I need a new computer. What should I buy?

A question I often get asked is this:

I want to buy a new laptop (or, less often these days, a new desktop computer) What should I buy?

Now this question actually has to be answered differently depending on your wants and needs.

For example:

If a race car driver asks the question “what should I look for in a new car?”

The answer will be quite different than if a mum with 3 kids asks that question.

Or if a single person in their twenties asks it.

Different people want or need different things.

I would also ask each person: “What is frustrating you about your present setup?”

Some people will say:

“My computer takes forever to boot up and everything is slow, I open a Word Document and it takes forever to load. All my programs lag”

Others may say:

“My email takes forever to come in, and when I’m searching the web, pages load so slowly.

Video conferencing is a nightmare, with constant freezes”

The first situation points to an older computer that may well be failing and needs replacing.

The second may simply be an internet speed issue.

First, I would first ask what internet speed they pay for from their Internet Service Provider (ISP)

Perhaps they need to look into upgrading their package to get better speed. If they were to buy a new $1000 computer but keep their old slow Internet speed they would still be frustrated.

You will always get the best speed from your internet if you can plug in an Ethernet cable directly from your router to your laptop, but many people buying a laptop want to be wireless. Some newer laptops don’t even have an Ethernet port, especially if they have a very thin profile (though it might be available using a special adapter)

Sometimes an older laptop with a less than adequate WiFi chip can be given a boost by the addition of an external USB WiFi adapter (these work best if the laptop has a USB 3 port to plug the adapter into)

Now let’s say you have a decent internet speed from your provider, and you really do need a new laptop, there is still the question of priorities. A race car driver may well need a Ferrari, a mum may need room for kids’seats, a younger single person might really want the ‘cool’ look.

 When asked for advice I will ask what you use your computer for the most.

 Do you do video editing or play modern graphics intensive video games?
You should look for good discrete (not integrated) graphics. That will cost more but will be worth it to you. If that’s not important to you why pay for it.
Do you have to carry your laptop a lot?
Thin and light may be necessary.
Are you often away from AC power for some time?
Battery life is important.
Do you need a large screen?
You will have to sacrifice light weight.

Unless money is no object you will find it hard to get all of these features in one laptop. For example, gaming laptops with powerful graphics often have very limited battery time.

Don’t buy more than you need. Your laptop won’t last forever. Don’t buy features you don’t need, just save that money for your next purchase a few years down the line.

And don’t pay a LOT more just for a feature that you could add to a less expensive laptop for less cost.

For example, if an older laptop fills the bill, except that its WiFi chip isn’t up to snuff, you may be able to add a good USB WiFi adapter and get all that you need. Don’t buy the expensive Ferrari just because it has better cup holders. Buy the cheaper Honda Civic and add your own cup holders!

So, you can see that the question “what computer should I buy?” is not so easy to answer.

And, of course, there is another huge factor:

What is your budget?

That will dictate so many things. The tighter the budget the more you need to concentrate on what you need the most and make compromises in the areas of less importance.

Occasionally buying a used or refurbished laptop that had great specs a couple of years ago CAN be a better deal than a budget brand new one with low end specs.

Getting advice from someone with computer knowledge can be invaluable, just be sure to let them know what is most important to you and be honest about your budget.

All that being said, it has been known for a laptop with really good specs to just be a lemon. That’s true of almost all product purchases. No-one can predict that. So please don’t blame your advice giver! 😊

 

How to get the most out of the Google Universe

In a previous post I discussed how Google was a giant company offering many more options than just the Google search engine which most of us are familiar with - in fact it is now a verb in our language!

However Google, as a company, has many more apps and programs that many of us use, and plenty more useful ones that some of don't know of, including:

Google Chrome (the web browser)

GMail (Google's email client

Google Maps

Google's online Office suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides etc)

Google Drive (online storage)

Google Keep (online notes)

Google Bookmarks

Google Blogger (which I use to write post on this blog)

and many more, including YouTube

Today I thought I'd let you know how all of these can work together to keep you organized and also on occasion minimize data loss, when for example you have to reinstall Windows, or even Chrome.

All you need to get started is a Google Account and password.

If you have a gmail email address you already have an account and can simply sign in with that.

Download Google Chrome browser, if you don't already have it, and sign in with your existing Gmail address and password or create a new account.

