AM Computers

🚨 AM COMPUTERS — LOCAL PC ALERT 🚨

Over the past few weeks, we've seen a significant increase in computers coming into the shop with browser hijacks, so we wanted to put out a quick warning.

A browser hijack can cause:

⚠️ Constant pop-ups and fake virus warnings
⚠️ Your homepage or search engine suddenly changing
⚠️ Searches being redirected to unfamiliar websites
⚠️ Strange extensions appearing in Chrome, Edge or Firefox
⚠️ Notifications claiming your computer is infected
⚠️ Ads appearing where they normally wouldn't
⚠️ Your browser becoming slow or behaving strangely

One of the biggest things to remember: A message inside your web browser saying “Your computer is infected!” does not necessarily mean your computer actually has a virus.

❌ Don't call a phone number displayed in a pop-up.
❌ Don't allow someone you don't know to remotely access your computer.
❌ Don't click “Allow” when a questionable website asks permission to send notifications.
❌ Don't install software because a pop-up tells you to.

If something suddenly doesn't look right, close the browser and have the computer checked before clicking anything else.

We've been seeing enough of these recently that we wanted to make our customers and local community aware.

💻 AM Computers — Service & Repair
📍 Poughkeepsie, NY
📞 845-462-2060
📧 [email protected]

🔒 Stay alert and stay safe online.

Know someone who could use this warning? Please share it.

🚨 AM COMPUTERS SECURITY PSA 🚨

Be careful where you click DOWNLOAD!

Cybercriminals are creating convincing fake websites designed to look like legitimate software companies. You may think you're downloading a trusted program, but instead you could be installing malware or software that gives someone remote access to your computer.

Recent security reports have even identified fake Adobe Reader download pages being used to trick people into installing malicious software.

🛑 Before downloading software:

✅ Make sure you're on the company's official website.

✅ Be careful with Sponsored search results and advertisements. The first result isn't always the safest one.

✅ Double-check the website address before clicking Download.

✅ Don't install an unexpected "update" just because a webpage tells you that you need one.

✅ If a website asks you to run commands, disable your antivirus, or give someone remote access to your computer — STOP!

💡 Remember: Just because a website looks professional doesn't mean it's legitimate.

Taking an extra few seconds to verify where you're downloading from can help prevent malware infections, stolen passwords, and unauthorized access to your computer.

Not sure if something you downloaded is legitimate? AM Computers can help.

💻 AM Computers — Service & Repair
📞 845-462-2060
📧 [email protected]

Stay informed. Stay safe online. 🔒💻

🐌 Is your computer feeling a little slower than it used to?

Long startup times, programs taking forever to open, annoying pop-ups, browser redirects, or a computer that just doesn’t seem to run like it used to can all be signs that it’s time for a cleanup.

At AM Computers, we can check for malware and unwanted programs, clean up unnecessary software, make sure Windows and your drivers are up to date, and look for other issues that may be slowing your computer down.

💻 Computer Service & Repair
📍 Poughkeepsie, NY
📅 By appointment
📞 845-462-2060
📧 [email protected]

Sometimes a good cleanup is all an older computer needs to feel useful again!

🦠 Is your computer running slow, freezing, or acting strangely?

Viruses, malware, and unwanted programs can seriously impact your computer’s performance — and sometimes put your personal information at risk.

At AM Computers, we can thoroughly scan and clean your PC, remove unwanted threats, and help get it running properly again.

💻 Virus & Malware Removal
🔧 PC Service & Repair
📍 Local, professional service
📞 845-462-2060
📧 [email protected]

Don’t let viruses slow you down — contact AM Computers today!

💻🎂 FLASHBACK FRIDAY: WINDOWS XP TURNS 25!

Twenty-five years ago this week, on August 24, 2001, Microsoft officially completed Windows XP and released it to PC manufacturers — beginning the journey of what would become one of the most iconic operating systems of all time.

For millions of us, Windows XP defined an era of home computing.

Remember the famous green hill and blue sky? 🌄 The unmistakable startup sound? MSN Messenger? Windows Media Player? Burning CDs? 💿 And, of course, countless games of Solitaire!

Back then, a pretty respectable home computer might have had 256–512 MB of RAM, a 40 GB hard drive and a CD burner. Some of us were even still connecting to the internet through dial-up. 📞🌐

It’s amazing how far computers have come in 25 years.

Today we have solid-state drives, gigabytes of RAM, lightning-fast internet and computers capable of things we could only imagine back in 2001 — but there’s something about Windows XP that still brings back great memories.

So this Flashback Friday, here’s to 25 years of Windows XP! 🥳💻

Were you an XP user? What do YOU remember most about the Windows XP days?

