September 29, 2010 By 2 Comments

Keep your hard drive in top shape.

Taking care of your hard drive should be a priority for everyone.  It is where your operating system, photos and important documents are physically stored.  There are quite a few things you can do to keep your hard drive running smoothly.

Take out the trash.
Over time your hard drive can become cluttered with useless junk.  If your hard drive becomes too full, you will see a decrease in performance.  You will also be placing your hard drive at a higher risk for failure.  Use a utility such as CCleaner to remove the clutter.

Defrag your hard drive often.
As you use your computer, files are opened, spread out and moved around constantly on your hard drive. After a while your hard drive will become unorganized and files will become fragmented (scattered).  This causes the hard drive to work longer to find files as needed when running programs and operations.  I like to compare a program to a deck of cards.  Each card represents a file in that program.  Take ten decks and throw them into a room.  Now try to find and put one deck together to use it.  This is sort of how it happens digitally with the files. A good defragmenter utility will put all those files back together. It should also place them in an efficient order for the fastest access. I like to use Auslogics Disk Defrag. You can set it on a schedule and forget it or run it manually.

Shut your computer down correctly.
I can’t stress this one enough.  A lot of people like to just push the power button or unplug the power cord to turn off their computer.  This is not a good idea.  Any sudden power loss can corrupt data on the hard drive.  It can also cause other components to become damaged.  The proper way is to select the shut down option from the task bar.  Just click on the “Start” button on the task bar. Then select “Turn Off Computer”.
Next Click “Turn Off

Some of you may be laughing but you should know that many people are unaware that there is a proper way to shut down a PC.

Laptop users
ALWAYS shut down your laptop before you transport it.  Your hard drive is extremely vulnerable to physical damage internally while it is running.  You can also overheat a laptop when it is on and stuffed in a case. When you shut it down, WAIT for the laptop to COMPLETELY turn off before you close the lid.  I notice a lot of people click “Turn Off” and then immediately shut the lid.  When you open it later it may still be on.

Use a surge protector or preferably a battery backup (UPS)
You can find a decent battery backup for around $80 at your local retail store.  This will help protect your computer against power loss in your home or business.  If you cannot afford one you should at least use a surge protector ($5-20).

Your hard drive will serve you longer with proper maintenance and care.  Hard drives are very sensitive and eventually will fail you.  It is always a good idea to keep backups.  You can read my previous article about backups for more information.

If you have anything to add or any questions about this article please use the comment area below.

Related Posts:

Filed Under: General Information Tagged With: , , ,
September 24, 2010 By 2 Comments

Why your antivirus software doesn’t work.

Almost anywhere you go online you will see advertisements for anti-virus programs.  How do you know which one works?   A lot of people take the easiest route and choose the popular ones.  Most people think that their anti-virus is going to keep them safe because it was expensive and name branded.  Well think again.  The bad guys out there are targeting their newest virus to specifically slip through that all mighty name branded over priced program.  They don’t even waste their time testing their latest malware against the free or less popular software.  They know that most people will go with what is popular.

Pick an anti-virus that suits your computer.  You should be aware of how it will effect your PC’s performance.  If you have an older computer that is sort of slow already, don’t choose the software that is fully loaded.  Also be aware that some anti-virus programs can be very annoying.  Some will ask you to approve every action on your computer.

Where is it safe online?
Where ever the people are, so are the viruses.  Facebook, Myspace, YouTube, Limewire, and just about any other popular place online are the main targets for a virus attack.  These places are constantly exploited.  Be careful what you click on, even if it came from a friend.  If you choose to download from illegal sources you will most likely get burned by a virus. Think of an anti-virus program as you do your air bags in your car.  They are there for added safety but are not intended to prevent a crash.  You really should focus on your surfing and downloading habits.

Staying Protected 101

  1. Have an anti-virus program installed and KEEP IT UPDATED. If you are unsure what program to use, ask a technician and not a salesman.  I prefer AVG or AVAST.  Each of these offers a suitable free version.
  2. Clear your temp files often using a program like CCleaner. Virus components are often hiding in your temporary folders. Over time they can decrease your performance. Some are intended to execute during a specific time or event such as when your computer is unprotected when shutting down or starting up.
  3. Avoid clicking on FREE SCANS such as those claiming to find viruses or speed up your PC. A lot of these are fake programs that will lie to you to get you to pay for it.
  4. Avoid clicking on FREE OFFERS that seem too good to be true. e.g.”You just have to complete this offer to claim your free virus” LOL.
  5. If you have to install something in order to view a video from a friend or website, it might be a virus.
  6. If something doesn’t feel right like a friend sending you a strange email, ask them about it before you open it.
  7. You can close a pop-up by pressing ALT+F4. Some pop-ups are a big yes button. This includes the red X in the upper corner to close the window. Clicking anywhere on it may be the same as saying Yes I agree to install this virus.
  8. If your anti-virus says “ALERT,  The  following file may be a virus”,  It might be a virus. Don’t click “ ignore and continue” unless you are VERY sure that it is a false positive. You should instead QUARANTINE or delete it.
  9. Be aware of the file extensions of your downloads.  An audio file should not end with “.exe” or “.com”. Peer to peer networks such a limewire, frostwire, bearshare and utorrent are flooded with false downloads. You should also look at the files sizes. An mp3 is usually around 3 to 5 MB in size.
  10. Do regular scans with an anti-malware utility.  Malwarebytes or Superantispyware will find just about anything your anti-virus misses IF YOU UPDATE IT before you scan.

