Pc user tips

Here are the things you need to do to keep your PC free from all the virus attacks and irritating errors:

1] INSTALL ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE:
The FIRST and FOREMOST thing you need to do is to install anti-virus software. Anti-virus software is your best friend when it comes to fighting viruses! It not only detects the virus but also prevents it from damaging your system. All you need to do is install the updates available on the anti-virus company’s site regularly and it will do its job. Anti-virus software includes paid ones like McAfee, Norton, Kaspersky etc and free ones like AVG and FIRE.

2] INSTALL FIREWALL!
Are you a regular net surfer? Are you unsure of visiting unknown sites for the fear of infecting your PC with a virus? Then a firewall is the perfect remedy for your fears. A firewall, in simple words, blocks unwanted content and protects your PC. In view of the recent worms which spread through networks, a firewall is extremely essential. If you are using Windows XP, then a firewall comes built in. Otherwise, using ZoneAlarm Pro is a good and safe alternative.

3] DONT OPEN UNKNOWN MAIL?
The GOLDEN RULE now-a-days is,” DON’T OPEN THAT ATTACHMENT”. Millions and millions of Pc’s and a large number of networks get affected due to ignorant people opening attachments from unknown mail ids. You can easily identify culprit mails if you observe closely. Most probably such mails contain attachments offering free passwords or free software. Also be careful not to download and open any attachment with the .pif extension. A new variant of a known virus may even cause damage to the system in spite of anti-virus software installed.

4] INSTALL SERVICE PACKS
Now-a-days, virus writers are targeting different areas of an operating system like Windows XP to spread their worms more quickly. For this reason, the companies release service packs to update the operating system so that the customers don’t suffer. But, NEVER ignore such security updates. Keep visiting the company’s site to be aware of such updates and to install them regularly. Microsoft has recently released SP2 for Windows XP. All readers using Windows XP are recommended to install this service pack from Microsoft.com or else order a FREE CD offered by Microsoft on their site.

5] NEVER VISIT DOUBTFUL SITES
Even if you have anti-virus software and firewall installed, avoid visiting doubtful sites or unusual sites. Such sites offer people free offers, free software and other such things. Innocent and ignorant surfers fall to their trap and in turn help in spreading the
worms.

6] DE-FRAGMENT & SCAN YOUR HARD DISK
One step that you can take for ensuring effective computing is de-fragmenting your hard disk. This feature is available in all popular operating systems and should be used atleast once every month. De-fragmenting basically re-organizes your files properly for quick access and better hard disk utilization. After you finish with this, Scan your drives completely


7] NEVER GIVE YOUR PASSWORDS
Many people get influenced by others and give their passwords and other sensitive info to such people. These people may be spammers or virus writers who may spread viruses using your mail ids and may get you in trouble. So, NEVER give out your passwords especially in Instant Messenger (IM) Conversations. This can be dangerous not only to you but also to others.


8] AVOID SIGNING UP ON UNRELIABLE SITES
Often, people sign up with their mail ids on sites which offer certain freebies or adult content. These sites are nothing but sources for the spammers who spam your mail id and fill it with unwanted mails. Spamming causes a great loss to e-mail service providers and can prove fatal.