📍 AM Computers – Poughkeepsie, NY
📧 [email protected]
🌐 AMComputersNY.com

💻 Is Your Computer Trying to Tell You Something?

Computers usually give you warning signs before a bigger problem develops. Keep an eye out for:

🐌 Taking much longer than usual to start up
⚠️ Random errors, freezing, or restarting
🌐 Browser redirects, strange pop-ups, or unwanted search pages
🔥 Running unusually hot or the fan constantly racing
💾 Low storage warnings or files taking forever to open
🔋 Battery or charging problems on laptops

Sometimes a little maintenance or an early diagnosis can prevent a much bigger headache later.

If your computer just doesn’t seem to be running the way it used to, AM Computers can take a look and help determine what’s going on.

📍 Local computer service & repair in Poughkeepsie
📧 [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
🌐 AMComputersNY.com

AM Computers — Service & Repair

🖥️ RETRO TECH: 31 Years Ago, We Clicked Start 💾

On August 24, 1995, Microsoft released Windows 95 — and personal computing was never quite the same.

For millions of people, Windows 95 introduced something that would become one of the most recognizable features in computer history:

🟩 THE START BUTTON.

Along with the new Start menu came the taskbar, longer file names, improved Plug and Play hardware support, and an interface that made the PC feel much more approachable to the average home user.

And the launch itself was HUGE.

Microsoft spent hundreds of millions of dollars promoting Windows 95, licensed The Rolling Stones’ “Start Me Up” for its advertising campaign, and generated so much excitement that some computer stores actually held midnight launches for an operating system.

Think about that for a moment…

People were lining up at midnight to buy Windows. 😄

Windows 95 helped usher in the era when the home PC went from something primarily associated with business and computer enthusiasts to something increasingly found in family rooms, bedrooms, and home offices everywhere.

And perhaps its greatest legacy is sitting on our computers 31 years later.

Open Windows 11 today and you’ll still find a Start button and taskbar — concepts that became central to Windows with Windows 95.

Happy 31st birthday, Windows 95! 🎂🖥️

👇 What do YOU remember most about Windows 95?

Was it the Start menu? Dial-up Internet? Installing games from CD-ROMs? That beautiful beige computer sitting on the family computer desk?

AM Computers
Keeping today’s technology running while remembering the computers that got us here.

Fun Fact Friday! 📬💾

If you checked a physical mailbox in the mid-to-late 1990s, you almost certainly found a free AOL CD-ROM or 3.5" floppy disk.

At the height of their marketing push:

AOL was consuming 50% of the entire world’s CD manufacturing capacity.

Their goal was to make sure every household in America had at least one disk on hand at all times!

Most of us ended up using the extra tin cases and CDs as cup coasters, frisbees, or room decor.

Remember tying up the family landline and listening to that unforgettable dial-up modem screech just to hear "You've Got Mail"? 📞🔊

Dial-up speeds are history, but keeping your PC running fast, quiet, and reliable never goes out of style.

Drop a comment below: What’s the most random place you remember finding an AOL disk back in the day? 👇

Have a great weekend from all of us at AM Computers! ⚡

💾 RETRO TECH: Remember the Games That Came With Windows? 🖥️

Long before massive game downloads and online gaming, Windows came with a few simple games that could somehow keep us entertained for hours.

♠️ Solitaire
💣 Minesweeper
🃏 FreeCell
♥️ Hearts
🚀 3D Pinball: Space Cadet

But here's an interesting piece of computer history: some of these games weren't included just for fun.

Microsoft Solitaire helped new computer users become comfortable with clicking and dragging with a mouse, while Minesweeper helped people practice precision clicking and using both mouse buttons. At a time when many people were moving from keyboard-driven computers to graphical Windows desktops, games made learning those skills a lot more enjoyable.

And then there was 3D Pinball: Space Cadet... which probably wasn't teaching us much of anything except how to avoid getting work done. 😂

👇 Which classic Windows game did you play the most?

AM Computers
Keeping today's technology running while remembering the computers that got us here.

💾 Your Files Aren’t Backed Up Until They Exist in More Than One Place!

Family photos. Important documents. Tax records. Videos. Work files.

If the only copy exists on your computer, it isn’t really backed up.

Hard drives and SSDs can fail—sometimes with very little warning. Computers can also be damaged, infected with malware, lost, or stolen.

A good rule to remember:

One copy = your file.
Two or more copies = a backup.

Consider keeping important files in more than one location, such as:

☁️ A trusted cloud backup service
💾 An external hard drive or SSD
🖥️ Another secure computer or storage device

A little preparation today can save you from trying to recover irreplaceable files later.

Need help protecting your files, transferring data, or figuring out a backup solution? AM Computers can help.

AM Computers — Service & Repair
📞 845-462-2060
📧 [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
🌐 AMComputersNY.com