I like to set some settings right off the bat, like making my home page Google's search engine page (www.google.com, or .ca or your country preference) 

I also like to make sure the home button and and favorites bar are turned on.

 All this is done in the settings - under the 3 vertical dot menu at the top left of Chrome.

I also set the home button to point to google.com for convenience.

Once you are signed in you can access any of Google's apps from the app menu which is a 9 dot icon beside your user icon (you can add a photo or customized icon to that user icon if you like)

You can customize the apps menu and add other shortcuts - that's a whole other lesson, but know it can be done.

If you use google bookmarks to create a list of your favorite sites

and Google Keep to keep important notes 

and Google Drive to store files

and YouTube to subscribe to channels or save favorite videos...

...all of that data stays linked to your account.

so if you have to get a new computer, or use a different computer while away, simply log into your Google account and all your info is already there.

I especially like having access to my bookmarks when away from my home computer.

If more than one person shares your computer they can have a separate Chrome icon linked to their own account, and it will show their own photo or customized icon in the corner of the Chrome icon for easy identification.

This works if you don't sign out of Chrome when you close it.

Of course on a computer other than your own, be sure you DO sign out, and if you had to add your account to Chrome on another user's computer for temporary access, be sure to remove it when you no longer need it - especially on a public PC!

Basically, with a Google account you have a portal to the whole Google Universe of apps without having to have a separate user account and password for each one.

This is also how Chromebooks work.

A chromebook is an less expensive laptop alternative that doesn't store a lot of info on it's own drive. You simply use it to log in to the Google Universe of Apps online. 

For many people the Chrome Apps cover almost all of their computing needs, and for others it's just a really helpful way to keep a lot of info available wherever they are.

You can pay a fee every year to have more Google storage, for Gmail and Google Drive and so on. There are some fairly reasonable tiers to choose from. However if you only need the basics, you can get by with all the free options.

So checkout a few of the Google apps you are less familiar with and see if you find them helpful.

Windows 10 Versions - Should I upgrade?

Since the release of Windows 10 in 2015, Microsoft has introduced a major update to the Operating System every 6 months.

They are named by year and month.

1703 was introduced Spring 2017

1709 Fall 2017

1803 Spring 2018

1809 Fall 2018

And the latest so far, 1903 was introduced in May 2019 (though it was delayed for some users as there were some bugs that needed ironing out)

These are complete Operating System Updates (like installing a new version of Windows) and this doesn’t count the regular weekly or bi-weekly small updates and security updates that still happen behind the scenes as long as you have automatic Windows Updates turned on.

As a side note to that, it’s good practice to turn on your computer at least once a week, and leave it on for a couple of hours, or those updates don’t get a chance to finish. That means that when you finally do need to use your computer for a more extended time, you can be way behind in updates – and worse, your antivirus is out of date.

A Fall 2019 version has not yet been announced, as far as I am aware as of writing this, and there is talk that Microsoft is ready to change to an annual major update with a minor update possibly in between.

This new upgrade system is superior to the old system, whereby, when the Operating System was no longer supported and became insecure, like Windows XP did,  and Windows 7 will as of January 2020, the end user needed to buy a new version of Windows and go through a major overhaul.

Those people who tended to hold on to an Operating System for many years would end up using something insecure, or face a 10 year newer upgrade with HUGE changes. Many just gave up and bought a new computer with the latest version already installed, but the learning curve getting used to that new system could still be daunting to some.

Doing upgrades incrementally is easier to manage, and it will become clear when your aging computer is no longer going to be able to handle the latest update.

Of course, new and improved features are not important to all people, and many would prefer not to have to change anything, but bear in mind that these new versions also improve and tighten security, which is becoming more and more important in today’s internet connected world.

Also, incremental updates are less jarring as they don’t make too many changes all at once so it can be an easier transition.

So the short answer to the question is yes, you should upgrade, however, after a couple of these big upgrades caused unexpected issues to some users, Microsoft introduced an option in the Windows Update section to delay updates for up to 35 days – so you can wait until it’s clear there are no major bugs.

If doing these kind of big updates makes you nervous, ask someone you trust, someone with computer experience, to check your computer in Spring and Fall, and upgrade when necessary. Sometimes an upgrade requires a few “tweaks” once installed so someone in the know can make sure it’s all done properly.

For some people updates are eagerly awaited and enthusiastically embraced, for others they are a necessary evil - but it IS better to keep up to date.

