How to manage your computer
When you purchase a computer there are lots of things you have to take care of
to ensure that you get the most out of your investment and that you can get full
use of it for at least 3 years, which is a reasonable time to expect a PC to
last. These considerations include:
1. How do I ensure that my computer is secure from threats like Viruses, Trojans
and Worms?
2. How do I make sure that my computer runs smoothly and as quickly as possible
3. What happens when something goes wrong what are my options?
Whether you have a desktop or notebook/laptop it doesn’t matter as the
considerations are the same.
There are constant threats on the internet and if your computer is connected to
it (as most are) then you have to be increasingly aware and prepared for the
dangers that lurk out there. It’s difficult to keep up with these threats which
is why it’s important to have up to date software which does, namely
antivirus
2009 software from providers such as Norton who have products such as Norton
Antivirus, Norton 360 and Norton Internet Security. There are other providers
like McAfee but Norton is considered the world leader in this space.
While traditionally most viruses use to come via infected disks (which was ages
ago) nowadays they come through email, surfing a particular webpage or even
without you knowing through your network. That’s why it’s critical to have the
most up to date antivirus software available to not only detect but to also
remove and prevent from spreading threats as they come.
As for Worm viruses which can come through your network connection it’s important
to have Firewall software to block these types of threats. There are specialised
firewall softwares such as Zonealarm as well as those bundled with antivirus
software such as Norton 360 and Norton Internet Security which are bundles of
security software and are increasingly the popular option.
As you use your computer several things happen. You are most likely going to
save lots of files and install and uninstall different programs. During this
time your computer’s memory get’s used. When items are deleted, they a aren’t
actually fully deleted. They are simply flagged as no longer for use which is
why overtime, there can often be gaps of memory in your computer which aren’t
properly utilised and hence require what’s called defragging which is
essentially a fancy term for refilling your computer’s memory so that it makes
the most efficient use of what you have. It’s a simple process and each windows
computer typically comes with the software to do this although there are also
more specialised softwares available which can facilitate this function as well.
If you run this at least every month your computer should be running fine. Also
get into the habit of uninstalling software that you aren’t planning on using to
reduce clutter.
What do I do if something goes wrong with my computer?
In the event that something goes wrong the most important thing is not to panic.
Firstly before this even happens it’s important to have some form of backup
system so that you can quickly recover files. Backup solutions come in different
forms, the most common being a separate hard drive or even USB key to hold
precious documents. This is fine but you need to ensure you have the discipline
to backup regularly. Many specialised external harddrives like the Maxtor
OneTouch come bundled with software which manages automated backups at periodic
intervals. The other most robust solution involves online backup systems which
periodically backup whatever files you nominate and store it on a server
geographically separate to your own. This is an important distinction as it
reduces risk of losing your data in case something happens to your house /
apartment which could destroy all the information you have. Often the
information contained on the computer is worth significantly more than the
computer itself, so it’s worthwhile investigating these types of backup
solutions.
Beyond recovering from an PC emergency it’s important to use professionals to
assist with fixing an computer issue as there are intricacies in operating
system software and different drivers etc. which are often the causes of issue
that should not be tackled without appropriate experience. The same is the case
for hardware issues. Attempts to fix an issue on your own could void any
warranty on the machine which can raise more issues down the track.