Hello everyone. After the great success of last weeks Tech Support for Kossacks diary, this will be the first in a series of ongoing diaries about how you can keep your computer running smoothly. The first topic we are going to cover is probably the most important: How to keep your computer clear of any malware. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, malware is software that is installed on your computer that only serves a malicious purpose. This includes viruses, spyware, adware, and keyloggers for example. Some of them can be pretty benign, while others can be downright destructive. Follow me below the fold, and we'll tell you what steps you can take to prevent these from showing up on your computer.
First thing you'll need is protection. You'll need a good anti-virus program, as well as a few good anti-spyware programs. Why multiple anti-spyware programs? Well, in my personal experience, i've found not a single product that can find and remove everything. However, I've found that using a cocktail of freely available programs usually does the trick. The programs i'm going to recommend to you today are all completely free of charge, for personal use of course. I'll start with AVG Anti-Virus, which is given away free of charge by a company called Grisoft. I've used and personally recommended this product to all my clients for a couple years now. It's very light, easy to use, and it's damn good if you ask me. I'm going to skip how to use the program, since Grisoft offers a great FAQ section on their website. However, I will tell you that it is very important that you keep your virus definitions updated. AVG Anti-Virus will automatically update your definitions everyday, but it's always good to manually update before you do a scan, just to be sure. I would recommend doing a virus scan once a week, or whenever you have a problem. AVG will automatically do a scan everyday, but it's always good to manually scan once a week just to be sure.
Another piece of protection you'll need is a firewall. This will prevent unwanted computers from accessing your computer. Windows comes built in with a firewall that's pretty good, and by default should be enabled. However to be sure, goto the Control Panel. Make sure you're in classic view, and double-click "Network Connections". Right-click on what should be "Local Area Connection" and select properties. Click the "Advanced" tab on the top, and then click the "Settings" button for Windows Firewall. Make sure the option for ON is selected, and you should be good.
Now for spyware protection. I'm going to recommend the use of 3 anti-spyware programs. I've found these to be the best in my experience. First off is from Grisoft again, and it's called AVG Anti-Spyware. Once again i'm going to skip the how to, as well as with the remaining products, as all their websites have documentation, and this would turn into a novel. The second program is from Lavasoft, and is called Ad-Aware SE Personal. The third and final recommendation comes from Microsoft, and is titled Windows Defender. I would run these programs once a week, or whenever you feel that you may have a problem. Make sure you update the definition files first, then do your scan. I understand that a lot of you might disagree with my choices, and will offer your own suggestions. Thats great, i'm just offering these out as free, easy to use programs that i've had great experiences with. (If you have any troubles installing or using the programs i've suggested, use the thread below to ask questions. I'll be happy to walk you through them if you're having trouble.)
So now that you have protection, let's talk about some simple things you can do to reduce your risk of infection.
- Don't open any email attachments from anyone that you don't know. A ton of viruses are sent out through email everyday, and can appear in your mailbox disguised as picture or program. It's never a good practice to open up these attachments, because chances are they're malicious. Also, be cautious when recieving attachments from people you know. Some viruses are clever enough now where the sender doesn't even know they're sending them. One of your friends could be infected, and the virus will send out emails to everyone in their address book. If you're unsure about an attachment you got from a friend, it's never a bad practice to email them back and ask if they meant to send it.
- Be cautious about what you download. If you're unsure about something you're downloading, it's probably best not to download it. If you do download something however, always check it with your virus scanner before opening. Usually, you can just right click on the file and scan, as AVG is setup to do.
- Stay away from websites that are highly quesitonable. These include a lot of free software sites, pornographic websites, lyrics websites, and cracked software sites for example.
- Keep Windows updated. The best way of doing this, is to set automatic updates to automatically download updates and install. This is the best solution for 99% of computer users. I personally review every update, as I like to stay up to date with the updates and know what they're fixing. However for everyone else, automatically download and install is best. To do this, right click on the "My Computer" icon on your desktop and select properties. Click the "Automatic Updates" tab on the top. Click the button for the option "Automatic (Recommend)". You will be in good shape if you do that, trust me.
Even by doing all these preventative measures, and having anti-virus/spyware programs running and updated, you can still get infected. That's why it's always a great idea to keep your data backed up. Most new computers come with a cd burner, so go out and buy some cd's. Burn all your documents, pictures, or anything that's important to you. We'll go in depth in the future about ways to backup your data. If you're looking for a solution now, or have a question, feel free to ask below.
Alright, well that's my first lesson in this ongoing diary series. I hope it was informative, and I hope you take my advice. Now i'm going to open up the thread for your general tech support questions. There are a few of us who have volunteered our time to help our fellow Kossacks with their computer problems. I would like to introduce you to our volunteers so far.
Andy30tx
ktakki
CanYouBeAngryAndStillDream
cybrcamper
erevann
DISCLAIMER: We are offering our services here on a voluntary basis. We are professionals in our field, however we cannot be held responsible for any damage that may possibly happen to your computer or the data on it in the event that something goes wrong. Myself, as well as the rest of the folks volunteering, assume no responsibility for lost data or damage that may occur. We are merely offering advice, and it's always a safe bet to bring your computer to your local repair shop if you're unsure about applying the advice we may give. With that said, hit us with your best shot!