Setting up a new computer

When you buy a brand new laptop or desktop computer you may be tempted to think you can simply turn it on and start using it.

Of course, technically that’s true, but generally it’s not wise.

You will get the best experience if you set it up properly, or have it set up for you, right from the start.

When I do a new computer setup it takes several hours. I charge a flat rate of $99 for the basics.

The store you buy it from will likely offer a setup service too, however you should get a clear written report of what it will entail as each service may differ.

This is what I include:

Run all windows updates 

There will have been new updates to the operating system, and new security updates, during the time that your computer left the factory and came into your hands.

Update hardware if needed

I look for any updated drivers for all the hardware in your computer, and run those updates. This is less likely in a brand new computer, more likely if you buy a used computer.

Remove all bloatware

Most PC vendors put lots of third-party, pre-loaded software on your computer. From 30-day trials of antivirus software, to casual games that you may not want to play, all of this bloatware sucks up system resources.

Install good antivirus software

At present writing I set up the built in Windows Defender plus the latest version of Malwarebytes. This comes with a 14 day trial of the Premium version with ransomware protection, among other features. This gives a user enough time to do some research or ask questions and decide if the Premium version is worth it to them.

Set up user accounts

Many people have accumulated several accounts, including but not limited to:

Microsoft Account

Google Account

Email Account(s)

Most people set up Social Media accounts themselves, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so on.

Set up email 

I can set up your email in the built in Windows 10 mail app, or your preferred email client.

Setting up an Office program

If you purchased a copy of Microsoft Office I will set that up

If you simply want to use  a free, no bells and whistles, Office suite I recommend LibreOffice, which I can download and install

Start Menu setup

I set up the Windows 10 Start menu so that it is not cluttered and has shortcuts to your most used programs.

Set up Web Browsers

I add a second Web browser, usually Google Chrome unless I get a specific request for a different browser such as Firefox. I tweak the settings in Edge and in Chrome to ensure it is set up efficiently. I usually set the home page to www.google.ca. I can also import saved bookmarks if you choose, though some people like a fresh start.

Advice about your Programs

You may have programs that you have always relied on on your old PC,  but be aware that if it has been some time since you purchased a new computer, and if the programs you are used to using are old, and have never been replaced with updated versions, you may find many simply don’t work on your new updated Windows 10 PC.

I can advise which ones will not work, and which ones you may need to replace (sometimes at a cost) with newer versions.

External Devices

If you have external devices; printer, scanner, webcam etc I will ask for the model numbers and locate and download set up software for those. You can use this downloaded software to set up those external devices when you get your computer back*

Data transfer

If you request it I will transfer files; Documents, Downloads, Photos, Music and Videos from your previous computer to your new one.

I pick up your new computer (also your old one if necessary) and I charge for the work that I can do in my office before I return it to you.

 *If you need extended help once you have it returned to you - setting up iTunes for example, or your Social Media Accounts, or installing Printers and the like,  we can negotiate an added expense.

At your request I will also properly wipe the hard drive of your old computer so that it can be safely disposed of at a designated electronics recycling depot. If this step is not done before recycling you run the risk of theft of data, and passwords, or even identity theft if your old computer falls into the wrong hands.

This step is an extra cost as it takes some time but I always recommend it for your protection.

The implications of using a computer with an Operating System that is no longer supported

This post most specifically applies to Windows computers. You may have heard or read about the implications of running Windows XP, a well loved version of Windows, once Microsoft ceased support of it in 2014. It was released in 2001, so by 2014 it was pretty long in the tooth, but people loved it and I’ve still seen some computers running it in recent months.

Is that a bad thing?

Let’s discuss the possible ramifications:

 It is not secure, and you could be susceptible to malware, viruses, hacking and identity theft.

(of course it might not happen - just like those life long smokers who live to be 101)

This is especially timely information right now, as Windows 7, another version of Windows well loved by many is set to be “retired” and no longer supported in January 2020

Here is a good post with some excellent info on the subject:

https://www.howtogeek.com/392976/what-it-means-when-microsoft-stops-supporting-your-version-of-windows/

Computer Operating Systems are technically advanced and complicated pieces of software built on billions of lines of code written by very clever, but not perfect, humans.

The more lines of code, the more options for human error. There are always “bugs”, and errors in the code, and nefarious parties will attempt to find and use these to their advantage. While an Operating System is being supported, Microsoft is fast to patch those “holes” as soon as they are discovered. Once it’s out of support though there are no more patches. Some people say the worst of the bugs have already been squashed, and they will take their chances, but for the average user, it’s a much safer bet to move on, unless you plan to completely and permanently disconnect it from the internet.

