#remotesupport — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #remotesupport, aggregated by home.social.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqqfZd75tMs
SecPoint® Protector™ V69 introduces automatic support service deactivation for improved security.This function helps ensure that the support service does not remain active longer than needed after a remote support session.
By automatically disabling the support service, administrators can reduce unnecessary exposure and keep the firewall environment more tightly controlled.
#SecPoint #CyberSecurity #Protector #Firewall #RemoteSupport
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This week I did an interesting data recovery task for a family. (This was a legal data access. The identities were verified). They were trying to put together a notification list for an upcoming funeral. They could tell the contacts in the person’s laptop were incomplete because names they knew should be there were missing. And the person’s Android phone, with Google Contacts, won’t directly sync to the email app on the laptop. They could go through the phone contacts one at a time, but, was there an easier way?
Yes, there is.
In this case, it was an Android phone. Refer to the picture.
You can export the Google Contacts to a single .vcf file (vcf is an abbreviation of an abbreviation. It stands for vCard File, and vCard is short for Virtual (Business) Card).
People sometimes think that a .vcf file is a single contact, but a .vcf file can contain multiple contact records. It can be quite large and contain hundreds, even thousands, of contacts.
You can view some of the information with any text editor like Notepad. To easily view all of the information, import the .vcf file into a new or existing address book in an email program.
SUMMARY
For this client, the solution was to export the contacts as a .vcf file from the phone, import the .vcf file into the contacts in the computer, and merge duplicates. Now they have a relatively complete list of contacts in one place, and they can manage announcements and invitations using a full-size keyboard.The client is in another state. A family member did the steps while I coached them over the phone.
#CallMeIfYouNeedMe #FIFONetworks
#TechSupport #RemoteSupport #HelpDesk
Cybersecurity - Networks - Wireless – Telecom – VoIP
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Last Thursday I was doing a remote tech support call for an elderly gentleman and his wife in Macon, Georgia (I’m in Seattle). He said, “The printer is in another room, and I want to check the status to see if my document is done printing. It takes a lot of steps. Is there an easy way to see when the printer is done?”
SOLUTION
I put a shortcut to the printer queue on his Windows desktop, which was actually on a laptop. They both liked it, so I put another shortcut on the desktop of her laptop.HOW TO DO IT
If you’d like a shortcut to open your printer queue, here are the steps. If you have more than one printer, you can make one for each of them.Step 1: In Printer Properties, copy the name of your printer.
Step 2: On the desktop, Right-Click - New - Shortcut.
Step 3: Where it says, "Type the location of the item," write:
C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /o /n "YourPrinterName"
Between the quote marks, replace YourPrinterName with the name of your printer, found in Step 1.Example:
C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /o /n "WF-2930 Series(Network)"Step 4: Give the shortcut a name and save it.
Step 5: While something is printing, double-click the icon to see the current document queue and status.
#CallMeIfYouNeedMe #FIFONetworks
#TechSupport #RemoteSupport #HelpDesk
Cybersecurity - Networks - Wireless – Telecom – VoIP
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🖥️ “Big Brother is Watching!” by Bartek Bielawski taught how to troubleshoot client machines remotely using #PowerShell without disrupting users: 🧰 #Sysinternals (Handle, Procmon, RAMMap) 📡 #pktmon > netsh 🧪 Smart prep = zero friction 🎟️ psconf.eu #RemoteSupport #PSConfEU
- YouTube -
full uninstall of Anydesk from macOS
I found myself needing to completely remove the AnyDesk remote assistance software. The normal procedures aren't enough, and you have to go into the file system details to remove all folders and settings. So I'm writing this post as a reminder to myself. I'll open the command line in Terminal and issue the following commands: sudo rm -rf /Applications/AnyDesk.apprm -rf ~/.anydesksudo rm -rf /etc/anydeskrm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/AnyDeskrm -rf ~/Library/Logs/AnyDeskrm -f […]https://nicolalosito.it/2026/01/13/full-uninstall-of-anydesk-from-macos/
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The Real Reason Brands Are Switching to Cloud Call Centers
👉Read more: https://srujanee.in/view/the-real-reason-brands-are-switching-to-cloud-call-centers-99l4Lez3
#CloudCallCenter #CloudTelephony #CustomerExperience #CallCenterSolutions #BusinessCommunication #VoIPTechnology #DigitalTransformation #CXSolutions #RemoteSupport #ContactCenter
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NextGen Assistive Technology Introduces LaunchPad: A Low-Risk Path for I/DD Providers to Explore Remote Support and Modernize Care https://www.byteseu.com/1474692/ #CMS #DisabilityServices #HCBS #HCBSProviders #I/DD #Medicaid #NDEAM #NextGenAssistiveTechnology #NextGenAT #PersonCenteredServices #RemoteSupport #Technology
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This week I fixed a laptop for a client. It was the second time this client has had me do work for her. The first invoice was in 2016.
2016. It’s been nine years. Her husband isn’t in IT, but he’s a tech-savvy person, so he provides most of her tech support. But when he couldn’t resolve the issue, she still remembered me and came back to me for service in 2025.
That’s customer loyalty. Treat them right. They remember. They’ll come back.
