Similar to the way people feel about their cars, pcs in many cases are a black box which they essentially have no knowledge about except how to turn it on and use it. Computers are actually pretty complex but by simply following a few simple procedures you shouldn't have to worry about what's underneath the hood. The list below is a compilation of well-known mistakes that folks make which can lead to significant computer issues.
10.) Installing Computer software with Reckless Abandon
Ahh, that one can be tricky. We love to download all kinds of cool little programs to our computers which includes software for downloading music, games, new wallpapers, etc. While these can be lots of fun and serve a purpose, many of these programs are a vehicle to install malware on your computer. While it's not always the case, over time, you may see some extra pop-ups or your computer may begin to run a bit more slowly. The best thing to do is only download software that you are sure you need and avoid anything from websites that aren't well known sites.
9.) Leaving the Administrator password blank
Its generally an awful idea to have a blank administrator password. With no a password set you make it much simpler for cyber criminals and trojan viruses to connect to your computer remotely and take control of it. It's important to set a password with at least 8 characters which contains numbers and letters as well as some uppercase letters. Also, its generally a best practice to login to your computer (for all of your daily routines) with an account that does not have admin access. This way you can't unintentionally install software you weren't intending on or execute a virus you weren't unaware of.
8.) Not Using WEP/WPA Wireless Security
Are you aware of WEP/WPA? If you're not, pay close attention to this. Lots of people nowadays have switched over to wireless networks and are using either Linksys or Netgear type wireless hubs bought from big name electronic stores. One of the great selling points is how easy they are to setup but this out of the box settings leaves your network wide open for anyone within about a 100-200 foot radius for connecting in and surf the Internet on your dime. Not to mention, quite possibly hacking your computers. Nonetheless, if you're setting up one of these wireless routers be sure to read the section on WEP, or even better, WPA security. It's really not that complicated to setup and it will give you another strong layer of security.
7.) Not Shutting Down Correctly
Do you always wait for your computer to fully shutdown? Do you actually go to the Start MenuThen Shutdown? If so, you're better than most. Lots of people just press the power button on their computer and this can cause some serious problems ranging from hardware issues (primarily the hard drive) to things like OS corruption. Whenever possible its definitely better to click the Start button on the lower left corner and then select Shutdown. By doing this, your laptop or computer will gracefully shutdown and will leave much less room for any problems.
6.) Not Defragging Your Hard disk drive
Disk Defragmenter - An easy, yet often neglected tool, which can be accessed by going to Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools. This defrag tool will analyze the volumes on your hard drive and then consolidate fragmented files/folders so that they each occupy a single, contiguous area on the volume. By defragging your drive, your computer will be able to access files and folders more quickly and efficiently. It is usually a great idea to do this at least once a month.
5.) Not Installing Windows Security Updates Although many times security updates go unforgotten, these may be the deciding factor on whether or not you get infected with certain viruses/malware or even becoming a victim of someone hacking your computer. It's strongly suggested to download and install updates on a monthly basis. If you don't think you'll recall, its probably a good idea to just go into your Control Panel-Automatic Updates and set them to download and install automatically. This way you won't have to worry about it.
4.) Opening Email From People You Don't Know
This one is really important. A great majority of viruses/malware is spread through emails, whether it's an attachment or even just an embedded link within the email, so it's always best to just delete whatever you don't recognize. Many Anti-Virus programs will do much of the work for you but if you aren't sure who the sender is just treat the email as SPAM.
3.) No Anti-Virus Installed
In this day and age, there's no excuse for not having an Anti-Virus program set up. There's more viruses and spyware out there than in the past and for the $30-50 investment it's well worth the cost. Several of the good names in Anti-Virus software are Symantec, Mcafee, Panda, and AVG among others. Many computers now come with an AV program preinstalled so its just a matter of buying a subscription to download the updates.
2.) Not Keeping Your Anti-Virus Updated with New Virus Defs
Anti-Virus programs need to regularly be updated so they can recognize the new viruses as they come out. Without these updates, many viruses will go undetected since the AV software isn't looking out for it. Having an AV program is crucial. Having an 'updated' AV program is all the difference. If at all possible, setup your AV program to download updates and install them automatically every few days or at most once a week.
1.) Not doing backups Above all, the largest mistake that people make is not backing up their data. Most people have GB's of essential data on their computers and never reconsider the possibility of losing it. That is, until they're hard drive crashes and they lose everything. From that point on, you can be sure they'll be backing things up. Today you'll find so many options for backing up data from just a basic external hard drive to online backups via the internet. For the small cost of setting something such as this up you'll be glad you did if you happen to face issues.
If you are in the market for a slate pc or new computer check out the comparisons on slate pc Comparison or maybe even check out PC Comparison.
Tags: laptop computer by Guest Author
No Comments »