Nick Lyustiger, Basic Computer Maintenance

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Nick Lyustiger, Basic Computer Maintenance



One of the most common questions computer users ask is, "How do I maintain
my computer and keep it running great?" A computer is a lot like a car... it
costs more than you think it should, it starts going down in value as soon
as you bring it home and it requires regular maintenance to keep it running
smoothly. Here are a few basic guidelines required to help keep your PC out
of the shop:

Always use a surge protector! Power surges, spikes, lightning and brown-outs
are all things that can literally burn up your computer & its peripherals.
Save yourself lots of money in repairs by buying a decent surge protector
(AKA power strip) for your computer and use it. A UPS (uninterruptible power
supply), though slightly more expensive, is even better. Also, realize that
these power strips can only take so much... once they get hit with a large
spike of voltage, they can lose their protective capabilities. If yours is
over 3 years old, consider a replacement.

Always use up-to-date virus protection! Everyone should know about this by
now, but we often see computers with either no virus protection at all, or
anti-virus software that's badly out-of-date. Nothing can wreck your
computer faster than a virus (except for maybe electricity, like we
mentioned above), but with a small investment in good anti-virus software
and making sure you set it to update itself daily, you can easily protect
your computer and your critical data from being trashed. Norton & McAfee are
the most popular brands, but there are others... some are even free for
personal use. Here are some links you can visit for more information:

McAfee Anti-virus - http://us.mcafee.com/

Norton Anti-virus - http://www.symantec.com/nav/nav_9xnt/

AVG Free Anti-Virus (for home users only) -
http://www.grisoft.com/doc/40/lng/ww

Be careful what you install on your computer! This is another thing many
people overlook. Installing lots of programs on your computer is a lot like
putting a bunch of rowdy children together on a playground... some of them
may not play well together. A good rule of thumb is "if you don't need,
don't install it". This is especially true when you surf the web. You will
likely get bombarded with pop-up ads trying to get you to install all kinds
of free utilities they claim your computer can't live without... most of
these are spyware, adware and junk. These little programs can slow down your
system, collect personal information without your permission and sometimes
even cause your computer to crash. Rather than pay a technician to clean up
your computer when it's a mess, it's a better idea to keep it clean from the
start.

For a more detailed list of computer maintenance tips, you can download this
free PDF file from our website (free Adobe Reader required for viewing):

Home Computer Maintenance Guide -
http://www.eternitek.com/bin/PC_Maintenance.pdf

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Donnie Schexnayder is a ministry technology expert. He holds industry
certifications from Microsoft and CompTIA and has over 10 years experience
in supporting churches and Christian ministries with technology. With a
mixture of passion and expertise, Donnie helps ministries advance their
mission of bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth by
using cutting-edge technology. Donnie lives with his wife and 2 children in
Colorado Springs, CO.

Eternitek :: Advancing Christian Ministries Through Technology