There is not one single anti-virus program that will stop 100% of infections.  Everyday thousands of new viruses are introduced to the internet.  It sucks but it’s the truth.  If you follow the tips above you will stay safer online.  Stay alert at all times, use common sense and ALWAYS keep your anti-virus software updated.

What steps are you currently taking to avoid viruses?

Related Posts:

Filed Under: General Information, Safety and Security Tagged With: , , ,
September 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Back up your files and save yourself a disaster.

I have had many clients who experienced some sort of data loss.  Some have lost business data for that project that is due Friday. Others have lost something that hits closer to home.  They lost irreplaceable photos of their children, deceased loved ones, family vacations and even those unmentionables they hold on to.  Either case can be devastating?

In any case of data loss a back up proves itself useful.  If you are not already backing up your files you may want to start today.  Lets look at some of the different options you have available to you.

  • Secondary Hard Drive (Internal or external) – A second hard drive is one of the fastest most convenient ways to back up your files.  You can setup automatic backups on this drive in case your primary fails.  This is a great option if like to keep your backups “in-house”.  The downside is you can still lose your backup in the case of a fire, theft or leaving your portable drive somewhere.
  • Online back-ups – Online backups are nice because they provide a backup that is accessible even of your personal equipment is lost or stolen.  The downside is that your backups are performed over the internet.  This can be a slow process depending on your upload speed and the amount of data you are backing up.
  • Flash drive – Flash drives are great for small temporary backups. They are quick and convenient when you need to grab an extra copy from the office or class. But flash drives are easily lost or damaged. Flash drives also lose their integrity after prolonged use and may become inaccessible.

Choose the method you feel most comfortable with.  I have tried a few paid programs and online services. I found a solution that worked for me when I came across Comodo Backup. It is a free program with many useful features like encryption and compression. I use it to backup automatically to a secondary internal drive.  I also use it to perform monthly manual backups to an external drive that I keep in a fire/water safe.  This program also gives you the option to upgrade and pay for online backups.

Lets face it.  Your data is too important to lose.  Keep it safe.  Take steps to prevent the inevitable. Your computer WILL fail eventually.

If you have anything to add to this discussion please feel free to comment.

Related Posts:

Filed Under: General Information, Safety and Security Tagged With:
September 20, 2010 By 1 Comment

Is Your Wireless Network Secure?

Are you broadcasting an unsecured signal?  If you are, you might be supplying a free connection for the whole neighborhood.  A lot of people are doing this unknowingly.  I can sit in my backyard and see at least five wireless Internet connections from my laptop.  Two of them are unsecured.  That means anyone can connect without a password and use the Internet for free. This also means the information being transmitted on those networks will not be encrypted.

There a few things you can do to secure your wireless network.

  1. Use Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2).  Check the manual your router came with for instructions.  If you cannot find the manual check the manufacturer’s website.  This setting will encrypt the information passed between your wireless device and the router. Windows XP computers SP2 and lower might not support WPA2. You can obtain a patch here or just upgrade to SP3 from windows update.
  2. Use a random generated password as your encryption key.  Don’t use common things such as “password” or your address.  Make sure you write it down and keep it in a safe place.
  3. Change the SSID (Service Set Identifier, the name of your wireless connection) from its default name.  I had a client who had the same SSID as the business next door.  Their wireless devices were connecting back and forth causing the Internet to work one minute and not the next.  If you have a unique name it will be easier for you to distinguish your connection from another and help prevent connections to the wrong network.
  4. Use a firewall and antivirus software to help prevent unauthorized connections to your computer.  Viruses and trojans can put you at risk even if you use a secure connection. There are many free firewalls and antivirus programs you can use.

When you are using the Internet over a wireless connection you will always have a higher risk of sensitive information being intercepted.  The steps I listed above will reduce your risk but it will not eliminate it.  I would NOT recommend using a public WI-FI access point such as those at gas stations or restaurants to log in into bank accounts, email, or other sensitive areas of the Internet as these connections are often unsecured.  An unsecured connection could also leave your computer at risk for “Peeping Tom’s” if you have shared files and folders.  

The internet can be a very useful tool or your worst nightmare.  So, please surf safe.  Use the security tools that are available and enjoy your freedom with wireless networking.

If you would like more information on this subject or you would like to share your insight please use the comment form below.

Related Posts:

  • No Related Posts
Filed Under: General Information, Safety and Security Tagged With: ,
September 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Cguy Toolbox

If you are looking for easy to use tools to help you stay connected, secure and entertained check out the Cguy Toolbox.  Each month I will be posting more tools.

If you have a useful tool that you want to share, please feel free to comment about it and I may add it to the toolbox.

Related Posts:

Filed Under: General Information, Safety and Security Tagged With:
« Older Posts