I’ve personally been asked a few times to mod xBox’s and this is one of several reasons I don’t. Protocol16 does not service the xBox platform, even though we get an occasional call about them.

If you haven’t heard, Microsoft is cracking down on xBox modifications and may cancel your online account due to modifications. This is especially true if you decide to download pirated games that have just been released.

While there are many people and a few PC repair shops that wil “mod” an xBox, using a mod chip violates the terms of service of using the xBox.
Justin

A common question and issue that Protocol16 runs across is someone that’s had to many problems with their computer is if they should fix it or reformat it (some people refer to this as “rebooting” the computer.)

There are Pro’s and Con’s to each option:

Fixing:
Pro’s: You save all your data, no reinstalling and setting programs backup.
Con’s: Depending on how your installation is fixed, there may be odds and ends that can still cause problems. Typically, a lot of shops do not modify your security settings either. This may cause a re-infection within hours of use.

Reformatting (aka: Rebooting)
Pro’s: You start completely fresh. This is typically the equivalent to turning your computer on for the first time.
Con’s: Depending on the shop that handles your repair, you could end up with no extra applications, hardware that doesn’t work (Network Drivers, Screen Colors, etc) and you’ll need to reload some choice programs.

This is a hard decision to make, but one that a lot of PC owners are faced with. While I could throw my opinion out there, I don’t want to sway you one way or another.

I will tell you that Protocol16 does it’s best to make a reformat request as easy as possible for everyone involved. Unless you specifically request it, we backup your data and attempt to make everything easy for you. At the same time, we can do something a little painful by implementing a double-account setup for your security. That’s right, we setup 2 accounts, one as an Admin and one as a Normal User. Typically, this is just a convenience issue during the first week or so, but it can occasionally cause problems with Windows XP due to how security is setup.

At the same time, we also go through and load all the software for your computer directly from your manufacturer. Hunting these programs down can take time, but it’s worth it since you are able to use the special buttons on your computer again.

But wait, there’s a secret most computer shops don’t want you to know… You can do this yourself!

If you have the original disks that came with your computer, you can simply find the Recovery or Repair CD/DVD and stick it into the computer. This will ERASE the hard drive (meaning no more programs, data, music, pictures – NOTHING) with a quick wizard like interface. Some computers have this CD built into the hard drive, you simply have to tell the computer that you want the “Boot Options”. This can be any type of F key on the top row of your computer. Just watch carefully right when your computer comes on and it’ll tell you which key to hit for the boot menu options. This second method typically only works with the newer computers though.

As always, if you’re having problems in Beaverton, Tigard, Portland or even over in Gresham, give us a call and we’ll be more than happy to help out!
Justin

There are a lot of people in Portland that have asked about alternatives to Microsoft Office. While I personally like Office, I know it can be a burden to those that can’t afford the licensing costs. Even businesses have problems meeting the licensing costs.

Alternatives
Well, there’s the Open Source alternative called OpenOffice and then there’s Google Apps. Some companies report decent success using both OpenOffice and Google Apps. Personally, I would move to OpenOffice out of the two. I would rather have the documents on my computer than on the web. Perhaps I’m paranoid about security, due to my training and what I’ve seen.

Office Web Apps
Well, now there is another option for you all: Microsoft’s Office Web Apps. You can test drive them, in limited form, at Skydrive.live.com (you’ll need a Windows Live account though.)

I played with it on Sunday evening while I had some downtime at home and liked the little bit that I was able to play with. Excel, looked just like Excel, even though I’m on a Mac using Firefox… If you create a new file, after you log in, you can play around in said file, just like the real program. While playing around, I noticed that Word isn’t working, but Excel is. I didn’t attempt anything else.

According to Microsoft and other news reports, Office Web Apps will be free to users of Windows Live. So, when it’s fully released, it might be a viable alternative to the Office Applications that you install.

This release of free Web Applications may also drive the price of Office down, but only time will tell.
Justin

Microsoft has released some rather important information late last week. Since Oregon is slowing down during recession and a lot of people in Portland are going back to school, I figured I better cover this for everyone.

As the title says, Microsoft has decided to release Windows 7 to college students for a mere $30. If you’re interested, feel free to visit where I got the information from.

We are currently testing Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2, which is based off of Windos 7 and, so far, we love what we see. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call and ask!
Justin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Beaverton, OR —Sep. 9, 2009— Protocol16, a computer company focusing on on-site support, has formed a partnership agreement with Microsoft to provide the latest Windows solutions for it’s customers.

Protocol16 will provide Windows Operating Systems to customers when new computers are built, or when existing computers are upgraded. Protocol16 will also recommend Windows based solutions when customers choose to buy in bulk with other manufacturers. Protocol16 will also demo various Windows based Operating Systems to include Desktop/Workstation and Servers as well as Beta, Release Candidate (RC) and Release To Manufacturing (RTM) operating systems such as Windows 7.

Protocol16 is currently providing Windows solutions and support for it’s customers.

About Protocol16
Protocol16 was started in 2007 in response to a growing demand for technical services in the military communities of Germany. Since starting, Protocol16 has relocated to Oregon and launched a website and mobile computer repair business in the Portland Metro region. Headquartered in Beaverton, Protocol16 is quickly becoming a leader in mobile repair for businesses and consumers. Protocol16 maintains that customer satisfaction is the absolute primary goal of the business.

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