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“Bob, do I need a new iPad?”
The client complained that the iPad was slow. Pretty vague, but that’s okay. The client isn’t expected to know that there can be a lot of reasons for slowness.FIRST: What does “slow” mean?
1) “Slow” can mean the device itself is slow, for any one of several reasons. Usually it’s background tasks that are running and using up CPU clock cycles. But it can also be insufficient RAM, or even more rare conditions like internal or external RF interference affecting the CPU, or a failing component.
2) “Slow” can mean the Internet connection is slow. This can be caused by inadequate Wi-Fi signal, external RF interference affecting the 1st RF amplifier, or a problem with the ISP that could be just down the street or miles away.
3) “Slow” can mean the web server the iPad is connected to is having performance issues.SECOND: Narrow it down.
1) To see if the device itself is slow, try opening and using an app that doesn’t require an Internet connection at all. A good choice is to open Photos. Run a slideshow. Try local editing (not online, but something on the device like cropping or resizing). Play a local MP3, or start a local video. Not streaming. Be sure it’s on the device. If operation is normal, the device is fine.
2) To see if the Internet connection is slow, run a speed test. If the speed is good, it’s definitely not the ISP. But, be careful! If the speed is bad, it doesn’t prove the ISP is the problem. It could be a weak signal, interference, a bad antenna in the device... lots of reasons for slow Internet that are separate from the ISP. In the example picture, we can see that the ISP is not the problem. This Internet connection is rated at 500 down, 35 up, so the speeds are within normal range.
If the ISP is good, but the Internet connection is slow, rule out a weak signal by moving closer to the wireless access point. Rule out interference by testing from a different location: maybe a neighbor’s house, or a coffee shop. Also, if the speed test is bad, check the speed with some other devices. If the speed is only slow on the complainant’s device, it may be an internal problem.
3) To see if the web server is slow, first, ask the device owner: “Were you experiencing slowness while connected to a particular site?” Maybe they’re having a problem with a slow game, or with online shopping. Start by opening a connection to the web server and try it out. If it is indeed slow, try OTHER web servers. Maybe stream a video, or try a game by a different company, hosted on a different server. If the slowness is caused by a particular server, you’ll have clear evidence now.THIRD: Should I buy a new iPad?
If the device is slow (test #1), you may want to get a new device.
If the ISP is good and the signal is good on other devices, you may want to get a new device.
If the web server is slow, there’s no reason to get a new device. -
Sicher helfen: RustDesk im Selbsthosting-Betrieb
https://www.georglutz.de/blog/2025/10/04/sicher-helfen-rustdesk-im-selbsthosting-betrieb/
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🖥️ “Big Brother is Watching!” by Bartek Bielawski taught how to troubleshoot client machines remotely using #PowerShell without disrupting users: 🧰 #Sysinternals (Handle, Procmon, RAMMap) 📡 #pktmon > netsh 🧪 Smart prep = zero friction 🎟️ psconf.eu #RemoteSupport #PSConfEU
- YouTube -
Sometimes in-person, on site work is better than doing remote maintenance. Story time...
The owner’s laptop was telling him it needed updates, and he’s not comfortable doing them on mission-critical software. I get it. I hadn’t been on site there in months, so I made arrangements to do the work in person rather than remotely. Last Thursday I was in his office, and I’m glad I was.
His laptop was ponderously slow on boot-up. I set up that machine a little over a year ago. It’s Windows 11 Pro, modern CPU, lots of RAM. It should be nimble. I called him back into his office and showed him that some of his programs wouldn’t work correctly until after he saw the “black flash” on the screen, which is a custom startup script.
While we’re watching the boot process, he said, “Can you stop Teams from opening every time I turn on the computer?” I said, “Sure.” Other things were opening, too, so I asked, “Is there anything else opening on startup that you don’t use or want?” He answered, “All of them. Nothing needs to open until I want it.”
He went on. “Even my browser opens on startup. I don’t know why.” I said, “Okay, you can go do other things for a while, and I’ll get these programs to stop.”
It turned out that the browser that was opening on startup was one I’ve never heard of, called Shift. Scam Detector rates Shift 42.2 out of a possible 100 points, and labels it “Controversial. Risky. Red Flags.” It looked a lot like any standard browser, but it opened on startup even after I removed its entry from the Startup folder. Also, the name of the entry in the startup folder was “ui,” not Shift. An obfuscated name is sketchy. To make it stop opening on startup I had to open the program and go to its preferences menu.
All of this made me want to check with the owner. I asked, “Is there a reason you started using the Shift browser?” He looked puzzled and said, “What’s that?” I showed him, and he thought it was just the latest tweaks to Microsoft Edge. He didn’t know how it got there. With his permission I uninstalled it. Between removing several startup apps and uninstalling a browser with suspicious behavior, his computer is back to full speed again.
THE LESSON
On site tech support is an important service offering. Most remote maintenance software doesn’t let you see the boot process, unless you’re working for a company large enough to have something like Dell’s iDRAC solution. Small businesses typically don’t have that. The advantages to on site support include:
1. Seeing things you wouldn’t otherwise notice, like boot processes.
2. Observing user behavior, which influences a lot of problems.
3. Solid relationship building, creating real trust. -
Sometimes in-person, on site work is better than doing remote maintenance. Story time...
