Tom's IT Pro Covers Part 1 of the 2017 Computer Repair Report

Newest Computer Repair Report in Tom's IT Pro

Windows Apps Problems Top Rescuecom's Repair Report

By Anna Attkisson APRIL 5, 2017 3:00 AM

Windows Applications top the list of computer repair problems in the latest Rescuecom Computer Repair Report, making up 32 percent of the issues. Windows operating system and viruses/spyware/malware/pop-up ads rounded out the top three, which accounts for 63 percent of all problems. TV problems, on the other hand, accounted for 0.1 percent of issues.

Windows apps, particularly Universal apps, run the same across Microsoft's PCs, tablets and phones, without needing special code. However, at least in the past year, it seems that in Rescuecom's experience, every new build release to Windows 10 breaks something. For example, the Anniversary Update to Windows 10 didn't support USB 2 web cameras. Microsoft eventually fixed the problem, but if your company simply can't wait for a formal fix you can always use the Windows rollback feature to uninstall the update.

The full list of reported computer problems reported in the 2017 list include:

RankProblemPercentage%
1Windows Applications32
2Windows OS17.1
3Virus/Spyware/Malware/Pop-Up Ads13.9
4Internet Connectivity7.6
5Running Slow7
6Email Trouble6
7Printer Woes6
8Computer Won't Boot4.1
9Data Recovery2.6
10Hardware Problems2
11User Caused1
12Mac Applications0.4
13Phone Problems0.3
14Mac OS0.1
15TV Problems0.1

The first three items in the list may be unsurprising. But I was unprepared to see Internet Connectivity that high. If this is one of your company's bigger issues, my first advice is to turn it off and turn it back on again; meaning unplug the modem, plug it back in, then reboot your computer. If you're running slow, Rescuecom recommends you make sure your hard drive has at least 20 percent of free space.

While Mac's are known to be less fussy than PCs, they aren't immune. Rescuecom reports that problematic apps causing computer performance issues were the biggest complaint, leading customers to need help uninstalling software. The repair company recommends sticking to Apple-approved apps from the App Store to best combat this problem.

The 2017 Rescuecom Computer Repair Report is based on the company's support in the U.S., Canada and U.K. and the data comes from the "tens of thousands of tech support calls annually." The company analyzes that data from these calls to form the report.

Google Reviews

Carli Wittkowski
Carli Wittkowski
in the last week
Amazing service! This is my first time with Rescuecom and I am extremely pleased. Great Customer se
...Amazing service! This is my first time with Rescuecom and I am extremely pleased. Great Customer service and so very helpful. I would most definitely recommend. less
Karen Beller
Karen Beller
a week ago
Rescuecom is excellent. I was scammed and Roy cleared my desktop. Excellent service and Roy was very
...Rescuecom is excellent. I was scammed and Roy cleared my desktop. Excellent service and Roy was very knowledgeable. Thank You. less
Robin Penick-Funderburk
Robin Penick-Funderburk
2 weeks ago
A hacker with the alias "DEATHRIDGE" entered a company Teams meeting via someone invited as a guest,
...A hacker with the alias "DEATHRIDGE" entered a company Teams meeting via someone invited as a guest, and started taking control of my computer and my life. They sent emails pretending to be me that really looked like they were coming from me. They tried to take control of our corporate bank accounts, added themselves as a user to my Microsoft account, and locked me out of my computer as my passwords no longer worked. My ability to run a telecom company ground to a halt, and all my company and personal information was at their fingertips. I felt so helpless, and I needed folks smarter than the hacker(s) to do battle for me. Our typical computer pros couldn't handle it, and neither could other "experts" I called. Lucky for me I called RESCUECOM, and they immediately got to work. They didn't complain though I was asking for help in the middle of the night, but immediately got to work and worked non-stop to restore everything and protect me going forward. The team at RESCUECOM are my knights in shining armor, and they're the absolute best! less
Krishna Kambhampati
Krishna Kambhampati
2 months ago
Roy was very helpful for fixing my booting issue. I called really late (10pm) and there was someone
...Roy was very helpful for fixing my booting issue. I called really late (10pm) and there was someone to answer my call. I would recommend them to anyone that needs tech support. less
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