#1 – Summer Computer Travel
Holiday travelers should be on
alert when arriving home from long weekends, such as the Fourth of July, a
popular time for computer viruses to spread.
Most computer users have a tendency
to turn off their computers when away on trips, which means you’re not getting
newly-released anti-virus patches or anti-spyware updates; the two most common
areas that cause computers problems. We recommend you update anti-virus and
anti-spyware scans before opening e-mail or going online after an extended
absence.
We consistently see an increase in
calls for virus related problems immediately following long weekends. Avoid the
problems altogether by updating your security software before using your
computer. For a free listing of viruses, spyware threats and trends, visit:
www.VisitingGeeks.com/downloads.htm
#2 -- Should You Leave Your
Computer Running?
One question we hear frequently is,
"Should I leave my desktop computer on or turn it off?"
There are 2 schools of thought…
Turning it on and off numerous
times during the day subjects the microcircuits to flexing and fatigue due to
change in temperatures. Over time this could lead to a break in the circuitry
and result in system failure.
Leaving the computer on all the
time puts excess wear on the mechanical components (the hard drive spindle
motor and cooling fans).
Best compromise. First user in the
morning turns it on; last user turns it off.
We leave our desktops on all the
time allowing for scheduled utility tasks to run during overnight hours. We
also restart the systems (to flush the RAM and reset the operating system) on a
regular basis and routinely remove the case covers to clean out any dust that may
have accumulated, especially around the fans and screens.
#3 -- Stop Popups!
Never click inside the window of a popup. Instead, close it by clicking
on the X in the upper right corner. Many people are fooled into installing
spyware applications by popups that promise to clean their system. If you
receive a message saying it can help, assume it’s spyware and don’t click!
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