If your computer is capable of running a newer, supported, Operating System, you may be able to just upgrade. If you keep on top of upgrades as they are offered you might have a chance to upgrade to a newer Operating System when it’s introduced, at a lower price; possibly free. This was true for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users when Windows 10 was released, but that free upgrade is no longer offered.

Just be sure to make a back up of all of your personal files before upgrading to a new Operating System. While many upgrades go smoothly, with all data present and accounted for at the end of it, that’s not always so. Things can, and do, go wrong! Don’t take your chances. Of course, If you don’t know how to upgrade an Operating System have someone in the know do it for you, or work with you.

If your computer hardware is not up to the task of running the latest Operating System, or if the upgrade cost would be better put towards a new computer, you will need to make a decision about your old PC.

It has to be taken to a designated Electronics Recycle Depot and you should make sure there is no personal data left on it that could be retrieved ( especially passwords, which can possibly be found even if you think you never wrote them down, as long as you typed them into a website.

So have the hard drive FULLY and properly wiped; or removed and destroyed. If you don’t know how to do this, bite the bullet and pay someone. I charge around $50 for the service, and it’s much better than running the risks of identity theft, or scammers stealing your passwords and creating headaches that can take months to sort out.

If you want to get a few more useful months before recycling check out my blog post on ways to use a obsolete computer that’s  still actually functional.
Ways to use a computer that has become obsolete

Ways to use a computer that has become “obsolete”

In a previous post I considered why you might find that your perfectly healthy and still functioning computer may need to be replaced, at least as your main computer for daily tasks and internet access. However,  is there a way you might keep it out of the Recycle Depot a while longer?

Well yes, you simply need to consider ways it can be useful without internet access.

So let’s consider some ways:

1.  Use it as a word processor, or glorified typewriter. It has a screen, and you can connect it to a printer. However, if you want to share documents with others you will need to save them to an external disk and then email or share them from your main computer.

2.  Use it to play games that do not need an internet connection. There are lots of computer games;  card games, scrabble, word games, crosswords, and so many more, that will still run on older hardware and an older Operating System. If your computer is a laptop, and therefore portable, it can be a great entertainment portal for someone who is confined to home, or for use at a cabin where there is no internet, or when travelling, as long as the battery holds out.

3.  Load it with educational programs for children, again ones that need no internet connection, and use it as a teaching tool. There are many excellent  programs for teaching Reading, Math, Colours and Shapes at every age level. There are also videos and books that are educational and do not need a sophisticated computer setup.

4. Load it with a COPY (never trust an older computer with the only copy of any of your data) of your music collection. Hook up a nice set of speakers and use it as a stereo system, either in your home or cabin.

5. Load it with a COPY of your video collection. Install a media player that can play your files and will run on older hardware. VLC is a program that can play most digital video formats. There should be a version available that is supported your older system. If it doesn’t work, you will likely find a program that does work for you.

When you travel you’ll have an entertainment system separate from your working computer.

6. Load it with a COPY of your photo collection, then set up a screensaver that cycles through your photos, and hook up a nice monitor, possibly mounted on the wall. Now you have a digital photo screen!

7.  Load it with some delightful screen savers and hook it up to a monitor. Now you can enjoy a digital aquarium, or fireplace, or swimming dolphin, or any other screensaver that  appeals to you

It’s moving artwork!

You might have even more ideas. Or you might be ready to let it go, but you know a family member or friend who would like to implement one of these ideas -  so ask around before you take it to be recycled. Bear in mind that after a certain age that older computer is not worth anything financially, you’ll likely be giving it away. If you give it away be sure to remind the recipient that if it’s not running a current supported version of Windows it should not be connected to the internet.

All of the above ideas can be implemented with a Mac computer too, but Macs have historically been less vulnerable to viruses and do in general have a longer usable lifespan, but you may be wanting to replace your Mac anyway once it doesn’t run the latest version of the MacOS,  if there are features in the newer version that appeal to you. That’s how this industry is driven!

Why your computer becomes obsolete

In the computer industry an often quoted “rule of thumb” is that the average usable lifespan of a computer is around 5 years.

