10 Simple Computer Maintenance Tips For The Laptop

Transcription

1 Greenspring Computer Club April 2015

2 No matter how savvy you are, there are certain things every one of us has to deal with when using a computer and we don t always deal with them in the most efficient ways. Here are 10 things that everyone can (and should) learn to keep their computer fast, safe, and easy-to-use.

3 10. Uncheck boxes before you install Lots of helpful apps out there but. You need to watch out Installers are pushy Whoever they are think you need the extras Another thing added to your PC Start Menu Browser Tool Bar

4 10. Uncheck boxes before Desktop Icon you install Notification Menu Starts up when you turn on your computer Bundled with app Make $$ for the app developer Smell the roses UNCHECK THE BOXES Bob Gostischa recommends Unchecky

5 10. Uncheck boxes before you install

6 10. Click on the Correct Download Button

7 10. Click on the Correct Download Button

8 10. Click on the Correct Download Button

9 9. Utilities What are your favorites? CCleaner Malwarebytes Photo Razor FileHippo Update Checker Do Not Track System Information for Windows - SIW

10 9. Utilities ShieldsUp! Goo.gl shorten your URL Bitly.com shorten your URL NitroPDF Free Reader PDF to Word PDF Online

11 8. Set up a Backup System Why backup? Hard drives don t last forever Don t think -- it won t happen to me Your hard drive really can crash All your irreplaceable photos, videos, documents are gone

12 8. Set up a Backup System Data is most important part of your computer Can re-install operating system & applications Can t re-create photos, videos, documents.

13 8. Set up a Backup System Where do you back up? External Hard Drive Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1

14 8. Set up a Backup System Acronis EaseUS Free / Pay What do you use to back up your data and/or system?

15 8. Set up a Backup System Online = The Cloud Microsoft s OneDrive 15 GB free 100 GB $25/year 200 GB $45/year 1 TB $85/year includes Microsoft 365

16 8. Set up a Backup System Google Drive 15 GB free 100 GB $25/year 1 TB $120/year idrive.com 5 GB free Special $ st year $45/year = 1 TB

17 8. Set up a Backup System CrashPlan Free to other computers External HD What is your back up plan?

18 7. Create a Restore Point What is a Restore Point? Puts computer back to a time when it worked without losing personal files Something everyone should do before they Let other people use their computer Download software Do Preventive Maintenance

19 7. Create a Restore Point Do you want to Refresh your computer? Keeps your data Or Restore it? Out-of-the-box $150+ tech time

20 7. Create a Restore Point

21 7. Create a System Repair Disk Computer won t start or starts with significant problems? System Repair Disk is designed to let you boot up Windows even if nothing else works It won t reformat your computer or reinstall your OS It just helps you get to the built-in recovery tools

22 7. Create a System Repair Disk Control Panel / Backup & Restore / Create a system repair disc Just follow the instructions

23 6. Update Your Software Critical Microsoft s Patch Tuesday Automatically download Updates Windows / Office Suite Don t forget to.. Install them!

24 6. Update Your Software

25 6. Update Your Software Notification Area yellow flag

26 6. Update Your Software Open Action Center

27 6. Update Your Software Update other programs

28 Java 6. Update Your Software Recommend uninstall Adobe Flash Never install update from a pop-up Adobe PDF Reader Recommend Nitro PDF Reader Free

29 5. Optimize Startup Disable selected programs that start up during boot process Many programs add themselves to start up during downloading Computer will start up faster Task Manager (CTRL + ALT + Delete)

30 Task Manager 5. Optimize Startup

31 CCleaner 5. Optimize Startup

32 4. Keep Your Computer Healthy Spend $$ Maintain your car Tip Top Shape Clean closet / Clean HD Use Windows processes OR Automate with CCleaner Don t forget about your Smartphone / Tablet

33 4. Keep Your Computer Healthy Windows processes Create Restore Point Check for Updates Delete Internet temp files, history, cookies.. Uninstall programs

34 4. Keep Your Computer Healthy Uninstall programs

35 4. Keep Your Computer Healthy Check HD capacity

36 4. Keep Your Computer Healthy Disk Cleanup Check the Boxes Can View Files Click OK

37 4. Keep Your Computer Healthy Error Checking Windows 7 will run when computer is turned on Check both boxes Windows 8

