Anglesey Computer Solutions

01/02/2026

Facing a computer that refuses to start is stressful, but several DIY steps can often resolve the issue before seeking professional help.

Verify Power and Connections: Ensure all cables are securely plugged in. For desktop users, unplug from the mains open the casing and check that internal cables are firmly pushed into their sockets. Laptop users should plug into mains power; if the computer starts, a faulty battery is likely to blame.

Force a Shutdown: If the system is stuck or unresponsive, hold the power button for at least 10 seconds(laptops) or turn off the power at the mains (desktops) to ensure it is fully switched off.

Boot into Safe Mode: This diagnostic environment limits active apps to core operating system functions. On Windows, repeatedly press F8 during startup or use the "Advanced Startup" options in Settings.

Listen for POST Signals: Note any beep codes or diagnostic LEDs on the motherboard during the Power-On Self-Test (POST), as these signal specific hardware failures.

Use System Restore: Once in Safe Mode, revert the system to a previous state when it was working correctly.

If software fixes fail, hardware like the motherboard or hard drive may be damaged. While replacing some components in a desktop is often straightforward, complex laptop repairs typically require more experience

08/06/2025

How AI is Revolutionizing Computer Repairs?
In today’s digital age, computers are at the heart of both personal and professional life. Yet, technical issues are inevitable, and when they strike, fast and accurate repairs are essential. The world of computer repair is undergoing a dramatic transformation, driven by the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).

Traditionally, diagnosing computer problems was a painstaking process. Technicians relied on manual testing, user reports, and educated guesses to identify issues. This approach often resulted in delays, repeated appointments, and sometimes, unresolved problems. However, the integration of AI into repair services is changing the game.

AI-powered systems are trained on vast datasets of past hardware and software failures. When a device malfunctions, these intelligent tools can swiftly scan the system, analyze symptoms, and flag potential problems. This not only speeds up the diagnostic process but also increases its accuracy. For routine issues, AI can even suggest quick fixes or guide both users and technicians through troubleshooting steps.

Despite these advancements, human expertise remains critical. While AI excels at identifying common problems and automating repetitive tasks, complex repairs and personalized customer service still require the touch of a skilled technician. AI acts as a powerful assistant—accelerating diagnostics, reducing guesswork, and allowing technicians to focus on the more challenging aspects of repair.

Ultimately, the synergy between AI and human skill is redefining computer repair, making it faster, more reliable, and increasingly user-friendly.

If you would like to try a specialized computer repair AI your self enter you problem into this page and see what it suggests.

22/01/2025

Will Microsoft copilot in Office365 cost you more? You may have noticed a new icon in Word and Excel but it could cost you more when you renew. Update your subscription or change to another office suite now to avoid the increase.

Have you seen the new icon above when using office 365 apps and if so what is it? Microsoft Copilot is a generative artificial intelligence (AI) chat bot developed by Microsoft, based on the GPT-4 series of large language models It serves as a versatile Read More ...

04/12/2024

Is your PC going to landfill by Xmas 2025?
Wot!!! Is the normal reaction when I ask customers this question? I then tell them that Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, as part of its standard lifecycle policy for software products. To find out more and what to do look at my blog article at:

Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, as part of its standard lifecycle policy for software products. This decision aligns with the release of Windows 11 in October 2021, which initiated the countdown to the end of support for its predecessor.

08/11/2024

I have received a couple of phone calls this week with clients being infected with the PCAppStore malware. It often leaves a large banner advert in the center of the screen which cannot be moved.
The client often blames McAfee but this is not correct. To find out more take a look at:
https://www.angleseycomputersolutions.co.uk/remove-pcappstore/
Get in contact if you have any PC issues.

13/06/2024

It makes me mad! Second person this week to fall to a computer support scammer. These guys had left a back door onto the clients PC, changed the email passwords, installed a FAKE antivirus and charged £ # # #. for a 1 year support contract. They also left their "support" number "on taskbar so that it would be handy next time!. Cleaned up the PC and advised the client to see if the bank will refund the money.

09/05/2023

Another scammer alert!
I had a call from 07452 849328 this morning from a “BT” engineer saying that they have discovered that my IP was public and that this was an issue.
It is NOT an issue so I knew this was a scam but decided to play along to see what they would do.
The steps they asked me to take were.
1) Open Google and go to IP.ME. They then asked me to look at the long number and notice that it said my ip was public and that I was from London. (This was wrong as I had logged on with a proxy server and it made it look as if I was in Toronto, but she ignored this when I told her I was in Toronto not London.
2) According to the “BT engineer” the public IP was an issue. She then asked me if I use email or facebook to which I said yes.
3) The next step involved me going to https://validator.w3.org/ ( Not a scam site) and to type www.email.com into the white box and press CHECK.
4) This showed 14 errors and if you scrolled down you will see.
According to the “BT Engineer” the error code 931 meant that my email was compromised, a similar thing when checking www.facebook.com showed even more errors, this time 43! Both of these errors are web site errors picked up by the validator and are nothing to do with any issue on my PC.

The “BT” engineer now asked if anyone had accessed my PC or router in the last few days which may have resulted in my IP being public, I said no. BT then offered to help me to correct the “issue”. She gave me her BT id TP162051 and asked me to go to rhelps.us ( SCAM SITE !!!!). I pretended to go to the site but had some “issues” which the engineer very kindly spent some time helping me sort out!

