September’s Finally Here
September’s finally here, and with it comes two certainties: the changing of the leaves and the mad rush to your local office supply store for academic paraphernalia. But in the hustle and bustle of shopping, you often miss one of the most important steps in getting ready for the upcoming semester: preparing your computer. Many students assume that if their operating system is up-to-date and their music library is packed, they’re ready to head to class. However, there are a few extra steps every student should take to ensure their school year goes off without a hitch.
Having an updated operating system is an effective first step in preparing your computer for school, but have you checked in on your other software lately? Programs like word processors and digital presentation software are going to be your best friends during an all nighter, so be sure that you have the latest versions to avoid compatibility problems with your school’s computers. If you don’t have all of the programs your school requires, but are worried about the financial burden of purchasing more software, you should check at your local computer store. Both Windows and Mac have student software packages, giving you a bundle of the most useful programs for students for cheaper than if you were to buy each program individually.
With hundreds of dollars worth of brand new software now installed on your computer, it would only make sense to protect your investment, wouldn’t it? Today, the internet is swimming in malicious spyware and viruses, so it’s become necessary for every computer to have ant-virus software. But before you run to the local computer store and dole out hundreds for the latest version, check with your school to see if they have any specific program that they prefer you to use. Many schools now require their students to select from a short list of software options that they’ve hand picked, some of which are even free. So save yourself some time (and your wallet some grief) by asking before you buy.
After installing your anti-virus software, there are two important things to check: its firewall and malware security. Even with anti-virus software, your files and personal data can still be vulnerable to hacking and identity theft. A good firewall can prevent this from happening. Make sure that your firewall’s security levels are set to at least medium protection. You may have to modify the levels from the factory standard, which may be too low or even too high for your security needs. It’s always better to have too much protection than too little, so if you prefer to have a higher level of security, change it. Remember: you can always go back and customize it later to allow your favorite sites if they’re being blocked.
While in your anti-virus program’s settings, you should check its malware protection. While many versions of virus protection software have this security feature standard, there are a few brands that do not; especially the free versions. However, it’s the one bit of protection that students should probably worry about most. College students, especially, tend to engage in the piracy of music files due to financial struggles. Besides the legal problems this poses, it can also be a dangerous security threat. The websites used to pirate music and movies aren’t monitored by a trusted company, so it’s much easier for malware to be hiding in the files and a student never even know. If you simply can’t stop your pirating ways, it’s a must have to keep your computer safe. So if your software doesn’t have this feature, it’s a worthy investment. Installing it now can save you thousands of dollars worth of damage in the long run.
With all of these new programs and features now taking up space on your hard drive, you may notice it’s running a bit slower than usual. This would be a good time to complete a disk cleanup and defragmentation. Getting rid of those unused files and condensing your remaining space can increase a computer’s operating power and speed more than you’d think. Once your computer’s up-to-date, protected, and running more efficiently than ever, you’re as prepared as you’ll ever be for school to start once again. Or at least your computer is.
About RESCUECOM:
RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.
For More Information, Contact:
David Milman, CEO
315-882-1100
david@rescuecom.com
Filed under: Computer Support, Uncategorized