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Here are some quick tips to help keep your PC running
smoothly
and protect your data and system:
Microsoft Windows Update
Make sure you have turned on Windows security updates (in
Windows XP, go to Control Panel/Security Center- set the updates to
'Automatic').
Visit the Microsoft Windows Update website regularly to
make
absolutely sure you have the latest 'critical updates'. Go to:
www.update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us
Microsoft Outlook Backup
add-in
This utility enable you to backup your Outlook files
quickly and to a specific location. This is a excellent tool and a really
important if you use Outlook.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/detai(...)
Scan Disk and Disk Defragementer
You can run these applications every so often to speed up
your
system. Find them on your PC by going to:
Start/Programs/Accessories/System
Tools.
System Restore
This is a fantastic troubleshooting and 'insurance' tool.
Before you install new software, run the System Restore
utility. Available on Windows ME, XP, and Vista, it creates a Restore Point
of
your system - a 'snapshot in time'.
If your PC suddenly starts
crashing
after you installed that great free download from the web - or if a program
that
was working fine suddenly starts crashing, you can go back in time to the
Restore Point that you recently created, or to a Restore Point created
automatically by Windows. You can find System Restore in XP by going to:
Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools. In Vista, type 'system restore'
into
the search box in the Vista Start menu.
Anti-Virus
Always run an anti-virus program and always keep it
up-to-date.
If the subscription expires, renew it immediately - it's useless if it
doesn't
have the latest updates. Be careful opening email attachments, even
from
friends. Many viruses arrive in emails using an infected computer's
address
book - with your friend's name in the 'From' line. Free anti-virus
software with
very good detection rates is available from Avira at http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus
If you want better protection and you are willing to
pay, I
recommend VIPRE from http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com -
$29.95. They have a 15 day trial version available.
I also recommend NOD32 antivirus, particularly if you are
running an older system Go to http://www.eset.com/download/index.php to
download the free 30 day trial.
Buy a Router or install a software
firewall
If you have a high speed (broadband) internet connection,
I
recommend a router. This acts as a firewall and protects your sytem from
hacking
attempts and internet 'worms' - the Sasser and Blaster worms can infect an
unprotected and unpatched Windows PC in less than a minute simply by being
connected to the internet! A router is a 'hardware' firewall. After setup,
it
rarely needs any configuration and allows you to connect multiple PC's to
your
internet connection. I recommend the Netgear Rangemax WPN824NA. It is
reliable,
easy to use and has powerful wireless transmitter.
XP, Vista and Windows 7 Built-in
Firewall
You can turn on a very basic firewall in Windows XP that
will
give you some protection. Go to Control Panel/Network Connections and then
'right click' on your Local Connection. Then left click on 'properties'.
Three
tabs appear at the top of the Network Connections dialog box. Left click
'advanced' and check the box below Internet Connection Firewall that says
'Protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this
computer from the internet'. The firewall in Vista and Windows 7 is much
more
robust and is turned on by default.
Spam
Don't 'unsubscribe' to junk mail. This just confirms that
your
address is 'live'. Even just opening junk email can send a message back to
confirm that you exist, as it's common for code to be hidden in the
email's
graphics. The other thing you should do is disable HTML (pictures) in your
'preview pane' in Outlook and Outlook Express. Just previewing your emails
with
HTML enabled can confirm to a spammer that you exist, as well as leaving
you
open to malware infection as a result of Windows vulnerablilities.
Your PC's Recovery CD's
Always keep the CD's that came with your new PC in a safe
place. These contain your operating system (often called a 'Recovery CD')
and
the software 'drivers' for your PC's hardware. If you don’t have them,
check if
your PC's manufacturer has put these files on a separate partition on your
hard
drive, where they can be accessed in the event your operating system needs
to be
reinstalled.
Back-ups
Back-up your data regularly. Make sure you know how to
backup
and have at least 3 copies of your files.
One copy on your
PC.
A second copy on an external hard drive or DVD.
A third at an
off-site
location.
And then test your backups to make sure they work
by
restoring them to another PC.
There are numerous web services that enable you to save
files
to a remote (off-site) location. I recommend:
Mozy - a service that will back up your data to the
'cloud'
automatically in the background and make a simulataneous backup to an
external
hard drive.
For home users, the cost is $5.99 a month for up to
50GBs of
data.
Use this link to get to the Mozy Home website:
http://www.mozy.com/?ref=3f9a896b&kbid=56134&m=4&i=75
I also like
www.backblaze.com - a simple to use
cloud-based service that offers unlimited backup to home users for $5 per
month.
If you prefer not to entrust your data to a cloud-based
service, I recommend making a copy of your data on an external hard drive
or on
DVD(s), and giving it to a trusted friend or family member living at a
different
location. Before you give them your backed-up data, check the media to make
sure
you can see the data on their computer.
If you don't know how to back-up, go to http://www.brooklynpcclinic.com/specials.php?view=13
Passwords
Just be aware that if you use a password consisting of a
word
that exists in the English language (or any other common language for that
matter) it can be broken in about 8 seconds using software that runs a
'dictionary attack'. It's much more secure to use a combination of letters
and
numbers, symbols such as ? or ! and mix upper and lower case letters. A
very
basic example could be T42&24t (tea for two and two for tea). It just has
to be
meaningful and easy for you to remember.
Email hoaxes
Any time you receive an email purporting to be a way of
making
easy-money by simply forwarding it on to your friends, or a warning about
a
deadly virus, don't waste your time. This is a form of spam, designed to
work
like a chain-mail letter. Check out this web link first to see the most
popular
hoaxes doing the rounds at the moment: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html or
go
to www.snopes.com
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