Some Computer Maintenance Tips to Upkeep PC Security

by : Polly M Quinton

With the ever-increasing cyber crime cases, managing PC security and privacy is a huge challenge. Installing a robust antivirus isn't enough to safeguard your crucial files, data, information and other details from prying eyes. Go through the article to learn some important computer maintenance tips that can help you avoid computer hardware damages and security flaws.


Most tech geeks claim that following some basic factors to ensure complete security of your computers, networks, and user accounts isn't enough avoid greater threats. Viruses, malware, Trojans, worms, rootkits and other malicious codes may make numerous attempts to enter into your device and damage PC components to an irreparable extent. Sometimes, you might feel dishearten when you observe that your device gets hacked or attacked by a serious malware, even after installing the best antivirus solution. Have you ever thought that why it is happening? What are the security loopholes that allow such infections to enter your device? Are you aware of the PC guru tips on how to clean a computer? If no, then you must be one of those PC users who think that installing antivirus or antispyware is enough to manage the security of their devices.

If you want to adopt some expert tips to manage your device's security, then simply practice some of the following tips:


1.       Back Up Your Data
Backing up your files is one of the most essential and crucial maintenance tips that help you to stay protected against the dangerous results of computer infections. Backing up your sensitive, and crucial files regularly will defend you in the event of a computer crash or electrical surge. The practice doesn't let you lose any of the important projects and files, even if the PC denies to respond or boot due to a serious virus attack. You can also avoid some of the major computer hardware damages and also thus fight against leading threats by encrypting and backing up your sensitive data. Transfer your important documents to an external hard disk drive or you can also use online cloud storage platforms to store your data and access it anytime, anywhere.

2.       Check Your Firewall
Checking your security firewall doesn't seem helpful to an average user, but a PC guru always recommends doing that to ensure optimal safety of the device. Windows-based users can simply go to Control Panel >  type ‘firewall' in the search box to check whether their firewall is ‘on' or ‘connected' to ensure complete safety of their device. Mac PC users can click the Apple icon, go to System Preferences > Security > Firewall, to keep cyber criminals out of their device's environment. Additionally, you can also disable file and media sharing in case you don't want to make your files visible to other users or machines.

3.       Never Access Rogue Websites
Spotting, judging or controlling a rogue website can be difficult, but there are some features that can help you check the trust factor and reliability of the website. A green lock in the address bar, the ‘https://' code prefix at the beginning of the URL and professional looking websites are ideal for banking, accessing emails or doing shopping online. Innocent users will have to pay extra attention while shopping through an online website, shipping items from overseas, and while dealing with emails that carry web links.

4.       Avoid Lucrative Deals That are too Good to be True
Who doesn't like discounts and offer? But unrealistic offers and lucrative deals can be hacker's trick to fetch sensitive information and other details from innocent users. Deals offering 20% or 30% off on off-season items can be true, but 90% off on "The Beatles Collection" CD is a complete knock off. Users should avoid such deals and offers that promise fake discounts as they can be potential malware that can damage your computer hardware or software components. Additionally, avoid clicking the link, tabs and deals you've availed along with applying some computer maintenance tips to avoid data or financial loss.

5.       Never Provide Sensitive Information
One of the best features of PC maintenance strategies is to block malicious and illegitimate websites by setting up strong parental control. Cyber world may ask for your personal or sensitive information to plan some major frauds in the future, but you've to be extra careful while revealing the information on online platforms. PC guru recommends not revealing your social security number (SSN), address and contact details, or credit card information unless you find a website reliable.

Conclusion
Managing PC security is something that you've been dealing with for quite a long time, but malware authors will make numerous attempts to break the security walls. Most of the advanced antivirus, antispyware and antimalware solutions block and restrict the entry of such threats, but the protection isn't full-proof. It is beneficial to keep your antivirus updated and create strong passwords for your user accounts and online accounts to add extra security layer. You should also try changing your passwords on a regular basis to make your online experience truly secure and enhance your device as well as network security. You might observe that some of the websites lure customers with some amazing deals and offers to trace down your credit card information, personal details and other sensitive information. Additionally, you can avoid opening unknown emails to ensure complete safety and security of your computers, networks, user accounts and servers!


