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Solving Minor Computer Problems ? Try These Before Doing Anything Else

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The earliest computers were huge devices with huge transistor and cylinders. Efficient cooling systems occupied a lot of space. Technicians often faced problems when flies and insects landed on the cylinders and short circuited the system. Today, we can work on computers that occupy not more than half a table and can work without any worries of flies or mosquitoes damaging the system.

However, this does not mean that the system is perfect. You may, at some point of time or the other, find that certain simple commands that worked before do not work well.

Instead of fearing that something is seriously wrong, try the following solutions before taking any further action.

Restart the computer. This may sound unscientific but restarting the computer is very much like taking a nap so that you can recharge your batteries. Nobody knows why it works but simply rebooting the operating system can sort out many minor problems.

If this does not work, one should run an anti virus scan to check whether the computer is infected with the virus. If not, one should use the system restore option to restore the registry and essential files to the earlier date. An odd function or transaction carried out by a software application may have corrected the registry. Restoring information from the automated backup system should do the trick.

If nothing else works, one may have to go in for a complete reformat. Before doing so, it is important to check whether the problem is caused by a recently installed software application. If that is the cause, reinstalling the software application may solve the problem.

Filed Under: Anti-Virus, Common Solutions Tagged With: , ,

Running System Utilities

Running system utilities on your computer is quite simple. If you have never run system utilities it is important that you learn. Some utilities should be run on a weekly basis while others don’t need to be run so often. Some examples of system utilities are Disk Defragmenter and Scan Disk or Disk Cleanup. Here is a quick tutorial on running a system utility and setting up a scheduled task.

If you find that your hard drive is more than two-thirds full you may need to run disk defragmenter. To see how full your hard drive is click on the desktop icon “My computer” or find a link to it in the Start menu. Once this window has opened you will see a list of drives available. Most likely your hard drive is labeled as the C: drive and may have some kind of name attached to it. Right click on the icon or list item and choose properties from that menu. The window that pops up should give you both a visual and a number stating amount of the hard drive that is full. This helps you determine if you need to run disk defragmenter. Hard drives on new computers are large but so are the files that you download.

To run disk defragmenter you click on the start menu and then roll your cursor over “all programs”. A list will appear and then you will roll your cursor over “Accessories”. In the Accessories menu you choose system tools and there you will find the link to disk defragmenter. The program will pop up and you push the button that says “Analyze”. This will give you the information about whether or not to run the utility. Next you will push, “Defragment” and that is about all you will have to do. The program will run and give you a report at the end.

Filed Under: Anti-Virus, Common Solutions Tagged With: , ,

Helping You With Your Desktop

Are you one of those people that is piled with icons on your desktop? How many of those icons do you use? How many of those icons seem to get in the way of you finding what you are really looking for? In order to spend less time searching for what you want and more time engaging in what you are looking for you must maintain an organized personal computer. For the most part here we are talking about Windows based users.So here are some tips to organize your desktop

The desktop is the screen that appears when you start up your computer. it may have a picture or design on it, but it almost always has a start menu in the lower left corner and a variety of icons on it. For an organized desktop there is probably ten to twenty icons on the desktop. All of these icons will lead to a program or folder that the user uses on a daily or weekly basis. If there are items that you use less than that on your desktop they don’t belong there.

Another way to determine if a icon belongs on the desktop or not is to keep only shortcuts on the desktop. If the file is the actual file and is not on the desktop in transition to its place in the directory, then it should be moved. It’s that simple. A clean desktop will allow you to find what program or file folder you are looking for quickly and with little to no frustration. Your time looking at your photos or whatever should be fun, not an exercise that ends with you not finding what you are looking for in the first place.

Filed Under: Common Solutions, Software Tagged With: , ,

Wireless Network Connections

All over the United States, and the rest of the world, we often find ourselves with the option to connect our computer to a wireless connection. Some of these connections are secure and some of them are not secure. It is important to understand how to connect to these networks as well as what you are doing.

