Services
We provide a wide range of services. If you don't see what you are looking for, ask us, chances are we have a solution.
Server SupportData RecoveryData BackupHardware UpgradesAntivirus
Wireless NetworkFirewallPassword RecoveryPoint of SaleTroubleshooting
MORE SERVICES: SOFTWARE UPGRADES , DATA TRANSFER, NETWORKING, REMOTE DESKTOP ACCESS
VISTA & OFFICE 2007 ,  OUTLOOK MIGRATION,  ANTISPAM,  PLOTTER SETUP, WIRELESS PRINTING


Server Support
Does your small business need reliable on-call technical support for your Windows 2000/2003 Server? Call now to discuss our monthly server maintenance and support packages. Is your company network operating without a server? Do you need to share files, Outlook contacts and calendars, Quickbooks or Peachtree accounting data, or host a FileMaker or SQL database? Want to setup a domain logon and limit user access to specific directories? We can design a custom server system that will meet your business needs without breaking the budget. If you've already got the hardware we can install and configure Windows Server 2003 as well as Exchange Server 2003. Also for businesses on a tight budget we can setup Windows XP Professional as a economy file server with remote access capability. For businesses with 10 or less workstations this can save thousands of dollars while still offering much of the same functionality. [TOP]

Hardware Upgrades
Today's software requires increasingly more from your PC with every new release. Popular software such as Microsoft Outlook, Norton Internet Security, and Adobe Photoshop can reduce old PCs to a snail's pace. The solution? Increasing your computer's memory (RAM) is an easy, economical way to instantly bring your system back up to speed. Perhaps you simply need more hard drive space to store your music and movies? High capacity hard drives cost less than a $1 a gigabyte and are easy to install. Has the CD burner included with your PC broken down? Why not upgrade to a speedy DVD/CD burner and give yourself the capacity to burn video DVDs, audio disks, and data backups. [TOP]

Troubleshooting
Getting strange error messages? Has your computer started freezing, randomly restarting, or experienced a sudden decrease in speed? Does Windows freeze or go into a reboot loop when you start up your computer? Is your computer making loud clicking or whining noises? Whatever the symptoms, we can troubleshoot your system, find the cause, and fix it. [TOP]

Data Backup
How valuable is your data? This is a question many people unfortunately don't consider until it's too late. A hard drive crash can be devastating, whether you lose accounting data, e-mails, or a term paper. Laptop hard drives are particularly susceptible to overheating or physical trauma which may render the data unrecoverable. With the increasing cheapness of external USB or FireWire hard drives and Dual Layer capable DVD burners, there's no reason to leave your data at risk. Don't wait until it's too late, get a reliable backup system in place now! [TOP]

Antivirus / Spyware Removal / Security
With the proliferation of DSL and cable broadband internet connections, the spread of new virus and spyware infections has soared. According to digital security firm Aladdin's Malware Report 2006, the number of web-based threats grew a shocking 1300 percent in 2006, increasing from 7,188 in 2005 to 98,020 in 2006. The report also notes that most of the new trojans and spyware created in 2006 were given a medium to critical security rating, meaning that many of them were capable of identity theft and privacy compromise. Viruses and spyware take many forms and you can get them just by visiting the wrong website or opening an e-mail in Outlook. While viruses can be merely an inconvenience, slowing your computer or disabling your internet connection, some can be devastating, deleting files and even damaging hardware. Spyware is most noticeable in its obvious forms: slowing down your computer with popups, installing search bars in Internet Explorer, and hijacking your home page. But it also possesses the much more sinister capability of harvesting your personal information - including your credit card numbers, SSN, and online banking logon - and using it for identity theft or fraud. What many people don't realize is that most antivirus software does nothing to prevent you from getting spyware. Another common misconception is that if you're running antivirus software (say Norton or McAfee), you're fully protected. This does not take into account that many people are running outdated virus definition files, which is like assuming that a flu shot from 2 years ago will protect you against this year's newest variant. Most antivirus software operates on a subscription based update service which stops functioning when your license expires, leaving you unprotected from the newest threats (most new Dell PCs for instance come with just a 3 month subscription to McAfee's Internet Security Suite, after which you must buy a license to continue receiving upgrades). The good news is that there are many excellent free antivirus and antispyware programs available for the home user, as well as economical options for businesses and individuals who want comprehensive protection. [TOP]