38 4. Keep Your Computer Healthy Defrag hard drive Have you set it up? Change settings

39 4. Keep Your Computer Healthy Defrag C:\ drive

40 4. Keep Your Computer Healthy Use CCleaner Analyze / Run

41 3. Organize Your Hard Drive Your hard drive is your computer s file cabinet Folders Categories / Subjects Contains computer documents / photos Sub-folders Pertain to main Category Contains computer documents / photos

42 3. Organize Your Hard Drive Numbers rule Folders I use daily are at the top of the list

43 3. Organize Your Hard Drive Sub-folders under 1 GO

44 3. Organize Your Hard Drive Documents - Google Organizing Your Life with Google

45 3. Organize Your Hard Drive Don t forget to organize your InBox(s)

46 2. Protect Yourself from Malware Viruses - Trojan horses worms - spyware drive by downloads - key loggers adware PUPs phishing scareware are all threats that can damage our computers Biggest security risk on any computer system is between the chair and the keyboard

47 2. Protect Yourself from Malware We ve heard this a gazillion times. Have a GOOD security program Keep it updated don t forget to pay $$ Check your Firewall (Shield s Up!) Make sure you change your router password make it STRONG

48 2. Protect Yourself from Malware Restart your computer regularly At least once a week Computer needs chance to perform regular diagnostic checks and fix minor issues before they become a problem Updates need to be installed

49 2. Protect Yourself from Malware Download(s) causing a problem? Restore Point automatically set before downloading Run System Restore to go back before downloads

50 2. Protect Yourself from Malware Set up security in your Browser Firefox Internet Explorer

51 2. Protect Yourself from Malware DoNotTrack provides users with a single, simple, choice to opt out of 3 rd party web tracking Download for each Browser you use

52 1. Passwords Strong hack-proof passwords Google URL shortener Microsoft password checker

53 1. Passwords How long does it take to crack a password? 8 upper or lower case letters = 13 minutes 9 upper or lower case letters 6 hours 8 upper/lower case letters, number(s), symbol(s) = 57 days

54 1. Passwords At least 8+ characters Alpha / 1 capital letter / 1 number / 1 symbol / punctuation Nhrb%3atpJG=8 Microsoft Password Checker

55 Use a Passphrase 1. Passwords Infamous Edward Snowdon recommends using passphrases to be more secure John Oliver interviews Snowden re passphrases - GCCmeets2ndtuesdayofmonth! Microsoft Password Checker

56 1. Passwords How do you remember all of them? 3-ring binder? Address book? Password Manager?

57 1. Passwords RoboForm automatically fills in log-in / password fields when you go to a website Free / Pay LastPass Ditto Free / Pay Dashlane - Ditto Pay

58 1. Passwords Remove identifying data from photos & other files Never use public Wi-Fi networks for banking unless you use a VPN

59 1. Passwords The year after somebody passes is one of the most vulnerable times for identity theft. It s a really terrible crime but, because death is public record, criminals comb through recently deceased records and create a fake identity. The deceased don t check so they don t get the mail.

60 1. Passwords I, personally, don t want a thief to become me and rack up a lot of charges, open new accounts, etc. and trash my identity

61 1. Passwords accounts Website domain names Online banking accounts Automatic bill pay Credit Cards Cell phone Cloud storage Photo storage Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Frequent Flyer Loyalty programs Computer(s) External hard drive(s) Flash Drives And on and on

62 1. Passwords Designate a digital executor in your will, living trust, etc. Password program? Log-in / Password list on an encrypted flash drive? Although we are told not to give our master password to anyone, you can give your master password to that person, put it in a lock box, etc. for when it is needed.

63 Post-Meeting Discussion What are some of your favorite utilities? How many are backing up their data? Where are you backing up? Which program are you using? Who has a regular preventive maintenance routine? Who is using a Password program? Which one?

64 Questions?

65 Resources Acronis Bit.ly CCleaner CrashPlan Dashlane - DoNotTrackMe

66 Resources DoNotTrackMe EaseUS FileHippo Google URL Shortener goo.gl Google Drive - idrive -

67 Resources LastPass Malwarebytes Microsoft Password Checker - Microsoft s OneDrive Nitro PDF Free PDF Reader -

68 Resources PDF Online PhotoRazor ShieldsUp! SIW Unchecky