Presto! Network Printing Made Easier from Mobile Devices

Presto is a print server made by Collobos Software that allows you to connect devices using different OS types.  Operating systems like iOS, Android, Chrome OS, as well as allowing seamless integration with your standing computer network.  Print from all your devices in a single office space or even on the go.  Presto allows you to print from Apple’s AirPrint or even Google’s Cloud Print, allowing you to print even if you are not near a computer.  For more info go to https://www.collobos.com/ ; rates start as low as $2 per month.

Moving ACT! Data to New Server and Sharing Database

I had a client in San Diego recently for whom I set a new server.  This meant moving the data for all of their programs;  This includes ACT!.

Moving ACT! is not as simple as moving, say, Quckbooks.  First, you have to move the folder where the ACT! database is contained to the proper location on the new server.  

Normally you run the .pad file to open an ACT! database.  However, the first time the database is opened after the data is moved it is the .adf file that has to be run.  This must be run from the server.  Opening the .adf from the server will rewrite the .pad with the correct information.

Next disable the firewall on the server.  (I will update this if I figure out a way to allow just ACT! through the firewall).  This shouldn't be an issue as long as there is a hardware firewall (aka. a router).

The final step is to share the database.  Again, from the server, run ACT! as an administrator.  Then, go to Tools > Database Maintenance > Share Database.  If the option is greyed out, make sure you ran ACT! as an admin this time.

Make sure the correct options are setup so everyone on the network has permission to edit the folder/database files and you should be good to go.

Bitdefender Total Security Fail

We recently had a client in San Diego bring us her PC and it was running Bitdefender. Unfortunately, it ran Windows 8 with little or knowledge of all of these spyware and virus related files. We did the virus removal with MalwareBytes and Hitman Pro to get her computer running clean again. Joy!

Kurt Rein MobileComputerWizard.com 619 255-1215 Office San Diego Computer Repair.

Mobile Computer Wizard - A scary one in the wild.

Cryptolocker Virus is Nasty!

There's a new virus on the loose that actually destroys your files. It falls under a category of software called 'ransomware'. It encrypts and destroys all of your common files and then asks for $300 to decrypt them. The scary part is if you get infected, your files are permanently damaged. Your only reasonable recourse is to restore a back up version. This has only been in the wild for a few weeks and it's hard to say exactly how folks are getting infected. A potential source is bogus emails with shipping notifications. We are not trying to cause panic, but you need to have three things in order. First is a good antivirus program, though we have read it's working around even the best ones as this writing. Second is to not open webpages and emails unless you are absolutely certain of their origin. Thirdly, you need a backup program that does versioning. 

Microsoft Remote Desktop from MSFT account to non Microsoft account.

I encountered a small glitch with remote desktop connection built into Windows in that one account was a Windows 8 pc with a Microsoft account and the other remote PC was a local account. I was required to use a switch to get me back to local by doing \local\USERNAME to make it connect.

Kurt Rein MobileComputerWizard.com 619 255-1215 Office San Diego Computer Repair

Recover Accidentally Deleted Files

UndeleteMyFiles Pro is a quick way to recover accidentally deleted files. I've used other software to do this in the past, but the scans took hours meaning it was not something I could easily do onsite. This program took 93 seconds to scan my 250GB Samsung SSD so I estimate around 45 minutes to scan a 1TB mechanical drive. You will need to know either the file name or file path to recover what you are looking for.

It's completely free and can be download here<http://seriousbit.com/undeletemyfiles/> .

Brett Kline Mobile Computer Wizard San Diego Computer Repair 619 255-1215 Office 858 876 2278 Mobile

iOS7 Photo Download via USB Cable requires Trust

I was helping a client in North County San Diego with an iPad photo issue. Her iPad was getting too full so I helped her remove bulk photos and then set up photostream. One point is that a new setup of photostream only does new photos taken. Existing photos are not transferred to the PC via the iCloud control panel. It also happens automatically, there is NOT a way to trigger the sync. Assume there will be a 2 to 3 minute lag on the photo transfer. That's OK, but a bit annoying as your are waiting for confirmation. Thirdly, on iOS7 if you connect a USB cable to a computer to do a direct photo transfer a new feature requires that you 'trust' the PC or Mac. A pop up will display on the iPad awaiting confirmation before the photo drive will show up in my computer.

Kurt Rein MobileComputerWizard.com 619 255-1215 Office San Diego Computer Repair