For Immediate Release

Top Five PC Problems for 2007

SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- (February 16, 2008) -- Glitches, hitches, gremlins--whatever term you prefer, PC bugs are the bane of every computer user. If you're suffering from applications that take forever to open, a printer that won't print, or unrelenting Internet pop-ups, you're not alone.

My Computer Works, one of the best-known remote PC repair operations, today announced its list of the Top Five PC Problems for 2007. The list was culled from over 20,000 repair calls received from PC users by My Computer Works across the United States over the past year, representing a reliable, if not scientific, cross-sampling of U.S. homes and small businesses.

The Top Five PC Problems, along with their percentage of occurrence within the top five, are as follows (percentages rounded to nearest whole number):
• Email Issues / Configuration (36%)
• Internet Connectivity Issues (17%)
• Internet Explorer / Windows Misbehaving (trouble accessing certain Web sites, security settings, pop-up blocker malfunction, etc.) (17%)
• Malware Infections (15%)
• Slow-Running PC (usually due to insufficient hardware resources) (15%)

"As people keep their computers longer, and as the Internet becomes an increasingly important part of everyone's lives, PC problems begin to pile up," said Luke Ford, CEO and president of My Computer Works. "Just using your PC on a regular basis is enough to cause many of the bugs to occur. Fortunately, there are things each of us can do to help keep our computers running fast and error-free."

Upkeep Needed

In addition to the anti-virus and spyware/malware protection products that are essential for any computer, users can do a lot themselves to speed up a sluggish computer.

"Rebooting the computer is the first thing to do," Ford stated. "The second thing is to regularly use the performance and maintenance tools that come with Windows, such as the Disk Defragmenter and Disk Cleanup, which purges temporary files, removes deleted items and clears out your browser of unneeded, but stored, browsing information."

Other things PC owners can do is backup important files weekly, prune old emails (especially those with attachments), and clean their computer's keyboard and fan vents with compressed air. Having a separate Web mail account for offers from stores and businesses also helps keep spam from piling up alongside important personal and business email.

More difficult to do yourself, but equally essential, is the removal of bloatware--those unneeded applications either bundled with a new PC, or automatically installed when new and needed applications are installed later. Many of these applications are placed in the PC's Startup folder and are automatically opened every time the computer is turned on, whether they are needed or not.

"Some of these applications can be easily uninstalled using Windows "Add/Remove" utility," Ford observed. "Others are buried deep in the Windows registry, and removing them is a complex and touchy process. When in doubt, it's worth it to have a professional assist you."

Finally, PCs eventually need upgrades, especially in their RAM and/or hard drive memory capacities, to adequately service ever-larger applications. Keeping open only essential applications as you work can help.

"Many times people call us with email or Internet browsing problems, assuming that the cause lies with their Internet Service Provider, or ISP," Ford said. "Once we ask a few simple questions, however, it's clear that the glitches people are experiencing lie with their computer, not their provider. While not everything involves maintenance, there is a lot people can do to help themselves--and it takes only a few minutes per week."