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Usually computer hardware won’t break. Generally one or more programs will
suffer missing or corrupted files due to miscellaneous software that has
been installed over the years, updates not being administered or viruses,
worms, trojans, adware and spyware. Any of these will result in error
messages, rebooting, freezing, slow operation, etc. Use the following
suggestions and both you and your computer will be a lot happier.
LISTEN TO YOUR COMPUTER.
Error messages and little hiccups mean trouble. They’re telling you that
something isn’t right. Don’t think if you ignore it, it will go away. If
you’re experiencing chest pains, you don’t ignore them and figure they’ll go
away! You go to the doctor to find out what’s wrong. Treat your computer the
same way. Take it in for a checkup before it gets worse and dies completely.
If you die from a heart attack, it’s because you didn’t heed the warnings.
Heed your computer’s warnings. You might save it’s life.
UPDATE YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.
Windows updates are free and they can prevent crashes, error messages and
hacker attacks. Just look in your Start menu or Programs list for the words
“Windows Update” and click it when you are on line. If you’ve never done
this before, be prepared for a long process.
(Most
users have NEVER updated their operating systems.)
ALWAYS
run an UP TO DATE Anti Virus and Adware / Spyware Program.
NEVER let it be more than 1 week out of date. AntiVirus software should be
updated at least every week. New viruses appear at the rate of about 1 to 3
A DAY. If your antivirus files were updated a month ago they may not protect
you from the last 30 to 90 viruses out there. Your computer will come under
attack by these critters within 15 SECONDS after you are online! (The
Sasser.Worm took 1 hour to circle the earth after it was released in 2004,
infected between 700,000 and 1 million computers and cost over $979 million
dollars in computer repairs, and maintenance.
NEVER, EVER
accept any FREE offers that pop up on your screen.
THEY ARE SPY AND AD WARE!
No one is giving you something for free! They ain’t stupid! (If you have
asked or searched for a particular item and your search presents an answer
to your query, you’re probably OK. This is something YOU have asked for.
Remember… “There ain’t no free lunch!”) Examples of this type of offer are:
“YOUR COMPUTER IS INFECTED!, YOUR COMPUTER MAY BE INFECTED!,
MAKE YOUR INTERNET SEARCHING FASTER!, FIND INTERNET BARGAINS QUICKER!, SAVE
MONEY ON BARGAINS ON THE INTERNET!, FREE VIRUS SCAN!, FREE AD AND SPY WARE
SCAN!
BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU ARE DOWNLOADING!
45% of music, downloaded from the Internet from sites like KaZaa, etc.
contain viruses.
(A
reputable and up to date anti virus software program will protect you and
warn if a file contains a virus.)
NEVER, EVER
open an email or attachment from someone you don’t know.
And even then… beware. Viruses, worms and trojans can infect your friend’s
computer, use their address book with you in it and send itself out to you
or anyone else in it with their return email address!
NEVER
buy “REALLY” cheap software.
Most inexpensive software CD’s such as $3.95 games, etc. are only debugged
against the manufacturer’s computers. Unlike brand name software which is
tested against multiple computers with various operating systems and mixed
combinations of programs. There is a chance that new software may conflict
with one or more of the programs that you have in your computer and corrupt
your operating system. A full Restore/Recovery of your operating system can
cost as much as $300. Makes that $3.95 game PRETTY expensive, eh?
PERFORM FILE CLEANUP ON A REGULAR BASIS.
If you don’t know how to, take a class or take your computer into a computer
repair center once a year for a tuneup. You do tuneup your car occasionally
don’t you? Old cookies, temp files and temporary internet files clog up your
computer just like carbon does to your car. If you’ve spent more than an
hour a week over the past year on your computer, you can bet it’s full of
old leftover or orphaned files. These will not only slow down your system
but can also prevent you from receiving your email or even going on line.
NEVER
ALLOW SMALL CHILDREN ON THE INTERNET ALONE!
Many AD and Spyware items are designed with children in mind. The creators
of these items know that a bright, animated ad will appeal to the young.
Especially if they can read and see the word FREE. All it takes is one click
and your computer is infected. If you must leave a child alone with the
Internet, take time to teach them what NOT to click on and how to react to
various bright, flashy and animated popups.
BACK UP OFTEN!
What if ...your office or home office burned down, a thief stole your
computer, your computer suffered a catastrophic crash. Nothing left! No
data, no client data, no accounting data, nada, zip, zero, zilch! Could you
still operate your business? Backups can be to a floppy, a CD, a ZIP disk or
to another hard drive on another computer or a removable hard drive. BACK UP
NOW! Before it’s too late! If your computer crashes, you can always recover
your data from the hard drive. But if your hard drive crashes, you CAN’T
recover the data! BACK UP!!!
DEVELOP
AND USE A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
You change the oil and lube your car on schedule. You take it in for a tune
up on schedule. Plan the same for your computer. Either learn to do it
yourself,
(it
takes about 3 hours),
or take it in for a tuneup about once a year. Tune-ups include not only file
cleanup but dirt and dust cleanup too. Dust builds up between the fins on
your heat sinks, on your components, in your cooling fans and causes heat
buildup. Heat will cause your computer to run slower and damage components.
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