1. Q: What can I do to help maintain my computer system?
A: Perform a disk clean up to remove any temporary files on the
machine. Also run disk defragmentation on the machine on a
monthly basis. Do not compress any files. Disk compression can
create more headaches than it helps.
2. Q: What is spyware?
A: Spyware tracks your every movement on the
internet and reports
back to the spyware originator. The report contains information
such as the websites that you visit, shopping tendency, etc.
Spyware is
information attached to your computer in the form of
cookies, software,
registry keys, etc. Some spyware is from
software that you download. Others are
attached to
your computer by surfing their websites. The information
obtained from spyware is used
by the spyware originator to send
spam and ad popups to your computer.
3. Q: What software is the best for detecting and removing spyware
from my computer?
A: The best software I have found for detecting and removing
spyware is Spybot: Search and Destroy. It is avalable for free
download.
4. Q: What are some ways I can protect myself from viruses?
A: Install a good Antivirus software on your computer.
Run Live Update feature on your antivirus every two weeks to
check
for updates. Anitvirus software is useless if Live Update
is
not performed. Run Windows Update every couple of weeks
to check for security updates from Microsoft. Security updates
include important patches to your operating system to protect
your computer from viruses and hackers.
5. Q: What
can I do to protect my computer from hackers when using
a high speed internet connection?
A: Install a hardware or software firewall. A hardware firewall is
great for those with a network that are sharing an internet
connection. A software firewall is a piece of software that is
installed
on your machine. An excellent Hardware firewall is a
D-Link DI-604 for a
small network. An excellent software
firewall is Norton Internet
Security's firewall. The cost of the
two of these are around $60 each.