| Your laptop or desktop computer and its | | | | be sure to get rid of them is by formatting your |
| systems, however sophisticated and complex | | | | hard and reloading your operating system and |
| they may appear to be (and actually are) at face | | | | your files and programmes from the |
| value, are also susceptible to freezes, crashes, the | | | | manufacturer's CD. It is vital therefore, that you |
| BSD (the feared Blue Screen of Death) or at | | | | back up all your files on a regular basis so that |
| worst a complete and total breakdown of your | | | | they can be reloaded onto your computer if you |
| system. | | | | do indeed need to carry out a format. If you are |
| How this affects you will depend considerably | | | | storing important information it probably makes |
| upon the nature of the failure and what you were | | | | sense to back this information up - meaning |
| doing at the time of the failure. For instance, if | | | | copying it onto some portable storage medium |
| you do not store important data on your | | | | such as a CD or a USB drive or an external hard |
| computer and it has a complete breakdown whilst | | | | drive - at least once every week. That way your |
| you were engaged in nothing particularly | | | | files will be protected and capable of being |
| important, this will not be a particularly big deal for | | | | restored to your computer if you are unlucky |
| you. | | | | enough to have to carry out a complete |
| However, if you do store data on your desktop | | | | re-writing of your hard drive. The vast majority |
| or laptop computer and you have not backed up | | | | of computers have a large amount of random |
| that data, a total system breakdown could have | | | | access memory (commonly referred to as RAM) |
| the most disastrous of consequences, not only | | | | The amount of RAM will affect how quickly your |
| for your personal convenience, but also for your | | | | processes run. If you have an older desktop or |
| commercial situation. | | | | laptop computer and it is running more slowly than |
| When you relate the latter hypothesis to the fact | | | | you would like you may consider upgrading the |
| that a personal computer, whether it is a laptop | | | | amount of RAM. Memory cards can be purchased |
| or desktop, has become almost an essential for | | | | easily on the internet and you might be pleasantly |
| the vast majority of people in the world, either in | | | | surprised at the increased efficiency of your |
| the personal field or in their business and financial | | | | computer after carrying out an upgrade. |
| lives, the importance of doing everything possible | | | | The same can also be said about reducing the |
| to avoid a computer failure becomes all the more | | | | amount of data held on your hard disk. The fuller |
| palpable. | | | | this hard disk is the slower your computer is likely |
| But how do you minimize the chances of this | | | | to run. There are two basic ways to free up |
| happening? | | | | space on your hard drive. The first of these is |
| The first and absolute rule is to make sure that | | | | simply to uninstall any unnecessary or unused |
| your computer is not vulnerable to attack from | | | | programmes that you have stored there. This |
| outside parties. There are literally millions of | | | | can free up lots of hard disk space, particularly if |
| infections that can invade your operating system | | | | you are uninstalling large programmes. The second |
| and your hard drives that can, quite literally, | | | | way is to defragment your hard drive. This |
| disable your computers. All kinds of virus, malware | | | | process collects the files on your computer that |
| and spyware is out there waiting to slip inside the | | | | have become fragmented and re-organises then |
| computer's defences, if there is even a small | | | | tidily, thus saving space and also causing the |
| trace of vulnerability. Trojan horse, keyloggers | | | | programmes to run more efficiently. If you find |
| and a variety of other infections can not only | | | | that you still have simply too much stored on |
| make your computer stop operating as it should | | | | your computer you might try to move |
| do, or altogether, in some cases. They can also | | | | photographs and other heavy space using files, |
| steal valuable files and dishonestly obtain sensitive | | | | such as media files onto an external hard drive. |
| stored There are numerous types of infections | | | | This can also free up lots of space. |
| out there. An up to date protection system is | | | | The final option is to buy a new hard drive and |
| therefore vital if you want to preserve the | | | | install this in place of your old one. This is an |
| safety of your computer and the information | | | | option, which, unlike the upgrading of your RAM, is |
| stored on it. Antivirus protection and anti-malware | | | | likely to require the help of a computer engineer. |
| and anti-spyware programmes are all available, | | | | You might also want to look at the number of |
| often at no cost. These can ensure that your | | | | programmes that automatically start up when |
| laptop or desktop continues to work and safely | | | | you turn on your computer. When you download |
| store your information. The best way of | | | | or add certain programmes they write |
| accessing these protection programmes is by | | | | themselves to start up every time your |
| checking out computer review sites on the | | | | computer switches on. This can cause a long wait |
| internet. There you will be able to share advice | | | | for all of these programmes to load. |
| from other computer enthusiasts about the best | | | | The more of these you remove at start up the |
| deals available to you. Whatever you do, and | | | | quicker your computer will be in loading. |
| however you do it, make sure that you get your | | | | Finally, you might with to consider cleaning up your |
| computer protected. It is the single most | | | | registry entries so that unnecessary entries are |
| important thing to do. | | | | removed. It is advisable to be very careful when |
| Of course, it is possible that you will become | | | | doing this and it is probably best not to try it at all |
| infected with a virus, even with the best of | | | | unless you know what you are doing because you |
| protection. In that case there are tools that can | | | | may disable your computer altogether. However, |
| be employed to eradicate the infection or you can | | | | if you do know what you are doing, tidying up the |
| get online advice about how to eliminate the | | | | registry can have a very positive impact on the |
| threat manually. Modern operating systems such | | | | performance of your computer. |
| as Windows also provides a system restore | | | | Conclusion |
| programme, which will put your system back into | | | | In summary, there are several ways that you |
| the shape it was in before the computer was | | | | can enhance the performance of your computer. |
| infected. | | | | There are also ways of cleaning up your |
| However, not all viruses will be eliminated by using | | | | computer if it becomes affected by an infection. |
| system restore in this way, so a total clean up is | | | | However the best advice that anyone could give |
| usually necessary. Sadly, some viruses are so | | | | is that it better to be safe than sorry. So protect |
| stubborn or so skilful in hiding themselves within | | | | your computer from these threats at all times. |
| your computer that the only way that you can | | | | |