Azuli IT: Top Tips

Azuli is mainly concerned with developing databases and websites. However, we often get asked to sort out other computer problems, many of which could be avoided by taking a few precautions. They may sound tedious and boring, but they could save you no end of hassle in the long run!

IMPORTANT

If you use a computer at work, please check with your network administrator or IT support person before installing any software or changing settings on your machine.

Keeping Out the Nasties

Threats to your computer come in many shapes and forms: viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, and adware. There are several steps you can take to keep them out. Different types of threat attack your system by different routes, so you need multiple forms of defence.

Install antivirus software

and make sure you keep it up-to-date - check for updates on a daily basis if possible. You can set up your antivirus program to do this automatically. The cost of antivirus software is trivial compared to the time it can take to fix the damage done by a nasty virus. If your budget is tight, Grisoft offer a free edition of their AVG software for single home users (number of computers, rather than marital staus, I believe!). They also offer a discount for non-profit organisations. If you have several computers, look out for multiple licence deals. For instance, you can get a 2 licence pack of Norton Antivirus 2004 for not much more than the single licence version. Both Norton (Symantec) and McAfee offer a range of products to keep your computer safe; these are often available as bundles.

I recently discovered that some insurance companies are now excluding data loss caused by viruses or hackers from their policies - another good reason to take adequate precautions!

Use Windows Update

to install the latest security patches from Microsoft as they become available. You can do this manually, by going to the Windows Update site, or, in Windows 2000 and XP, go to Control Panel and enable Automatic Updates. (Microsoft recently announced that they would continue to provide Security updates for Windows 98 and ME until 2006. Windows 95 is no longer supported.)

Use a firewall

They come in both software and hardware varieties. If you have a single computer, the software option will be more cost-effective. Windows XP has its own built-in firewall; check that it's been enabled. Zone Labs ZoneAlarm is available in a basic, free edition. (I have heard that there can be problems if you have both ZoneAlarm and Norton Antivirus installed on the same computer.) For networks, it's worthwhile looking at the hardware option. Hardware firewalls are more secure because they're a separate entity in your network, and once set up they require very little attention.

Treat emails with caution

Don't open attachments from people you don't know. Don't even open attachments from people you do know, unless you're expecting them, or the covering text is sufficient to convince you that they're genuine. Anything that just says something along the lines of "Here's the information you requested" or "This is really funny" should be treated with suspicion. Many email-borne viruses claim to come from someone you know, but it could be that their machine is infected, and sending out messages without their knowledge. In fact, an email that says it comes from charlie@mychums.com might come from somewhere else entirely, so if it does turn out to contain a virus, don't be too quick to blame poor old charlie - it may not be anything to do with him at all.

Watch out for spyware and adware

Spyware monitors your online surfing and shopping habits, whilst adware presents you with targeted ads. This can be annoying, and many would consider it an invasion of privacy. More seriously, some of these programs steal your passwords. Spyware/adware can be attached to seemingly innocent and useful utilities available to download from websites. Again, software such as Ad-aware and Pest Patrol is available to protect you from these pests.

Stopping text-only pop-ups

Are you having problems with little boxes popping up, generally inviting you to visit someone's website or webcam? These boxes conatin only text, and look like ordinary Windows dialog boxes. They can appear even when you're not browsing the web (though you generally need to be connected to the internet at the time - which you almost certainly will be if you have broadband). You can put a stop to them by turning off something known as the Messenger sevice. (N.B. This is not the same thing as the MSN Messenger instant messaging service). Home users are highly unlikely to need the Messenger service, and can safely turn it off; users on business networks should consult their network administrator.

The following instructions apply to Windows 2000 and XP - I don't believe it's possible to disable the Messenger service in Windows 98.

Go to the Start menu and click on Run ...
Type services.msc and click OK. The Services window opens.
Scroll down list of Services to find one called 'Messenger'
Right click on it, and select 'Properties' from the drop-down menu
In the Startup type box, select 'Disabled'
Click OK
Close the Services window

If this doesn't work for you, please do let me know.

Getting Your Back Up

Well, I hope I'm not... but seriously, what would you do if your computer packed up or got stolen? Having a backup can make the difference between an inconvenience and a calamity. Take regular backups of important files, and keep a copy somewhere other than on your computer, preferably offsite. There are plenty of software packages available to make the whole process more straightforward.

Spring Cleaning

Defragment your hard drive

Over time, your hard disk can get quite untidy, with bits of files all over the place. This can make your computer run slower, so it's a good idea to periodically run the Disk Defragmenter program that comes with Windows to get things back in order. More recent versions of Windows also include an analyzer, which will tell you whether your disk really needs defragmenting or not.

The following are links to the Microsoft support website

In Windows 95, go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter. This will display the Disk Defragmenter dialogue box. Select the disk you want to defragment, then click OK.

Clear out temporary internet files

Whenever you browse the web with Internet Explorer, copies of the pages you've been looking at are stored on your computer, so that next time you visit a page, it will only be downloaded if it's changed since the last time you viewed it. This speeds up your internet browsing, but can also result in huge numbers of files taking up loads of space on your computer. Clearing out the temporary internet files folder helps you regain disk space. I've also noticed that when you run a full virus scan, a lot of time can be spent scanning temporary internet files, so by deleting them first, you can speed up this process, too.

How to Delete the Contents of the Temporary Internet Files Folder

Down Memory Lane

If your computer is more like a tortoise than a hare, consider adding some extra memory. You can find out how much memory is currently installed by right-clicking on the My Computer icon, then clicking on Properties. There's no hard and fast rule about how much memory you need: it depends on which version of Windows you're using, and what sort of things you typically use your computer for. An XP machine with multiple user accounts and photo editing software will need a lot more than a computer running Windows 98 and used for writing letters. You might want to seek professional advice before upgrading your memory, as there are many different types available, and it's essential that your new memory is compatible with your computer. (I'm not a memory expert, and can't offer advice on this subject!)

Broaden your Horizons

Broadband provides much faster internet access than a dial-up connection, and I've yet to meet anyone who's got it who would even contemplate going back to a dial-up connection. It also makes it much quicker to download all those essential antivirus and Windows updates, which can be quite a painful process using dial-up. If you have a network, many ISPs will allow you share a single broadband connection across the network. Do bear in mind that the more people sharing the connection at one time, the slower it will appear to each of them. Look for a package that suits your needs, rather than necessarily going for the cheapest. I'm wary about making general recommendations, but we use Nildram and have been perfectly satisfied with the service they provide.

Although you can use Windows built-in Internet Connection Sharing, this requires the computer that's connected to your broadband (ADSL) modem to be on in order for any of the other machines on the network to get internet access. A neater solution is to use a combined modem/router to share the connection. As an added bonus, some of these devices also act as a firewall.

I hope you find these tips useful. If you're thinking about setting up a database or building a website, please get in touch. I really do prefer these activities to dealing with assorted computer woes! You can phone me on 0121 415 4214, or email me at kjw@azuli.co.uk

This page was last updated on 27th May 2004