Capital CompTech Support

17/08/2024

Only a couple more weeks until I am able to get back into helping the people of Canberra and the Yass Valley with their computer problems.

30/09/2022

We should all be concerned about security and data privacy, not just Optus customers. Every website that you log into should use a unique password. To keep track of all these passwords, you can use a password tracking app. I use and can recommend 1Password. Passwords can also be more easily remembered if a passphrase is used. This comic from xkcd explains this quite well.

15/10/2021

Here are my thoughts after a week of using the new Windows 11.
My initial impression is that Win11 is clean and uncluttered. The font is simple and modern and the colours are soft and harmonious. It looks “new”.
The first thing I noticed is that the Windows icon is missing from the bottom left corner. This was what happened with Win8 and the reaction from the public was swift with the majority of users expressing antipathy towards the change, third party developers quickly offering applications and hacks that mimicked the familiar button from Win7. It will be interesting to see if the same thing happens with Win11.
The Windows button is not gone, however, but it’s been moved towards the centre of the task bar, as part of a group of 4 new icons that are somewhat permanent and cannot be removed using the usual right-click trick. These icons in order are Start, Search, Widgets & Chat. To the right of these semi-permanent icons are the usual application icons that can be added or removed using right-click techniques.
If you really want the Windows button to be in the bottom left corner, there is a Setting that allows for this. I am curious about the design decision that led Microsoft to make this change. They must have realised that people would resist this change, so what were the compelling reasons that led to this change being made?
It’s not immediately obvious how to get to Settings. Right-click on the Windows icon to get a list of different configuration items including Settings. There has been a big redesign of the Settings application. I found the sheer number of items to be a bit confronting but overall I think the new design is an improvement.
Live tiles in the Start menu are gone, replaced by customisable widgets. I was never a fan of live tiles, so it will be interesting to see if I warm to this new design. Time will tell.
Finally, it’s probably important that you know how to shut down and restart the computer. In the usual Microsoft fashion there are multiple ways of doing this but the most straightforward are to either left-click or right-click on the Windows icon. The former opens a sort-of Start Menu with the power icon located in the bottom right corner. The latter shows the list of configuration items, with Power at the bottom of this list.
Have you had any experience with the new Windows 11 yet? I would be interested in your thoughts. Please add your comments below.

10/10/2021

Windows 11 became generally available this week and I have had the opportunity to complete two different installations. The first one I did was an in-place upgrade of a Win10 laptop. I downloaded the Windows 11 Installation Assistant from the official Microsoft link below and followed the prompts. After about an hour and several restarts I had Win11 running on the laptop. All in all, it was a pretty smooth process.

CAUTION! I am not recommending that you do this as it is possible that the installation of Win11 may cause a problem on your computer. I upgraded a computer where it didn't matter if there was a problem. I would ALWAYS back up a computer that had important information before doing any sort of major upgrade.

There are 3 options below for installing or creating Windows 11 media. Check out each one to determine the best option for you. If you are upgrading from Windows 10, we recommend that you wait until you are notified through Windows Update that the upgrade is ready for your PC. Before installing, ple...

27/09/2021

Microsoft Office (which Microsoft now calls Microsoft 365) is perhaps the default application to be found on most home and office computers, leading a lot of people to assume that it is a free program provided with Windows but nothing could be further from the truth. Depending on which version is needed, Office can cost several hundred dollars per copy.
There are a number of ways that Office can be installed and licensed but the two most common for most home or small office situation are the individual permanent license and the annual subscription. The one which is the most suitable will depend on individual circumstances.
I generally find that Officeworks has the best prices for Office for the home and small office buyer. The most basic version currently costs $188 for a single permanent license whereas a single user annual subscription is $98. The difference between the two is that the basic version only includes the Word, Excel & Powerpoint applications whereas the annual subscription includes all the essential Microsoft 365 apps.
The current release of Microsoft 365 is 2019. You may have an earlier release of Microsoft Office on your computer, possibly 2016, which is still supported by Microsoft with updates for a little while longer. If you have 2010 or 2007 installed you are strongly advised to upgrade as these are no longer supported and may represent a security problem. Microsoft plan to release the 2021 version on 5th October. If you have a current annual subscription you can upgrade to the latest version for free but if you have a permanent license you may need to pay for a full copy.
If you are not sure which version of Microsoft 365 is right for you I would be happy to talk with you and give you advice. I do not charge for giving verbal advice. If you have any questions or comments, add them below and I will do my best to answer them.

