� Would you be suspicious?� What if the caller told you that they were actually from Microsoft, or that they were calling on behalf of your internet provider (even mentioning BigPond by name)?

MYOB update download corrupting registry?

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:10:24 +0000

Thanks to the team at First Class Accounts for passing on their experience with a downloaded update from MYOB.� Could have been due to the file becoming corrupted during the download process.

After�downloading and�installing the new MYOB from the internet (Accounting Plus V18 or Premier V12), someone�went to�shut down her computer and found it�would not reboot.��Looked like�the MYOB download had severely damaged her Registry.� The IT guy�repaired the problems, but not without 36 hours downtime on her system!!!� He said that hers was the second system that he had seen with similar problems after downloading the new MYOB!!

All quiet on the western front �

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:12:00 +0000

Am I tempting fate by saying the current volume of �standard� PC problems is rather low at the moment?� By �standard�, I mean the usual suspects � hardware failures, viruses and Windows corruptions.

You think that would worry a computer service company � think again!� We�re loving the more interesting side of our business � talking to customers about whether a server is the right move for them or not (see�www.ctaspley.com.au/news.htm), establishing system health monitoring and preventative maintenance, and adding new technology components that really have an impact in a business (spam filter for a start!).

Australian shops in spam subject

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:15:11 +0000

Recently my hotmail account junk e-mail filter has been catching some rather �Australian-targeted� spam.

Often with a sender of �Thanks for participating!�,��Much Thanks!�, the subject lines claim to have a voucher pending for me from an Australian store like Myer, Wollworths or JB-Hi Fi (though I�ve also seen an iPhone one too).� The company is MyGiftRewards, and they ask me to click on a very suspicious link to confirm my email address and claim my $500 voucher.

When AVG goes bad

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:16:56 +0000

Intermittant but far too frequent STOP blue screen messages seen on Windows XP with AVG 8.0 Internet Security (the one with the firewall component).� Strange thing is, the blue screen often mentions things like IRQL errors, so it may lead you down a faulty hardware path.

Turns out the AVG 8.0 firewall can be the culprit.� An easy way to determine this (apart from disabling the software) is to remove the network connection.� No network=no firewall activity=no blue screen.

Technology moves

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:17:56 +0000

Well, the whole office moved really, this weekend.� And in a rare moment of quite, surrounded by not quite as many boxes, I thought it was about time I added a new blog post.� Can you tell things around here have been a little busy?

So, a couple of tips for moving your technology (which I really should write up as a free report, but with content slightly better than just off the top of my head):

MYOB & Vista & Forms �

Mon, 12 May 2008 09:19:37 +0000

Today�s MYOB/Vista trick � logged onto my lapatop with a new user account that is NOT a domain administrator (trying to be all security conscious and the like).� Then MYOB v17 refused�to see my custom forms (incidentally, the business fie is on a shared�drive).

Log on as the old, domain admin user � no problem.

Turned out to�be file security (surprise).� By default, the local Users group (which contains the Domain Users group) does not give full control or modify access to the Forms directory and files.� Change this to allow full control to the forms, and hey presto, my non-domain admin user is now accessing branded invoices in MYOB once again!

Tracking sales opportunities

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:25:47 +0000

If you�ve ever heard the term �CRM� thrown around, be warned ��Customer Relationship Management�is about a whole lot more than just installing some software.

On a small business scale where you are both �cook and bottle washer�, or you may have one staff member who is focussed on sales, Microsoft�s Business Contact Manager may be an easy way to get started.

Integrated into Outlook, it let�s you load contacts and opportunities, assign which stage of the sales process they are at, and link any email communication to their BCM record.� Then you can see some nice little graphs re how many opportunites (and what dollar value) you�have in your sales funnel at each stage.

Managed Services Contract Signup Incentive

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:27:43 +0000

In talking to customers about managed services, we�re finding they are sometimes procrastinating in making a decision � we�re not getting a no but we�re not getting a yes yet either.� Proactive support and maintenance doesn�t seem to have enough urgency on it for people to make a decision quickly.� So, we thought we�d put our thinking caps on to see what kind of incentives we could offer for people to sign up, as a promotion we could then market.

Windows Live Messenger & AVG 8

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:30:14 +0000

Another tale from the trenches .. that being my own personal experience on my PC!� Windows Live Messenger refusing to sign in, giving an 8100030d error.� Most suggestions include regsrv32 commands to reregister dll files, resetting modems etc, nothing which worked on Vista for me.� Until I remembered that Tony had recently upgraded my software to AVG Anti-Malware SBS Edition version 8.0.87.� So, diabled the Resident Shield � no go.� Went into the Web Shield and unticked the Instant Messaging, MSN Protection � still no go.� Disabled the Web Shield entirely and what do you know �. hello, messenger, you have returned!� Yuck � I�m now off to report this to AVG.

What are we selling?

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:31:11 +0000

I�ve picked up a great book called �Stop bitching, start pitching� by Marty Kellard & Ian Elliot.� It�s forced me to really stop and think about how we pitch our managed service product, B.E.S.T.� They claim it�s not enough to have the best solution and the best sales message for it.� Instead you really have to do your homework and analyse the wants & needs (written and unwritten) of your customer and the key decision makers and influencers, then ensure that you are addressing those.� Especially for new business, a customer needs to be able to picture you working with them to solve their business problems, and taking it much further than just replacing the current IT guy that they are unhappy with.

