Monday, March 29, 2010

Clean Install, 2010 Edition

Why is the Clean Install important to you and your computers?

Is your desktop or laptop PC suffering slowdowns, freeze-ups, spyware or virus infections, frequent popups, Trojan Horse compromises to your personal data, system crashes or bluescreens of death (BSOD)?

PCs are not usually updated with the latest service packs, security patches and upgrades. They MAY have an anti-virus program running, but few are protected by software firewalls, browser protections, script blockers, anti-spyware, system cleanup, or any kind of general malware protection, let alone automated backup and recovery. That's a fact of life, unfortunately. And the bad people who distribute malicious software ("malware") know this and bank on it - with YOUR money.

PCs typically have a variety of applications installed and uninstalled, hardware and software configuration changes made, updates added, patches and security fixes applied, device drivers installed and then abandoned for other, newer devices, all kinds of stuff connected (like music players and PDAs), stuff disconnected, and in general see lots of things come and go in their life as a tool for business, an outlet for creative expression, playthings and game players, and all the other functions we do with our computers. Bottom line: we get these machines into a pretty tattered state as we use them, and they tend to slow down and misbehave more and more as time passes.

A typical unsecured, non-updated, unpatched retail computer, or one that's seen active duty in the trenches of technology, WILL slow down, crash, freeze, bluescreen, become compromised/infected at some point in time. Hey, the Web is a jungle, where outlaws operate uncontained and unrestrained, and you gotta be secure and protected against the tidal wave of crap that is everywhere out there.

That's where I can help.

I will wipe the hard drive with a full and complete reformat, install a SECURED and FULLY UPDATED copy of Windows that has been tweaked and tuned to minimize its vulnerabilities and maximize its performance along with updated device drivers. Then I'll innoculate the PC to protect it from malware, install safer web applications like Firefox and Thunderbird, defrag the drive and spend some time testing everything. Then take a snapshot of the finished installation and save it to CD/DVD so it can be restored quickly and easily should the same thing happen again. Live and learn.

I've setup new laptops that bootup in around twenty seconds, and late-model desktop systems that are ready to go in about thirty. I can't guarantee these numbers for older hardware, but I can tell you that a clean, secure, optimized installation of Windows, along with a balanced set of security software, can and will make your computer run better, faster, longer and more reliably than it ever has before. Really.

There are MANY performance optimizations that can be made to a typical retail PC that will make it work better, and I know LOTS of them. I've been using many of them personally and professionally for years, and I know the ones that really DO work, and those that don't.

I've been doing custom installs on PCs for over twenty years, and secured, high performance Windows setups for most of that time. I KNOW how to make your old hardware run better and faster and more reliably, because I don't install all that crapware that slows you down and hogs hard drive space, and I will install the latest updates and service packs, all secured and tweaked to run at blazing speed. I'll download all the latest drivers so your hardware works as well as possible, and test networking, video and sound to be certain I did it right.

I AM NOT A MAGICIAN. I cannot make bad hardware mysteriously work again. There will be times you might NEED some hardware upgrades/repairs to make your system operate at peak performance. If your computer has only 256 MB RAM, that will limit you - a LOT. 512 MB is a better place to start, and 1-3 GB RAM truly makes the PC work better, faster, longer. For XP I like to recommend 1 GB as a minimum, and 2 GB as a minimum for Vista and Windows Seven. More is always better, best determined by your workload and the type of programs you use.

Hard drives control how fast you can go - usually the larger the drive, the faster it works. 7200 RPM drives work much better than 5400 RPM or 4200 RPM drives, and of course, newer drives work better than older ones. The new solid-state drives (SSDs) have no mechanical moving parts, and are a great way to make your computer boot faster, run faster and cooler. Older systems will need a SATA interface upgrade, but most newer systems are ready to be upgraded to SSD.

If you don't need any hardware upgrades or repairs, I'll do your Bare Metal Clean Install of Windows for $199. Here's the deal: You bring the system unit to me (no mouse, monitor, keyboard or printer - just the CPU or laptop and power brick), along with a $100 deposit, then give me about five working days to get it all done, tested, and a customized restore disk created. When you pick it up. pay me the balance due. If you need it sooner, I can turn it around in two working days for just $249, or in one working day for only $299. Working days mean weekdays, Monday through Friday.

If you are REALLY rushed and need it THE SAME DAY, I'll usually do the work BY APPOINTMENT on a first come, first served basis. You'll make full payment in advance, and you'll need to have the system to me by 11AM at the latest to get it back by 7PM that same day. We'll need to talk about several things, so email me ASAP with your contact information. If I need to do this work at your location, we can do that, too.

Here's what YOU have to do: backup any and all data you want to keep. My Bare Metal Clean Install process will absolutely, positively destroy every last bit of data on the hard drive, both good and bad. This includes documents, downloads, pictures and music, as well as viruses, spyware, Trojans and all the other bad stuff. If I have to back up your data it will cost you AT LEAST $200 extra and probably more because everything will be scanned for malware and cleaned, saved to DVDs and then restored back to your newly repartitioned, reformatted, clean-like-a-baby's-behind hard drive. If you have an external USB hard drive, I'll use that to store your backup data.

I'll also need any CDs/disks that came with your computer, if available. You will need a valid Windows Product Key/ID sticker, usually located somewhere on the exterior of your computer system unit. This is five sets of five characters and is proof of your ownership of an OEM Windows license, and can be Media Center, Home or Professional edition, among others. If you have no license, I'll charge you between $90-$140 at current mail-order prices for an OEM copy to install. This includes upgrades from XP or Vista to Windows Seven. I would prefer using your license, and I want everybody to be happy knowing I'm doing this legally and above-board. Any additional application software or drivers will be installed by you, as well as drivers for your peripherals (printers, scanners, cameras, and the like). I can do it for you, and I'll give you a reasonable estimate upon request.

I've done these custom setups for many years with HUNDREDS of systems, and they ALL WORKED BETTER. No useless crapware, all the latest Windows updates, service packs and security patches, latest device drivers, antivirus, anti-spyware, firewall and other system security software, safer browser and email clients, hard drive defragmentation, boot-time optimization, BIOS tweaking, cooling fan cleaning, and a general physical inspection are what you NEED to get the most from your technology investment. I've been doing that long enough to GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. Every system is different, with its own set of requirements. I bring a lengthy experience and knowledge to every computer, including yours.

Bare Metal Clean Installs are just the tip of the iceberg.

I can also help you with: data conversions, backups, recoveries, network design, setup and security, user training and documentation, Internet connectivity, general information research, technical writing, digital media creation and management (audio, video, photos, etc.), spyware and virus cleanup, direct marketing with mail merge, website setup and maintenance, domain registration, remote PC access, printer and peripheral setup, and much more.

I work often with Ubuntu Linux and have found it makes a GREAT platform for typical computer work, like browsing the web, sending and receiving email, downloading video and audio files, creating and printing office documents, watching YouTube online videos, playing MP3 files, making Skype calls, using instant messaging (IM) and LOTS MORE.

I will be YOUR personal technology consultant, and help you OR YOUR BUSINESS move up to the next level of productivity. More choice makes for better solutions. How can I help you Make It Go today?

I'm located in Roswell, GA. You can use the email address below to contact me.

I've been doing this for DECADES, I have a very capable and powerful toolkit, I know what I'm doing, and I'll help you get back up and running the right way. The BETTER way.

THANK YOU for reading and Good Luck in all your computer and technology endeavors.

MARK STRELECKI, ACP
Computing and Programming Since 1975

markworks@strelecki.com