Top 10 Things People Do to Mess Up Their Computers
Similar to the way people feel about
their cars, computers are often a black box which they pretty much know nothing
about except how to turn it on and use it. Computers are actually pretty complex
but by following a few simple rules you shouldn't have to worry about what's
under the hood. The list below is a compilation of common mistakes that people
make which can lead to serious computer problems.
10.)
Installing Software with Reckless Abandon
Ahh, this one can be tricky. We love to download all kinds of cool little programs to our computers including 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 always a bad idea to have a blank
administrator password. Without having a password set you make it much easier
for hackers and trojan viruses to connect to your computer remotely and take
control of it. It's highly recommended 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 accidentally 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 familiar with WEP/WPA? If not, pay close attention
to this section. Many people nowadays have switched over to wireless networks
and are using either Linksys or Netgear type wireless routers 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 configuration leaves your network wide open for
anyone within about a 100-200 foot radius to connect in and surf the Internet on
your dime. Not to mention, possibly hacking your computers. Anyways, 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
provides you with another strong layer of security.
7.) Not
Shutting Down Properly
Do you always wait for your computer to fully
shutdown? Do you actually go to the Start MenuāThen Shutdown? If so, you're
better than most. Many 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 computer will gracefully shutdown and will leave
much less room for any problems.
6.) Not Defragging Your Hard
Drive
Disk Defragmenter - A simple, yet often forgotten 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's always a
good idea to do this at least once a month.
5.) Not Installing
Windows Security Updates
While many times security updates go
unforgotten, these can 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 highly recommended to download and install updates on a monthly
basis. If you don't think you'll remember, 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 very important. A good 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 anything you don't recognize. Many
Anti-Virus programs will do much of the work for you but if you're not 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 installed. There's more viruses and spyware out there than
ever before and for the $30-50 investment it's well worth the cost. Some 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 purchasing a subscription to download the updates.
2.)
Not Keeping Your Anti-Virus Updated with New Virus
Defs
Anti-Virus programs need to constantly be
updated so they can detect 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 important. 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
First and foremost, the biggest mistake that people make is not backing up their data. Most people have GB's of important data on their computers and never think twice about 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 there are numerous options for backing up data from just a basic external hard drive to online backups over the Internet. For the small cost of setting something like this up you'll be glad you did if you ever run into problems.