Pinellas Computer Club
| The Clean PC - A Do It Yourself Guide |
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Don’t waste your money on expensive software like Norton, McAfee, and many others. They don’t work as well, slow your system down and empty your wallet. True computer geeks don't pay for security software, neither should you. These items are necessary for a good running PC. You need basic computer skills to complete these tasks. If you ever find yourself in need of help, we are happy to give it free of charge. ANTIVIRUS: Get "AVG Free Edition". Standard install works great. Windows does not have anti-virus built-in, so this is critical. SPYWARE/ADWARE/MALWARE KILLERS: Click "Download". Don't install "Tea-timer". Be sure to "Immunize" after updates. “Check for Problems”, then “Fix Selected Problems”. Remove all bad Active-X & Browser Helper Objects (Advanced Mode). Run this once per month. http://www.WindowsDefender.com If you are REALLY paranoid and/or allow lots of users, this will run in the background keeping you protected. Click “Validate”, then “Download”. Standard install works great. FIREWALL (Windows XP’s firewall is pretty good, but if you need more control, you may want this.) Get "ZoneAlarm" (Free), NOT "ZoneAlarm Pro". Standard install should work fine. UPDATES, UPDATES, UPDATES!! Click “Windows Update” in your START Menu. Upgrade for free to "Microsoft Update". It gets updates for ALL Microsoft programs on your system (critical). Make sure Windows and all security software are set to download AND install updates automatically. ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS: Remove older software versions and anything you don’t need. If you aren't sure, leave it alone. NEVER remove individual files unless you know exactly what they are and what will happen. NEVER use “regedit”, “msconfig” or other system tools without expert knowledge. Make a list of stuff you aren't sure about, and contact us online. We’ll tell you what they are and if they can be removed. BEWARE: Lots of free software comes with advertisements, hidden add-ons, spy-ware or worse. Even the big popular names like AOL Instant Messenger come with add-ons you don’t see that slow your system down and funnel advertisements to you. BUT, DON’T WORRY: When Swiftek does a “Bullet-Proof” Clean-Up on your PC, we do all this and quite a bit more to ensure the security, stability and performance of your machine. If you want that “warm-fuzzy” feeling, just say the word.
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