A wireless network in the home should be secured. If your network allows anyone to connect you may find that you are actually giving access to your entire network to anyone who drives by your house and decides to try and get in. This can be bad for you and your family. With increased use of home networks for banking and other financial transactions it is important to be protected. So, set up your network with a password and choose to have it secure.

When you are out on the town, it is great to bring along your laptop and connect into a network at a coffee shop or other location. When you are out it is important to know what network you are connecting to with your computer. It is easy to be in a coffee shop look at the list of possible connections and just click one. This is not a good idea. Be sure to ask at the country what the name of the network is and connect only to the network being provided by the establishment you are visiting. Often there are personal networks available and this opens you up to a possibility of a security issue.

If you don’t even know how to connect to a wireless network the basic method with a PC is to look for the wireless icon in the lower right corner of your monitor. If you don’t see it there, then you can get to network connections through the start menu. right click on the icon and select “view available wireless networks”. From here you can select the appropriate network to which you would like to connect.

Filed Under: Common Solutions, Hardware Tagged With: ,

Protecting Your Data 101

With all the ease and convenience that technology brings us, it can also be a double-edged sword. With the digitization of information comes a greater need to protect our data. There are many ways we can be vulnerable “hackers can get into our computer, jealous colleagues can snoop into our office and rifle through our files, we might get tricked into thinking we are logging into an official FileZilla Server to do FTP when it is a fake one or accidents can cause us to stare with horror at a crashing computer screen.

There are a few simple steps that you can take right now, to create a warm and happy sense of protection in your mind – and your thousands of files of data.

1. A Strong Password

To start with, make sure you have a good log in password on your computer. Don’t go for anything obvious like a name that is related to your life, but create something truly obscure.

2. Install Firewall and Anti-Virus Software

Make sure you have installed the latest firewall and anti-virus software onto your computer. It’s a simple step but keeps everything protected. While you’re doing this, also update your operating system” technology changes at the speed of light these days, and systems are constantly being updated to overcome new threats.

3. File Encryption

If you have particularly sensitive files that you don’t want other people to see, you might want to think about encrypting these documents as well as using a secure software like FileZilla to transfer them.  At a mere press of a button, you could be creating a wall that prevents most amateur snoopers from going any further.

4. Back-Up Your Files

Hackers and nasty work colleagues aside, sometimes our data is lost due to the fact that life is full of surprises – and computers can be destroyed by everything from a spilled glass of water to a flood.  Even if you are using something like File Zilla to transfer files to a secure location always back up your data by keeping a copy in an external form, and make sure you do this regularly.

You never know when disaster will strike, so aim to be the one who’s smiling when it does.

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Safe Emailing Tips

Emails are one of the most common ways that viruses, bugs and Trojans get into our computers. So it’s important that just as we would not open our front door to any old stranger “we need to use the same mentality with our inbox.

By implementing a quick checklist every time you receive an email, you can seriously reduce the threat of bugs getting into your system.

1. Who?

First of all, double check who this email has come from. Don’t be fooled by the subject of the message “which might use the name of one of your friends, for example, “Luna Jones would like to share her photos with you!” Even though you know Luna Jones, take a look at the name of the email address, if it’s unfamiliar, don’t open it.

2. When?

Have you received an email from this address before? If yes and you completely trust the recipient, then go ahead and open it. But be very cautious with the first time you receive an email from a new address.

3. What?

Does this email make sense? Or is completely out of the blue? For example, say the email address seems to be from your brother ” does the title of the message strike you as very odd? If yes, exercise caution.

Once we implement these three easy steps into your emailing life, you’ll also want to think about how YOU send emails. Do you send emails with attachments to new people, who may have never heard of you before? Chances are, they will delete your message if they see an attachment.

If you’re emailing a new person, write to them first and ask them if you can send them an attachment. If they reply and agree, then when you send that attachment they will actual open it.

So now you have it: safe ways to email, and ensure your emails are being read!

Filed Under: Common Solutions, Software Tagged With:

Protect Your Wi-Fi Network

We all love the freedom a wireless network brings, but with the convenience of being able to log online in every room – comes the dangers of hackers.

