Outside Support Information

While the CLASSE-IT group is dedicated to helping all CLASSE members with their computer requests, we can provide only limited assistance with problems encountered on personally owned systems or for systems which we don't administer.

While we cannot provide specific support for home and non-CLASSE computers, we do occasionally get a chance to look at various products and sites that provide help to home users. Sites and services that we are aware of will be listed here. These are only suggestions and not specific recommendations of sites, services or products.

Do It Yourself Online Support

Service	URL	Free or pay	Speciality
Reddit /r/techsupport	https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/	Free	Forum dedicated to helping with computer problems
Neowin.net	http://www.neowin.net/forum/	Free	Forums for hardware and software problems
Stackexchange	https://stackexchange.com/sites#	Free	Over 170 different expert communities that provide a knowledge base for all topics, including at least 4 related to computers

CLASSEComputingSuggestions - how CLASSE computer group members set up their home computers.

Professional Remote On - Line Support (Broadband Internet Required)

Service	URL	Free or pay	Speciality
Microsoft Support	https://support.microsoft.com/en-us	Both	Depending on what sort of support you need, there are Free Virus support and Paid general Phone support options.

Professional Local Support

The following is an incomplete list of companies in the local area which may be able to help with computer problems. Typical support charges are $60-$100 per hour plus parts; more for immediate emergency service. We cannot provide recommendations for any particular service.

Company	Contact Info	Services provided
The Computer Room	(607) 277-8336 http://www.croom.net/ 619 W State St, Suite 6	Windows and Macintosh computers, iPods and mp3 players, printers
Geek Squad/Best Buy	1-800 433-5778 http://www.geeksquad.com/ Shops at Ithaca Mall	General Personal computing support
Gadget Repair Pro	1-607-288-2266 https://gadgetrepairpro.com/ 719 S Meadow St, Ithaca, NY 14850	Electronics Repair in Ithaca, NY Apple Authorized Service Provider iPhones, MacBooks, PCs, consoles, & data recovery

Useful Downloads

Security Software (including Anti-Virus)

These security vendors offer free products for macOS and Windows which seem to work well, as well as paid upgrades that have been well rated:

Avast	https://www.avast.com/en-us/
Avira	https://www.avira.com/
Comodo	https://antivirus.comodo.com/

These security vendors offer products (with free trials) for macOS and Windows and are well rated:

ESET	https://www.eset.com/us/
Bitdefender	https://www.bitdefender.com
Sophos	https://www.sophos.com/en-us

Most, perhaps all antimalware vendors sell their software using an annual subscription model.
Antimalware vendors that offer free versions or free trials will "encourage" you to upgrade to a paid version.

These are just suggestions. You should evaluate your vulnerabilities and what protections your home computer needs, including the availablity of support from local providers.
Also, antimalware software ratings are somewhat fluid. At the time you are considering which vendor to choose, it works well to do a search on "_vendor1_ vs _vendor2_".
CLASSE members have had good experiences with ESET, Bitdefender, Avast and Comodo.

CLASSE IT cannot provide any assistance in managing antimalware for user-managed computers.

Third Party free tools

• http://www.avira.com/en/support-download-avira-antivir-rescue-system - This is an .iso file that can be burned to CD. You can boot this CD to scan your computer in an "offline" mode for malware. It can detect and remove the USB malware, and many other infections.
• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/virus-and-threat-protection-in-the-windows-security-app-1362f4cd-d71a-b52a-0b66-c2820032b65e - Microsoft Defender. Microsoft's security scanning tool.

Certified Desktop Tools

Users with Cornell-owned individual productivity computers that are not managed by CLASSE-IT may meet the security goals of Certified Desktop using tools of their choice. However, to qualify for Certified Desktop compliance, these tools must be evaluated by Cornell IT Security Office (security-services@cornell.edu).

Some of the CIT tools for Certified Desktop can be installed on user-managed systems, as described below.

Code42/Crashplan (cloud-based continuous backup)

Cornell-owned computers that are not managed by Cornell or by CLASSE-IT can make use of Code42 for cloud-based continuous backup. However, these computers must be registered through a unit that is set up with Cornell's Code42 service. Unfortunately, CLASSE is currently not such a unit.