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Remote Support - PLEASE READ! - Important Information
The Computer Doctors is pleased to provide computer support via remote access. Please contact our service department first for pricing and to initiate a connection. You can also click here to open a ticket.
We at The Computer Doctors use a special tool called TeamViewer to make a remote connection into your computer. Both PC's and Apple Macs are supported. This program will allow us to see your screen and control your mouse and keyboard, troubleshoot and repair software and configuration issues, make changes to the settings in your computer, and it can be installed in such a way that we can remote into your computer at a later time. In most cases, this is the version we will talk you through installing, and it will permanently install the full version of TeamViewer onto your computer and allow us to remote access your computer. This version gives us a few extra capabilities such as the ability to reboot your computer if we need to. The other version we use is called TeamViewer Quick Support.
The TeamViewer program downloaded from this page will give us permanent remote access to your system so that you don't have to keep downloading it every time you require support, however the password will change each time it is used so we cannot access your computer without your permission. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of having this program installed on your computer, or if you are having trouble installing the regular Teamviewer full version of the tool, you may alternatively click the link for the Teamviewer QuickSupport tool (the link is at the very bottom of this page), as this will install a minimal version of the TeamViewer tool for a single use only and get us access quickly with minimal instructions.
If you have been directed to this page by one of our technicians, it is very important for you to please follow the instructions outlined below very carefully and completely. Unless these directions are followed correctly, our engineer will not be able to remotely log into your computer. If you have questions, ask your engineer.
You may find it useful to print this page out onto your printer for a ready reference.
NOTES CONCERNING THE USE OF THE TEAMVIEWER SUPPORT TOOL:
The TeamViewer remote support tool is used by our professional service engineers to log in remotely to your computer to help you troubleshoot and fix your problem. Please do not download the Teamviewer tool until instructed to do so by your service engineer.
You may download the TeamViewer software by clicking the link above, or alternatively, you may go directly to TeamViewer's website at www.teamviewer.com to perform the download from there.
If using Internet Explorer to view this page, after clicking the link above, you will need to click the Run button. Then the tool should download. If you are prompted a second time for Run, then please do so. (NOTE: Some versions of Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, or Safari may offer an button labeled "Open" instead of Run. If this is your only option, click this instead.)
If using most versions of Google Chrome as your web browser, after clicking the link above, the tool will download without further prompting and the Chrome browser will probably place the download at the bottom of the screen at the lower left side that you can click. Once you click there, you will be prompted to "Run".
Firefox will place the download in the downloads toolbar button--it looks like a down pointing arrow at the top right of the Firefox window. After the download has finished, click the down pointing arrow there, and then click on the downloaded file. At that point click "Run" if you are prompted.
Some computers running Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 may also ask to either "Allow" or "Block". Make sure to choose "Allow".
Your McAfee, Norton, or other antivirus/firewall software might pop-up a message asking if this operation is okay. If this happens, please click in the pop-up to "allow" or "permit". Depending upon the firewall software the nomenclature may be a little different. (NOTE: Some anti-virus and firewall software may actually preclude the use of the remote support tool entirely. If this happens, the engineer will probably need to come to your site.
If you used the QuickSupport option, minimal information will be necessary for us to get online. We will only require the session number printed on the window.
If using the full Teamviewer version, once the tool comes on-screen, you will briefly see a screen appear that asks "How do you want to proceed". If you do not want us to have ongoing access, choose the "Run Only" option. Otherwise, click "Basic Installation." Then select the option for the type of use. If you are a business choose "Commercial", otherwise click "Personal Use". The install will then proceed and will take a few moments. (By choosing the "Run Only" option, the program is configured for a one-time temporary use, and will not be permanently installed on your system.)
After it starts to run it is possible that you may see an ad from TeamViewer appear. You will know if you are looking at the ad if it shows what you can do with TeamViewer and if the User ID number says 123-456-789. If you see this popup, close this window containing the ad. Then a window with the real User ID and Password will be revealed that was hidden underneath the popup. We will ask you for this ID and password.
Now your service engineer should be able to take control of your keyboard and mouse. He will end the session for you when he finishes working on your system. After conclusion of the support call, if you selected the "Run Only" installation option, or used the QuickSupport tool instead of the Full version, no one including the engineer will have the ability to remote access your system any further using the TeamViewer utility without your intervention. If "Basic Installation" was selected, the tool will be permanently installed, but you will still need to call us to provide us the session number and the password, as it changes each time the tool is used.
IF THE REMOTE SUPPORT TOOL IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH YOUR SYSTEM:
If we are unable to use our primary Teamviewer remote support tool to take control of your system because of download or imcompatibility issues (or if you are uncomfortable with the idea of a program installing onto your system), you can try downloading the TeamViewer QuickSupport tool. This is a minimal version of the TeamViewer tool for a single use only and may be able to get us access quickly with minimal instructions. To use the TeamViewer QuickSupport tool, click the image below.
If the TeamViewer QuickSupport tool does not work either, as a final option we may be able to use AnyDesk as an alternative method to access your system instead. If the service engineer needs to use Anydesk to make the connection, click here and the engineer will instruct you on what to do next.
For those that are truly technically challenged, the video below will demonstrate the basic process of setting up the TeamViewer software. The relevant portion of the video you should watch begins at 5 minutes and 2 seconds into the video....
