If you want to avoid a cyberattack and getting your computer or network hacked, one thing you can do today is to stop ignoring those pesky software updates.  Almost everyone has experienced software update pop-ups.  They seem to appear just when you are at a critical juncture while working on something, prompting you to update and restart your computer.  As you click the “Not Now” or “Later” button, you tell yourself you will get to it later, but forget about it until the next time a software pop-up appears.  Software updates strive to fix bugs in code to enhance security and functionality.  In the absence of them, over time this leaves your computer and network vulnerable to a cyberattack and getting hacked.  In addition to security, if you miss too many software updates, you could experience issues with functionality, causing unexpected downtime until you can get things fixed.  Software updates are not the only thing many people put off.  Hardware updates are often neglected for a variety of reasons too.  Of all the hardware updates, cleaning the cooling fan and upgrading the hard drive to a solid-state drive top the list.  If lack of confidence and time are obstacles holding you back from installing software updates and performing hardware maintenance and upgrades, RB’s Computer Service can help, contact us today via phone or email: 763-441-3884, help@rbsmn.com.  We offer uncomplicated and affordable shop rates.  Our technicians are highly trained, and we provide excellent customer service.  Simply drop off your laptop or desktop for a software and hardware update or upgrade.  In this blog, I’ll highlight a couple of reasons why software and hardware updates are so critical along with the importance of cleaning the cooling fan.    

What is a Software Update and Why is it Important?

Computers, like the one on your desk or the smartphone you are using to read this blog, are called hardware.  The programs that run on them are software.  When a software update pops up, it means the software maker has added new features or security fixes that stop bad hackers from taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the software. “Those vulnerabilities might be weird coding mistakes…or just unforeseen paths a hacker could take to worm their way in” to your computer or network (The Washington Post, Tatum Hunter, Want to avoid a cyberattack? Stop ignoring those pesky software updates, March 1st, 2022, https://www.windowslatest.com/2022/05/11/windows-10-may-2022-updates-whats-new-improved-and-fixed/).  Imagine that your software is like a rain tarp.  Vulnerabilities in software are like holes in the rain tarp. The longer you ignore the updates, sooner or later it is going to let in things that you want to keep protected.   As of May 2022, “Windows 10 updates fixed as many as 75 vulnerabilities where eight are classified as ‘Critical’ given their critical nature (Windows Latest, Mayank Parmar, Windows 10 May 2022 updates: What’s new, improved and fixed, May 11th, 2022, https://www.windowslatest.com/2022/05/11/windows-10-may-2022-updates-whats-new-improved-and-fixed/).”    

Hardware Upgrades and Cleaning your Computer Cooling Fan

Sometimes customers bring in their laptop or computer because it is running very slow thinking they have a virus in their software, but it turns out it is the hard drive causing the issue or they have run out of disc space, memory, or ram.  In a situation where the hard drive has run out of disc space, we recommend SSD drives or Solid-State Drives, mainly because they are more efficient, but also run faster and are very affordable.  Click Learn More for more information about Solid State Drives (SSD). 

Cleaning the cooling fan in your laptop or tower computer is critical to increasing the life span of your computer’s processor and computer in general.  This essential maintenance task is often overlooked and when action is taken by people, shortcuts like using a compressed air canister to blow out dust and debris seem to be the prevailing method.  Unfortunately, using a compressed air canister to blow dust and debris off a cooling fan in laptops only moves it to other critical components.  Like sweeping dust under the rug, this solution only sets up another potential problem.  Laptop cooling fans are more difficult to clean than towers because laptop components are compressed in a small space.  But both require a trained eye to avoid blowing dust and debris elsewhere.  For laptops, to do it right means disassembling them.   RB’s Computer Service can help you upgrade to a Solid-State-Drive and clean your desktop and laptop cooling fan.  Contact us today via phone or email: 763-441-3884, help@rbsmn.com.   We offer uncomplicated and affordable shop rates. 

Bottom Line

If lack of confidence and time are obstacles holding you back from installing software updates and performing hardware maintenance and upgrades, RB’s Computer Service can help.  We offer uncomplicated and affordable shop rates.  Our technicians are highly trained, and we provide excellent customer service.  Simply drop off your laptop or desktop for a software and hardware update or upgrade.  In addition to helping with software and hardware updates and upgrades, we can help you with maintenance, like cleaning your computer's cooling fan.  Plus, RB’s Computer Service offers ransomware protection strategies, managed IT services, and malware removal.  We sell the best laptop computers, best desktop computers, business computers, computer parts, and computer monitors.  For iPhone, smartphone repair, and tablet repairs, contact us today via phone or email: 763-441-3884, help@rbsmn.com.