The owner’s laptop was telling him it needed updates, and he’s not comfortable doing them on mission-critical software. I get it. I hadn’t been on site there in months, so I made arrangements to do the work in person rather than remotely. Last Thursday I was in his office, and I’m glad I was.
His laptop was ponderously slow on boot-up. I set up that machine a little over a year ago. It’s Windows 11 Pro, modern CPU, lots of RAM. It should be nimble. I called him back into his office and showed him that some of his programs wouldn’t work correctly until after he saw the “black flash” on the screen, which is a custom startup script.
While we’re watching the boot process, he said, “Can you stop Teams from opening every time I turn on the computer?” I said, “Sure.” Other things were opening, too, so I asked, “Is there anything else opening on startup that you don’t use or want?” He answered, “All of them. Nothing needs to open until I want it.”
He went on. “Even my browser opens on startup. I don’t know why.” I said, “Okay, you can go do other things for a while, and I’ll get these programs to stop.”
It turned out that the browser that was opening on startup was one I’ve never heard of, called Shift. Scam Detector rates Shift 42.2 out of a possible 100 points, and labels it “Controversial. Risky. Red Flags.” It looked a lot like any standard browser, but it opened on startup even after I removed its entry from the Startup folder. Also, the name of the entry in the startup folder was “ui,” not Shift. An obfuscated name is sketchy. To make it stop opening on startup I had to open the program and go to its preferences menu.
All of this made me want to check with the owner. I asked, “Is there a reason you started using the Shift browser?” He looked puzzled and said, “What’s that?” I showed him, and he thought it was just the latest tweaks to Microsoft Edge. He didn’t know how it got there. With his permission I uninstalled it. Between removing several startup apps and uninstalling a browser with suspicious behavior, his computer is back to full speed again.
THE LESSON
On site tech support is an important service offering. Most remote maintenance software doesn’t let you see the boot process, unless you’re working for a company large enough to have something like Dell’s iDRAC solution. Small businesses typically don’t have that. The advantages to on site support include:
1. Seeing things you wouldn’t otherwise notice, like boot processes.
2. Observing user behavior, which influences a lot of problems.
3. Solid relationship building, creating real trust. -
Sometimes in-person, on site work is better than doing remote maintenance. Story time...
The owner’s laptop was telling him it needed updates, and he’s not comfortable doing them on mission-critical software. I get it. I hadn’t been on site there in months, so I made arrangements to do the work in person rather than remotely. Last Thursday I was in his office, and I’m glad I was.
His laptop was ponderously slow on boot-up. I set up that machine a little over a year ago. It’s Windows 11 Pro, modern CPU, lots of RAM. It should be nimble. I called him back into his office and showed him that some of his programs wouldn’t work correctly until after he saw the “black flash” on the screen, which is a custom startup script.
While we’re watching the boot process, he said, “Can you stop Teams from opening every time I turn on the computer?” I said, “Sure.” Other things were opening, too, so I asked, “Is there anything else opening on startup that you don’t use or want?” He answered, “All of them. Nothing needs to open until I want it.”
He went on. “Even my browser opens on startup. I don’t know why.” I said, “Okay, you can go do other things for a while, and I’ll get these programs to stop.”
It turned out that the browser that was opening on startup was one I’ve never heard of, called Shift. Scam Detector rates Shift 42.2 out of a possible 100 points, and labels it “Controversial. Risky. Red Flags.” It looked a lot like any standard browser, but it opened on startup even after I removed its entry from the Startup folder. Also, the name of the entry in the startup folder was “ui,” not Shift. An obfuscated name is sketchy. To make it stop opening on startup I had to open the program and go to its preferences menu.
All of this made me want to check with the owner. I asked, “Is there a reason you started using the Shift browser?” He looked puzzled and said, “What’s that?” I showed him, and he thought it was just the latest tweaks to Microsoft Edge. He didn’t know how it got there. With his permission I uninstalled it. Between removing several startup apps and uninstalling a browser with suspicious behavior, his computer is back to full speed again.
THE LESSON
On site tech support is an important service offering. Most remote maintenance software doesn’t let you see the boot process, unless you’re working for a company large enough to have something like Dell’s iDRAC solution. Small businesses typically don’t have that. The advantages to on site support include:
1. Seeing things you wouldn’t otherwise notice, like boot processes.
2. Observing user behavior, which influences a lot of problems.
3. Solid relationship building, creating real trust. -
Sometimes in-person, on site work is better than doing remote maintenance. Story time...
The owner’s laptop was telling him it needed updates, and he’s not comfortable doing them on mission-critical software. I get it. I hadn’t been on site there in months, so I made arrangements to do the work in person rather than remotely. Last Thursday I was in his office, and I’m glad I was.
His laptop was ponderously slow on boot-up. I set up that machine a little over a year ago. It’s Windows 11 Pro, modern CPU, lots of RAM. It should be nimble. I called him back into his office and showed him that some of his programs wouldn’t work correctly until after he saw the “black flash” on the screen, which is a custom startup script.