Storage in the Australian SMB Space

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:33:17 +0000

Day 2 of the New Zealand Computer Troubleshooters conference was full of very talented kiwis highlighting open source, retail shops/service centres, and job management systems.� James Caldwell didn�t have to try very hard to�remind us�why we love AVG (especially when they sponsored the Friday night mini-golf/spit roast dinner/drinks/prizes & more drinks).

But the topic that�really made me think was Storage Management, presented by Jeff Maslen.� With credentials including HP, IBM and Ingram Micro, it�s great to see someone of that calibre at our conference.� He was such an engaging speaker, that a lot of people walked out of the room saying �I don�t know what he was talking about, but I want one�.� With Jeff warning that the days of direct attached storage (e.g. hard disks inside servers) are numbered, he advised us to get onboard with technologies such as iSCSI SANs etc, even in the SMB market.� Now, I�ve always understood the reasons for SANS, Blade servers etc in the corporate world (where data volumes are huge and floor/rack/data centre space is limited AND expensive � but for SMBs?� And when we talk SMB, we talk less than 30 PCs � more likely less than 10 PCs.� Jeff�has enough experience�and knowledge for me not to dismiss his ideas completely, but instead make me interested enough to find out more and see just how�SMB owners can be sold on the value of $10,000+ storage solutions.� Not to mention the fact that I know his name from somewhere�and it�s driving me crazy trying to figure out from where!

Is your critical information really deleted?

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 09:34:25 +0000

Title=thought provoking question that came from our friends at Kroll On Track during day 1 of the New Zealand Computer Troubleshooters conference � delete or even disk format does not permanently remove data.� Kroll�s fancy data recovery program can get some very interesting data (i.e. credit card numbers etc) of �blank� hard disks � just like you find in second hand computers being sold on eBay.� Of course it was also�a shameless plug from their data erasure software, which even they cannot recover data from.Colin�delivered a brief session on demystifying search engine optimisation (=copy Colin�s site/tags etc! � gotta love being part of a �share and share alike� franchise group of talented individuals!).� And if you came here looking for SEO tips �. sorry, you�ll just have to join�Computer Troubleshooters.� Actually, I may ask Colin for some �end customer� type tips that I will blog at a�later�date, so watch this space.

Managed services?

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:36:53 +0000

There�s a new phrase slowly rumbling through the computer support industry in Australia � managed services.� It�s being helped along by companies like Kaseya, who are trying to convince every one-man-band computer guy that they can earn truckloads by using the Kaseya product.� Problem is, your technology tool of choice is only one small piece of the puzzle to make you a successful managed service provider (MSP).� So, we now have another �book & webinar� spawning industry, trying to each people the secrets of being an MSP, structuring contracts, pitching to customers etc etc.

Outlook express and spell check

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:42:58 +0000

Learnt something new this week � Outlook Express does not have an inbuilt spell checker and relies on a word processing program to be installed to use this feature.� And Open Office won�t cut it.

If you do have a word processor installed but spell check isn�t working in OE, check out Kelly�s Korner for tips to replace a dll file or fix registry entries:��http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_oe.htm#xp_spell_checker

-SCuff

Disappearing sound devices

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 09:57:27 +0000

Today�s lesson is a short one, about the magic of disappearing sound devices.

In Vista, under Control Panel, then Sounds, the first tab is Playback.� Mine shows two devices: Speakers and Realtek�Digital Output.� Whilst�playing around with some settings the other day, I right-clicked on Speakers and selected Disable � and disable they did!� Having been used to network icons that remain with a red X on them when disable, I was most surprised to see my Speakers device completely gone.��A-hunting I went,�not able to find the�darn things anywhere for me to re-enable them�🙁

A printer is a printer is a printer �. right?

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 10:02:43 +0000

Asking any IT person to recommend a printer (or a laptop or PC for that matter), is like saying �which car should I buy?� or �which house should I build?�.� It strongly depends on what your needs are, as a printer on a network for 10 people in an office printing mainly documents is far different�from a home printer that you want to handle photos.

Here are my top�five�printing tips :

Messaging, instantly.

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:03:54 +0000

Once upon a time, internet chat rooms were pages of text that you had to �refresh� to see a new message, and anyone could intrude on.� Fast forward to today, and instant messaging gives us our own private chat rooms (or are they private?) with only the people we want to communicate with (if we select the right settings).� There are many pros and cons of instant messaging, and I for one am a believer that it can benefit businesses, if done properly (i.e. securely).

Loose your Groove

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:05:29 +0000

Did I mention how well my laptop has been running since the Vista reinstallation?� Oh yeah, except I still haven�t tackled iTunes again�🙂

Here�s one that�s caught me out before .. and, as I didn�t reinstall the applications (hubby did) .. it snuck back in again.� Small business owners in Australia & New Zealand may be familiar with the MYOB suite of accounting/bookkeeping software.� It literally stands for Mind Your Own Business.� Well, Accounting Plus v17.0.0 (and some earlier versions) don�t play well with Microsoft Office 2007.� In particular, when you try to display a payroll advice, MYOB crashes with a �stopped working� error.� Very frustrating when you are trying to process the salary payments.� Even more frustrating when it�s your own salary you are trying to pay.

A rebuild is a beautiful thing

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 10:06:29 +0000

How long do you put up with a problem before you fix it? Especially if it�s one of those �slightly annoying but I can work around it� type computer problems?� Do you wait for a quiet moment at work (yeah, right), or for a time when you are feeling particularly unproductive or are avoiding another task that would be more unpleasant?� Or do you wait until another one .. or two .. or many other little problems join in the party and gang up on you?