"Computer Repair and Services For The Home Or Small Office"
Computer, Laptop, Desktop Repair - Upgrades - Custom Builds
Asset Retirement Management - Data Backup and RECOVERY
Hardware, Software Installations - Setups and Optimizations
Spyware and Virus Removal - Small Office and Home Networking

Mission Statement:

Objective 1: At Orphan Computers we are dedicated to combating the crisis of the abandonment of surplus computers. The regrettably needless and improvident end of these computers at the bottom of our community landfills is shameful. We provide these unfortunate computers with exceptional care at our shelter facility located at 3758 W.Broadway in Robbinsdale, where they are housed until they can be matched and placed with suitable adoptive users.

Objective 2: To provide a responsible means for users to relinquish and recycle their unfashionable surplus computers in a secure and economic manner.

Objective 3: To offer education and assessments of the realistic needs of prospective users, matching them with a reasonable level of technology and providing them with an alternative and economical means to computer ownership.

Objective 4: To provide flexible, reliable, and professional computer repair and services for the home or small office for rates which are reasonable and fair. Orphan Computers, we are the honest solution for your Computer repairs, Computer Recycling, Upgrades, Hardware and Software Installations, Spyware and Virus Removal, Setups, Optimizations, Data Backup and Migrations, Data Recovery, Data Security Risk Mitigation, Networking and other computer needs.

Through no fault of their own, these computers became infested with Viruses and Spy-ware to the point that they could no longer "boot." Their previous users, rather than paying to have them repaired at the "Big Box Stores", abandoned them in order to purchase newer, fashionable units. Fortunately, these poor orphans found their way to our shelter facility where they were provided with the best of care, repaired and restored to their former usefulness. If you are in need of an affordable computer, contact us for an honest assessment of your needs. One of these Orphans could very well make you a suitable companion.

Random Segues, Tips and Tricks from Orphie

Trimming The Fat From Your Computer's "System Startup"
Do you find yourself frustrated; "willing" your computer to react faster? A slow "boot" or "startup time" and an overall sluggish response to commands can be an exasperating drain on your time and if your computer is used for business, it is not helping your bottom line. So… if you don’t really need that extra cup of coffee while you’re waiting for you computer to get up and running, or if you have seriously contemplated offering your computers a cup of coffee in an attempt to wake it up (this won’t work by the way), what can you do about it? As it turns out… quite a lot. Oprhie believes that his clients deserve to be empowered. So he is offering this series of articals to this end. In this first article, we will go over: Trimming The Fat From Your Computer's "System Startup"
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File Hoarding Intervention
All Microsoft Windows Operating System are "OBSESSIVE/COMPULSIVE HOARDERS." They keep every kind of file imaginable. Some of these files are valuable and necessary for proper system operation. But then there are those files that are outright "JUNK," temp files, logs and various forms of browser bloat that can surprisingly accumulate very quickly but which overtime will certainly build up to massive quantities filling up every nook and cranny of available file storage space. Adding to this "congenital disorder" of any MS Windows OS is the fact that a lot of "Users" are also compulsive "File Hoarders," collecting Giga Bytes of trial software, useless browser tool bars, multiple copies of documents and pictures, fonts, redundant "back ups" embedded within redundant "back ups," or massive music collections they could never listen to in a life time. Just imagine the condition of a house plagued by 2 such "HABITUALLY OBSESSED HOARDERS." As your computer becomes cluttered with such "file debris," its performance will suffer tremendously.
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File or Disk Fragmentation
This is the third installment of a series on how to ease your frustrations over a slow booting and sluggish computer. We have already discussed "TRIMMING THE FAT FROM YOUR COMPUTER’S ‘SYSTEM STARTUP’" and how Windows Operation Systems are "OBSESSIVE/COMPULSIVE HOARDERS," so we will now discuss "FILE OR DISK FRAGMENTATION."
In order for you computers to boot up, function and do any work you want it to do, it demands a constant flow of various files back and forth and in-between permanent storage (your Hard Drive), temporary storage (your Memory) and where all the actions on these files are performed (your CPU or Co-processing Unit). To gain a simple understanding of what is going on; let’s look at this flow of files in terms of a normal business office.
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On Facebook? Upgrade your Account Security to HTTPS!
Facebook has been working on providing an HTTPS Account Security setting for some time now. It is a feature which has not been rolled out to all accounts everywhere as of yet, but you should check to see if it is available to you and if so, enable it.
Why?
HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) provides an addition level of security for your private information through encrypted communication and secure identification. This is the same level of security you use when you perform payment transactions online with a credit card or visit your bank account. This is accomplished by combining Secure Socket Layer and Transport Layer Security Protocols with Hypertext Transfer Protocol.
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5 Reasons for an Alternate Browser
by Derrick Wlodarz
FireLogic, Inc
For most computer users on Windows machines, Internet Explorer 7 or 8 continue to be their de-facto browser of choice. Whether is be out of convenience or necessity, these browsers still dominate our desktops. But times have changed since the early 2000's. The web is increasingly friendly towards alternate browsers, and in fact, the majority of the most visited websites are fully compatible with modern browsers. Here are just a few reason why switching may be one of the best things you could do for your machine.
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Basic Windows Key Navigation on the Microsoft Natural Keyboard
So you're looking at your keyboard and you're wondering to yourself, "Just what is that key between the Ctrl and Alt keys with the Windows Logo on it?" You may have even pressed it out of general curiosity and found that you can use it to toggle the Start Menu on and off, and thought to yourself, "Oh... so that's what that does... cool!" Well it certainly is useful for that purpose, and it is easier then using the Ctrl+Esc combination which will also toggle the Start Menu on and off, but it can do so much more for you. The Windows Logo Key can be used for a variety of Windows Keyboard shortcuts. Let's take a look at them....
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The Case for Disabling Messenger Service
In their native state, going back to Windows NT and moving forward, Windows operating systems include a "background service" called Messenger Service, which provides a method for network users to communicate with one another using "pop-up" messages. By design, the original intent of Messenger Service was for system administrators to notify users on their networks of system-wide events or other useful information. It was never widely employed by legitimate users. However, Messenger Service remains as a legacy feature of Windows which allows, if you are online, anyone on the Internet to actuate pop-up messages on your system. At best this includes unscrupulous spamming advertisers. At worst, malicious individuals distributing viri.
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