While we’re watching the boot process, he said, “Can you stop Teams from opening every time I turn on the computer?” I said, “Sure.” Other things were opening, too, so I asked, “Is there anything else opening on startup that you don’t use or want?” He answered, “All of them. Nothing needs to open until I want it.”
He went on. “Even my browser opens on startup. I don’t know why.” I said, “Okay, you can go do other things for a while, and I’ll get these programs to stop.”
It turned out that the browser that was opening on startup was one I’ve never heard of, called Shift. Scam Detector rates Shift 42.2 out of a possible 100 points, and labels it “Controversial. Risky. Red Flags.” It looked a lot like any standard browser, but it opened on startup even after I removed its entry from the Startup folder. Also, the name of the entry in the startup folder was “ui,” not Shift. An obfuscated name is sketchy. To make it stop opening on startup I had to open the program and go to its preferences menu.
All of this made me want to check with the owner. I asked, “Is there a reason you started using the Shift browser?” He looked puzzled and said, “What’s that?” I showed him, and he thought it was just the latest tweaks to Microsoft Edge. He didn’t know how it got there. With his permission I uninstalled it. Between removing several startup apps and uninstalling a browser with suspicious behavior, his computer is back to full speed again.
THE LESSON
On site tech support is an important service offering. Most remote maintenance software doesn’t let you see the boot process, unless you’re working for a company large enough to have something like Dell’s iDRAC solution. Small businesses typically don’t have that. The advantages to on site support include:
1. Seeing things you wouldn’t otherwise notice, like boot processes.
2. Observing user behavior, which influences a lot of problems.
3. Solid relationship building, creating real trust. -
Sometimes in-person, on site work is better than doing remote maintenance. Story time...
The owner’s laptop was telling him it needed updates, and he’s not comfortable doing them on mission-critical software. I get it. I hadn’t been on site there in months, so I made arrangements to do the work in person rather than remotely. Last Thursday I was in his office, and I’m glad I was.
His laptop was ponderously slow on boot-up. I set up that machine a little over a year ago. It’s Windows 11 Pro, modern CPU, lots of RAM. It should be nimble. I called him back into his office and showed him that some of his programs wouldn’t work correctly until after he saw the “black flash” on the screen, which is a custom startup script.
While we’re watching the boot process, he said, “Can you stop Teams from opening every time I turn on the computer?” I said, “Sure.” Other things were opening, too, so I asked, “Is there anything else opening on startup that you don’t use or want?” He answered, “All of them. Nothing needs to open until I want it.”
He went on. “Even my browser opens on startup. I don’t know why.” I said, “Okay, you can go do other things for a while, and I’ll get these programs to stop.”
It turned out that the browser that was opening on startup was one I’ve never heard of, called Shift. Scam Detector rates Shift 42.2 out of a possible 100 points, and labels it “Controversial. Risky. Red Flags.” It looked a lot like any standard browser, but it opened on startup even after I removed its entry from the Startup folder. Also, the name of the entry in the startup folder was “ui,” not Shift. An obfuscated name is sketchy. To make it stop opening on startup I had to open the program and go to its preferences menu.
All of this made me want to check with the owner. I asked, “Is there a reason you started using the Shift browser?” He looked puzzled and said, “What’s that?” I showed him, and he thought it was just the latest tweaks to Microsoft Edge. He didn’t know how it got there. With his permission I uninstalled it. Between removing several startup apps and uninstalling a browser with suspicious behavior, his computer is back to full speed again.
THE LESSON
On site tech support is an important service offering. Most remote maintenance software doesn’t let you see the boot process, unless you’re working for a company large enough to have something like Dell’s iDRAC solution. Small businesses typically don’t have that. The advantages to on site support include:
1. Seeing things you wouldn’t otherwise notice, like boot processes.
2. Observing user behavior, which influences a lot of problems.
3. Solid relationship building, creating real trust. -
Empower your business with IT Consulting and Remote IT Support! Sidigiqor offers consulting services to companies in USA, India, UK, UAE, and beyond. 🌍
🔧 IT Infrastructure Design, Cloud Migration, and 24/7 support
#ITConsulting #RemoteSupport #TechConsulting #BusinessIT
🖥️ www.sidigiqor.com
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🖥️ “Big Brother is Watching!” by Bartek Bielawski taught how to troubleshoot client machines remotely using #PowerShell without disrupting users: 🧰 #Sysinternals (Handle, Procmon, RAMMap) 📡 #pktmon > netsh 🧪 Smart prep = zero friction 🎟️ psconf.eu #RemoteSupport #PSConfEU
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#TeamViewer 15.67.5 has been released (#RemoteDesktop / #RemoteAccess / #RemoteAssistance / #RemoteSupport / #RemotePC / #RemoteSoftware / #RemoteComputer) https://teamviewer.com/
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#AnyDesk 9.5.9 has been released (#RemoteDesktop / #RemoteAccess / #RemoteAssistance / #RemoteSupport / #RemotePC / #RemoteSoftware / #RemoteComputer) https://anydesk.com/
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#News: #TimeToUpdate
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#UltraVNC 1.6.4.0 and #UltraVNCSC 1.6.4.0 Released (#VNC #VirtualNetworkComputing #RFB #RemoteFrameBuffer #RemoteDesktop #RemoteDesktopSoftware #RemoteAccess #RemoteAssistance #RemoteComputer #RemotePC #RemoteSoftware #RemoteSupport #HelpDesk) https://forum.uvnc.com/viewtopic.php?t=38095 -
#News: #TimeToUpdate
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#UltraVNC 1.6.4.0 and #UltraVNCSC 1.6.4.0 Released (#VNC #VirtualNetworkComputing #RFB #RemoteFrameBuffer #RemoteDesktop #RemoteDesktopSoftware #RemoteAccess #RemoteAssistance #RemoteComputer #RemotePC #RemoteSoftware #RemoteSupport #HelpDesk) https://forum.uvnc.com/viewtopic.php?t=38095 -
#News: #TimeToUpdate
👁️
#UltraVNC 1.6.4.0 and #UltraVNCSC 1.6.4.0 Released (#VNC #VirtualNetworkComputing #RFB #RemoteFrameBuffer #RemoteDesktop #RemoteDesktopSoftware #RemoteAccess #RemoteAssistance #RemoteComputer #RemotePC #RemoteSoftware #RemoteSupport #HelpDesk) https://forum.uvnc.com/viewtopic.php?t=38095 -
#News: #TimeToUpdate
👁️
#UltraVNC 1.6.4.0 and #UltraVNCSC 1.6.4.0 Released (#VNC #VirtualNetworkComputing #RFB #RemoteFrameBuffer #RemoteDesktop #RemoteDesktopSoftware #RemoteAccess #RemoteAssistance #RemoteComputer #RemotePC #RemoteSoftware #RemoteSupport #HelpDesk) https://forum.uvnc.com/viewtopic.php?t=38095 -
Recently I did a remote tech support call with someone in Seychelles, south of the equator in the Indian Ocean. Not long after that, I did a remote tech support call with someone in Brunei, in the South China Sea. Now I’m wondering if there’s a niche market for English-speaking tech support in some of the world’s faraway places.
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Remote MCP Support in Claude Code
#HackerNews #RemoteSupport #ClaudeCode #MCPSupport #Anthropic #NewsTech
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Today a repeat client contacted me via text messaging (RCS). It was in the last half of a Friday afternoon. I was sitting at my desk doing paperwork. I texted back, “I can help you right now, if that works for you.” Their reply was, “Now would be great.” I called them, then connected remotely to their MacBook Air, and took care of the issue. And a little before 5pm, I emailed them the invoice.
The paperwork can wait. Speed matters.
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“If you have turned on two-step verification and cannot access any of the alternate methods to get a verification, we cannot help you, sorry.” (Source: support(.)microsoft(.)com)
Yesterday I tried to assist a client with Microsoft account recovery. This client had enabled 2FA/MFA on the account using the Microsoft Authenticator app. Then, the phone with the Authenticator app broke.
There was no alternate 2-factor authentication enabled. No alternate email, no option for SMS (text messaging) verification, no Yubikey. When the client initially set up 2FA with the Authenticator app, they were offered the option to save recovery codes, but didn’t write them down.
The client is highly educated. If you blame the client, I will block you, because you’re a jerk.
Microsoft, and other companies, need to do a much better job of ensuring workable account recovery options are not just available, but actually enabled.
This is a paid annual account. By default, Microsoft works hard at making sure at sign-up that you enable auto-renewal. Do you see the problem? The client can’t access the account, and will have to cancel the credit card to avoid continued payments.
THE LESSON
It’s up to you to make sure you have alternate account recovery mechanisms in place. The cloud service companies will not help you. They are not your friend. They don’t even make it easy to contact them to discuss account problems.If you’re not comfortable setting up secondary account recovery options, I can help. Do it now, before your phone breaks.
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“It’s spooky to watch your computer doing things when you’re not touching it. It’s hard to let someone have remote control of your computer.”
I was talking to a client in Colorado yesterday. He was recalling the first time he let me work on his computer remotely from my office here in Seattle.
It does take a certain amount of trust. And right now, I’ll be the one to warn you not to let a complete stranger on the Internet have remote access to your computer! Word-of-mouth advertising and referrals mean a lot.
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This morning I did a tech support phone call with an existing client. Based on her area code, I think she’s in California, but I don’t actually know that for sure. It’s kind of humorous! With credit card billing, I have to enter the billing zip code, but I don’t bother looking them up. The location just doesn’t really matter.
Anyway, back to the call. She visited a website for an animal rescue organization. Seems safe enough, right? She ended up with an uncontrollable, noisy pop-up that said her computer was infected. “Don’t turn your computer off!” it said, and it wouldn’t stop beeping.
She did the right thing. She turned her computer off! I’m so proud of her.
At some point, she turned her computer back on, and everything seemed normal. She called me to see if there was anything else to do. An extremely computer literate person in her life had recommended that she do a factory reset on her computer, but she was hoping she wouldn’t have to do that much work.
This is where risk assessment comes in.
I told my client that her advisor was not wrong at all. That was absolutely the safest and best advice.
But, usually those pop-ups are the baited hook, and not the malware. If my client had clicked on a link, or called the “support” phone number in the pop-up, the risk level goes up immediately. Instead, she did the one thing the cybercriminal told her not to do, because it defeats the infection attempt: she turned the computer off.