In some cases it’s simply true that if enough parts in a computer (more often a laptop computer) die, then the cost to replace the parts, especially if you have to pay someone to do the work, is not worth it. The money is best put towards a newer, more updated setup.

However, many people have computers that are still running happily after 10 years but then they find themselves forced to buy something new anyway. Why?

Perhaps the hardware is still chugging along happily, even the hard drive, which is one component very vulnerable to aging. So why not just keep using it?

Let me illustrate:

We all know of people who have old cars, some even lovingly looked after classic cars, that are still on the road after many, many years.

Perhaps some parts have had to be replaced; no one expects to run a car for 10 years and never replace brakes, filters, tires and more.

However, what if the country suddenly changed the type of fuel that our cars run on? Now your car, with a perfectly good engine, cannot run on the new fuel - in fact it would be damaging to the engine. So you are forced to switch to a car that is compatible with the new fuel. Despite your old car being in perfect running order, if you want to drive it on the roads, you need to replace it, or adapt it to use the new fuel.

This in a way, is what factors in to your computer needing to be replaced in a few years.

The Operating System in your computer is being updated and improved regularly, and the designers of programs update and improve their programs to take advantage of newer hardware, and newer Operating Systems. In time your older computer may simply be incompatible with the programs you want to run.

But what if you are perfectly happy with the older Operating System and older programs?

Then you can keep going for several more years, as long as your hardware holds up...

UNTIL... the Operating System (usually Windows) that you are running is no longer supported by the manufacturer. In the case of Windows that’s Microsoft.

Then, unless you simply unplug your computer from the internet, you need to upgrade your computer to a newer Operating System, or buy a newer computer with hardware designed to run the newer, more sophisticated, Operating System and programs. This newer computer should come with the latest version of Windows already installed.

This is one of the main reasons why still fully functional computers are consigned to the Recycle Depot, and why the “average usable lifespan” number is lower than you would expect.

In a  couple of different posts I will consider some of the ramifications of running an Operating System that is no longer supported, as well as some ways you might keep your older computer out of the Recycle Depot for a while longer.

Hopefully though, this answers the question of why you might be forced to buy a newer computer even if your old faithful setup is still running!

How I Use Online Storage

Here is how I use online storage options ( your choices may be different)

There are free and paid versions of most online storage services. You can simplify your life, if you pay more, by using one service primarily for all your storage and pay for the highest amount of space you can afford. However, for me, money is a major factor in my choices, so I try to find a way to maximize my storage at minimal cost.

iCloud

I pay $1.50 or so per month for the first paid tier of iCloud storage, and I use it exclusively for backing up my Apple devices. I don’t do full backups. I find that if  I ever get a newer device I’d rather start fresh and simply restore my notes, contacts, safari bookmarks, calendars, reminders and photos. I pay for the extra space because of photos.

If you prefer to simply restore an old iPad, all settings intact, to a new one, be sure you have enough space to do full backups. iCloud storage plans are reasonably priced in comparison to some other services. 

You can use iCloud backup on your Mac, and you can also get iCloud for Windows and use iCloud Drive to back up folders on your PC, but if sharing files is important, and easy access across all devices, some other services can be simpler.

Dropbox

My all time favorite of all the services is still Dropbox, but for 1TB of space it’s around $99 per year. I would absolutely pay that if I could but for now I use the 2GB free plan and I use it mostly for files I want to share with others.

I find Dropbox’s shared folders options, and easy to use Dropbox links options, nice and easy when I want to share files.

OneDrive

Since I have Office 365, which, to save costs, I share with several other people, I have 1TB of OneDrive space (each person I share with has their own 1TB of space) so even though I still prefer Dropbox in some ways, I use my OneDrive space as my primary storage and backup. When I built up my computer I installed a second hard drive for my personal files, separate from my Windows and Programs Files. I save all documents, photos, videos, music and downloads to that drive and have it automatically back up to OneDrive.

Google Drive

I also have a free plan with Google Drive and I use that to store my e-book collection.

The reason for that is that I share my books with family members so I can give them access to that drive without them having access to any other files.

Their are other services available with free plans out there, like Box and Mozy, but I like Google Drive and I think that it isn’t going away anytime soon.

In summary

for Apple Devices I use iCloud

For sharing features I love Dropbox

For cost purposes I use OneDrive

For a single use option I use Google Drive

I have downloaded apps for all these services on my iPad and can therefore add them all to the files app. I can then access all my stored files in one app. That’s really useful.