Wireless Networks
In the past year the popularity of wireless networks has exploded, and not without good reason. When wireless networking was first introduced it was expensive, slow, buggy, and had serious security flaws. Now, with new offerings from Linksys, Netgear, and others, you can share your cable or DSL connection via a fast Wireless-G or Wireless-N access point or router. Wireless security standards have also improved greatly with new encryption schemes such as TKIP-WPA (WiFi Protected Access) which address many of the security flaws found in the older WEP (Wi-Fi Equivalent Privacy) standard. In addition most new wireless access points and routers feature wireless MAC filtering, a feature whereby you can limit access to only approved wireless clients. You can also share USB or parallel printers wirelessly via a wireless print server which can be integrated into your existing wireless network. Alternative wireless technologies such as Bluetooth allow short-range wireless printing from Bluetooth enabled phones, PDAs, Cameras, and laptops. Ready to go cable-free in 2007? Give us a call! [TOP]

Firewall Configuration
Whether you are a home user or a business, a well configured firewall is an integral component of your network's security. Firewalls function as a buffer zone between your computer (or local network) and the Internet. When properly configured, a firewall can prevent hackers from remotely accessing your computer as well as protecting your network from common attacks such as Denial of Service (DoS). There are two types of firewalls: hardware and software. Most routers include a hardware firewall which protects your Local Area Network (LAN) from broad range external attacks and can be configured to forward external ports to the LAN for Remote Desktop and server hosting. Software firewalls such as those that come with Norton and McAfee's Internet Security suites, ZoneAlarm, and the Windows XP and Vista integrated firewalls, can be used in conjunction with a hardware firewall as added security for individual computers. A software firewall can be configured to allow only certain programs to access the Internet, preventing, for instance, a spyware application from "phoning home" with your personal data. If left unconfigured a software firewall can also be a nuisance, constantly asking users to allow or disallow Internet access for applications. [TOP]

Password Recovery
It seems like everything has a password or security code these days and with so many to remember it's no wonder that people occasionally forget their Windows logon password or the password they set for their Outlook e-mail a year ago. Luckily these passwords are easy to recover or reset in most instances. Whether you're locked out of Windows, forgot the password to your Excel or Word document, or need to recover a starred password (disguised by *****) stored in Internet Explorer or some other program, chances are we can help you. We may also be able to recover passwords for other types of programs and files; ask us and we'll let you know. [TOP]

Point of Sale Systems
Point of Sale (POS) systems are the fastest way to computerize your store, restaurant, or bar's inventory and cash register records system. With POS software from pcAmerica or other vendors, a barcode scanner, a receipt printer, and a touchscreen LCD display, you can turn an old desktop PC into an inventory and cash management solution for your new or expanding business. We can also provide support, including hardware upgrades and repairs, for existing POS machines from IBM, Dell, HP and others.

Software Upgrades
Are you running outdated software? Still running Office 95 or 2000? Considering upgrading from Windows XP to the new Windows Vista operating system? There have been many improvements in functionality, security, and user interface in the new versions of Microsoft Office, Windows, Windows Server, and many other software products. Some upgrades are simple enough for regular users to apply them without help but major upgrades such as the switch from Windows XP to Vista or from Office 2000 to 2007 can be tricky and often require reconfiguration and reinstallation of accompanying software. [TOP]

Data Recovery
Hard drive crashes can come suddenly and without warning. You may turn on your computer one day and receive an "Operating System not found", "Inaccessible Boot Disk", or similar error. Hard drives typically last 3 to 5 years before failing but can fail as soon as 6 months to 1 year depending on operating conditions or physical trauma. Even if your computer is still under warranty the manufacturer will not assist you in recovering your data, they will simply send you a new hard drive. Data recover labs charge steep fees typically ranging from $500 to $3000 and upwards. If mission critical data worth thousands of dollars is on the line, it may be worth it for you to pay the premium and go with a company like Ontrack or DTI Data. But for many individual users and small businesses, spending thousands of dollars on data recovery is simply not an option. Whether your notebook, desktop, or external hard drive has crashed, there's a good chance your data can be recovered utilizing sophisticated software analysis. Here at Peter's PC Repair we have successfully recovered accounting and Outlook data for small businesses, years worth of research and writing for graduate students, mp3 music libraries, personal photos, and even a film student's half terabyte of digital video. We can also recover accidentally or maliciously deleted files emptied from the Recycle Bin or deleted via other means. Not sure what happened or when it happened? Just tell us everything you know and we'll give you our honest opinion as to whether the data can be recovered. [TOP]