The next step was to download and open a file from rhelp.us
(SCAM SITE DO NOT ACCESS !!!) of course I did not access or download the file.

The engineer then gave me a code 69581 which I was supposed to use to log into the site.

She then asked me:
Can you see a chat box on the right-hand side, yes I said.
Does it show my BT ID TP162051? Yes (!)
What does it say in the chat box?
I replied it says “You have been talking to a scammer for 20 minutes.”

The “BT engineer” gave a laugh and put the phone down!
Scammers are always changing the way that they try and gain access to your PC. I had not seen this series of steps used before, but the process of trying to gain your confidence by showing you “errors” on your PC before trying to get to the point where they can access your PC is the same.
Having a public IP address is NOT a problem so please ignore the scammer who starts with this opening line!

10/01/2023

Attention all Anglesey residents!
Are you experiencing computer issues that are causing stress and disrupting your daily routine?
Look no further!
Our certified technicians offers fast and affordable computer repair services on the island of Anglesey.

From hardware problems to software troubles, we've got you covered.
Don't let computer troubles ruin your day
Call us now and experience top-notch customer service and peace of mind. "

05/06/2022

Elon Musk, starlink mesh wifi on Anglesey
I have a client near pentraeth who has been trying to get a decent broadband speed for years. BT fiber is not available and the best he could do was an EE 4g router. Someone mentioned Elon Musk’s starlink satellite system. This consists of a small external dish and a wifi router.

The system seemed to work well but the dish was on the roof and the special lead supplied to connect the dish to the router meant the router had to be located on the 3rd floor of the house.
I was asked if I could fit a mesh system to distribute the Wifi around the rest of the house. The client needed to buy an additional starlink proprietary ethernet adaptor for the satellite system. I was then able to set up a 6 node mesh system which meant that the client was able to get a 95Meg wifi connection in the office in the ground floor.
I was not aware that the startlink system was available on Anglesey.It not cheap at £530 for the equipment and then £90 per month but it was ideal for this client. https://www.starlink.com/

https://www.angleseycomputersolutions.co.uk/elon-musk-starlink-mesh-wifi-on-anglesey/

10/03/2022

Password 2022
We all use them but it is becoming easier for hackers to guess them. This new table from www.hivesystems.io shows how quickly they can be guessed.

A few years ago an 8-character mixed password may have taken 8 hrs to be guessed, now it is less than ¾ of an hour.

Although an 8-character password may be ok for your favorite restaurant, site for a bank you need to be looking at least 12.

One way to create a password is shown below:
Pick a phrase : ThursdayEveningRain
Change some letters to numbers: Thursd4yEv3ningR4in
Add some punctuation marks: Thur$d4yE^3n!ngR4!n

You then use this password as your Master password in a password manager such as Bitwarden.
Never record your password for banking or finance sites in your browser. It may seem convenient but if a hacker gets into your PC that is one of the first places, they are going to look for records of your username and password.

21/11/2021

Should I upgrade my PC?
This is a question I am often asked. Much like cars, different people have different needs and attitudes to PCs. Some like a new one every 3 years, while some prefer to stick with an older one that they understand. A large part of the decision on whether to upgrade or not comes down to personal choice. However much like a car can fail an MOT, certain factors mean that your current PC is no longer safe to use and an upgraded or replacement should be considered.
MOT Failures for PC include:
• Older operating systems such as Windows 7 or 8 that are no longer safe on the internet.
• A mother board or other major component has failed and cannot be economically replaced.
• The processor (engine) in the PC is an older Pentium or Celeron model and is no longer “fit for the road”
• The amount of memory in the PC is less than 4 GB which is a minimum for a modern operation system such as Windows 10.
• The hard drive has or is about to fail leading to loss of data.
A rule of thumb I use when considering if it is time to upgrade or replace a PC is to look at the colour of the USB slots in the PC. If they are black this means they are the older USB 1 or 2 style. If at least some of them have a blue insert they are the newer USB3 version. In my view any PC with only black USB slots is ready for replacement rather than an upgrade.
Other factors to check and consider in deciding if upgrade or replace is the most economic route:
• Only certain components in laptops can be upgraded.
• Windows 7 and 8 can be updated to10 only if the PC passes a hardware compatibility test.
• Windows 10 will be supported until 2025.
• Windows 11 can only be installed on newer PC due to tighter hardware requirements.
• Is installed software, including certain antivirus packages such as Norton, Mcafee, Avast or Avira adding bloat to your PC by offering addons or because you have more than one installed.
• Do you have a particular piece of software or hardware (printer, scanner) which will not run on an up-to-date operating system?

Tests can show what is the real reason for your PC slowing down?
• Lack of processor power
• Lack of memory
• Poor hard drive condition.
• Bloated windows installation
• Low space free space on hard drive.
• Spy ware or bloatware installed on PC.
• Type of hard drive installed.
Once factors above have been considered the economics is the final hurdle. Replacing individual components and operating system can be time consuming and cost around £150 to £200. A replacement desktop may be around £250 to £300 while a new desktop may be around £500 -£600 depending on specification.
Finally, when looking at replacement PC online make sure that you understand the specs and only buy a new PC which is suitable for you needs. Check processor, memory, and hard drive size carefully.

01/09/2021

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