I offered to reset the browser, but warned her that doing so might delete some saved security settings, and she’d probably have to re-enter passwords on some of the sites she visits. I also told her that she could keep using the computer for a few days without any changes, and if the problem doesn’t reoccur, everything is probably fine.
Remember, the pop-up is the baited hook, not the malware.
For now, she chose to take no action. The call was ten minutes long. She offered to pay. I told her no, let’s call this one customer care. I told her that if she had agreed to have me to reset the browser or run a virus scan, and things like that, I would’ve charged her, but not for answering a few questions.
THE LESSON
The client is the person with the power. Explain options and risks. Let the client make the decision. It’s their equipment. It’s their life. It’s their money.I could’ve taken advantage of the situation and said, “Oh, yes, your advisor is right! We must factory reset your computer! I’ll help you do that right now!” That’s how I would’ve made the most money today. Instead, I chose to keep a client for life. The money will come.
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#DayOfTheVictory
👁️
#UltraVNC 1.6.1.0 and #UltraVNCSC 1.6.1.0 Released (#VNC #VirtualNetworkComputing #RFB #RemoteFrameBuffer #RemoteDesktop #RemoteDesktopSoftware #RemoteAccess #RemoteAssistance #RemoteComputer #RemotePC #RemoteSoftware #RemoteSupport #HelpDesk) https://forum.uvnc.com/viewtopic.php?t=38080 -
#DayOfTheVictory
👁️
#UltraVNC 1.6.1.0 and #UltraVNCSC 1.6.1.0 Released (#VNC #VirtualNetworkComputing #RFB #RemoteFrameBuffer #RemoteDesktop #RemoteDesktopSoftware #RemoteAccess #RemoteAssistance #RemoteComputer #RemotePC #RemoteSoftware #RemoteSupport #HelpDesk) https://forum.uvnc.com/viewtopic.php?t=38080 -
#DayOfTheVictory
👁️
#UltraVNC 1.6.1.0 and #UltraVNCSC 1.6.1.0 Released (#VNC #VirtualNetworkComputing #RFB #RemoteFrameBuffer #RemoteDesktop #RemoteDesktopSoftware #RemoteAccess #RemoteAssistance #RemoteComputer #RemotePC #RemoteSoftware #RemoteSupport #HelpDesk) https://forum.uvnc.com/viewtopic.php?t=38080 -
#DayOfTheVictory
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#UltraVNC 1.6.1.0 and #UltraVNCSC 1.6.1.0 Released (#VNC #VirtualNetworkComputing #RFB #RemoteFrameBuffer #RemoteDesktop #RemoteDesktopSoftware #RemoteAccess #RemoteAssistance #RemoteComputer #RemotePC #RemoteSoftware #RemoteSupport #HelpDesk) https://forum.uvnc.com/viewtopic.php?t=38080 -
#DayOfTheVictory
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#UltraVNC 1.6.1.0 and #UltraVNCSC 1.6.1.0 Released (#VNC #VirtualNetworkComputing #RFB #RemoteFrameBuffer #RemoteDesktop #RemoteDesktopSoftware #RemoteAccess #RemoteAssistance #RemoteComputer #RemotePC #RemoteSoftware #RemoteSupport #HelpDesk) https://forum.uvnc.com/viewtopic.php?t=38080 -
This morning an existing client texted me to ask about purchasing the extended warranty for the laptop they’re ready to buy. I don’t sell hardware, but I also don’t charge for this sort of pre-purchase assistance.
I know that I’ll make money setting up the laptop after the purchase. And I know that for the life of the laptop, this client is likely to call me for remote tech support. So I’m happy to take some time over a period of days answering questions about memory, storage, CPU types, brand preferences, and so forth. (I texted the client a list of recommended minimum specs several days ago).
Everything I’ve said above is standard customer care stuff. What I want to emphasize to you with this post is rapid availability. The client texted me at 9:05, and I didn’t see it for about a half hour. Whoops! As soon as I saw it, though, I replied. There’s a possibility that the client is in the store, or has a browser tab open ready to complete the purchase online. They need answers. Part of keeping your clients coming back is the seldom talked about attribute of availability.
(If you’re new to my posts, here’s a little background. I make most of my money every year doing on-site cybersecurity projects for public utilities, custom on-site training for network engineers, and solving specialized problems where the in-house expertise needs a brief boost. But that only happens a few times a year. For instance, my next trip is currently scheduled in August. To fill the time between the big revenue generating gigs, I do tech support for companies that are too small to have a full-time IT staff, and for residential customers. I’m not going to sit around and watch TV all day. I love doing this stuff. It’s fun for me).
