NCF member, Neil Paulley of Byte Laptop Repairs, recently shared his top tips for smaller businesses. Here are the details of what he said.
When you run your own business, especially a small business, there is so much to think about. Whereas larger organisations often have the staff or resources to outsource some tasks, small business owners have to be a ‘Jack of all trades’, as well as actually doing the thing they started their business to do. This includes being your own IT support. I thought it might be useful to share some of my experience to help make the right IT decisions for you and your business.
Windows 11 is coming…
I am increasingly asked how to tell if your current computer/device will be compatible with Windows 11. It’s all to do with the age and therefore the compatibility of your computer’s processor. If you have an 8th Generation Intel processor (circa 2018 or later), a 2019 AMD Ryzen processor, this will be compatible. (You can check yours by going to System, Settings, About).
After 14th October 2025, Windows 10 will no longer be supported which means it will no longer receive fixes, new features or security updates. Windows 10 will still function but will be vulnerable to things like hacks and viruses because it won’t be updated so it will be a risk you probably don’t want to introduce to your business. It’s estimated that around 240 million computers will be replaced in the coming year because of this. If it’s any consolation, much of the reason for the update to Windows 11 is for increased security so it will be better in the long run, even if it’s a nuisance now.
Purchasing a new computer
If you decide to purchase a new computer, whether because of the Windows 11 update or just because, there are a few things it’s worth considering first. Here are my tips:
Laptop or desktop?
I believe there is still a place for the traditional ‘tower’ desktop, even if many people think they are a bit old-fashioned now. Desktops are nearly always more powerful than laptops, even if they have the same processer, as they don’t have to worry about power-saving to preserve batteries. Higher-end, more powerful desktops also tend to be better value for money than the equivalent spec’ laptop and are often easier to upgrade or repair, as they is no case to ‘break into’ first! However, desktops aren’t portable, of course, so there may be a good reason to go with a laptop.
What hardware do I need?
We’re talking processors, here: how fast you need your processor to be will depend on what you plan on doing. If you’re a big gamer, create music or do graphic design, you’ll probably want something like an Intel Core 7/i7 or an AMD Ryzen 7. If you are just doing general office tasks, either the Intel Core 3/i3 or the AMD Ryzen 3 are both great standard processors.
However tight your budget is, I’d suggest steering well clear of Celeron processors; they haven’t got a great reputation and you do tend to get what you pay for. As a budget option, consider instead a Pentium processor but I wouldn’t go lower than an Intel Core 3 or AMD Ryzen 3.
How much memory will I need?
Essentially, this is a fairly straight-forward question: the more storage space you need, the more applications you can install and the more files, movies, photos etc. you can save. This will be described as storage capacity. High end games can take 50 GB or more so do some rough calculations before you invest. Typically, 128 – 256 GB is on the small side, so look for 512 GB or above. If have lots of music, games and video, look for 1TB (terabyte) or more.
The other perimeter you will see is the RAM size, which is to do with how many things your computer can do at once and how many programs you can have open at a time. How much RAM would I recommend? 4 GB is a bit low, 8-16 is good; if you’re thinking of doing intense things such as gaming or graphics, then you’ll need at least 16 GB plus.
The good news is that most computers are upgradable later if you find you didn’t get enough storage or RAM in the first place, or you can plug in an external drive. The only exception to this are Apple Mac products and most Chromebooks, which you can’t upgrade later.
Should I think about a Mac or Chromebook?
If you’re a designer or creative, you may already be used to Mac and Apple products; they are certainly great for graphics and music production and are very good quality, high performing devices. They are solidly built and tend to last. But do bear in mind that not all Windows software and apps are compatible with them. You might find, for example, that some printer drivers or scanners don’t work very well with a Mac.
Chromebooks were basically designed to surf the internet: they were named after the Chrome browser, after all. If most of what you need to do is online or use Android apps, you might find a Chromebook does suit your needs. However, do bear in mind that, like Macs, Chromebooks cannot have their RAM and storage upgraded, and may not support printers, so you might not be able to connect.
If you’re in doubt about what device will suit your needs, do have a chat with an IT specialist like me and I will gladly offer some advice. Although I can’t generally compete on price with high street retailers for basic home models, I can recommend suppliers or supply higher-end models if that’s what you need.
Keeping on top of the essentials
Remember the old days when we used to have to defrag our desktop? Endless cups of tea drunk whilst watching those coloured lines move around the screen! We might not need to do that anymore (it’s automatic now) but there is some basic servicing that can help keep your computer running smoothly. If you’re not confident in doing it yourself, I offer regular servicing packages or advice on security; please contact me for details.
Security
Keeping on top of your security will help prevent unwanted downtime. Remember to update your antivirus and security software regularly, or make sure it auto-updates so you don’t miss anything.
In my opinion, Windows does need additional antivirus or internet security on top of what comes with it. Let’s face it, if Windows Defender catches something, it means your computer has probably already been infected! I’d recommend one of the current top choices as well, such as BitDefender. Look for something that support Macs, Windows and smart phones (if you want) and you can get some great deals online if you look.
Macs have built-in security which is pretty robust already so it’s less of risk if you decide to go without something extra; I’d still probably recommend it, particularly if you do a lot of e-commerce. Chromebooks also have fairly robust security and finding effective additional security for them can be a challenge anyway.
Back-up
Clients often ask how frequently they should back up their files, website, software etc. I usually turn the question back to them: how much data could you afford to lose and still operate your business? A day’s worth? A week’s? Let that guide your decision! Backing-up is also an important security measure as it gives you a fighting chance of continuing to operate even if you are subject to hacking or viruses. You can usually find (or purchase) a way to back-up automatically so you don’t have to remember to do it yourself.
There are three ways you can choose to back-up:
Cloud – most of us now have access to Google Drive, MS OneDrive or iCloud these days, so it’s very easy to save files there. The good news is that, if your device is physically inoperable, you can still log in with another device and access your files. Of course, Cloud storage won’t (generally) do a full system back-up so you’d be unlikely to be able restart your computer from your Cloud.
Internal back-up – this would include backing up to an external hard drive on your site. This has the advantage of allowing you to duplicate all your system information as well but, as you’re backing up to a physical device, may be an issue if there is a fire in your building, for example.
External/off-site back-up – perhaps the best of both worlds, this is backing-up to something like an external hard drive but which you store away from your premises in case of fire etc. It’s worth checking the terms of your business insurance as I have seen some which state that back-ups must be to cloud, internal and off-site for maximum protection!
Should something catastrophic happen, I am a data recovery specialist so I can do my best to get it back for you. However, even I would agree that it’s quicker and cheaper not to have to recover it in the first place!