Tips from a tech (2nd edition)
Categories: Uncategorized
Working as a computer support specialist gives me the opportunity to solve many different problems. From time to time there are problems that cannot be solved. Other serious problems could range from destroying a computer to losing data, however if precautions are taken, these specific problems could be avoided.
One of the biggest problems I see on a regular basis is malware. There are many different ways that you can get malware including the following: searching for and installing free software that includes sketchy programs, updating existing software without removing additional programs from the installer, searching for free music or images, and opening attachments from unknown sources. These are just the tip of the metaphorical iceberg when it comes to getting malware. A lot of people believe that their antivirus program will keep them safe, however in most cases it will not be able to remove all if any of the malware. The best way to get rid of malware is to avoid it altogether. When installing updates, make sure that you remove any other programs that the update may try to install. When looking for free stuff online be very careful. In general follow the saying, “if something is too good to be true, then it generally is too good to be true.” If you are downloading a program, do research before installing it to see if it is malware or if it is a good program.
Flash drives are one of the most useful tools when it comes to transferring data from one computer to another. They are extremely portable and they can hold an incredible amount of data. However that can also be a huge problem. Because they are so small and portable, they are very easy to lose. There also is the possibility of the drive being damaged and no longer working. This makes it very important to back up the data on your flash drive. This doesn’t have to be an elaborate backup system, simply create a folder on your computer and copy all your contents from your flash drive to that folder every once in a while.
All computers, desktops and laptops, can have problems with heat. If a computer does not have adequate air flow, it can get hot enough to melt the solder off of the motherboard (solder melts at 183°C or 361°F.) If you have a desk with an enclosed PC compartment, make sure that there is a way for air to move through it. If you open the door to the compartment and feel a lot of heat coming out, that is a bad sign and you should reconsider where your computer is located or find a way to increase the air flow. It is easier to tell when a laptop is getting hot because the bottom of the laptop will start to warm up. It is fairly normal for laptops to get warm when you are using them. What you should never do is put the laptop on top of a pillow or anything that will block the vents on the bottom of the laptop. If the laptop is running too hot for you to hold, you should consider getting a cooling pad (sometimes called a chill pad.) This will give the laptop a flat surface to rest on and also help cool the laptop by blowing air into the vents on the bottom of the laptop.