Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions about The Ink Shop on Bribie Island

What about my data and precious pictures that cannot be replaced?

What is the difference between a Virus, a Trojan and a Worm?

What type of attachments can contain viruses?

What other service does The Ink Shop offer?

What about my data and precious pictures that cannot be replaced?

We take great care with any data files that are on your computer, always intent on backing up all data and restoring after our repairs. Your data may be damaged or even lost if affected by viruses or hardware failure.

How long will it take?

Most repairs are completed within 48 hours. If your job is going to take longer, we’ll call and let you know.

What is the difference between a Virus, Trojan, and Worm?

Basically, they all fall under the generally category of "viruses". However, there are a few distinctions.

• Virus - Technically, a virus infects another file (attaches or inserts itself into it). They usually infect program files or MS Office documents. From there, it can replicate, do damage, etc. Unlike a worm, these do not function as a stand alone (except possibly to infect a given file).

• Worm - This is almost identical to a "true virus", except that it lives on its own and generally doesn't infect other files (although it can replace them). Usually, these copy themselves using e-mail, networks, disks, etc. Again, these are very close to a true virus, and can do the same kind of damage.

• Trojan Horse - This type of program doesn't copy itself but does do damage to your computer. These types of programs rely on people to pass them around and to run them. They do not e-mail themselves. The idea is to make the program look like it's something harmless, like a screen saver or joke, so it gets sent around.

What kind of attachments can contain viruses?

Basically, anything that is executable (able to run). You're generally safe with picture files, text files, and the like. However, it still pays to scan first.

Here is a very short list of the most common to watch out for:

• exe

• zip

• scr

• vbs

• bat

• com

• pif

• asp

• doc

• xls

Those are the most common; don't misinterpret this to mean that if you get one of these files it's automatically a virus. A ".zip" file may be nothing more than a set of compressed files your friend sent you to look at. A "doc" or "xls" file may simply be an MS Office file. It's just that these type of files could also be viruses.

A couple other virus tricks you need to be aware of. First, MS Office files can contain what are called "Macro Viruses". Without getting into too much detail, these files can run a "macro" (a macro is a mini-program run from within another program) that can be as destructive as any "regular" virus. So, my advice on MS Office attachments is not to open them unless you are expecting them. If they just show up, verify with the sender first.

The other trick you need to look out for is an extra extension added to an attached file. For example, you may have something like "mypicture.jpg.vbs". In fact, if you don't have your computer set to view file extensions, it may just look like "mypicture.jpg" and omit that last "vbs" part.

This may appear to be a jpg picture file, but it's actually a Visual Basic Script file. If executed, it will happily infect your computer with a virus.

P.S. make sure that you have a current anti-virus program!

What other service does The Ink Shop offer?

In addition to our refilling service, we offer a large range of compatible brand replacement cartridges for your printer. New Cartridges Page. All with a 90 day money back guarantee.
Regular Cleaning of your printer is an essential element to ensure high quality printing is achieved for a longer period. Printer Page. We offer fixed price services on all inkjet printer models. We also supply bulk inks for some 'Tank' type cartridges.