Computer Setup

Computers are essential items in our lives. You may have bought one to do traditional “office work” but they are capable of so much more. Many families like to keep in touch using video calling such as Skype. Almost everyone has a Facebook account. Many people use their computers as part of their home entertainment. Then of course there is the research we do comparing holiday prices and insurance quotations and countless more. If you want to do online shopping and want to track your parcels then you need a reliable working computer all the time!

Some computer retailers offer a “PC set-up”. Be sure you understand exactly what is on offer before you buy this! – read more.

So what should a set-up include?

There are a number of things that all setups should include. There are additional things that new users will require and additional things that customers replacing computers will require. This is what I do!
• In all cases the software should be up to date. If its months out of date the computer will take hours to get the latest updates. If it’s a full release behind then the process can take so long that inexperienced owners abandon it thinking that something has gone wrong. This in turn can cause other problems.
• PC Tuning should be done to tailor the performance to suit how the computer will be used. Office type use is different to gaming or needing to run number crunching applications. The graphics handling and several system features can be altered to give the best use for the customer. You cannot do this without talking to the customer about their needs.
• Is the Anti-virus installed and working? There are many options here to ensure that you get good protection that suits your needs and budget. If you don’t have anti-virus installed then I will provide you with one and set it up to protect you with a minimum impact on performance. There are a different kinds of Malware around and you benefit from having access to several ways of dealing with malware and viruses. I will make sure these routines are on your desktop or computer laptop and can be run when you need. Anti-virus is vital if you are going to use your computer for Internet banking.
• In Windows 10 many privacy settings will be open that if the customer knew about them they would almost certainly wished closed! Modern computers love to share information. This makes your Internet browsing experience across different devices consistent. If you don’t need this or even if you do, it is still wise to ensure that privacy settings are as tight as they can be, making it harder for viruses to exploit your computer.
• Is a recovery USB drive needed? Has it been created?
• Every computer should have some kind of Office software. If a Microsoft licence is available then this should be installed and linked to any existing accounts. If not then a copy of one of the free alternatives should be installed and set up to use MS products if that is the most likely the customer will need.
• Having several Internet Browsers is also an advantage. And copying the favourites and book marks for existing owners is a must!
• If you are new to e-MAIL then I will get a new address for. If you are replacing a computer then I will copy your contacts and existing stored emails making everything as it was before.
• If you are replacing a computer then you will want all your photographs, documents, music other files and programs putting onto the new computer.
• PC training. If you are a new user of computers there will be things you need to know about using email, browsing the web and looking after your computer. Experienced users also will benefit from an overview of the new features they are getting.
• Other devices and equipment such as printers, routers, Bluetooth devices and external storage media will all need connecting.

What will it cost?
£60 - £85 is the usual cost for a set-up by Computers-in-Kent, this includes all the above.
Please call me if you have any questions or special needs.

For all aspects of computer technology please contact me for a free no-obligation discussion.