AMD 7800X3D, RTX 5070 Custom Computer

 

Unleash Elite Performance with
PNW Computers’ AMD & RTX
Custom PC Package!

Best Value NAS System: Turn-Key & Custom Built

Best Value Turn-Key NAS (Plug-and-Play):

QNAP TS-464

Why it's great: Best balance of performance, expandability, and value. *Hot-swap supported.

• Drives: 4x SATA 3.5"/2.5" bays (hot-swappable)

• CPU: Intel Celeron N5105 Quad-core

• RAM: 4GB DDR4 (upgradeable)

• Network: 2x 2.5GbE LAN

• Expansion: PCIe slot for 10GbE or NVMe cache card

Price: ~$1,100 *4 x 4TB HDD's

Set-Up & Prep Medicat Bootable Window PE 

1. Prepare Your Medicat USB or SSD

Download & Install Ventoy:

1. Visit the official Ventoy website and download the latest release.
2. Launch Ventoy2Disk and install it to your USB drive or external SSD.
3. Enable Secure Boot support during installation (check the box in the installer).

Add Medicat ISO Data:

1. Download the latest Medicat ISO from the official source.
2. Copy the ISO file directly to the USB/SSD (no extraction necessary).

📺 Video Tutorial:
How to Set Up Medicat on USB or External SSD

Email Address Change:

What To Do When Switching Email Providers

If you’re moving to a new email service or provider, here are the key steps we recommend to ensure a smooth transition:

 

Fix Local Windows Network Discovery & Network Device/System Access Issues

Fix Windows Network Discovery & Network Device/System Access Issues

1. Ensure Network Discovery is Enabled.

Follow these steps to ensure that network discovery is enabled:

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Navigate to "Network and Sharing Center".
3. Click on "Change advanced sharing settings".
4. Ensure that "Turn on network discovery" and "Turn on file and printer sharing" are selected.

Microsoft Office Blocking Content of Network/OneDrive Stored Data - FIX!

Microsoft Office - Blocking Content of Network/OneDrive Stored Data

You may have noticed that Microsoft Office applications like Word or Excel will sometimes block or restrict access to files stored on network drives or OneDrive, and you’re not alone. This feature is part of Microsoft’s tightening of security defaults, and while it's meant to protect users, it can interfere with legitimate workflows—especially in shared or networked environments. Fortunately, there’s a quick workaround that allows you to safely enable access by configuring your Trusted Sites settings in Windows.

Tutorial: Virus Scans and System Cleanup (PC)

 

Tutorial: Virus Scans & System Cleanup (PC)

1. Running a Virus Scan with Windows Defender (Microsoft Defender Antivirus)

Windows 10/11:

1. Click the Start Menu and type Windows Security. Open it.

2. In the Windows Security window, click Virus & threat protection.

3. Under Current threats, click Quick Scan to immediately scan important areas of your computer.

4. For a deeper scan:

   • Click Scan options under the Current threats section.

   • Choose Full Scan and click Scan Now. (This may take 1-2 hours.)

Notes:

• Ensure that Windows is fully updated by checking Windows Update.

• Threats found will be quarantined automatically or prompt you for action.

Misc Software Tools, Apps, Sites/Services & Utilities

🛠️ Misc Tools

• msconfig
  System configuration Wikipedia Overview
• Task Manager
  System performance and process viewer Task Manager Info
• schtasks /query
  View scheduled tasks Microsoft Docs
• Services Manager
  Manage system services Windows Services Info
• Event Viewer
  View system logs Event Viewer Docs
• LogParser
  Microsoft tool that lets you query Event Logs, IIS logs, etc. LogParser

Suspicious Network & Endpoint Activity Investigation Guide

Suspicious Network & Endpoint Activity Investigation Guide

This guide combines a structured documentation checklist with an actionable toolkit in PowerShell and Python to help rapidly investigate and respod to suspicious activity on a Windows-based endpoint. It includes tutorials for all tools and programs mentioned.

Documentation, Triage/Remediation & Reporting Structure

1. Initial Triage & Observation

Symptoms Observed: 

• Unexpected outbound connections
• CPU/disk spikes
• Unknown open ports
• Software behaving erratically
• System slowdown
• Time & Date Logged
• System(s) Affected: IP address / Hostname
• Alert Source Verficication/Review:
• User report
• SIEM
• EDR alert
• IDS/IPS
• Valid Security Alert (OS/AV)
• Etc.

MoCA Networking

MoCA Networking: The Best Alternative When Running Ethernet Isn’t an Option

If you've ever struggled with unreliable Wi-Fi in certain parts of your home, you've probably considered adding more access points or even running network cables. At Pacific Northwest Computers, we always recommend hard-wired Ethernet as the gold standard for home networking.

But what if running Ethernet cables isn’t possible? Maybe you're in a multi-story house, a rental property, or just don’t want to tear open walls. That’s where MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) steps in as a powerful, reliable alternative. In the right setup, MoCA can deliver Gigabit or even 2.5 Gigabit speeds—rivaling traditional wired networks.

Let’s walk you through what MoCA is, how it works, and how to build a successful network using it.