If we live in a fairly densely populated area, it’s likely that other people are already seeing our network name. Put a few measures into place, and you will immediately reduce a lot of the risks that come from such a public presence.

Change Your Network Password

It sounds obvious, but many people forget to change the password that automatically comes with their wireless device. Hackers know the pre-configured passwords for the major brands, so make sure you create a rock-solid password from the get go.

Where Is Your Antenna?

Have a good think about where your antenna is placed. If it’s right next to a window, then be aware that the glass is not blocking the signal but letting it stream out. Move your antenna to a space in the middle of your house, and try to aim it so that the signal only covers the necessary area.

WEB

Make sure the wireless encryption protocol (WEB) on your device is switched on. It’s not a foolproof security measure, but it will certainly help in providing another barrier for curious snoopers.

SSID

Turning off the broadcasting function of the service set identifier (SSID) on your device is also recommended, although equally it is not an infallible method. Turning off the SSID will basically stop casual snoopers from seeing the presence of your wireless network – but for pro hackers, they will be still able to know about your presence.

Use Access Lists

Finally, you can set your wireless device to choose which machines are allowed to attach to an access point. This will prevent new machines from entering the equation.

These are simple measures to put into place, but they will do you the world of good when they stop a hacker from going any further.

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Gaming Safety Tips for Parents To Be Aware Of

Parents have always had to worry about their kids as they set out on adventures. Nowadays your kid may not be heading out in the afternoons, but staying in their room and gaming online – that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to worry about.

Online games are breeding grounds for potential risks, so make sure you sit down with your kid and go through some essential tips to keeping them safe.

Prior to Playing

Make sure their computers are prepared with a firewall, anti-spyware and anti-virus software. Suggest that your kid logs on with a rock-solid password” go for 14 characters, and mix in letters, numbers and symbols.

In the Game

Just as you would tell your kid to beware of strangers, they need to move with the same awareness online. Tell them to learn how to report or block another player if they are acting strangely, and not engage with this player. Also, stress that if they are encountering a problematic or suspicious person to come and tell you or another responsible adult.

Who Are They?

When gaming online, tell your child to sustain a fictional identity. They should keep their username vague, and not reveal where they live, how old they are or their gender. Equally, they should use an avatar and not a real photo. The key here is disguise.

Keep Good Judgment

Finally, urge them to keep a sense of judgment. They shouldn’t accept downloads from other players, even if it seemingly will help them cheat through a game, as these files could be hiding malicious programs. Equally, tell them to not ever agree to meet a fellow mysterious gamer in the real world.

By sustaining a strong line between their real lives and online lives, your kid will be well protected and ready to navigate the virtual world.

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How To Properly Delete Files

Sometimes we want to sell our computer or perhaps recycle our hard drive, but how do we know that we’ve properly deleted all of our sensitive files? We delete things from our computers all the time, we go to the file menu and press delete, and then we empty the trash.

But have our files really been deleted?

The way computers function is they take the files from the trash folder and rewrite over them, so the traces of your sensitive files are still there, long after you’ve emptied the recycle bin. Here is how you can be sure you have deleted the supremely sensitive stuff:

Go to the file menu and select “Secure Empty Trash”, which will give you a box asking if you are sure. Normally, when we delete files they just get stored and later are written over and used again. But if we really want to get rid of a file, is secure delete secure enough?

We can go to the Finder menu and select “Utilities”. When we open the “Disc Utilities” application, on the left are all the drives that are available. Select the drive you want to delete and select the “Erase” button in the right. You will then be given a range of ways you can delete your files, you can choose the one you feel would be most suitable. You can also erase the”Free Space” part of your computer, which covers all those files you put into the trash.

Having taken these steps, you can now rest assured that no person in the future will be able to retrieve your personal information and files. Just like we have to beware of how we throw out our personal documents in the real trash bags of our lives, we need to be equally alert with our digital trash. Now go and clean!

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