Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, we do. We would first evaluate the computer itself ( free of charge); if we determine it is worth being repaired, we provide an estimate and get it done ( most commonly within a few days at the most). Then, if you need to, you can continue using the laptop until the parts come in and bring it back.

Yes, we do

Short answer - That is not necessarily the very best question to ask. The threats we, as end-users (business and personal), face far exceed the ability of any single anti-virus available on the market. (I commonly say - "There is no silver bullet" when it comes to protection. Is Anti-Virus important? YES. Is Anti-Virus THE answer? Not even, maybe. It has to be coupled with a good router, a strong (yes, more potent than your dog's name and daughter's birthday combined) set of passwords (router access / Wireless access/computer access, etc.,) and a nearly maniacal obsession with keeping everything up to date (windows, drivers, router firmware, third party (acrobat, etc.,) software. You take those steps (and others), and you stand a fighting chance of not having your personal information stolen and used against you / sold on the dark web.

Tricky question with a bazillion possible answers - But we will try!
We have found that most commonly, the speed of a computer seems to slow with age, more so because of extra little Add Ons that have been unknowingly downloaded, installed, and told to start up when the computer does, / a buildup of unneeded temp files and absence of general maintenance. (So, if it were your car, you are driving with your trunk full of bricks, your oil needs to be changed, your tires are low on air, AND you could really benefit from a tune-up :D). All those things are simple but essential general maintenance items - we offer that as an ongoing weekly/remote service - Any similar questions, call us, and let's talk.

In our opinion - no. They (Your ISP (Spectrum / AT&T / TDS etc.,)) provide routers that are generally very limited in their capacity to prevent intrusion (Hackers), filter the ever-growing list of fraudulent and unwanted websites, and be upgraded (without direct assistance of the ISP - and they will rarely tell you when you need one). However, for a minimal investment ( not more than $300 max), you can pick up a very nice, secure, and stable router.

IT security protects information technology’ systems,’ stuff like physical hardware, installed software, and all your ‘in-house’ data/information from unauthorized access, theft, or damage. On the other hand, cybersecurity refers to the protection of internet-connected (external) systems, including computers, networks, and data, from attack, damage, or unauthorized access.

IT security includes a broader range of technologies and practices, including firewalls, antivirus software, encryption, AUPs, and Antimalware software (among many others). Cybersecurity, on the other hand, is explicitly focused on protecting internet-connected systems and is, therefore, more comprehensive - covering various areas such as network security, application security, cloud security, and identity and access management.

In short, IT security aims to ensure and assure your internal systems’ confidentiality, integrity, and availability. At the same time, cybersecurity aims to protect internet-connected systems and the information they store and transmit from threats, such as cyber-attacks, malware, and data breaches. IT security and cybersecurity are crucial for organizations to maintain their customers’ trust and safeguard their operations. However, cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important as organizations adopt digital technologies.

There are eight (8) broad categories/types of IT Security:

• Network Security: protecting networks from unauthorized access and ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
• Endpoint Security: protecting individual devices (laptops, desktops, smartphones, servers, etc.) from malware and unauthorized access.
• Application Security: ensuring applications' secure development and deployment while protecting against vulnerabilities.
• Cloud Security: protecting data and applications hosted on cloud platforms from unauthorized access and threats such as breaches and attacks.
• Data Security: protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access, theft, or loss using encryption, access controls, and backup and recovery processes.
• Identity and Access Management (IAM): managing user identities and controlling access to resources through authentication and authorization.
• Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity: planning and implementing measures to ensure the availability of critical systems and data in the event of a disaster.
• Physical Security: protecting against physical threats like theft, damage, and unauthorized access to in-office equipment and data centers.

Data security protects digital information from unauthorized access, corruption, or theft throughout its entire lifecycle.

• Confidentiality
• Integrity
• Availability

Unlike an internal drive, which is nestled firmly inside your computer, an external hard drive is a device that you plug into a computer port. An external hard drive gives you more storage space to keep your data, the ability to back up your 'internal drive,' and quickly transport that data from one place to another.

Short Answer: Yes
Longer Answer: A USB drive is a data storage device that integrates storage space with an integrated USB interface, and it's also commonly referred to as a Pen, Flash, or Thumb drive. An external hard drive is a hard disk storage product that emphasizes portability and enables large-capacity data exchange between computers.