Data Transfer
Are you considering upgrading to a new desktop or laptop PC but need to have your data transferred over? Have you suffered a hard drive crash and need to restore your system from a backup drive or disks? Need to mirror data on one computer to another? Whatever your setup we can help you find the right method to transfer your data reliably and safely. [TOP]

Networking
Looking to setup a home or office network to share files and printers? Want to host an FTP, Web, P2P File Sharing, or gaming server? Wired, wireless, or both, we can get your network on its feet whether it's just 2 PCs or 20 workstations and a server. [TOP]

Remote Desktop Access
Do you run your own small business? Ever wished you could work from home, accessing your office computer just as though you were sitting in front of it? With cable or DSL Internet you can can access your office computer from home (or vice-versa) editing files, printing documents, and checking e-mails. There are several ways Remote Desktop access can be configured. If the computer you want to access remotely is running Windows XP Professional or Windows Vista Business or Ultimate edition, you are provided with the option of enabling Remote Desktop Access via the Control Panel. Once access has been configured correctly you will be able to connect via the Remote Desktop Client. When you first logon you will see the Windows logon screen and be prompted to enter your username and password, once entered you will have full screen access to the host PC and will be able to switch between your local desktop and the remote one. If you don't have Windows XP Professional there are several excellent 3rd party clients that offer virtually the exact same functionality for Windows 9x, 2000, XP Home Edition, and Vista Home. [TOP]

Windows Vista and Office 2007
2007 is an exciting year for PC users with dual release of Microsoft's newest Operating System and Office suite. It's been six years since Microsoft released Windows XP and four years since the last major update to Microsoft Office. Users considering upgrading to Office 2007 should be ready for a steep learning curve - Microsoft has completely redesigned the user interface and created new file formats which will not be readable by older versions of Office without an update. All major computer manufacturers are now phasing out Windows XP and will soon only ship machines preloaded with Windows Vista. Businesses in particular may be concerned how new Vista machines will integrate into their existing networks. End users may also be confused by the several flavors of Windows Vista available: Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate (click here for a feature comparison chart). For those considering upgrading their current computer to Windows Vista, Microsoft provides a diagnostic tool, the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor, to check your computer's readiness. Whether you've had Microsoft's new offerings forced on you by a new PC purchase, or you've chosen to upgrade and stay on the cutting edge, we can help smooth your transition and make sure you get the most out of the new Windows Vista and Office 2007. [TOP]

Outlook Migration
For many businesses Microsoft Outlook's contacts, e-mails, and calendar data is essential and irreplaceable. Unfortunately moving that data from one computer to another can be a confusing, frustrating task, especially if the new computer has a different version of Outlook than the one it's being transferred from. This is where we come in. We can make migrating Outlook data from one PC to another painless and swift so your employees can get back to work with all their information intact. [TOP]

Anti-SPAM Software
Do you get hundreds of junk e-mails every day? Is your inbox clogged with with offers for pills, pornography, pyramid schemes, and "free" products? Unfortunately, SPAM is unavoidable consequence for those of us with publicly listed e-mail addresses. While no governmental or commercial schemes to regulate unsolicited commercial e-mails have show much promise of stopping it at the source, there are actions that individual users can take to reduce the number of junk e-mails in their inbox. Sophisticated SPAM filtering tools are integrated into new Internet Security Suites from both Symantec and McAfee, and there are a number of individual products from other vendors which provide similar functionality. Trend Micro is currently offering it's excellent Anti-Spam Pilot software free for Outlook and Outlook Express users. As with other security measures, anti-SPAM software must be configured correctly to work effectively. [TOP]

Plotter Setup
Engineers: considering purchasing a new plotter to better serve your clientele? We have experience setting up and troubleshooting HP and Océ plotters. We can also assist you in configuring remote access for your network ready Océ plotter. [TOP]

Wireless Printing
Have you ever wished you could share a centrally located printer between several computers on a home network, without having the printer tethered to one of the PCs? With a wireless print server you can do just that. If you already have wireless internet in your home or office it's a simple matter to add a wireless print server which will enable you to position your printer anywhere within the range of your wireless network. For those without wireless internet, you can jump two hurdles in one leap by purchasing a wireless router with an integrated print server, giving you both wireless internet and wireless printing capabilities. In addition to 802.11B/G wireless print servers there are other wireless options such as Bluetooth or the older infrared standard, however these solutions have much more limited range than 802.11B/G wireless options. [TOP]

 CALL  NOW
 (415)642-1883
 OR SCHEDULE ONLINE
Click for more information
Home and OfficeOnsite Service 5 Stars! Read the reviews.
© 2009 Peter's PC Repair