--- title: Northampton Computer Repair Blog description: Our learning center blog is about you the customer. We believe answering questions and helping to educate the consumer about all things IT is what a business should do --- ## [Northampton Computer Repair](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/) 413-341-3571 12 Main St, Northampton, MA 01060 # Our Blog ## [Top 5 Essential Remote Work Utilities & Software](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/top-5-essential-remote-work-utilities-and-software) Posted by [Chris Allard](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/author/chris-allard) on Thu, Apr 30, 2020 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/hubfs/daria-nepriakhina-i5iIhHSAtp4-unsplash.jpg) ](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/top-5-essential-remote-work-utilities-and-software) Before we start naming some essential, low-cost (or free) work-from-home apps and services, we need to talk about security. And this should be the way you approach everything you do online. Think about security first. And then consider it in the middle, and then review it at the end also, but mainly... SECURITY FIRST. [Read More](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/top-5-essential-remote-work-utilities-and-software) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/top-5-essential-remote-work-utilities-and-software#comments-listing) Tags: [Teamviewer software](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/teamviewer-software), [Remote PC access](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/remote-pc-access), [Remote desktop](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/remote-desktop), [cloud](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/cloud), [password security](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/password-security), [productivity](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/productivity), [Dropbox](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/dropbox), [OneDrive](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/onedrive), [google drive](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/google-drive), [remote work](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/remote-work), [Multifactor authentication](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/multifactor-authentication), [2-factor authentication](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/2-factor-authentication), [working from home](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/working-from-home), [video conferencing](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/video-conferencing), [zoom](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/zoom), [COVID-19](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/covid-19), [Office 365](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/office-365), [Microsoft Teams](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/microsoft-teams), [iCloud](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/icloud), [lastpass](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/lastpass) ## [What is Zoombombing and How Do I Prevent It?](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/what-is-zoombombing-and-how-do-i-prevent-it) Posted by [Jackson Barker-Fornal](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/author/jackson-barker-fornal) on Thu, Apr 23, 2020 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/hubfs/edwin-andrade-4V1dC_eoCwg-unsplash-1.jpg) ](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/what-is-zoombombing-and-how-do-i-prevent-it) The COVID-19 crisis has sent workers and businesses scrambling to setup work-from-home systems and protocols, and with such a rapid migration to remote work it is no surprise technical and security issues have emerged. Here we're going to discuss "Zoombombing"--what it is and how to prevent it. [Read More](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/what-is-zoombombing-and-how-do-i-prevent-it) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/what-is-zoombombing-and-how-do-i-prevent-it#comments-listing) Tags: [privacy](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/privacy), [Security](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/security), [internet security](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/internet-security), [remote work](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/remote-work), [working from home](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/working-from-home), [Internet Privacy](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/internet-privacy), [zoom](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/zoom), [COVID-19](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/covid-19) ## [What is two-factor authentication (2FA)? And why you REALLY should use it](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/what-is-two-factor-authentication-2fa-and-why-you-really-should-use-it) Posted by [Chris Allard](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/author/chris-allard) on Tue, Apr 07, 2020 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/hubfs/Lock%20%26%20Circuit.jpg) ](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/what-is-two-factor-authentication-2fa-and-why-you-really-should-use-it) The concept is simple, you prove who you are when logging into your accounts by proving two things: something you know (your password) and something you possess (your smartphone, as an example). A lot of users have caught on to [two-factor authentication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-factor_authentication) (AKA multi-factor authentication, or abbreviated as MFA or 2FA) and it's adding a ton of security to an inherently insecure internet.  [Read More](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/what-is-two-factor-authentication-2fa-and-why-you-really-should-use-it) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/what-is-two-factor-authentication-2fa-and-why-you-really-should-use-it#comments-listing) Tags: [privacy](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/privacy), [Security](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/security), [internet security](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/internet-security), [remote work](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/remote-work), [encryption](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/encryption), [2FA](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/2fa), [Multifactor authentication](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/multifactor-authentication), [2-factor authentication](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/2-factor-authentication), [MFA](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/mfa) ## [Let's be clear, computers are stupid (A message of hope)](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/lets-be-clear-computers-are-stupid) Posted by [Chris Allard](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/author/chris-allard) on Tue, Mar 20, 2018 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/hubfs/keyboard-not-found-654x320.jpg) ](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/lets-be-clear-computers-are-stupid) I thought it would be worth some time to get a couple of quick things said about computers and how they work. Computers are stupid. They are actually entirely useless unless humans tell them exactly what to do. Forgetting this can lead to a lot of misunderstandings about what computers and smartphones are capable of. Many people see them as smarter than humans, that they are at the mercy of the machine, and in some ways, that they are infallible. They very much are not. [Read More](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/lets-be-clear-computers-are-stupid) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/lets-be-clear-computers-are-stupid#comments-listing) Tags: [Computer Repair](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/computer-repair), [computers](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/computers), [Artificial intelligence](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/artificial-intelligence), [AI](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/ai) ## [Laptop Battery Basics](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/laptop-battery-basics) Posted by [Jackson Barker-Fornal](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/author/jackson-barker-fornal) on Thu, Jan 11, 2018 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/hubfs/Voltage.ashx.png) ](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/laptop-battery-basics) Come into the shop most days and we'll have a few laptops awaiting replacement batteries. And they're not always old beaters limping along on their last legs, either. Sometimes we get some pretty young machines that just can't hold a charge or, more commonly, run out of juice too fast to be very useful if taken away from an outlet for more than a couple minutes.  [Read More](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/laptop-battery-basics) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/laptop-battery-basics#comments-listing) Tags: [Laptop Battery](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/laptop-battery), [power](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/power) ## [VIDEO: Someone told you you need more RAM, what does that mean? What does RAM do?](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/video-someone-told-you-you-need-more-ram-what-does-that-mean-what-does-ram-do) Posted by [Chris Allard](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/author/chris-allard) on Fri, Nov 10, 2017 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/hubfs/VIDEO-RAM%20TESTING.png) ](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/video-someone-told-you-you-need-more-ram-what-does-that-mean-what-does-ram-do) In our video segment today, we do a deep-dive test into what RAM looks like when you don't have enough, and we get to have a lot of fun making our Windows 10 environment have about the same capabilities as a 1996-era PC ;)   [Read More](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/video-someone-told-you-you-need-more-ram-what-does-that-mean-what-does-ram-do) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/video-someone-told-you-you-need-more-ram-what-does-that-mean-what-does-ram-do#comments-listing) Tags: [Windows 10](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/windows-10), [Video](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/video), [PC performance](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/pc-performance), [RAM](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/ram), [PC upgrades](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/pc-upgrades) ## [How to Identify an Operating System for Everyone... And What is an OS?](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/identify-your-operating-system-what-is-an-operating-system) Posted by [Caitlin G](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/author/caitlin-g) on Thu, Jun 01, 2017 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/hubfs/window-1231890_1920.jpg) ](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/identify-your-operating-system-what-is-an-operating-system) ***Dear Techie,*** ***I was recently asked what Operating System I was using, and didn't know the answer. I have a Dell notebook with Microsoft and I think it has Windows on it. What exactly is the operating system? Why are there so many names?*** ***Sincerely,*** ***Puzzled in the Pioneer Valley*** [Read More](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/identify-your-operating-system-what-is-an-operating-system) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/identify-your-operating-system-what-is-an-operating-system#comments-listing) Tags: [Operating System](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/operating-system), [apple](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/apple), [Microsoft](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/microsoft), [Windows 10](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/windows-10), [linux](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/linux) ## [Best Worst Inventions in 2016 & 2017!](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/best-worst-inventions-in-2016-2017) Posted by [Nate Alekna](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/author/nate-alekna) on Thu, Mar 16, 2017 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](http://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn1.hubspot.com/StockImages/Silly%20Photos/7K0A0032.jpg) ](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/best-worst-inventions-in-2016-2017)   So you may be wondering to yourself “Why do I have to get out of bed every morning and make my own coffee and drive myself to work? Why can’t the coffee make itself? Why can’t the car drive itself? Why do I have to stand up by myself?” Well the answer to all those questions is “Because someone hasn’t made a way to fix that yet.” We are slowly working toward our goal, however, with some of the greatest inventions mankind has ever devised. [Read More](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/best-worst-inventions-in-2016-2017) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/best-worst-inventions-in-2016-2017#comments-listing) Tags: [Technology](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/technology), [Bad Ideas](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/bad-ideas), [Inventions](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/inventions) ## [You Can Still Get a Windows 10 Upgrade For Free!](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/you-can-still-get-windows-10-for-free) Posted by [Nate Alekna](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/author/nate-alekna) on Tue, Jan 24, 2017 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5751/22787152295_ec542d78ee_b.jpg) ](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/you-can-still-get-windows-10-for-free) Windows 10 isn’t free anymore and that’s bad news for anyone who didn’t get the chance to upgrade before the free period ended. You might think you’re consigned to spending the rest of your days using Windows 7 or shell out $130 for the cheapest copy. You would be mistaken. The cheapest copy of Windows 10 you can get right now is actually in the neighborhood of totally free. [Read More](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/you-can-still-get-windows-10-for-free) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/you-can-still-get-windows-10-for-free#comments-listing) Tags: [Windows Tips](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/windows-tips), [Windows 10](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/windows-10), [Activate Windows](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/activate-windows) ## [Android Apps Could Be More Dangerous Than Traditional Malware](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/android-apps-could-be-more-dangerous-than-traditional-malware) Posted by [Nate Alekna](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/author/nate-alekna) on Mon, Oct 10, 2016 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/hubfs/Blog_Images/Crazy_Permissions.png) ](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/android-apps-could-be-more-dangerous-than-traditional-malware) There I was, sitting on the couch. I was going through facebook and I see this ad for “Shadow Blade Extreme 7.” It looks really cool. Good graphics, fun gameplay, and cats! I load the app up and my phone comes up with a notification. [Read More](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/android-apps-could-be-more-dangerous-than-traditional-malware) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/android-apps-could-be-more-dangerous-than-traditional-malware#comments-listing) Tags: [iOS](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/ios), [mobile security](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/mobile-security), [mobile malware](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/mobile-malware), [android](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/android), [apps](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/apps), [malicious apps](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/topic/malicious-apps) [All posts](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/all) [Next](https://www.northamptoncomputerrepair.com/noho-pcs-blog/page/2) Search for More Posts Find it! ### Subscribe to Email Updates *Disclosure: We may include links in our articles for products and services we recommend, in very few cases we may receive an affiliate referral fee if you purchase or subscribe via our link* ## Our Most Popular Posts | **Kaspersky Lab's Award-Winning Software** **_____________________________________** **Data Security Has Never Been So Easy** **[![How Much Is Your Data Worth to You? 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