Your choices could well be different to mine. This blog post is not so much a recommendation of any particular online storage plan, but more an example of how you can use online storage plans to your own benefit.

What are all these accounts that I’ve accumulated??

Quick Note: Most user IDS are an email address, so it’s possible that you have the same user ID for more than one account – that doesn’t mean that it’s the same account, just that you are using the same email address as the ID – of course some people also use the same password for everything – or a variant – that can be confusing and it’s certainly not secure.

You will likely find yourself accruing all manner of User IDs and passwords for software and services.

There are accounts for Online Banking, Social Media; like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, some accounting or business software like Quicken or QuickBooks - the list is endless

It can also be confusing.

My best advice is this – as soon as you sign up for ANYTHING requiring a user name and password, IMMEDIATELY make a note of it in a safe and secure password keeper (like Keepass or LastPass)

And try to use very different passwords. That’s why you will want that password keeper!

Then there are those accounts which seem to cover a vast array of services, not just one thing like Online Banking.

Here is an example of three of the most popular account that many of us now have, and some of what they cover. The list is not intended to be fully comprehensive.

Microsoft Account

This user name and passwords lets you into all things Microsoft related

This usually means:

·         Your Computer itself (if you are running Windows)

·         All things Microsoft Office related, especially if you purchased a subscription to Office 365

·         Word

·         Excel

·         PowerPoint

·         Outlook

·         Access

·         Publisher

·         OneDrive (Microsoft’s online storage)

·         The Windows store (where you can download free or purchase Apps for Windows 10)

·         Skype – it’s now owned by Microsoft

Apple ID

Your Apple ID and password unlocks all things Apple

 (not the passcode for logging into your phone, that’s different)

This could include

·         iTunes

·         The Apple App store

·         The Mac store if you have an Apple PC

Google Account

This one is often the one most overlooked and underrated but can actually be very useful

Google owns

·         Google – the Search Engine

·         Google Chrome – the web browser

·         Gmail

·         YouTube

·         Google Maps

·         Google Keep – if you haven’t checked out this online Notes App it’s worth a look

·         Google Drive (much like Dropbox or OneDrive)

·         Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides etc. (these are Google’s online versions of Office apps like Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint)

….and much much more!

You can of course use Chrome and the Google search engine without logging in with your Google account, but logging in opens up many more options as it keeps a history of things like YouTube searches, map searches and so on, gives you access to your online storage and Gmail, and keeps you updated with YouTube channel subscriptions.

It keeps your devices in sync too, so if you sign in with your Google account on one device and then also sign in on another, the same info will be available right away.

If you get more familiar with when and where you use each account, it can get less confusing when you find yourself at a log in screen wondering what User ID and password is required.

Just remember that a lot can be found out about you from your various accounts, so keep security in mind. Keep passwords secure, change them if you feel they might have been compromised, and sign out of your accounts if you are allowing someone else to use your computer without your presence or supervision.

Amp Up Your Security

If there is one thing I hear from all my clients is that they just don’t want to spend any more money on things for their computer!

I hear you…

However,

Do you buy….

• ·         Home Insurance?
• ·         Car Insurance?
• ·         Life Insurance?
• ·         Travel Insurance?

No one likes to spend the money on things that you may never even use, but the alternative, not being covered if you really need it, is much worse.

I’m often told: “There is nothing on my computer that I really care about”(Then of course if they lose it all they find out there is) But that is what backups are for.

Antivirus\Anti-Malware programs are more about insurance against threats to your personal info.

So yes, a bad piece of Malware can cause loss of files, and cost you time or money rebuilding your computer system, but the biggest threat is identity theft. Your computer holds more information about you than you think, and a savvy hacker can build a picture of you, and possibly even access financial records and passwords.

So make sure you have protection, and keep up with - or take advice from someone else who keeps up with – what programs are keeping pace with the latest threats.

One simple option is to do a Google search on something like:

“Best antivirus and anti-malware programs 2018”

Don’t read old posts, and don’t just rely on whatever you’ve always used, as some programs have fallen by the wayside as far as protection against newer threats like Ransomware – whereas some companies have really improved their programs, so the top 5 or so tend to change.

Don’t follow links to Ads – you want independent reviews from places like PC World or PC Magazine or the like.