There are two different and distinct paths you can take;
1) Read through and follow the steps outlined in the multi-paged ( slightly long-winded)  article located => external hard drive troubleshooting on Windows
Or
2) Bring it to Absolute Computer Systems, 2031 22nd Ave. Kenosha, WI 53140
us, and let us do what we do 🙂

No - Not currently - though I should note that we do not repair or service iPhones, iPads, PlayStation, or Nintendo gaming machines.

When you call us, you'll get an immediate response from a knowledgeable person - 24/7. Your call will be answered within a maximum of 4 rings, even during busy times.

We guarantee to have a technician working on your problem within 30 minutes (very often much less) of your call. Why? We understand and appreciate that time is of the essence in a business/work environment.
This guarantee is written into every one of our service agreements.

Our technicians are trained to have the “heart of a teacher.” (sometimes their mannerisms are similar to those of a yard goat, but their hearts are in a good place 😛 )
They will invest as much time as you want or need to answer your questions and explain what they are doing (and why) to your satisfaction.

We help our clients become more profitable, efficient, and competitive by conducting quarterly technology reviews and meetings. These meetings allow us to identify ways to improve operations, lower costs, increase efficiencies, and resolve any problems that may arise. Our goal is for each client to maximize efficiency, reduce costs, and stay ahead of their competition. With our in-depth technology reviews and meetings, we strive to ensure that our clients can take advantage of the latest available technologies and remain at the forefront of their industry.

We provide detailed invoices that show what work was done, why it was done, and when ( date and time), so you never have to guess what you are paying for. We also include a ‘WITNS’ ( What Is The Next Step ) section and conduct
follow up (satisfaction) phone calls BEFORE an invoice is sent to you.

In our litigious society, you’d better make sure whomever you hire to work on your IT equipment is adequately insured with errors and omissions, cyber-liability and umbrella insurance, as well as workers’ compensation and bonding. We would be happy to provide a copy of either or all of them at your request.

All reasonable projects are included in writing on our service agreements (If you’re looking to knock out a wall, add 21 new computers, and a few servers - we’d have to talk :). This is important because much less than ethical, not too competent, or experienced computer service providers will often try to sell you on a service agreement at a lower price without projects included, which gives them free rein to nickel-and-dime you to death while taking as much time as they want to complete that project.

A resounding Yes.
We monitor our clients' networks 24/7/365 to keep critical security settings, virus definitions, security patches, and third-party software up to date and proactively help prevent problems from turning into downtime, viruses, and/or lost data.

Our clients have complete and immediate access to detailed reports showing the overall health of their network, as well as individual systems/workstations, their Operating Systems, security, antivirus, and 3rd party software updates and patches, backups, and other essential network checkpoints (like hard-drive space available / used, processor and RAM speed available / used, etc., etc.) We also offer a written ‘overview/snapshot’ of the complete system during our quarterly business reviews.

Short answer: Yes
It is standard procedure for us to provide both written and Digital network documentation detailing what software licenses you own, All of your passwords, user information, hardware inventory, etc.,
All our clients receive this in written and electronic form at no additional cost. We also perform a quarterly update on this material and make sure certain key people have this information and know how to use it, giving you complete control over your network.

Yes, and since we keep detailed network documentation (basically a blueprint of your computer network) and updates on every client’s account, any of our technicians can (and routinely do) easily pick up where another one has left off. We do all this to ensure continuity in case your ‘regular’ technician goes on vacation, gets sick (or wins the LOTTO!)

Our “all-inclusive” support plan is just that — all-inclusive. One of the more popular service plans offered by consulting firms today is an “all-inclusive” or “all-you-can-eat” managed services plan. We have found these to be a near-perfect way of doing business because they will save you a lot of money in the long run and keep us on our toes (knowing that the sooner we get this 'project/service ticket ?? done, the sooner we can move on to something else).

We ensure our clients have BOTH an onsite (for speed of recovery (for more minor needs, e.g., a file was mistakenly deleted, etc.) AND an offsite (used in the event of a more significant disaster, e.g., building fire, server theft, etc.) backup system in place, operational (running at the very least daily), and tested (a minimum of once a month) —as well as a disaster recovery plan to be used in the event of the unthinkable. Side Note: We STRONGLY encourage our clients not to use USB Keys or tape backups because they are notoriously unreliable.

