Do We Cover Ballina ?
Please note: We do not work on Apple (Mac) computers
I simply do not like Macs or the way they are marketed & am fortunately in a position to choose not to work on them.While some companies claim to specialise in 'all computers', they are treating you to (or as) an oxymoron.
We are a qualified & experienced mobile PC/laptop repair service (also offer tuition if needed). Home visits & drop off service available. We can also offer a range of new laptops & Custom built PCs to your requirements/budget (see the "New PCs" Link at the top of this page. We are actually based in Mullumbimby (Argyle Street) & but we can come out to addresses in Ballina & we'll gladly come out to your home or office. It does work out a fair bit cheaper if you drop your PC off at our office, but if you want us to come to your home or business, it is no problem. If access to your property is a bit tricky (or the roads are in particularly poor condition at the time), please let me know when you make the booking & I can choose a smaller car (or motorcycle).
This page was written to make it easy for people to find us for their PC repair needs in Ballina. Rather than it serving no other purpose, each of the pages also covers a subject we hope you will find useful (if you'd like more, they are listed by subject under 'Useful Stuff' at the top of this page).
Checking Your Windows Updates
Do I really need to check my updates?
Click here, if you want to jump straight to the 'How to' without any explanation.OK, firstly, what are Windows updates? ..... Updates can be broken down into 2 basic types:
- Feature updates - when new features or capabilities are added as part of a bundle of updates. These are released every 6 months or so & are referred to by the American season (Spring - normally about April & Fall normally about October). An example of this, is the 'Your Phone' app (lets you send text messages from your PC), which came in with the Windows 10 1809 (October 2018) 'Fall Update'. These updates are big (can be well over 4GB) & can take a few hours to go through.
- Security updates - as the name suggests are updates to protect your PC from new threats. There are LOTS of these & they are a 'must have'. The way I explain this to people is with an analogy to the front door lock on your house. OK, so a company makes a door lock that automatically locks when you pull the door shut (like the door lock you probably have on the front door of your house). Now a criminal comes along & discovers that if you shove a credit card into the door frame just above the lock & slide the card down while jiggling it, it will unlock the door - not good. The fix for this would be to design a pin that slides into the door frame when the lock engages. For the lock company, this would be a nightmare. They would have to go to every installed lock (or do a recall) & modify them. However, with software you create a 'Patch', having already designed a 'check for updates' function when you created the program, you send a pop-up from within each program effectively saying, 'click here to get updates'. The patch downloads , updates (& patches the security hole) & after you restart it, the new version of the program loads & that venerability is blocked. The same thing happens for Windows itself (covering the vast majority of programs on your PC) & is dealt with by the Windows Update program ....This is an ongoing process; as new 'exploits' are found, new patches are written & sent out as updates.
Checking your updates
Updates will normally go through on their own, however giving them a prod with a (metaphorical) sharp stick is easy.As above just type 'Updates' in the Windows Search box (Red Arrow 1). From the list of suggestions that pops up, click on "Check for Updates" (Red Arrow 2).
In the window that pops up, click on "Check for Updates". If there are updates waiting in the queue, Windows will start downloading the updates & then install them (sometimes you'll get a "Windows needs to restart to finish installing updates"). On the other hand, you may just get the "You're up to date". While that probably means all good re updates, we'll do 1 last thing ... check the date of the last successful update that went through.
In the picture above, you'll see the the second link down from the "Check for Updates" button is View Update History"; click on that.
In the "View Update History" that will pop up, Windows displays the previously installed updates in chronological order (newest first) & start the year & month, the type & name of the update, followed by the specific version of Windows & the Windows Knowledge Base reference number (eg KB12345678). The line underneath starts with the word "success" (or failure) & the date it went through. If the results are success & the dates are recent (looking at mine the most recent was 'Success' & the current date) we're all good. If not we look into troubleshooting your updates.
In the Search box type the word "Troubleshoot" & click on it in the list of suggestions. The Windows troubleshooter app will open up.
The fourth in the list in the troubleshooter is "windows Update". Click on that, then on "Run Troubleshooter". This troubleshooter is very good & will fix most problems. Beyond that, you will have to do some research (use the KB number to help), or pay someone like myself to sort it out for you.