AS Consulting

AS Consulting Founded in 1990, we have been serving the Santa Barbara area's computer needs for more than 30 years!

Most individuals and businesses don't want to worry about the health of their computers. Instead, they want to treat their computer as just one more tool necessary to get the job done- it should just work. The ease of your computer's use and the integrity of its data are of primary concern. If something goes wrong with your computer, you want to know that a qualified professional is only a phone c

all away and able to handle any and all problems. With 33+ years of experience and more than 25 years in operation, we have helped clients with new system selection, software and hardware installation, and product support. We are well-versed in all aspects of Windows 10, 8 and 7, Vista, XP, and all the way back to DOS, as well as Windows Server and Small Business Server. We can handle all network aspects, starting from the ground-up (cabling, system installation, software installation). We can help you with any DSL & Cable Internet access issue and support of peripherals (printers, scanners, mice, modems, routers, etc.). When you buy a computer system from us, you buy a system completely built by AS Consulting, there will never be a time that you'll have to wait an hour or more for technical support to answer the phone, only to find out that the only support they can offer is to have you return your system (at your expense) - we ARE technical support. When there is a problem, we come and take care of it ourselves! In addition to the above, we offer a full range of software training services: from one-on-one to group settings. As well as full hardware and software sales (We offer very competitive prices!), consultation and instruction on software or hardware problems, individualized instruction on a wide variety of software applications, and full support of your large or small network (this includes initial consultations, selection of hardware, installation and continuing support). Therefore, should you have a problem, we are very qualified to help get your system back on its' feet in as quick a manner as possible. One more thing, we speak plain everyday English- not the "computer-ese" that many consultants baffle their clients with! We look forward to receiving a call from you to talk about your computer needs and how we may help you meet them!

Please help AS Consulting win BEST OF in the Computer Repair category. Nominations are only accepted from June 8 – July ...
06/23/2023

Please help AS Consulting win BEST OF in the Computer Repair category. Nominations are only accepted from June 8 – July 5. So, please help me out by clicking on this link: https://bestof.independent.com/living-well/computer-repair This is the link for the Living well , Computer repair category. Please type in AS Consulting. When you start typing, you will be asked for your email address, first and last name, to verify that each vote is a unique nomination. Once you click “Nominate”, You are done! You can continue to nominate in other categories, or click on “Skip, or just close the page.

06/21/2019

Windows 7 Nearing its "End of Extended Support"
With about 35% of desktop Windows PCs still using Windows 7, a lot of people are going to have to make some big decisions as Windows 7's "End of Extended Support" (EoES) is fast approaching it's January 14, 2020 date. What does this mean to you?

Windows 7 is about 10 years old. When Windows 7 was born, it already had an expiration date: January 13, 2015 was Windows 7's "End of Mainstream Support" (EoMS). That was the date Microsoft no longer offered support (paid or otherwise) for Windows 7. It makes sense, Microsoft needs to focus their attention on their newer products.

While Windows 7 EoMS has come and gone, Microsoft is still releasing security updates. This is where (EoES) comes in. When Microsoft discovers a security vulnerability, or a major OS flaw, they release an update. We are all very familiar with these updates (that often restart our computers any time they wish). On January, 14 2020 Microsoft will stop releasing updates. This means that even if there is a known security flaw (which could seriously affect the security of your files, data, etc.), Microsoft will not be releasing a fix. This is, therefore, the death knell for Windows 7. Just as it was the death knell for Windows XP when XP reached it's EoES.

If you are still using Windows 7 you need to make a choice before the first of the year:

1. Ignore the issue and accept any breaching of your data
2. Determine if an upgrade of your computer to Windows 10 is possible, and if you wish to do this.
3. Make the decision to move to a brand new computer, with its new OS.

I am more than happy to discuss your options with you and come up with a solution that meets your needs. Feel free to call or email and we can find out what will work for you.

10/25/2017

Office 2007 End of Life
From Microsoft: "On October 10, 2017, Office 2007 will reach End of Life. If you haven't already begun to upgrade your Office 2007 environment, we recommend you start now... In addition, as of October 31, 2017, Outlook 2007 will be unable to connect to Office 365 mailboxes, which means Outlook 2007 clients using Office 365 will not be able to receive and send mail."

So what does this really mean to you? You can continue to use Office 2007 products for as long as you wish. But there is no further support for them and these programs are vulnerable to security hacks. Also, since Office 2007 is EOL, if you are using a Hosted Exchange account, you probably won't be able to use Outlook after October 31st. Do yourself a favor and upgrade now! Feel free to call me to discuss what options you have for getting new software.