The pages with AD in the description will often top the search result list but could well be very biased

Also remember that the lines have blurred between Malware and Virus protection. To be honest, you are less likely to be hit by a classic virus, and much more likely to run into Malware, or a scam, or a rogue fake website, or an email with fake links, as Malware is all about making money off of the unwary.

So be suspicious of all things that don’t look right. Don’t follow links in emails that want to collect personal info, and never be innocent enough to believe that Revenue Canada will all of a sudden send you an email to let you know you have money to collect 😊!

Caution helps a lot, but protective software is also part of the armor you need.

At its inception, Microsoft’s offering, Windows Defender, that’s been built into all recent copies of Windows, showed some promise, but in latest tests it has fallen far behind in how much it catches.

It’s certainly not enough on its own any more. I still turn it on, but I also have the Premium version of Malwarebytes that I pay an annual subscription for. These days you really do need to pay something for decent protection. The free offerings, by themselves, are simply not cutting it.

As always all of this is subject to change (and other opinions vary) and a really good free option may well be a possibility in the future, but as of the writing of this Blog Post I feel you need to pay something for decent protection.

Since Malwarebytes is not a typical antivirus program it can still be run alongside something else, whereas most antivirus programs need to be Lone Stars – you can only install one as otherwise they conflict with each other.

What you choose to purchase is up to you.

• ·         Check out the latest top 5, pick something,
• ·         Be prepared to pay a little
• ·         Educate yourself to the extent you can about Virus and malware behavior
• ·         Don’t let the scammers scam you

And of course:

ALWAYS HAVE A BACK UP!

Is this the year you will finally do backups?

I know, I know, I nag everyone horribly about backups. However, every year at least one of my friends, relatives or clients, despite my nagging, loses some important files due to hardware failure.

A REMINDER – ALL HARD DRIVES ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FAILURE!

They don’t have a back up and I always ask, why?

Usually the answer is either:

I forgot how to do it.

Or

I meant to do it, but I just didn’t have the time.

Now you all know I’m a VERY frugal person, I have to be. However sometimes it’s worth paying a little for something that makes life easier. So I decided to research backup software, to find something that might solve these two issues.

It needs to be:

• ·         Easy to set up and use
• ·         Capable of running a backup on a schedule

My favorite is this one:

EaseUS ToDo Backup

https://www.easeus.com/backup-software/personal.html

There is a free version, however the free version dos not back up or restore Outlook email files, so if that is important to you, consider paying for the version that does. It’s US$29

It’s easy to set up and there are even some decent YouTube tutorial videos for those of you who like to have a visual guide.

You can also schedule full or incremental backups. The one caveat is of course that you need another drive to back up to. You could purchase an external USB drive and leave it plugged in all the time – which really is a set it and forget it solution. However, if the disaster that strikes is not just a failure of the main hard drive, but, say, a system wide virus, or physical damage, that external drive will be lost as well. If, instead, you can simply remember to plug in your external drive at least once a week, perhaps one night at bedtime, and set the backup schedule to run at, for example, 1:00am (at least that one night a week) you could then store that drive away from your main PC the rest of the time.

Do you need backup software?

No, not really. You can do all of this manually. The problem is that many people simply don’t. So possibly a solution that required only one action (once the initial backup options are set) and that is to plug in a drive once a week or so, would make more people do it.

The sad thing is that a lot of people think they don’t have much of importance to back up – but when they lose everything they suddenly realize they were wrong.

Backups are essential! Every computer user should know how to do it.

Realistically I don’t have time to log in and do a backup regularly for every computer user I help. I’m happy though to help someone get set up the first time and set up a good back up schedule.

Let this be the year you finally plan a good schedule for backups!

How to Securely Wipe the Free Space on Your Windows PC

This is mostly copied from an excellent article on the GroovyPost Website by Lori Kaufman, Oct 3 2017

with some additional text by me

Original article

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/securely-wipe-free-space-windows-pc/

When you delete files from your hard drive, did you know that the file never actually gets deleted from your hard drive and is normally able to be recovered using readily available recovery tools? Normally this isn’t an issue as we use our computer each day. However, if you’re planning to sell or donate your computer and don’t want your old data to be recoverable, follow the steps below to wipe the free space on your hard drive. The process is the same and will work on Windows 7, 8 and Windows 10.

People often say to me “there is nothing on my hard drive that I care about if someone sees”,  but bear in mind that an experienced hacker can build a profile of someone from a set of files on a PC, and can often guess passwords, or find those passwords within those files. This leaves a person vulnerable to Identity theft, with all the ensuing headaches.

