This is the second of several posts designed to help you keep your PC uncluttered, keep its performance maximized, and keep the bad guys out.
In the first article, I spoke briefly about the 'good old days', and suggested you get to know the software tools you already have; the ones that are bundled with your Windows® Operating System (OS). The three I highlighted were Disk Cleanup, Disk Defragmenter, and Restore. In this second article, I'll be talking about a variety of third-party products you can get that are essential to safe surfing.
I want to acknowledge the feedback I received on the first post, and promise that the final article in this series will include your recommendations. Thank you.
Know what tools you can get
There may come a time, or you may have a need, for third-party titles. The list of those is way too numerous to mention, so I’ll draw from one of the textbooks I use to teach my first year Accounting students at Humber, and give you a condensed list of a few of the most valuable types of utilities:
Antivirus software
- You’re on the Internet (or chances are you wouldn’t be reading this right now). You absolutely need antivirus software. I recall a few years ago, after installing one of the then newer versions of Norton AntiVirus™, watching the numerous pop-up windows as they informed me that a hacker or cracker (someone who wants to break into a computer for malicious purposes), or some form of malware, was trying to get in. The situation has become much worse over the years, so make sure you have antivirus software, and make sure you always allow it to do its updates. There are quite a few well-known and effective programs to protect you from viruses.
Anti-Spyware software
- It has been a few years now, but Spyware took over the turf viruses once held. What I mean is that according to many sources, Spyware represents the single largest online threat we now face. Does getting an anti-Spyware program mean you have redundant protection? Not at all. Spyware and viruses are different kinds of threats, though there is some overlap here. I suggest, and this is true for many other software titles, that you ‘try before you buy’. Webroot has one of the most consistently highly-rated programs on the block, and over the past year or so, has included antivirus protection. (Many other suppliers/vendors have gone that same route). You may also want to check out AVG; it also has one of the more highly-rated collections of programs to keep your surfing safe. (In a pinch? AVG also has a free version, but it only covers virus protection).
Backup system
- Virtual assistants have clients, and in many cases, access to client data that they may store on their computers. And of course, we have tons of our own files that are important to us. I’m certain you do too! Backing up files can be as simple as copying them to a USB, or burning them to a CD or DVD. More comprehensive (not necessarily more complex) approaches include a regular backup schedule, and perhaps a dedicated backup system. Such systems may include the software, and/or may store your backups online (this is becoming increasingly popular). Windows OS does ship with a backup utility, but you may want to get something more flexible and robust. Both Delphian Virtual Assistance and enVA Solutions (website coming soon) use separate, dedicated 500 GB external hard drives that come with pretty good software.
Firewalls
- These come as both hardware and software solutions. An example of a hardware solution is a router. Perhaps you use a router in your home network? Software-based firewalls usually come ‘bundled’ with an antivirus or anti-Spyware program. Firewalls borrow on a term taken from the material world, and like their material counterparts, they stand between you and the ‘fire’. In the virtual world, they keep harm at arms length, or ideally, totally away from your computer.
Diagnostics tools
- There is a nifty set of diagnostic tools called PC-Doctor for Windows. I needed to use it recently; and I might have saved some cash in doing so. PC-Doctor has several little programs/routines that check everything from random access memory (RAM), to the hard drive, to DVD drive(s). On hearing loud whirring noises on and off for days, we thought the hard drive on the desktop was on its way out. After doing another backup—but before taking the computer into the shop—I ran diagnostics on the hard drive. Nothing wrong. Everything checked out. (No, I still don’t know about the loud whirring, but suspect it’s one of the fans).
There are a slew of other third-party utilities (things like file managers you can use in place of My Computer, programs that upload or download files to/from the Internet, tools to compress files, tools to encrypt files or e-mail, etc.). You can get many other tools, from many resources. Some utilities are completely free, some are shareware, and some are commercial. Try searching Download.com or Tucows.com (one of my all-time favourites).
The third post in this series will appear in a couple of weeks...
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