10/25/2017

Microsoft Scam Alert: This is nothing new, I've been warning you about these scams for years now. But many of my clients have recently been hit by this scam, so a refresher course is in order. There are many versions of these scams: You see a popup screen from your browser, similar to the one above. Or, you may have been called by a so called "Microsoft tech support representative". If you see a web page come up similar to above. Just shut down your computer. Chances are excellent that when you power back up, the message will be gone. If you get a phone call from "Microsoft", do yourself a favor and hang up. You can also have some fun and talk with them. The longer you keep them on the phone, the less time they have to scam someone else. But NEVER let them get remote control access to your computer. You would have to go to a website they direct you to and enter information, never do this! (But talk all you want. It can be quite entertaining.) Note: There are similar scams about the IRS calling as well, but these are not that prevalent in SB

10/25/2017

KRACK Exploit explained
The KRACK (short for, uh, Key Reinstallation AttaCK) vulnerability targets the communication of devices, communicating over wi-fi. If you are using your cell phone’s data plan, or a wired Ethernet connection, you are unaffected by this exploit. KRACK interferes with the way your devices communicate over a wi-fi connection. So, while your devices are safe, any data you transmit (passwords, usernames, credit card info, etc.) over wi-fi may not be.

How serious is this? This is a discovered vulnerability, I haven’t heard of any ACTUAL exploits taking place yet. But if there is money to be made, they will! Also, the individuals trying to get access to your data would need to be within range of the router you are using to communicate over wi-fi with.

Lastly, you should assume that public wi-fi’s are unsafe, as they probably haven’t been patched. But thankfully, even if you are using a public wi-fi, any communication over a secured website (HTTPS) would have their own built-in encryption, and therefore should be safe. But this is communication only on that website, not for your whole session.

What types of devices are affected? All of them! Routers, cell phones, computers, laptops, tablets, etc. In a strange twist of fate, your Windows OS devices are probably already protected and safe! Microsoft is really very good at issuing updates, so as long as you install the updates they send to you, you are probably safe. Android devices seem to be the most affected.

All of the devices will be safe once you install an update provided by your specific manufacturer.

So what should you do? As stated, Windows devices should be fine, as long as you regularly install updates. Other computer OS’s (Apple, Linux) will probably issue updates fairly quickly. You’ll need to check with them. Cell phone manufacturers take a very long time to issue their updates, but keep an eye out for them. Probably the most important update is an update to your Router’s firmware. This is also the hardest, as you’ll need to know how to log in as an administrator and then find the section where you can manually check for updates. Alas, I cannot do this for you remotely as I would be disconnected during the install phase. Feel free to call me to set up an appointment to come out if you wish.

Eventually, all devices will be updated and we can then move on to the next "big thing".

There are several (mostly anti-virus) companies, telling you that you should install their add-on features to protect yourself. Should you do it? If these add-ons are being offered by the AV software that you already have installed on your computer, feel free. But be warned, they are also going to try to install other software as well, that really has no value to this exploit. I wouldn't pay for anything they are offering. Again, the only real fix is a software patch to your device. Anything short of this is a band-aid.

03/28/2016

I had always said it was just a matter of time... After several updates, Windows 10 upgrades appear to be fairly stable. So if you want to upgrade, you should be OK. Most people upgrading from Windows 8 or 8.1 should have no problem. Windows 7 users have way less issues than before. A full backup before the upgrade is still HIGHLY recommended. Good luck!

01/15/2016

Internet Explorer 10 and below are now officially unsupported. You'll need to be using version 11 or Microsoft Edge to stay safe. Or, choose to install Chrome, Firefox, etc.

10/20/2015

I have many clients who are still getting calls from people saying they are from Microsoft. General rule of thumb: Don't allow anyone who calls you to remote in to your computer! If you didn't initiate the call, they are almost certainly nefarious. And don't give anyone money either. P.S. Microsoft does not care enough about you to monitor your computer and call you when there is trouble!

07/21/2015

It appears iTunes 12 upgrades have been causing quite a few problems. I'd recommend waiting a while for Apple to sort out the bugs before you make the upgrade leap.

06/28/2015

Notification to upgrade to Windows 10:
You may have noticed a little notification in your system tray (lower right hand corner), asking if you want to upgrade to Windows 10. First off, Windows 10 is not to be released until July 29. The notification is to reserve the upgrade. Reserve a FREE upgrade- why? I suggest that you not be the first to upgrade. Wait a while and I'll report back on the reviews of Windows 10.

Address

Goleta, CA
93116

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18059686366

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