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Case Study: How ColomboLink Helped Clients Achieve Sales Targets Through BPO
#BPOSuccess #SalesGrowth #ColomboLinkInnovations #OutsourcingWorks #BusinessCaseStudy #AchieveWithBPO #SmartOutsourcing #ClientSuccessStory #RemoteSupport #ScalableSolutions
https://colombolink.com/case-study-how-colombolink-helped-clients-achieve-sales-targets-through-bpo/
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I'm sure you're already aware that we're launching our new Premium Newsletter next week, are you wondering if it's worth it? 💼
(By the way, it's about the cost of a nice cup of coffee per week ☕ )
📅 Thursday, April 17th
🕐 1.00pm CET
🎙️ With Maya & Diana
📍 Free to attend | Live on Zoom | Open Q&A
👉 https://www.remoteworkeurope.eu/insights/rwe-premium-insight
#RemoteWork #RemoteJobs #DigitalNomads #RemoteCommunity #LiveEvent #RemoteSupport #RemoteCareer #LocationIndependent #RWEPremium #RemoteWorkEurope
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I'm sure you're already aware that we're launching our new Premium Newsletter next week, are you wondering if it's worth it? 💼
(By the way, it's about the cost of a nice cup of coffee per week ☕ )
📅 Thursday, April 17th
🕐 1.00pm CET
🎙️ With Maya & Diana
📍 Free to attend | Live on Zoom | Open Q&A
👉 https://www.remoteworkeurope.eu/insights/rwe-premium-insight
#RemoteWork #RemoteJobs #DigitalNomads #RemoteCommunity #LiveEvent #RemoteSupport #RemoteCareer #LocationIndependent #RWEPremium #RemoteWorkEurope
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A 79 year-old man on the East Coast surprised me this weekend. He called me to work remotely on his Windows 7 computer. I think I talked him into upgrading to a new computer with Windows 11. He asked me for recommendations. I gave him the minimum specs I recommend and taught him how to read the specs in the ads at Best Buy. He said he knows a local computer shop, and he thinks he’ll just go in there with the list of specs I gave him and ask them to put one together.
That was the part that shocked me.
He’s in a state on the Atlantic Coast. He knows a local computer shop. Yet he calls me, in Washington State, for tech support.
Okay then. I’m honored, and happy to help.
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Engadget: Microsoft is phasing out its Remote Desktop app in May. “The Remote Desktop app for Windows is (almost) dead; long live the Windows app. Microsoft said on Monday that its legacy Remote Desktop client, which has already been replaced on other platforms, will no longer be supported on Windows after May 27, 2025. But you aren’t losing any functionality here.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2025/03/17/engadget-microsoft-is-phasing-out-its-remote-desktop-app-in-may/
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Q) What's the most dangerous folder in a Windows computer?
A) The default downloads folder.
Okay, if you asked me that question out of the blue, I’d probably say C:\Windows\System32, but just go with me for a minute here.
In the world of small business/home office/residential IT support, moving someone’s data to their new computer is a common task. And, often, the user is the Administrator on their own computer, so they can download and install anything. Anything at all.
Some things I always transfer: Documents, Music, Pictures, Favorites, and so on. But the Downloads folder is a crazy beast. Some people use it as a storage location. They download stuff and just leave it there. Manuals, legal documents, bank statements, all kinds of things. So I have to check, I can’t just ignore it.
But the default downloads folder is also full of executable files, mostly installers for apps and printer driver packages. If the client downloaded a program – maybe a game – that contains a trojan, this is where it will be. The Downloads folder is frequently the home of malware origin files.
(Sidenote: three malware file types you should know about are origin files, loader files, and active files. They exist in various combinations. For example, the origin file may be the active file, but sometimes it’s not, and the origin file may pass a virus scan).
Okay, back to the main point.
When I’m transferring the data to the client’s new computer, I put the contents of the Downloads folder on the screen and ask them, “Do you need any of these files?” Usually, they look confused, and then I know it’s safe to not transfer the Downloads folder’s contents. I don’t care about the app installers and printer drivers, because I’m going to download and install the latest version anyway. The installers in the Downloads folder may be older versions.
THE LESSON
Be wary of the client’s default downloads folder. Transfer any items after evaluating them individually. Don’t just copy the folder contents. -
A small business client called me this morning in a panic. Their Dell computer prompted them to do “an update,” the client clicked okay, things happened, and then the screen went black. The client then tried to restart the computer and got a black screen again. Next they unplugged the computer, and that’s when they called me.
I asked, “During this whole time, did you ever see the word ‘firmware’ on the screen? Or B-I-O-S?”
“Yes.”
I cringed a little. “Okay, let’s plug it back in and see what we can do.”
Reports of various blinking lights, sounds, then nothing.
“Let’s leave it alone for several minutes, don’t do anything with it, and I’ll call you back.”
I waited about ten minutes and then called the client.Now we were able to power off, power back on, it booted normally, and the client logged in. Crisis averted!
Sometimes updates – firmware or otherwise – take longer to complete than we might like. This calls for patience. Go get a cup of coffee, or read “Gone With the Wind,” or something. Give it time. If you turn the computer off or try to reboot it at the wrong time during a firmware update, you run the risk of “bricking” the computer.
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“My daughter’s personal computer, she uses for school work, came up with needing a BitLocker recovery password.”
Over the weekend I was contacted by a dad on the other side of the country trying to locate the BitLocker key. This is a very common problem. Microsoft’s position is, “Don’t worry, we store you BitLocker keys for you in your Microsoft account!” Microsoft’s attitude seems like: “I know you’re in water over your head, and you can’t swim, and you’re drowning and choking, but don’t worry, we have life preservers right here on the boat. Come get one!”