 

How to Make a Bootable Antivirus Cd

by Matthew Rizos 


How to Make a Bootable Antivirus Disc

Purpose of this document.
This document will teach you how to make a bootable anti-malware ( bootable antivirus ) cd/dvd step-by-step.  


Why Bootable Antivirus?
In a bootable environment we are running a stripped down version of windows in a ram disk (programs are loaded directly into ram), thus the hard drive on the PC is treated as attached storage (like a flash drive). In this state malware (malware consists of viruses, trojans, spyware, adware, rootkits, etc) is helpless and totally at your mercy. This is the best free way to remove any piece of malware with a 100% success rate.

Steps:
Please follow all the steps below:


1. Go to http://ubcd4win.com/downloads.htm
 

2. Select a mirror with a green status. (like "Mirror#3" for example)
 

3. When you click on the mirror it will take you to another site where the download will be available.
 

4. Click the download link for Ultimate Boot CD and save the download to wherever you download stuff.
 

5. Once the installer has been downloaded double click it.
 

6. Choose your language
 

7. Click next about 3 more times and select the file path where you would like to install ultimate boot cd 4 win. Please note that you should have a drive with at least 5-10 gb of free space to allow for future plugin growth. I will choose C:UBCD4Win. The install should take a few minutes.
 

8. Click Yes to the MD5 Hash Check. The install will continue once the hash check succeeds.
 

9. Click Yes to see if a patch file exists.
 

10. Click the checkbox to launch ubcd4winbuilder.exe.


11. Click the "i agree" button.
 

12. Click "NO" to searching for windows files.
 

13. Obtain a windows xp operating system disc w/SP2.
 

14. Explore the disc and copy the entire content (all the folders and files on the windows xp cd) to any location on your computer. You should allocate at least 700 MB of free space for the windows xp disc.
 

15. Open UBCD4win (if it's not already open). Click Source browse button (3 dots ...) and browse to your i386 folder. My path was C:WindowsXPcd for example.
 

16. Next go to the media output section and choose a spot for your ISO image to be created. This ISO can be burned with almost any burning software. Once the ISO is burned it will be bootable.
 

17. Next, click the plugins button. Don't be too overwhelmed here, actually you should be very happy! Look at all those plugins!
 

18. Now it's time to update our anti-malware software packages.
 

19. The first one I have on my list is a-squared free anti-spyware. Click that line and then click the config button. A command prompt will automatically open and start downloading the latest updates for that program...totally awesome, isn't it!
 

20. So, now you need to update all the anti-malware programs in our plugin list. Click each one and then hit the config button.
 

21. After you're done configing/updating your plugins click the close button.
 

22. Next, click Build.
 

23. Click yes to create a directory and then click i agree.
 

24. At this point your ISO is created and is ready to be burned.

This concludes the How to Make a Bootable Antivirus CD tutorial.
 
 

Types of Computer Hardware

by Isabella Rodrigues

Computer hardware is a physical part of a computer that executes within the hardware. It is unlike computer software or data that can be frequently changed, modified or erased on a computer. Computer hardware is not frequently changed and so is stored in hardware devices such as read only memory (ROM) where it is not readily changed.  


Most computer hardware is embedded and so is not visible to normal users. Below are the different types of hardware's found in a computer.

Ø Motherboard: It is the central or primary circuit board making up a complex electronic system such as a computer. A motherboard is also known as a main board, logic board or system board.

Ø Central processing Unit: A CPU is the main component of a digital computer that interprets instructions and process data in computer programs.

Ø Random Access Memory: A RAM allows the stored data to be accessed in any order. RAM is considered as the main memory of the computer where the working area is used for displaying and manipulating data.

Ø Basic Input Output System: BIOS prepares the software programs to load, execute and control the computer.

Ø Power Supply: Power Supply supplies electrical energy to an output load or group of loads.

Ø Video Display Controller: It converts the logical representation of visual information into a signal that can be used as input for a display medium.

Ø Computer Bus: It is used to transfer data or power between computer components inside a computer or between computers.

Ø CD-ROM drive: It contains data accessible by a computer

Ø Floppy disk: It is a data storage device

Ø Zip Drive: It is a medium capacity removable disk storage system.

Ø Hard Disk: It is a non-volatile data storage system that stores data on a magnetic surface layered unto hard disk platters.