What really happens when you delete a file?

When you delete a file on your computer, the only thing that’s removed is the reference to it in the master file table. The file still exists on your hard drive, however Windows just doesn’t know where the file is. This is because as mentioned earlier, you’re only removing the indexes and the links to the data and telling Windows it has permission to overwrite that area of the hard drive.

So, until (and possibly after) the data is written over, it can be recovered by special tools or the right set of skills. The tools, or an experienced hacker, can scan the hard drive and look for the files and restore the links and indexes so Windows can see the files again. If you’re selling a computer, or even disposing of one, you should securely wipe the free space on your PC’s hard drive so the files cannot be recovered.

(if the computer is old, and is simply headed for the recycle depot, you could just remove the hard drive and drill a hole in it, to render it inoperable, but make sure that hole, or holes, goes right through the middle of the hard drive)

Here is how to use the cipher command on the command line to securely write over the free space several times to make sure no data can be recovered. There are also some third-party tools that do the same thing.

Cipher

Before using the cipher command to securely overwrite the free space on your hard drive, be sure you quit all programs. That ensures the maximum amount of free space is securely wiped.

Click the Cortana icon or the Search icon on the Taskbar and start typing “command prompt”. Then, click Command Prompt under Best match.

 

Type the following command at the prompt and press Enter.

cipher /w:C

Data that is not allocated to any files or folders is overwritten three times and permanently removed. This can take a long time if you are overwriting a large amount of free space.

Cipher goes through the following steps as it securely wipes the free space on your hard drive.

1.    The cipher command automatically creates a new folder on the C drive called EFSTMPWP and then creates a file in that folder with nothing but zeros in it. It will grow until the hard drive fills up.

2.    Then, cipher deletes that file and creates a second file which is filled with the number 255 repeatedly until the file grows big enough to fill the free space on the hard drive again.

3.    Next, cipher deletes the second file, creates a third file, and fills that with random numbers until your hard drive is full again.

4.    Finally, cipher deletes the third file and returns you to the prompt. Type exit at the prompt to close the Command Prompt window.

So, essentially, cipher wrote over the free space (old files) on your hard drive three times to make sure no one could ever scan your hard drive and recover the data you deleted from it.

If you watch your hard drive space, as cipher does its thing, don’t be surprised when you see your hard drive fill up. This is normal as mentioned in the steps above and the space will be freed again.

CCleaner

If you’re not comfortable using the command line, there’s a free utility called CCleaner that allows you to securely wipe the free space on your hard drive.

Be sure you install or update to the latest version.

There are two versions of CCleaner, free and paid. The feature that wipes the free space on your hard drive is available in the free version, so that will do just fine.

Once you’ve downloaded CCleaner and installed it, or updated it, open the program and click Tools on the left pane. Choose Free Space Only from the Wipe drop-down list. Make sure you DO NOT select Entire Drive, as this will erase ALL the files on your hard drive—unless that is what you mean to do. If you’re getting rid of the PC, you can use the Entire Drive option to wipe the entire drive. Be very careful when making this selection.

Select the type of overwrite procedure you want from the Security drop-down list. Simple Overwrite is fine for most situations. However, if you want CCleaner to behave like the cipher command, select Advanced Overwrite (3 passes). Finally, select the drive on which you want to securely wipe the free space in the Drives box and click Wipe.

Eraser

Another option for making sure your deleted data cannot be recovered is to delete your files and folders securely in the first place.

Eraser is a free, advanced security tool for Windows that allows you to securely delete data from your hard drive by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns, like the cipher command and CCleaner. The difference is you can do this when you delete the files and folders, not after. You can also securely wipe the free space on your hard drive to be extra safe.

When you download Eraser and install it, an option is added to the context (right-click) menu in File Explorer. Instead of deleting files and folders normally by pressing the Delete key, sending them to the recycle bin, and then emptying the recycle bin, you can use Eraser directly in File Explorer to securely delete files and folders.

To securely delete one or more files or folders, select what you want to delete, right-click on the selection, and then go to Eraser > Erase on the popup menu.

If you are uncomfortable with any of these options, but you are selling, gifting, or disposing of a PC, ask someone you trust to run one of these commands or software options for you. Even if you have to pay  for their time, it’s worth it for the peace of mind of knowing that your data cannot be compromised.