News & Tips from Quinte Technical Services
< your best choice for Belleville & Quinte computer repairs >
On this and other linked pages you will find some useful tricks, tips and notifications. Enjoy and check back often to view the new articles.
How To Keep Your Computer Running Smoothly
1. Get a UPS – Be Empowered
(Uninterruptible Power Supply - $59 at Staples or Office Depot!) It can prevent so many issues related to power brownouts and surges such as hard drive crashes, power supply failure, motherboard and component damage, data loss, file system corruption etc.
If your hard drive crashes you may lose everything on the drive, all your installed applications, photos, documents, e-mails, contacts, favourites, and your operating system may need re-installation, you may even require a new hard drive.
When your power supply fails it can also destroy the motherboard and/or CPU and support chips.
2. Use Virus & Spyware Protection (Safe Surfing 101)
Malware can infect your computer from a number of sources – installing programs downloaded from the web, visiting a website, reading an email or inserting a CD/DVD. Malware can slow down and prevent you from using your computer, destroy data, file system structures and operating system files.
Get an anti-virus and at least one anti-spyware program, keep their subscriptions current and always download virus definition updates. Always download and install Windows updates as they are offered.
Hint - Never believe any popup or message that says you are infected and asks you to download or install “protection”. Never download or install any “freeware” utility unless you have thoroughly researched it and read the reviews. (from Cnet, Downloads.com, Tucows, Zdnet among others)
3. Friends, Relatives & Teens – just say no!
Believe it or not these can be some of the most dangerous “guests” to allow on your computer. Teens like to use peer-to-peer applications to download their music and Uncle Ted likes to look at other “artistic sites” while they are on-line. Friends who are trying to help may suggest you download “Joe’s Registry and Spyware Swiss-Army Knife” program to clean up your computer, and then tell you to just re-format the hard drive when the problems get worse. Just say no!
4. Backing Up Your Stuff (means never having say you’re sorry)
Deprived of the use your computer due to one of the above can be traumatic enough until you realize all your business documents, personal and family photos, music collection, emails and personal settings have been flushed down the data drain as well. Backups, depending on the amount of data can be as easy as plugging in a little removable USB key drive (flashdrive, jumpdrive, store’n’go etc. - $10 or so at XS Cargo), a USB external hard drive ($100+ anywhere else), or even a writeable CD or DVD.
Keep your backups away from your computer, preferably out of the environs of the house or office.
5. Create Recovery Disks
While you are at it, if you don’t have or haven’t yet made recovery disks for your computer’s operating system, do it immediately. If your hard drive fails totally, or you have a severe virus/trojan problem you may need to recover your system. Many computer manufacturers place recovery information on a seperate partition on your hard drive, and prompt you to make a backup copy of this information on CDs or DVDs. Recovery means putting your computer software back to factory/new state. The backup disks will save a lot of time and labour expense when your system needs restoring. Disk images are another way of quickly recovering OS, programs, data and settings after a catastrophic event.
6. Clean Up Your Junk = Speed Up Your ‘Puter
- Regularly remove temporary files from web browsers
- Empty the computer’s “Recycle Bin” and email “Deleted Items” folders
- Defragment your hard drive weekly
- Schedule a Disk Error Check monthly
- Keep your Desktop uncluttered
- Remove or archive the old junk from your email folders
- Remove unused programs
- Disable “lame” startups & services
7. Keep Up With Updates
Don't let your computer get behind. All updates, especially anti-virus and operating system updates are provided to either increase security or rectify existing problems. Delaying or denying updates will only bite you in the long run and may end in costly repair expenses.
Don’t take it into your own hands - just call Ken (613-966-7766)
TO BE CONTINUED ...