• Tips on keeping your computer Spyware/popups free
• Tips on keeping your computer Virus free
• What are the different between spyware and viruses
• Tips on detecting when your hard drive might going bad
• Tips on knowing when it is time to get a new computer?
   

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Tips on keeping your computer Spyware/popup free

Like the old saying goes "if it sounds too good to be true it probably is" Most computers get infected with spyware/popups because uses think they are getting free software of free music downloads. Nothing is free (not even on the internet). The websites that offer these downloads have to find some way of paying their bills. This is why most spyware/popups have ADs to adult rated websites or other websites that will pay webmasters money each time you click on an AD. 1. Keep away from websites that offer free downloads unless it was recommended by a reputable source. 2. Download anti-spyware/popup software such as Microsoft Defender. Most virus scanners do not protect against spyware/popups, and most anti-spyware/popup software are free. 3. Keep Microsoft Windows updated. 4. Lock Down Internet Explorer 5. If you can't lock down internet explorer, try using an alternate browser such as firefox or opera. Because these browsers does do support some of the features that spyware/popup makers use to infect your computer, you are less likely to get infected using these.

Helpful Link:
- Security at Home—Protect Your Personal Information—Watch a video and read about protecting your personal information to avoid identity theft and other kinds of fraud while surfing the Internet. Help Protect Yourself While Enjoying Online Activities—Learn how to protect yourself while still enjoying everything the Internet has to offer.

Tips on keeping your computer Virus free

1. Get a virus scanner from a reuptable supplier such as Symantec, Mcafee or AVG FREE (this virus scanner is free) 2. Keep your virus scanner updated. Yes, you have to update your virus scanner at least once every week. 3. Most viruses are transmitted via email. If you get a suspicious email even if it is from a friend, call the friend and ask if he/she sent it. It is very easy to falsify the sender of an email.

What are the different between spyware and viruses

One way to distinguish a virus from spyware is by its behavior. A virus seeks to infect a computer; to replicate; and ultimately, to infect as many computers as possible, as quickly as possible.

When you accidentally install a virus onto your computer, the malicious code that is the virus tries to find ways to use your computer to infect other computers. For example, an email-delivered virus (a worm) may search your computer's file system for your Outlook address book, and send infected email messages to contacts it finds in the address book.

Increasingly, a virus will not rely on email alone for propagation, but will try many attack vectors. These blended threats employ file sharing, telnet, FTP, IMs, or any services and programs on your computer that communicate with other computers.

Viruses seek to spread, but spyware tries to stay put, a behavior we typically associate with a parasite.

In the world of espionage, spyware is closest to a mole. A mole will avoid any activity that might blow his cover; similarly, spyware applications are often content to hide on your system. Spyware disguises itself as a legitimate application or secretly resides as one more data link library (DLL) or registry setting Joe Average User knows nothing about, so that it can collect information about you, your messaging and browsing behavior and your online preferences.

Spyware may have a heavier "footprint" on your computer than a virus: spyware will embed itself deeply into critical components of your operating system and bloat your memory with its monitoring and collection processing executables. So where virus activities are overt and sufficiently extensive in their impact to attract attention quickly, spyware activities are typically covert and their infestations are often long lasting.

Tips on detecting when your hard drive might going bad

1. Your hard drive is making a clicking sound or some other weird noise that it never made when you first receive your computer or drive.

2. Windows constantly tells you about disk error and needs to scan for errors.

3. Sometimes the computer won't start and you receive a no hard disk or no fix disk found error.

Tips on knowing when it is time to get a new computer?

So many customers ask us this question, so we decided to post it on the website. Upgrading your computer should totally be based on your needs and not when your neighbor or friend say your computer looks old and you should upgrade. Ask your self the following question: 1. Can you no longer wait for your computer to perform a task? 2. Do you always want to use new devices such a digital camera but must buy an additional part for it to work with your computer? 3. Do your find yourself repairing your computer every six months or so?