CONCEPT

You've probably seen this before at least once in your computing life: the blue screen of death. Never shows up at an opportune time and always risks the security of the project you've been working on for days and have almost completed. So what should you do? Call Concept Computers Try to restart your computer Check for overheating: are your vents clean? is your fan working properly? Reboot in Safe Mode if a normal restart doesn't do the trick Update all drivers if possible I

In honour of Teacher's Week, we thought we'd feature some computer essentials for school computers that you should look for to enhance your (and your teacher's) school experience: - Storage capacity: your storage needs will vary depending on the type of classes you are taking, but in general, aim for 1 TB; if you need more space, purchase online storage or grab an external hard drive - Processor: if your classes demand a lot from your computer, like image rendering or video e

Interested in crypto-currency mining? We do it right! Mining takes specialized machines that are designed specifically for that function and that function only! While you may not be able to undergo other tasks on this machine, it does make them incredibly efficient at what they are designed to do and if you have a keen eye for it, a great investment! These rigs can be purchased as is, custom built for you or even by you! To speak to us about all your cryto-currency mining nee

Wireless printer giving you troubles? We often get complaints of wireless accessories disconnecting from machines, which may be a sign of out-of-date drivers or software or incompatible devices. Not to worry! We are expert problem-solvers and the best part? We can often diagnose these problems remotely, so you don't have to drag your machine and peripherals down to our showroom. To speak to us about all your computer accessory and peripheral needs, come see us in-store at 125

Are you a Telus webmail user? Many of our clients are reporting difficulties since the recent switch of their webmail to Gmail. If you used Outlook or any other desktop app to check your Telus mail, you may be experiencing difficulties with the migration. Email migration from a desktop app can be confusing and takes time to download the proper files for transfer from a desktop app to a web-based app. Not to worry! We can help! To speak to us about all your email migration nee

One of the most common questions we get asked is, "Why is my computer so slow?". While there are many possible answers to this question, we've put together a list of some of the most common reasons: - your hard drive is almost full - you are low on RAM (random access memory) - you have too many programs running at the same time - you are performing a demanding task (like image rendering or video editing) that requires upgraded components - you have a computer virus or malware

If you've just gotten into gaming you can already see how easy it is to spend hours glued to your screen. In addition to a worthy setup for your machine, your accessories play a vital role in your experience. We highly recommend spending a few extra dollars on ergonomic gaming equipment like a keyboard and mouse. A headset that molds to the shape of your dome with a decent microphone and noise-isolation features is also a must. If keyboard gaming is not your thing, controller

As a PC gamer, one of the best tips we can give is to keep your computer clean. Gaming is a demanding task for your machine, and as it works it generates heat, but if it can't keep itself cool you start to run into performance problems and eventually overall failure. Dust, hair, pet fur and many other small particles will clog up vents and fans over time with regular use. The dirt needs to be cleaned often and GENTLY. This does not mean with a vacuum or by blowing on it. Vacu

What is the best thing to do if your computer freezes? 1. Wait - give your computer a second to catch up and see if it resolves itself, especially if you are performing a task that is particularly demanding on your CPU 2. Check your mouse batteries or connection - if your mouse is not working properly, your computer can APPEAR frozen, when it is in fact not 3. CTRL + ALT + DEL - this combination of keys will bring up your task manager which will allow you to either close the

Internet connectivity issues can be massively frustrating, especially when so many people are working from home these days. If your internet connection is unreliable, the first step is to contact your internet service provider to check to see if there are any issues from there end or if they can perform a reset. If this doesn't solve the problem, there may be an issue with your machine. Dropped internet connections can happen due to viruses, a bad network card, faulty or dete

Computer maintenance: what should you be doing? how often should you be doing it? Ideally, you should have your computer serviced monthly. This doesn't mean bringing your machine down to the shop every month - but ensuring you have all the necessary updates and patches, running a proper virus check, running health diagnostics and clearing out any junkware are key elements to a long computer life. Annually, you should have your computer cleaned and serviced at a qualified comp

There are many things you can transfer from an old computer to a new computer, including: - documents / files / folders - emails stored on your computer - bookmarks / favourites - desktop background - user accounts and settings You cannot however, transfer over programs. This is because programs form a relationship with the registry and other Windows files. This does not mean you have to buy a whole new program, but it DOES mean you MUST keep a record of your product key! Nee

There's nothing like a new computer battery. You feel like you can use your machine all day and not worry about the computer suddenly dying on you in the middle of a report. Fast forward a few years... you're probably more prone to keeping you machine plugged in all day. The charge never last very long and you're always paranoid you won't be able to plug in on time once you get the low battery warning. The good news is there are things you can do to prolong the life of your c

Pin or password: Which should you choose and why? A pin uses strictly numbers, whereas a password can contain numbers, letters and symbols. Given a 0-9 keypad, there are 10 billion possible numeric combinations for a pin, but with over 90 possible characters in password you're looking at 59,873,693,923,837,900,000 possible combinations for a password. You can also consider that most PINs are short and passwords tend to be long. So in a nutshell, a password is more secure BUT

Email scam attempts happen all too often. Cyber criminals most often try to get you to enter personal or payment information that they can later use for their own purposes. So how can you recognize an email scam? Here are a few things to watch out for: - The email asks for you to enter personal or payment information (legitimate companies will never ask this!) - The email uses a generic salutation (ex. dear customer or dear account holder) - The "from" email address is not fr

Did you know you can set Windows updates to occur OUTSIDE of active hours? 1 . Click the Start menu --> settings (cog wheel icon) --> Update & security --> Windows Updates 2. Click "Change Active Hours" and enter your busy times. This will tell your computer NOT to update during those hours. Ta da! Still need a little help? We can do that! To speak to us about all your computer needs, come see us in-store at 1257 Marine Drive in North Vancouver or give us a call at 604-986-76

What is Windows 10X? It is a simplified version of Windows 10 that was originally designed for foldable and dual-screen devices, but recently released for single-screen devices like tablets and chromebooks. 10X favours simplicity above all. It supports connected applications, but not those written for previous versions of windows (i.e. legacy applications), all of which are displayed in a brand new action centre and start menu. Documents, music and photos (although not downlo

With the majority of life happening online these days, data breaches are unsurprisingly on the rise. To combat this, many online platforms have started requiring two-factor authentication. Why? Passwords get hacked all the time. But two-factor authentication requires both a password and physical access to your phone, which is not something a hacker is likely to have. Will you have to do this every time? Not likely, unless you consistently use a shared computer. If it is your

What is an "Optional Update" in Windows 10, and should you install them? According to Microsoft on their optional updates page, these updates are recommended to be installed when one is facing a specific problem that may happen because of an existing driver. So to answer the question: only when things are not running smoothly on your computer. If you are experiencing issues that you suspect may be due to driver problems, then check the optional updates to see if there is one

Got something special for your Geekmas??? Bring it down and let us have a look! New computers are typically loaded with unnecessary games, apps and "crapware" that will bog your computer down. A professional set-up will make all the difference in your new computer's performance. PLUS we can transfer all the data from your old machine so it's safe and secure. To speak to us about all your new computer needs, come see us in-store at 1257 Marine Drive in North Vancouver or give