The reality is that many people have no idea what to do when faced with this challenge.
You must protect yourself. Get your BitLocker recovery key for every BitLocker device, and store it safely yourself. You can find information on how to get your recovery key by searching for “find my BitLocker recovery key,” or a similar phrase, using any search engine.
If you don’t want to do that, contact me, and I’ll help you get your BitLocker key(s) for a very reasonable fee.
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This year, I’m placing a renewed emphasis on growing the residential tech support part of my business. The evolution of my attitude toward residential tech support is an interesting story. Read on…
I licensed my company in 2003. In those early days I was desperate to generate income and find clients. I advertised on craigslist, mostly intending to get small business clients, but a lot of the calls I got were from residential users. I needed the money, and I was happy to make the appointments. Keep in mind that in 2003, these were house calls. I didn’t yet have a subscription to professional remote access software.
Cluttered homes. Dusty computers. Loud and aggressive dogs. I learned that residential clients often had unreasonable expectations about cost. I used to say, “Residential clients want hundred dollar service for ten dollars.” On the upside, though, residential clients expected to pay at the time of service. I’d walk out of their house with a check in hand, and in the startup days, cash flow was critical! So I kept doing it.
Later, as my business grew, I stopped doing residential work entirely. I had enough business clients that I didn’t need the residential business anymore.
Somewhere about that time, I had enough business clients with remote locations that I started paying for professional remote access software. A gray area developed: I was doing remote tech support for business workers in home offices. I asked myself, “Could I make money with remote tech support for non-business users at home?”
No toys to trip over. No nippy dogs. Hmmm… So I started advertising residential tech support again - remotely.
And I gotta tell ya, it’s fun. I totally enjoy it. It brings the customer such satisfaction and relief, and it’s like fixing a problem for a friend.
I’ve always charged my residential clients the same hourly rate as my business clients. No difference at all, and if you want to do this, it’s important to keep your rates up. Residential prospects often start by asking what it costs. My hourly rate is a filter that eliminates a lot of problems.
Anyway, I’m going to do a lot more marketing on the residential side and home office side. I added a new page to my website just for this purpose.
Did you or a loved one get a new computer for Christmas? Having problems with it in any way? I do residential and small business remote tech support. Sole proprietor, business licensed in Washington, insured. I'm your own personal help desk. More personal. Less frustrating.
8am to 5pm, US Pacific Time Zone.#HelpDesk #TechSupport #RemoteSupport #Residential #HomeOffice
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#TeamViewer 15.60.3 has been released (#RemoteDesktop / #RemoteAccess / #RemoteAssistance / #RemoteSupport / #RemotePC / #RemoteSoftware / #RemoteComputer) https://teamviewer.com/
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📢 Discover RustDesk! 🔧 A free, open-source remote support app with easy setup and strong privacy. 🚀 Features encrypted connections and the option to host your own server. Download now: https://rustdesk.com #RustDesk #RemoteSupport #Tech
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The scams can be very convincing. This client is college educated, owns a business employing several dozen people, and has homes in two different states. A couple of years ago he was duped by one of those pop-ups that said, “Your computer is infected! Call Microsoft for assistance at 1-800-xxx-xxxx.” He called the number and the person who answered said, “Microsoft Technical Assistance, how may I help you?” Before it was all over, his credit card had been charged – twice! – for a total of $459.00.
Two years later, they are still calling him, trying to get more money! He told me about their most recent attempt on June 13.
He’s been a client of mine since 2011. I maintain his business computers and his family’s personal computers. A couple of years ago when he saw the pop-up which led to his computer being infected by the fake tech support company, he told me, “I thought about calling you instead of the number on the screen, but it seemed so urgent, and it really looked like it was from Microsoft, so I decided to call them.”
The thing that strikes me the most about this story is the brazenness of the cybercriminals. They keep coming back, and have no fear of arrest or prosecution.
It’s up to you to be cautious.
#callmeifyouneedme #fifonetworks
#cybersecurity #onsitesupport #remotesupport #techsupport #helpdesk
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The scams can be very convincing. This client is college educated, owns a business employing several dozen people, and has homes in two different states. A couple of years ago he was duped by one of those pop-ups that said, “Your computer is infected! Call Microsoft for assistance at 1-800-xxx-xxxx.” He called the number and the person who answered said, “Microsoft Technical Assistance, how may I help you?” Before it was all over, his credit card had been charged – twice! – for a total of $459.00.
Two years later, they are still calling him, trying to get more money! He told me about their most recent attempt on June 13.
He’s been a client of mine since 2011. I maintain his business computers and his family’s personal computers. A couple of years ago when he saw the pop-up which led to his computer being infected by the fake tech support company, he told me, “I thought about calling you instead of the number on the screen, but it seemed so urgent, and it really looked like it was from Microsoft, so I decided to call them.”
The thing that strikes me the most about this story is the brazenness of the cybercriminals. They keep coming back, and have no fear of arrest or prosecution.
It’s up to you to be cautious.
#callmeifyouneedme #fifonetworks
#cybersecurity #onsitesupport #remotesupport #techsupport #helpdesk
