Top 10 Tips

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1.  Protection.  Install one (1) good antivirus program and several antispyware programs on your computer.  When you have more than one antivirus, they have a problem of conflicting with each other.  If you have two antivirus programs running on your computer, it will slow your system down and possibly cause lockups and false virus detection.   It's preferable to have more than one antispyware program running on your computer.  A lot of people are confused about the difference between spyware and a virus.  (See article on What is the difference between Spyware and a Virus?)    
2.  Backup.  If you own or manage a business or if you have pictures or other files on your personal computer that you don’t want to lose, you MUST  backup.  I cannot tell you how many times I have seen a customer’s hard drive fail and we could not access any of their files on the hard drive.  They lost all their pictures, music, documents, everything.  There are companies in the business of data recovery with a hefty price tag of $1000 to $2000 or more.  If you get into the habit of backing up, this problem can be prevented.  What is the best way to backup?  (See article on Methods of Backing Up Data.)    
3.  Startup Removal.  Remove unnecessary items from startup.  Explain startup.  (See article on How Do I Speed Up My Computer.)    
4.  Clean Your Computer.  Keep your computer clean and free of dust on the inside.  Your computer has fans inside to help keep it cool and when they circulate the air, the dust comes right along with it.  The dust sticks to the fans and other components inside the computer.  If you allow your fans and other components inside the computer to get caked with dust, they will fail at a much faster rate than if you keep them clean.  The dust can also prevent your computer from being cooled properly and cause it to overheat and possibly "fry" the motherboard and/or processor.  How do I keep My Computer Clean?  Click here.    
5.  Update Your Computer.  Keep your operating system up-to-date.   

 
6.  Firewall.  Make sure you have a firewall.    
7. UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply.  Backup Power Supply Protection or UPS.     
8.  Software.  Store all your software in a cool, dry place.  I cannot stress enough to store it in a place where you will not forget and can easily find.  If you're hard drive fails or crashes and you have to reinstall everything, you will need your disks.  If you purchase software that you download off the internet, pay the extra few dollars for them to ship you the CD.            
9.  Save files in one location.  When you save your files, make sure you save everything in My Documents so you can find it later and it will make backing up much easier.  In other words, when you type something that you want to save for future reference, you save it where you want it instead of the computer saving it where it wants it.  Most of the time it will save it to My Documents but not always.  If you make a habit of saving everything in My Documents, then you will save yourself time and a headache when you're looking for it later.     

10.  Google it.  What does that mean?  As long as you can access the internet and you have a question about an error or problem you’re having with your computer, go to the address bar and type in www.google.com and search for whatever error you’re getting or problem you’re having.  Keep searching until you find the correct solution for your problem.