We perform a monthly “fire drill” and perform a test restore from backup for our clients to ensure their data CAN be recovered in an emergency. The very WORST time to “test” a backup is when you desperately need it.

We do, and would not even consider skipping this step—it is a precaution in case a hardware failure or software glitch causes a significant problem. Mistakes are NOT ok.

All of our clients receive a customized, and easily understood technology disaster recovery plan. We encourage them to do a full disaster recovery plan for their entire company/office, but at a minimum, their network will be covered should something happen.

We provide help desk services and ensure the folks helping you are friendly, helpful, and as local as possible. We consider this one of the most important aspects of customer service.

Our technicians are required to keep on learning all the software we support. In addition, our hiring process is so stringent that 99% of the technicians who apply don’t make it through (want to guess who is hiring them?)

Our technicians are true professionals you would be proud to have in your office. They dress professionally and show up on time, and if they cannot (for some odd, unforeseen reason), we always strive to notify you (the client) immediately. We believe these are minimum requirements for delivering a professional service.

We own the problems with all lines of business applications for our clients. That doesn’t mean we can fix faulty software — but we WILL be your advocate and liaison between you and your vendor to resolve problems and ensure these applications work smoothly for you.

We feel WE should (figuratively) own all technology-related (internet service, phone service, copier, fax, etc.) problems for our clients so they don’t have to worry about or try to resolve them on their own. That is, to our way of thinking, just plain old-fashioned good service and something many computer service providers simply will not do.

Yes. Changing your password regularly will limit account information breaches, prevents leaks, and protects your private information. In addition, changing your password periodically helps protect you from unwanted scams, hacks, and potential data loss.

Some websites are safe, but many websites are not. Before relying on a website to store your information, consider a cloud account or have your IT provider create a safe place for your information.

Every day, we work diligently to ensure that the technology you rely on to run your business is secure, up-to-date, running smoothly, and helping you succeed. In a perfect world, that would mean that no server ever crashed, no virus was ever downloaded, and no hardware ever failed. But these things happen.
Some of those 'things' that happen are man (hacker) man and intended to be malicious and harmful, for example:

Viruses: a malicious computer program designed to replicate itself and spread from one computer system to another. A virus can take many forms, such as an executable file or a macro in a document, but its purpose is always the same: to damage or disrupt the system it is in.

Worms: A lot like a virus ( it is also a malicious program), but worms do not need to attach themselves to other programs or documents to share their maliciousness. Instead, they create copies of themselves and send them directly over networks or through emails.

Trojans: (same song, different melody) yet another hate-filled program disguised as/hiding inside of something like a game, music or video file, whatever - its sole purpose in life is to take control of the user's device and gather confidential information from it, and then relay that information back to its programmer to be used however the heck they want to

Bots: (A.K.A. Internet robots) are automated software programs that perform specific tasks within regular web browsing activities. Common examples include search engine bots which use complex algorithms to crawl websites for data; content delivery robots which help populate databases; and, of course - spam bots which scour websites for email addresses; and chatbots which interact with users via chat interfaces.

Rootkits: (last but not least!) a hateful software designed to give attackers complete control of a computer without detection by legitimate users or antivirus programs. Rootkits usually conceal the presence of malware processes by hiding running processes, registry keys, files, and folders on the machine so that they cannot be easily detected by conventional means.

Recently, Facebook users across the world are taking part in fun, quirky Facebook games and polls. For the game to compute an answer, it asks various questions like: What’s your favorite color? Where did you grow up? What’s your Mother’s maiden name? Where did you go to high school?

While it seems completely innocent, giving possible hackers answers to personal questions opens the doors for hackers and digital threats to take place. Personal questions are often used as a backup method for signing into different programs and websites. If hackers have that information readily available, you are making it easy for them to take over some of your accounts.

Yes. When you purchase a domain for a new or existing website, it is important that a business owner or partner handle the domain information.

Often times, a non-essential employee buys the domain for the company, and when the employee is no longer with the company, the company loses access to the domain login and additional information that is needed to make updates and ensure the website is accurate, functioning, and secure.

When traveling, it’s important to be wary of public Wi-Fi. In addition, it’s important to use apps that are safe and reliable. Make sure you read all terms and conditions before accepting them.

