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One
on One Computer Consultants (www.1on1cc.com)
New Years’ Resolutions – Computer Related Battery Backup – Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) More than 60% of hard disk drive failures are related to power problems. Most power related problems are not power surges (like lightning strikes), but “brown-outs” (low voltage) and “black-outs” (power outages). Many people use a power strip, which offer no protection. Some people use a surge protector, which offers protection against power surges only. A Battery Backup unit gives you protection against power surges, low-power, and power outages. In fact, in case of an extended low-power condition or a complete loss of power, the included software will safely shut down your computer. Many units include surge protection for your telephone line and network cabling. Some manufacturers are so confident of their products that they offer a “power protection” guarantee. The links below have a tool to help you select the correct size for your system. Remember to include your Cable/DSL modem and any other devices that you want to protect when selecting a size. And, NEVER connect a laser printer to the battery backup outlets. (Most laser printers draw too much current when starting to print.) APC
(American Power Conversion)
Minutemen Cyber
Power Systems Backup Your Data Whether you use CD’s, DVD’s, or another hard drive (internal or external), you should backup your data on a regular basis. How often should you perform a data backup? Ask yourself “How much data can I afford to lose?” Another consideration is what data you should backup. Some that do perform regular backups are only including the files in their “My Documents” folder. I include “My Documents”; my MS Outlook “*.pst” files, which includes email messages, contacts, calendar, and to-do list; and my Internet favorites (bookmarks). You might want to include your “Desktop” if you have certain icons and programs installed. Update Your Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware Software Many people neglect to download and install the latest definition files for their anti-virus and/or anti-spyware software. With over 65,000 viruses, and who knows how much spyware, in circulation, you’re playing “Russian roulette” with your computer system and data. Most viruses and spyware are just nuisances, but some can be catastrophic, locking up your system and destroying your data. With all the “free” versions of protection software available, you can easily keep your system up to date and well protected. Although you can have many anti-spyware programs installed, it’s not a good iidea to install more than one anti-virus program. AVG
Free Anti-virus Software
Avira
AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic for Windows Avast 4
Home Edition Anti-virus
Microsoft Windows Defender (Anti-spyware)
Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2007 Free SpyBot
Search & Destroy Perform Regular Computer Maintenance Running regular hard disk maintenance can not only improve computer performance, but alert you to potential problems. Defragmenting your hard drive and checking for errors using Scandisk or CHKDSK on a regular basis (about once a month) will make your system run faster and if you can’t complete the tests, gives you a strong indication that you have more serious hard disk drive problems. For Windows XP/2000 instructions, go to: http://www.1on1cc.com/performance.htm |