National Computer & Multimedia Services

Below are some questions we frequently get asked during the course of work.

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  • My child is often browsing the internet unsupervised, and when I walk into the room, he quickly closes the browser before I can see what he was looking at. What can I do to protect him without invading his privacy?

    Our Onsite Protection Package is the just the answer to this important modern day problem. In this age of digital information, there are too many inappropriate websites that your child can accidentally stumble upon. The problem is too big for one government to legislate because the internet comprises of websites from many different countries and they all have different legal jurisdictions. Our ISP's can only do so much without impeding on the freedom of any of their customers (what might be inappropriate for your teenage son, might be okay for a consenting adult...such as a dating site).

  • My computer "hangs" on start-up, or after Windows loads. What can I do?

    The quickest solution is to call us to come out and fix it :) But before you do, try the following steps...Firstly, undo any recent changes. For example, if you've added or removed new hardware, altered CMOS settings, or installed new software, there's a good chance those changes are the cause of your problems. A computer that's been running well and hasn't been altered won't die suddenly, in general. So if your problems can't be solved by obvious solutions like plugging in an unplugged power cord, then make an appointment for us out to come fix the problem for you.

  • I've had my computer for a several years already...do I need to upgrade?

    If the computer is working smoothly, still has heaps of Hard Drive space, and doing everything you want it to do - then you probably don't need to upgrade. Usually this is true for a light user running older versions of office applications like word processing, spreadsheets, emails, etc. These older applications are not very demanding on your computer's processing unit (the CPU).
    However, if you are storing hundreds of digital pictures every year, and you have collected thousands of MP3's on your Hard Drive, then you are probably running out of Hard Drive space and that would be a good reason to upgrade. Also, if you are planning on getting the latest software, you will find that it will probably run much better on a more recent computer.
    However, the best reason to upgrade is if you are using your computer with applications that are constantly pushing the limits of your computer (i.e. video editing, graphic designing, or working with large images, etc), and you find yourself often waiting for your computer to process a task, then that's a strong sign that an upgrade or a replacement is in order.
    Another good time to upgrade would be when your computer suffers a major hardware breakdown, and is out of the warranty period. Rather than spending your money repairing or replacing old parts, put it towards an upgrade or total replacement even. Call us for some great deals on upgrades and new computers.

  • My screen is blank, what should I do?

    Check the obvious first. Start by checking all your cables-monitor, keyboard, and others, as well as the power cords for both the computer and the monitor. It's best to completely unseat them and reattach them to ensure you have a solid connection. A connector that looks and even feels like it's firmly attached may not be. And don't forget to check the power outlet and your surge protector. Some surge protectors come with fuses or circuit breakers that can be triggered by an intermittent power surge. Usually a surge protector has a small button that you can press to reset it and get the power flowing again. You might even try an alternative power cord to make sure that hasn't gone bad.
    Is it the monitor or the computer? The easiest way to know for sure what works and what doesn't is to connect a working monitor to your computer. If the test monitor works, your monitor is bad. Alternatively, you could connect your monitor to another computer...if it works, then something in your computer is bad.
    If your monitor is defective and out of its warranty period...then a replacement monitor is the cheapest option these days. You might even take it as a reasonable excuse to upgrade to a larger or better model than the previous one.
    If the problem is in your computer, listen carefully to your system as it powers up, and look for a power-on light on the front of your computer's case. If you don't hear the usual sounds that your computer makes on booting up (like the hum of your power supply fan), then you're not getting power to the computer. The likely cause: a bad power supply that will need replacement. If this is the case, you really need to call us out to resolve the problem for you.

  • I've lost my internet connection, is there anything I can do?

    The only thing you can really do if you've lost your internet connection is to reset your internet modem device by powering it off (pull out the power cable if neccessary), waiting about 20 seconds, then power it back on. Then wait a good 3-4 minutes for your internet modem to re-establish the internet connection and see if you're back on.
    If this fails to resolve teh problem, then you probably have a faulty modem and should call your ISP for help (Telstra, Optus, or whoever you're with).

  • What Laptop should I buy?

    At a minimum, you would want to buy a laptop that has the following specifications or better: 512gb SSD, 8gb of RAM, a CPU that is more than 2ghz, and cost less than $1,000.

  • A long time ago, you came out to my place and fixed my computer. I couldn't pay you at the time, and I hadn't heard back from you since. How can I get my payment to you please?

    Well, thank you for your honesty, and we will be more than happy to come down again to collect this long over-due payment from you. Alternatively, we can give you our banking details and you can make the payment using your online banking facility.