Our Customers


February 9th, 2010

Please bear with us as we work at keeping this page up to date. Satisfying our customers comes before writing about satisfied customers. Currently we are approximately 2 weeks behind with updates to this section. Thank you


CooperSoft has begun to be helpful to a number of individuals and businesses in the Moreno Valley. Within the span of a few short months we have proudly served the following clients in the valley and beyond:




Our Customers

Symptom: PC no longer booted to Windows. Stopped before the opening Windows Screen Appeared.
Diagnosis: Possible virus caused damage to the operating system.
Solution:Restored Windows using the built in HP Restore Partition, Ran Windows Update to add all latest Security Patches and Service Packs, Installed Microsoft Security Essentials, Revo Uninstaller was installed and used to remove multiple self-adhering built-in Trialware packages that were installed and get in the way of typical use.

Service on this job was traded for a neat hat, which I wear all the time now. They have a good selection of shirts and hats at the Sweet Shirt Co. in the Mini Mart Plaza. Thanks Eileen and Wayne!

Symptoms: Windows would not start.
Diagnosis: Operating System Issue with Windows Core file corruption.
Solution:
1)Using a Dell Windows XP Pro SP2 Recovery CD, Windows was repaired using the Non-Destructive reformatting listed under Articles on this site.
2) The Inside of the PC was cleaned, and 2 capacitors between the CPU and the case which were not in good health (bulging at the top, and evidence of leaking) were mentioned to the customer who opted not to replace MB on this older PC.
3) Norton Internet Security was replaced by Microsoft Security Essentials.
4) Windows Update was run until all current Microsoft updates were installed.

Requirement: Assist with moving programs, email and program data from Old PC to New PC.
Solution: Items most important:
1) MS Office install (or replacement) - Including Word, Excel, and hopefully Publisher.
2) Reinstall Quicken from CD
3) Reinstall Broderbund PrintShop from CD.
4) Enable Email to be received on new PC.

1) [Install Office] Office CDs were OEM version. This means the license they came with is good only for the PC this version of Office came pre-installed on, and cannot be transferred. Plan B: I offered Google Docs and OpenOffice as free alternatives. Open Office was chosen and installed, and seemed to provide usable substitues for MS Word, MS Excel, and perhaps even MS Publisher using "Draw".

2) [Install Quicken] The CD for Quicken Basic '99 was discovered simultaneous to our discovery that the new HP Pavillion Laptop came with no built-in CD reader. - Quick workaround - We loaded the CD into the old machine, and shared the old computer's CD player over the Network which both computers were tied to due to sharing the same internet connection. The AMD 64 bit processor on the new HP was not supported by the Installation program. After a quick search, the Quicken website has a brand new version of quicken for 2010 which should work well on this HP, called Quicken Deluxe 2010. This product is selling right now for $39.99. It was also mentioned that quicken has an online version as well, known as Mint.Com which is geared toward personal finance management.

3) [Install PrintShop] PrintShop could not be installed on the AMD 64 based system either. When questioned about the products complete refusal to cooperate, the CD just pretty much sat there. The PhotoShop 2.0 is available now from Broderbund as a download for $29.99.

4) [Email Setup]
Windows Live Mail shipped with Windows 7 and Vista, and this HP came with Windows 7, so we setup the email previously setup in Windows Outlook Express on Win XP in Live Mail. We looked under the Tools > Accounts > Edit where we found all the settings Outlook Express had that Live Mail needed. Setting these up, we then tested incoming and outgoing email and all went fine.
5)[Additionally] We installed Microsoft Security Essentials -- (in place of the Trialware, BigName, cpu hog, memory hog, I'll do what I like with your computer, I live here now, pay me some money, who's your daddy, software that was shipped with the PC (it did have a pretty icon, though))



Symptoms: While browsing the internet, multiple pop-up alerts appeared on screen saying the computer had been infected with a virus. The messages were attempted to be closed, and then ignored, before powering off the computer. When power was turned on again, a blue screen stating there was a hardware error appeared. The system was shutdown again and restarted without the screen returning, but Microsoft Security Center was now saying that McAfee AntiVirus was turned off and the computer is not protected.
Diagnosis:During the site visit, malware called "PC Security" had been able to install itself on the PC and had shutdown McAfee, and might cause further damage. It also starts itself on system startup and pops up a message saying your PC is unprotected.
Solution:Using Revo Uninstaller - Free in Hunter Mode, I uninstalled the Malware. The PC Security's own uninstaller would not run at all before extorting payment for the software. However, Revo will cleanup what a normal uninstall process will leave behind. The malware was 85% uninstalled after this point. Then Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware were run through quick scans before rebooting in order to re-activate McAfee. Malwarebytes found 4 Trojans set to announce the need to run PC Security (malware) when Internet Explorer is run. These were removed, and the system was rebooted. McAfee did re-activate. and McAfee, Malwarebytes, and SuperAntiSpyware were run through full system scans.