Shop at Officeworks for the latest Microsoft Office software for Mac and Windows. Buy online now.

13/08/2021

It looks increasingly likely that 20 October will be the release date for Windows 11. Not everybody will get the upgraded version of Windows at the same time however. I would also strongly recommend holding off installing the new version of Windows for several weeks or even months to make sure that there are no issues that may affect your particular computer and the applications that run on it.
Also, not every computer will be capable of running Windows 11. Whilst Microsoft has made a checking application available, it can be a bit confusing to use. Some very clever programmers have created a simple application that you can run to see if there are any known issues that may affect your computer. It is free and doesn't make any changes to your computer. I would regard it as being safe to download and run.
If you have any questions, as always feel free to contact me or reply to this post. When Win11 is officially released I will install it on one of my computers and let you know how things turn out.

Here is the checker for you to download and run:

20/07/2021

Just after I finished writing the most recent post on the different varieties of Windows 10, I came across another possibility that I find very, very interesting.
Perhaps you are familiar with cloud-based applications, where the application is not installed on your local computer and runs as a browser page? Some examples of these include accounting applications such as Xero as well as Apple Pages/Numbers, Google Docs/Sheet and Microsoft 365 that puts traditional Office applications such as Word and Excel into a browser.
Very shortly you will be able to buy a subscription to Windows 365, which puts a computer running a type of Windows 10 into the browser. Nothing is stored on the local computer, with all applications and data running in the Microsoft cloud.
For more information about this innovation, see the following web page from Microsoft.

As some regions begin to make their way out of the challenges and disruption of the past 18 months, we’re seeing a new world of work emerge. Organizations everywhere have transformed themselves through virtual processes and remote collaboration. And as people embrace hybrid work—with people retu...

18/07/2021

Most of the personal and business computers that I see are based on Microsoft Windows 10. There are a number of different versions available, with Win10 Home and Win10 Professional being the ones that an individual is most likely to use. Generally speaking, most users only need the features of Win10 Home, which is significantly cheaper than Win10 Pro. The difference is about $150, which gives the ability to connect to a special network called a domain, and also to use Remote Desktop inbound and create virtual machines with Hyper-V, along with some enhanced data encryption. In other words, you probably don't need it.
Many users don't realise that the cost of the computer also includes a license to use Win10 on that computer. A license for Win10 Home from Officeworks is currently $189. Windows is definitely not free.
As well as Win10 Home and Pro there are also versions for workstations (high end specialised computers), education, enterprise and embedded.
Microsoft has a good web page that gives more information about the differences between Home and Pro.

Get reassurance on which Windows 10 version to buy. Compare Windows 10 Home vs. Pro with Microsoft’s comprehensive checklist and feel confident in your choice!

04/07/2021

Last week Microsoft announced Windows 11! When Win10 was released it was said to be the last version of Windows ever. Obviously they've decided that big changes are needed.
There is no official release date yet but the 20th October has been leaked as a likely date.
The update will be free for all Win10 users. If anybody is still using Win7 or Win8, there is a unofficial free upgrade that may still be available. Give me a call if you would like to know more.

Discover the new Windows 11 and learn how to prepare for it. Explore new features, check compatibility, and see how to upgrade to our latest Windows OS.

24/06/2021

I don't normally post political content on this page however funding a gas fired generator on the Liddell power station site is a really dumb idea, as proof consider that no commercial entity wants to pursue the venture. Please have a look at this formal petition to federal parliament and consider signing it. Pass this on to your friends if you agree.

Hello and thanks for signing the petition regarding public funding for the Hunter Valley power station. We have over 20,000 signatures! Unfortunately it needs to be an “officially approved” petition to be tabled in parliament. I have gained official Government approval for a new petition regardi...

18/06/2021

If the photos and information on your computer or smartphone are important to you, a backup is only slightly less important to you than your heartbeat.
It is very easy to set up an automatic backup for pretty much every computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Macintosh and Windows computers come with backup software included. iPhones and iPads include a small amount of free storage for backup in iCloud. Other devices will generally have some sort of automated backup facility.
I strongly recommend the use of Seagate personal hard drives for backing up computers and laptops. Last time I looked, Officeworks had 1TB Seagate personal drives for $59, which is pretty cheap insurance for your precious information. It is also possible to set up a system that allows automated backup over wifi, however this can sometimes be a bit tricky.
If you are not backing up your files and photos because it is all too hard, please give me a call. I would be more than happy to advise you on a backup solution that will suit you. m.me//CapitalCompTechSupport

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