IT Advocacy Services - We Can Be Your Technology Advocate!

What Is an IT Advocate?

An IT advocate is an individual who supports and advises clients with their IT product/service needs, as well as any other technology-related needs. Not everyone has, needs, or can afford a CTO or a dedicated System Administrator to help with, and represent, their business. But now, you can hire Pacific Northwest Computers to represent your company in those roles, if and when that need ever arises! 

The IT Advocating Services that Pacific Northwest Computers Provides, Include:

• Liaison Responsibilities

• Investigate, Document & Resolve Product or Service Issues With Vendors/Providers

• Refer & Consult Clients on Recommended & Needed Technology Products/Services

• Conflict Resolution & Mediation with Vendors/Suppliers/Etc.

• Crisis Management & Crisis Prevention/Response

• Malware Attack Investigation, Documentation & System Improvements

• Data Breach Investigation, Documentation & System Improvements

• Data Loss Disaster Assistance, Policy Development & Data Loss Prevention System Development

• Information Technology Professional Witness for Legal/Court Cases

• Help Set Up Appointments for Needed Services or Support From Vendors/Providers

• Warranty Exchange/RMA Support

• Termination of Service(s) Support (Software Vendors, Services, Etc)

• General IT/Technical Advising

• HIPPA Consultation

• Technical Documentation Services

• Reading & Understanding Technical Documentation 

• Reading & Understanding Service/Setup Material & Instructions

• Implementing Needed Technical Procedures for Products & Services

• "On-Demand" IT Administrator/CTO Services: 

• Develop policies and procedures

• Recommend the use of technology to enhance products and services for a client's internal operations, as well as their customer's experience.

Jon Pienkowski

Pacific Northwest Computers

www.linktr.ee/pnwcomputers

360.624.7379

Xbox Elite and PS4 Controller PC Gaming Issue - Keyboard Keeps Popping Up!

When gaming on a PC with a Xbox, Xbox Elite, or PS4 controller, a virtual keyboard opens when pressing the left stick!

A virtual keyboard that pops up when clicking the left stick on an Xbox controller (or even a Playstation Controller), is specifically related to a Steam App gaming feature called "Big Picture Mode".  Somehow this feature can get triggered outside of Steam if it just happens to be running in the background, and it can affect other controllers/games as well.

Here is how to fix the issue!

1. Go into "Settings" in the Steam App
2. Click on "Controller" near the bottom
3. Next, you want to click on, and open, "Desktop Configuration" settings
4. When the settings window opens, you will see the left stick has the "Show Keyboard" setting mapped to it
5. Click where it says "Show Keyboard" in the Left Thumbstick mappings list
6. At the bottom of the mapping window that opens up, click where it says "Remove"
7. Then close the "Desktop Configuration" settings window
8. Close out of settings all together
9. That should remove the problem permanently for you!

Jon Pienkowski
Pacific Northwest Computers
www.pnwcomputers.com
www.linktr.ee/pnwcomputers
360.624.7379

Microsoft Surface Random "Kernel Power" Shutdown

Microsoft Surface & Surface Pro
"Kernel Power" Shut Down Bug

Here are a few ways you can fix the random "Kernel Power" shutdown issue that some Microsoft Surface and Surface Pro systems can have. 
The issue seems to be tied to the Intel Graphics/Display driver and/or the associated Intel Graphics Command Center software settings.

Option 1: Update the display drivers to the latest version (from Intel, not Microsoft):

• Download and install the latest display drivers from Intel:
  https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19344/intel-graphics-windows-dch-drivers.html

Option 2: Disable the "Panel Self Refresh" option in the Intel Graphics Command Center:

• Install the Intel Graphics Command Center from the Microsoft Store. 
• Open up the Intel Graphics Command Center software after it has been installed
• Go to System > Power and look for "Panel Self Refresh"
• Turn it off for both "On Battery" and "Plugged In"

Option 3: Change the display drivers to the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter:

• Open the Device Manager.
• Expand "Display Adapters".
• Right-click on "Intel(R) Iris(R) Plus Graphics" and select "Update driver".
• Choose "Browse my computer for driver software".
• Choose "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer".
• Select "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter" and click Next to install the drivers.

 

Option 4: Remove "Modern Standby" features and create a new (non-balanced) power plan:

• Open the Registry Editor and navigate to: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power".
• Change the "CsEnabled" value from '1' to '0'. 
• Click OK and restart the Surface Pro.
• If you do not see the "CsEnabled" subkey, create it by right-clicking on "Power", selecting "New", and then click "DWORD (32-bit) Value" and typing "CsEnabled" as the value name, and then press Enter.
• Now you should be able to change the "CsEnabled" value from '1' to '0'. 
• Click OK and restart the Surface Pro!

One or all of these tricks might be needed to correct the Kernel Power shutdown bug. But I have gotten the problem fixed for clients by using one, or all, of the tricks listed above!

Jon Pienkowski
Pacific Northwest Computers
www.pnwcomputers.com
www.linktr.ee/pnwcomputers
360-624-7379

Fix the "Virus Scan Failed" download error in Google Chrome, and the "Couldn't Download Virus Scan Failed" error in Microsoft Edge

1. Locate the following registry subkeys:
   \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments
2. If you do not see the "Attachments" subkey, create it by right-clicking on "Policies", selecting "New", then clicking "Key", and then typing "Attachments" as the key name.
3. Right-click "Attachments", select "New", and then click "DWORD (32-bit) Value".
4. Type "ScanWithAntiVirus" as the value name, and then press Enter.
5. Right-click the new "ScanWithAntiVirus" DWORD value, and then click "Modify".
6. In the "Value data" box, type 1, and then click OK.
7. Exit the Registry Editor.
8. Restart your computer, and then log back into Windows to have the registry change take effect!

The download error(s) should be now resolved in both Google Chrome and Microsft Edge!

Jon Pienkowski
Pacific Northwest Computers
www.pnwcomputers.com
www.linktr.ee/pnwcomputers
360-624-7379