Symptoms: Inherited computer has run slow since acquisition.
Diagnosis: Since client only required Internet Favorites to be restored, the age of the PC indicated that Windows could use restoration and the PC could benefit from a Dell Factory Restore.
Solution:The PC was started. Internet Favorites and the Printer Drivers were saved to an online backup and an external hard drive. The PC was shutdown and when restarted F11 was hit successively until Restore menu appeared. Windows and Factory defaults were installed, and many "Salesy" items including multiple internet services and other Trialware programs were uninstalled, then Microsoft update was run and allowed to catch the PC up to date with the latest Microsoft Windows Update, up to Service Pack 3 for Win XP and beyond, then Microsoft Security Essentials was installed, and virus definitions were updated.

Requirement: Create a Windows 7 Slide Show to use as the content for use as the second screen for a PC capable of a 2 monitor display.
Solution:Setup the Graphics device to display on 2 screens by right clicking a blank area on the desktop and changing settings under NVIDIA Control Panel. Using the already purchased software Adobe Photoshop Elements, we created a slideshow using existing photos of homes available for sale in the area in a WMV format. We next opened the new slideshow by double clicking. This opened the SlideShow in Windows Media Player which we then Dragged to the far right - off the current screen, and onto the TV screen on the other side of the room.

Requirements: Basic website that he can maintain which attaches to the domain he has held for several years.
Solution: In an hour we designed Northern New Mexico Security which Rich will now be developing further on his own. This site was hosted at Register.com where domain registration seemed to also allow free limited hosting for a website along with a site builder which Rich and I worked with to build this site.

Symptoms: Windows would not start.
Diagnosis: Operating System Issue with Windows Core file corruption.
Solution: Client required the data be saved before Windows Restoration work started. Data was over 40 GB in size. Special Utility Boot disk allowed successful boot to a DOS / command line environment and a USB external HDD was connected as a backup destination. 10 files copied every 45 minutes due to the condition of the hard drive. A thumbstick / Flash Drive produced similar results. Client opted to have the PC sent home with instructions on how she could move the data to her own external backup device before reinstalling Windows.
The customer was dissatisfied with this repair. This information came to us through a friend of the customer's. From the customer we have only been told all was well. We guarantee your satisfaction or we will make it right, or refund you in full. If you have work done here, and haven't been happy, let us know. If we don't here about a problem, even after inquiring, we don't have a way to make it right for you.

Symptoms: Windows would not start.
Diagnosis: Operating System Issue with Windows Core file corruption.
Solution: Windows Non Destructive Rebuild - (As Described under the Articles Section)

Computer #2
Symptoms: Computer would not start at all. Turning on shows nothing on the screen.
Diagnosis: Battery Dead.
Solution: With battery removed, laptop started when plugged into power.  Found no issues of other problems. After power connected to laptop and battery left in
the laptop overnight, the laptop could then start with only the battery. Possible Cause of this could be one of the following:

The AC Adapter was disconnected in one of possibly 3 common ways:
1) The plug into the wall was loose.
2) The plug between the adapter's housing and the wall, or the housing and the laptop input was loose.
3) The plug was in a socket which was on a household switch, and the switch was off.
4) The plug was in a Surge protector or power strip that had been shut off.

Symptoms: Dell Laptop computer could not connect to the internet.
Diagnosis: A recent Windows reinstall left the PC without an Ethernet Driver.
Solution: Download the Driver for the Ethernet Device from Dell.com and Install.

Symptoms: Desktop computer no longer has access to External Hard Drive.
Diagnosis: Surge Protector to which External Drive was connected had been turned off.
Solution: Turn the Surge Protector on and shortly the PC will discover the External again.

Symptoms: Sending Email from any Chamber address would fail.
Diagnosis: The Email provider, and host of the Chamber website was having an outage.
Solution: Contacting the Email Provider and host - 1and1.com - resulted in their acknowledment of an issue. They also suggested a time frame for when to expect return of service.

Symptoms: Laptop would not start.No signs of power.
Diagnosis: AC Adapter was no longer working.
Solution: AC Adapter was ordered, Laptop would start without the battery, and also with the battery after a 24 hour charge.

Symptoms: Desktop PC would not start. No signs of power.
Diagnosis: Internal Power supply failure.
Solution: Replaced Internal Power supply.

Requirement: Needed the ability to access Booking Software while Owners or Employees were away from the office in a situation where Access to Internet and a second computer would be available.
Solution:LogMeIn.com provides free software that was installed on each machine requiring remote access. Each of them can now be accessed remotely using a web browser by going to LogMeIn.com and entering login information.

