Getting  Along With Your Computer Column Archive

Happy Computing in 2008!
By Cate Eales
Appeared January 3, 2008 on castanet.net

How was your 2007 computing experience? Were you plagued by problems? Did you have to decide whether to replace (or upgrade) hardware, software, or even your operating system?

I'd like everyone's computing experience in 2008 to be trouble-free. To start the new year off right, I've got some tips about coping with Vista,keeping track of your network settings, and protecting any Windows computer. Better still, we're offering a 10% discount to old and new customers through January 31, 2008. Just mention this column when you contact us.


Change is good...once it's over.
Transitioning to Vista is...interesting. It's just different, and depending on how your system is configured, Vista can be slower than you're used to.

If you are trying to speed up Vista by removing programs you don't need, you might already have figured out that the familiar "Add or Remove Programs" icon is missing from the Control Panel. Here's how you get there now:

Official instructions here.

Last year I had several opportunities to set up, speed up, and transfer files to Vista computers. A sort of bonus is that I do that work at my client's home or office, and they can be as involved in the process as they like. Some people want to learn how to do things and others just want me to take care of it. Quietly. While they are in the other room. I can work either way!


It's easy to set up a home network, right?
Setting up a home network is a lot easier than trying to fix one if the customer doesn't know the logons and passwords!

Do yourself a favour. When you set up your network, document the router login and password, and the wireless password and encryption type. Even if you never intend to add another computer to your network or change a password, you should have a record of everything against the day when something breaks.

An easy way to document the router configuration is to print each browser screen once the router is completely set up. Write your router logon and password on one of the sheets, and keep those printouts in a safe place. If you use the Wireless Network Setup Wizard in Windows, it will let you print your wireless settings. Do it, and keep that page with the others, because someday you're really going to need it.

Computers behaving badly...and how to make them stop doing that.
Much of last year's work was figuring out what was broken and fixing it. That sounds pretty straightforward, and sometimes it is. It's pretty obvious that a computer has been infected with something...but with WHAT? Figuring that out, and then getting rid of it is the challenging part.

Besides spyware and malware, I saw problems with Blue Screen of Death stop error messages, printers that stopped printing for no apparent reason, computers that flat out refused to start up, and computers that ran so slowly that "ran" was overstating it.

Once the problem is fixed, it is just as important to prevent more problems. You've got to have solid firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware protection. I installed a lot of that, and then helped people schedule a regular disk maintenance routine. Not even all that will prevent every problem. If you don't have a regular backup routine, you're headed for trouble.

Here are my recommendations for good tools to keep your computer safe. They are free unless otherwise noted:

Here's wishing you a happy and healthy 2008! Please contact me with comments, suggestions, and questions at cate@rlis.com. Don't forget our special offer of a 10% discount through January 31, 2008. Just mention this column when you contact us.

Again, thank you to everyone who sent along questions, comments, and holiday greetings. You can always browse through the past columns here.  If you'd like to subscribe to this column by email, please visit this link.  It's easy, and free. If you'd prefer the RSS Feed, click here.

Links
Add/Remove Programs in Vista http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/be5d0190-7bdc-412e-b342-04471a2f56ca1033.mspx
ZoneAlarm Free http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list_za.jsp?dc=12bms&ctry=US&lang=en
AVG Anti-Virus http://free.grisoft.com/
CounterSpy http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Home-Home-Office/Anti-Spyware/
Windows Defender http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
SyncBack http://www.2brightsparks.com/downloads.html#freeware
Acronis True Image Home http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/
Getting Along With Your Computer Column Archives http://rlis.com/column.htm
Get Cate's column by email http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?Sub=20618
RSS Feed http://rlis.com/rlis.xml

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Cate Eales has been helping people make online computing safe, accessible and fun for over 20 years. She lives in Kelowna with her husband, Eric, and her dog, Sandy. Cate is a partner in Real Life Internet Solutions, helping individuals and small businesses with virus, spyware and malware eradication; personal computer training and management; digital image management; music transfer; and website design, hosting and management. Email Cate at cate@rlis.com with your comments, suggestions, or questions. To browse the column archives, visit the Real Life Internet Solutions website at www.rlis.com.

© Cate Eales 2008 – All Rights Reserved
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