Dr Mark

Windows 7 End-of-Life ? Well the day has finally come! What does it mean to Windows 7 users ??? Does this mean your Windows 7 computer stops functioning today ??... Not at all. I’m telling my customers to run it until the wheels fall off. You won’t notice anything dramatic happening today. No more updates - Often enough some updates caused problems where there were none. So this may actually be a blessing! Some are claiming that updates to the OS makes the computer more secure. I have a problem with that. Consider this: Most breeches I see are allowed by users tricked into allowing someone remote access to their computer or via phishing. No OS can control ‘human engineering’ - bad guys know this, so that is the easiest way for them to get into your wallet. You won’t miss the updates. MS Security Essentials seems to be on it’s way out as a basic AV product. I haven’t seen anything official about it, but a number of customers machines I’ve seen lately with it aren’t getting updated. I am assuming MS may be shutting off support for that as well. No great loss - there are still free AV software available. We can further assist you with suggestions ! Software will gradually become incompatible - Quickbooks (Intuit) is nudging their customer base to migrate to Windows 10, although existing WIN 7 installations will continue to function. Personally I am still running Quickbooks Pro 2009 on a WIN 7 Virtual Machine (Parallels on macOS) Browsers will be the first major 3rd party software affected by this change. You may update or switch browsers until none are compatible. Websites will be eventually affected by this as well. The main point I’d like to make is that there is no need to rush out to buy a WIN 10 computer - you have time. I’d just allow it to ride off into the sunset. It was a very good run and I hate to see it go!

Hello all - I just wanted to share with y'all that Oct 1st marked my 7 year anniversary in the same location here in Simi Valley. Others have come and gone but Dr Mark (and Nurse Leenie) is rock-steady and here for all your computer needs. Thank you Simi Valley for patronizing me for the past 7 years, I appreciate you all.

Before and After - MacBook Pro with what we call SBS (Swollen Battery Syndrome) - customer thought it was hopeless. Dr Mark was able to repair same day.

Six years ago today I opened my repair facility in Simi Valley. I have been rock-steady in my commitment to customer service. Thank you Simi Valley for your support & patronage.

It's been a while since I've posted, I wish I had good news on the Windows 10 front - it's gotten a little better but still frustratingly unstable for both users and me as the tech support person people look to to resolve their WIN 10 issues. I do want to share some comments regarding WIN 10 from industry pundits. Excerpts from this article:... https://www.extremetech.com//248069-unofficial-patch-unblo It should be hard for Microsoft to make any more mistakes with its Windows 10 push, but it keeps finding new ways. After nagging everyone incessantly about upgrading, updating computers without asking, and making Windows 10 patches mandatory, Microsoft has started disallowing Windows 7 and 8.1 updates on machines running the latest hardware. One developer has had enough, and is releasing a patch to help users get around this artificial blockade. If you try to install the new April patches for Windows 7 or 8.1 on these systems, it will fail with error code 8024003. The only solution Microsoft offers for that error is to upgrade to Windows 10. To be clear, there does not seem to be any legitimate reason to block these updates. Microsoft just really, really wants you to use Windows 10. The Zeffy patch goes after a change Microsoft introduced in March that identifies the system’s CPU. As the changelog explained at the time, the patch Enabled detection of processor generation and hardware support when PC tries to scan or download updates through Windows Update. Zeffy is very clear on his dislike for Windows 10 when he calls this essentially a giant middle finger to anyone who dare not ‘upgrade’ to the steaming pile of garbage known as Windows 10. Touché - Bottom Line - caveat emptor

No, I'm not saying I can fix anything electronic, what I am saying is it doesn't hurt to ask. Some of you may not know that my original vocational pursuit was electronic technology, so I am very comfortable around wires, switches, soldering and whatnot.

We have a few refurbished computers for sale - an assortment ranging from a desktop (tower) to a 15.6" laptop to a couple of AIOs (All In One) 19" and 24". Give us a call if you'd like to check one out.

This just in . . . .

Here's an idea MS. How about making WIN 10 more stable - then maybe xSOD would be a rarity rather than a daily occurrence ??? https://www.bleepingcomputer.com//microsoft-tests-new-gre/

What makes this worse is that in this version of Windows, Microsoft has taken away control of when and if updates are downloaded and installed (Home Ed. - Pro Ed. allows you to only postpone updates)

PSA re: WIN 10, 800 #'s, Ransomeware WIN 10 Last August I wrote warning Windows users about the FREE upgrade to Windows 10. I’m not seeing as many computers coming in for repair after the upgrade, so maybe Microsoft is getting better at this but I still discourage WIN Vista, 7 & 8.x users from upgrading. WIN 10 preinstalled on new computers seems to be quite an improvement over WIN 8.x, both functionally and stability-wise. Note however that WIN 10 Home Edition does not allow...Continue reading

I know some of you may be tempted to accept the FREE Windows 10 upgrade currently being offered since July 29. Please pass or at minimal wait until after the first of the year. My customers are 0 for 5 so far on successful Windows 10 upgrades. Both from Windows 7 and 8. Please do not upgrade, tempting as it may be. I am advising customers who are in the market for a new computer to either find a Windows 7 or Windows 10 computer with the OS already installed and to never ever ...buy a new computer (7 or 8) with the promise of a FREE upgrade to Windows 10 and then actually attempt it. If you do buy a new computer with Windows 10 pre-installed, I would make sure it is a touchscreen model. The marketing people are selling non-touchscreen models inexpensively, and while Windows 10 can be operated with a mouse it was designed for a touchscreen interface.