Requirements:
  a) Allow Windows to start without logging in.
  b) Give Computer User "Administrative Rights"
  c) Change Computer User Name
Solution:
After a short amount of investigation, the machine requiring the work
had been used in an office environment at a Software company.  It
was running a less common Windows setup under Windows XP professional
which made use of a Domain Controller, and required users to not only
provide user name and password, but additionally the domain to which
they were logging into within the Company.  The laptop is no
longer in use at this company, and the Domain Controller made normal
usage more cumbersome for a home use situation.  The following
procedures were followed:

There was no known administrator password, so a boot disk utility which
can reset Windows passwords was used.  Once reset, the
Administrator has authority to change Domain Controller status on the
laptop.  Easiest way to remove a machine running as a domain
controller is to login as the Administrator, and the two folders in
Windows/System32/GroupPolicy -- Users and Machine.  Follow this by
a reboot. The Administrator account was given the password selected by
the user, and was renamed to Joe using by clicking Run on the Start
Menu, then typing Control UserPasswords2 -- where three important tasks
were needed:

Change User Name of "Administrator" to New name desired.
Change the blank password to one chosen.
Set the login to happen without a user's interaction.

Then the machine was rebooted. Next the contents of:

C:\Documents and Settings\(name of old user) -- were copied to --
C:\Documents and Settings\Joe. Rebooting the laptop auto logged as correct new user and showed the desired desktop contents.


Symptom: Desktop PC seems generally slow, and especially slow when browsing the internet.
Diagnosis: Internet Explorer and the current Antivirus software causing higher processor usage than better, free alternatives.
Solution:
Install Google Chrome and suggest it be favored over Internet Explorer for speed. Some sites have compatibility issues with Chrome, so IE can be used for these.
Replace existing mainstream AV software with Microsoft Security Essentials

Requirement:A good but affordable computer to replace an existing but dead model. We had a monitor, a hard drive and keyboard and mouse from the previous computer.
Solution:
A visit to The Albuquerque Recycling Company, in ABQ at Edith and Montano, along with some basic computer hardware understanding brought home a working Intel Pentium 4 HyperThreading 3GHZ 1 GB RAM with DVD R/W Drive, Ethernet Card, but not Wireless, Saved $25 by choosing not to receive the Hard Drive.

This package was $75.00. Using an existing Dell Windows XP Home Edition, we took her hard drive from the machine that had died, and installed Windows. If this disk wasn't available, Dell charges $15 to ship CDs with their version of Windows if they are given the information that comes on the outside of each Dell machine. Then the drivers for the new machine were loaded after downloading them from Dell.com.

Requirement: Instruct owner on how to replace the Keyboard, and clean the fans on his Dell Laptop.
Solution:
Approximately 45 minutes was all that was needed to finish the project. We began by removing the approx. 14 longer screws on the underside of the laptop, lifted the plastic cover off the top section of the case between the top of the keyboard and LCD, removed the 2 screws holding in the laptop and followed by removing shorter screws holding the case in place.  We then removed the keyboard and pressed the "That was Easy" button sitting next to us on the desk. To get the keyboard off, you don't even need to remove all of the screws on the underside. Next we folded down the LCD as if to close the laptop, then gently separated the top of the case from the bottom and folded the top of the case and LCD in front of the bottom of the case while we accessed the fans. 2 screws and a cable held each of the 2 fans in place. Removing 4 screws and two cables we removed all of the dust on the fans. And using a vacuum cleaner pulled out the dust on both radiators which transmit the cooler air to the internal parts of the laptop.

Requirement: Train owner on maintaining website, adding and replacing photos and text when needed.
Solution:
Using the free Visual Web Page editor Komposer, she could Drag and Drop and make other small changes visually to an HTML based website and upload these changes back to the website when done.

Requirement: Reduce the size of a home tour video, remove designated sections, and upload to public location for viewing by client.
Solution:Using Microsoft Movie Maker a free video editor for Windows users, the movie was loaded onto a PC from the clients a digital camera, sections needed to be removed were clipped and with the free command line tool FFMPEG and a couple of parameters passed to this program via a DOS batch file, the size of the video was reduced, and the format changed to FLV. The video was then uploaded to George Puig
Requirement: Register 2 domains if available.
Solution: They were both available and we registered them at www.1and1.com. Customer Service seemed pleasant and helpful. Price was less than $20 /yr for both.

Requirement: Facebook and Add It Links for both the Real Estate Site and Lodging Site
Solution: Found Facebook image on Facebook site, and linked it as Facebook suggested to Fan page, placed button on both client sites. Found Add It code, registered it to client and added "Add It" to both sites.

Requirement: Create web page for HOA Owners with access by password only.
Solution: Website created using existing PHP code site had elsewhere to login, PDF pages containing HOA Rules and Regs, and other HOA information are placed as links on the page. Web page designed to be in keeping with the look of the existing site.