Computer help and advise.

I have used a computers and the internet for more than 10 years, and have created this page in order to pass on my help, advise and experience.

Safety on the internet

When you go out of your house, you wouldn't leave your doors and windows open.

 It's the same with a computer. If you browse the internet without a Firewall and Anti Virus, you are inviting all the "nasties" viruses, worms and Trojans etc to be downloaded onto your computer. As a result your PC will become infected, and slow down and at worst you could lose all your work, photos, mp3's etc, You could also have your details such as passwords and bank details stolen.

So as a minimum you need to install and regularly update a Firewall and Anti Virus programme.

The vast majority of people ( including myself ) use the FREE versions.

Here are some links to Firewalls, Anti Virus software, and anti spy ware programmes. make sure you download the FREE versions. 

Download and install and do an update.

Remember update regularly.

Anti Virus

http://www.avast.com/

http://www.grisoft.com/doc/1

Firewalls

http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp

http://www.comodogroup.com/

Anti Spy ware programmes

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

http://www.safer-networking.org/

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/index.html

http://www.ccleaner.com/

Remember it is important to update these programmes on a regular basis, to get the latest virus/spy ware definitions.

If you need help, you can receive FREE help at the the PC advisor forum:

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/

You have to create a user name and password.

I can highly recommend this site, as it has got me out of a lot of problems over the years.

Backing up your documents photos etc.

We have lots of things stored on our computers from documents to photos and music files etc.

Just imagine if your computer crashed and you lost all your important work. Believe me it happens to us all.

It is very important to regularly save these items. There are a number of ways you can do this.

Get an external hard drive and save everything

 on there. Also make copies of everything on CD's or even better on DVD's.

If you have web space, you can save thing there as well. So if the worse were to happen, you can retrieve your items.