According to Norton, “You’d never leave your passport laying around your hotel room, giving access to your personal identity. But by using unsecured public Wi-Fi while you travel, you could be exposing data that could make your online accounts vulnerable and put you at risk for identity theft.”

Depending on your level of security, your business network may not be safe. To increase your safety, be sure to have separate Wi-Fi access for guests, change the default password for the router, use a VPN, use WPA2 encryption, and stay up to date with software updates.

Let’s face it, Information Technology is evolving constantly. Training and equipping a staff member to handle your IT needs will, in the end, cost you more, and leave you open to possible threats that they just aren’t prepared to handle.

You can find this information by typing your question into your google search bar.

It will display on top of the search results.

When you own your own business and transmitting someone’s personal data, there are several laws you should be acquainted with. The laws will vary depending on who or what information you are transmitting. For example, as yourself this, does the information you have consist of data about students, patients, clients, military or government officials? Below we have compiled a small list for you to take a look at, and if any look familiar to you, then you should probably brush up on them. If you don’t, you could risk getting fined, jailed, or even losing your business entirely.

Source Link

The following authorities set and monitor all compliance laws regarding information and data security.

• HIPAA
• FERPA
• DOD Guidelines
• ECPA

Managed IT services provide a business with important technical support while allowing them to focus on core business functions. A managed service provider (MSP) monitors your entire IT infrastructure, ensuring security, performance and reliability. They provide proactive support that resolves most issues before they become costly problems, saving time and money in the long run. Additionally, managed IT services can save businesses money by offering discounts on hardware, software and other related costs.

When it comes to protecting your clients' data, you want to make sure you're choosing only the best information security solutions available. Look for a provider that offers a comprehensive suite of security products and services, such as secure cloud storage, secure communication platforms, endpoint protection, and identity and access management. By entrusting your clients’ sensitive data to a top-tier security company, you'll be able to provide a safe and secure environment for your clients.

Choosing the right security software can be a daunting task, as there are many solutions on the market, and it is important to choose one that best fits your needs. Consider factors such as costs, scalability, security features, ease of use and customer service before making a decision. Compare features from multiple providers to find the solution that works best for you.

There are many great computer brands to choose from when you're looking for a new laptop or desktop such as Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo and more. Each brand offers their own range of features and pricing options so it's important to do your research before making a purchase. Ultimately, the best computer brand for you depends on your needs and budget. Answer: There are many great computer brands to choose from when you're looking for a new laptop or desktop such as Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo and more. Each brand offers their own range of features and pricing options so it's important to do your research before making a purchase. Ultimately, the best computer brand for you depends on your needs and budget.

While there is no fixed rule on when to upgrade your computer systems, it’s generally recommended that you wait for at least 3-4 years before making any major upgrades. This allows the technology to mature, giving you a better selection of hardware and software components with more advanced features. Every few years, a review of your system might be needed in order to ensure they are running optimally and informing you on when an upgrade would be beneficial.

When it comes to when you should upgrade your technology, no hard and fast rule applies. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to upgrade your systems every two to three years in order to keep up with the latest technology and software developments. Doing so can help maximize efficiency and ensure compatibility with new hardware.

When hackers target a business, they are usually after information such as personal and financial data, trade secrets, passwords, login credentials, customer databases and proprietary software. They may also be looking for access to confidential company networks or even opportunities to launch ransomware attacks.

The safest and most reliable music download sites are those that offer direct downloads from the artist, such as Bandcamp and SoundCloud. Other popular options include Amazon Music, iTunes Store, Spotify, and Apple Music. All of these sites provide safe and secure downloads and have a variety of pricing plans to suit any budget.

In order to stay safe on social media, it is important to monitor your privacy settings, know who can see what you post, be aware of phishing scams, think twice before posting personal or sensitive information, and use strong passwords. Additionally, keep your anti-virus software up to date, be aware of any suspicious websites or links that appear in your messages or posts. Finally, it's always a good idea to double check with a trusted friend before clicking any strange links.

As a veterinarian office, you must comply with HIPAA IT Security regulations. Hospitals and doctor offices are not the only health care providers subject to HIPAA; veterinary clinics are required to meet the same standards of security and privacy as other types of medical facilities in order to protect patient information.

To ensure that your clinic’s data is properly protected, you should take steps to ensure that proper information security practices are in place. This includes, but is not limited to regular data backups, a secure firewall setup, encrypting sensitive data and establishing user access control protocols.