Over 6-Years later... same stuff different year

So it has been quite some time since my last blog post. I'm not sure why I got out of doing them.  Before I get started, if you filed your taxes online and have a copy of the return on your computer, you shouldn't.  Buy a flash drive and store it on there and keep it somewhere safe.  Not plugged in to the computer unless you need to review it.  It's basically your identity.  Here we go...

Same stuff different year

It's funny how some things with computers never really change.  People are still getting viruses, but a lot of us are calling it malware, or the other way around.  Hard drives are still unreliable and fail on a regular basis and most of us don't have a solid backup solution.  Scammers are still scamming.

Here's what you need to keep your computer safe, protected and speedy in 2016.

Don't believe everything you read.  I see a ton of computers come through my shop with goofy software installed on them.  Sometimes people even buy this junk in retail stores.  It's not all bad stuff, but do your homework before buying/downloading/installing any software that claims to fix, improve or otherwise manipulate your computer.

• Backup, Backup, Backup - OH MY GOD. Seriously. BACKUP your stuff.  Save to google drive, or Microsoft OneDrive, or Box, or seriously pick one.  If you're afraid of the cloud, buy some backup software or use the built-in software that comes with windows.  You're going to need an external hard drive too.  I recommend something at least three times as big as what you're currently using, or twice the size of the entire drive.  Failed hard drives are the #2 most common reason for computer repairs in my shop.  Occasionally I can sacrifice your files, more often than not, I can't.  There's some companies out there that charge over $1,000 for data recovery.  Don't put yourself in that position.

• Malwarebytes Premium - This is what I'm calling a next-gen antivirus.  I know there's lots of IT people that want to argue the difference between viruses and malware; the fact is they're both software we don't want.  The premium edition is a yearly fee, but it's worth it.
• CCleaner Free - (CrapCleaner) You should run this software before running a full virus/malware scan.  It will remove temporary files and internet caches and greatly improve the overall speed of the scan.  Be careful removing things like cookies, they're not really that bad of a thing.  Removing cookies can reset your personal settings on pages like weather and news sites.  It's up to you.
• AVG Performance (Tune-Up Utilities) - This program used to be a lot smoother before AVG bought them.  Overall, it's a pretty decent piece of software.  I would recommend you check out the trial edition before making the purchase.  It does system optimization and I feel it does a pretty good job.  I don't really trust any other program to 'clean' my registry, this one has never failed me. 

One more thing.  Microsoft or any other "support" company is not going to call you and fix your virus.  Hang-up the phone.  The foreign prince/princess is also not going to send you money.  Delete the e-mail.

Keep Calm and Computer On.