Bytes and Bits Online

10 Computing Rules to Live By

By Barbara Kreiss (ACUG Webmaster, Webcentric Computer Services)

Here are a few golden rules to keep your computing experience safe and enjoyable. Please note that drive capacity usually increases with time:

1] Back up your data files and consider doing two or three rotating backups. This involves backing up your data to your choice of media, say a CD-RW disk#1, and then the next time you back up, use disk #2, the next time after that, disk #3. The fourth time, write over disk #1. What this does is ensure that if you end up with a virus, it will likely not be on all the disks. You may lose some of the data, but not all. Another choice is to back up your entire hard drive to tape. This is one of the nicest choices because even if you lose your entire hard drive, you will be able to get a new one and then put all your programs, settings and files back the way they were. Here are a few of your possible backup solutions:

2nd hard drive - up to 500 GB .... mirror your first drive onto a second drive. Quick and simple. Not the best solution because of the possibility of trojans and viruses however.
Tape drive - up to 200 GB .... the only solution for backing up entire hard drives that allows you to do multiple rotating backups, schedule one automatically over night. Expensive.
CD-RW drive - up to 600 MB .... a good choice for large data files, can be read in any computer with a CD-ROM drive using CD-R disks, re-write CD-RW disks over 1000 times. Most compatible.
DVD-RW drive - up to 4.7 GB ... a good choice for huge or numerous data files. Recommend DVD+R drives and media as most compatible. Double-sided drives and media have more capacity but are more expensive and not as compatible.
Flash or Key Drive - up to 2 GB. These USB devices use a flash memory chip.
Zip drive - up to 250 MB .... a once popular cartridge solution as long as the drive doesn't break. Outdated technology.
SuperDisk drive - up to 120 MB .... based on the standard floppy. Can read and write standard floppies as well as it's own media. May be hard to find, outdated technology.
Floppy drive - up to 1.5 MB .... it would have to be a very small file! Outdated technology.

2] Keep your version of Windows updated. This is very important. Microsoft is constantly striving to update all their software both for bug fixes and to combat viruses, worms, to provide other security fixes and enhancements. It is really to your best interest to check at least once per month to see what is new. Windows Millennium, Windows 2000 and Windows XP users can click on "Start" and choose Windows Update to take them right to the update site. Windows 98, 98SE, Windows 95 users, try going to Microsoft's Download Center but you may no longer be supported, the software is too old.

3] Keep your software packages updated. All software manufacturers update their software for bug fixes and also security fixes. Most packages have links to their Websites under "Help" on their task bars where you can search for updates. Otherwise, search on the company Website.

4] Buy an anti-virus program and update it once per week. I can't stress this enough. Once-upon-a-time, you could ignore viruses, worms and so on, because there wasn't a great risk of catching them; they were so seldom seen. Unfortunately, times have changed. More people are computing these days, everyone is on the Internet sending emails and the risk of infection is much greater. Fortunately, anti-virus programs are so inexpensive these days that it is really very cheap insurance to purchase one and use it. Just be sure and update it immediately when you buy it. Why? because it has been sitting on the store shelf for a while and the virus definitions are already out-dated.

5] Download only from reputable sites - If you follow the links from ACUG's Search Engine page there are several good sites to download from. These sites are scrupulous about running their own virus checks. These are by no means the only good sites.

6] Do not open executable files from anyone unless you scan them first. A good virus scanner should be set to auto-scan any file you try to open and should halt the process if it discovers a virus, worm or trojan.

7] “If you are not expecting it, don’t open it” - always good advice for files attached to email. However the newer viruses like KAK open themselves without your help! ... so it is a good idea to have a virus scanner that will scan incoming email. How does the KAK virus and others like it work? It is made up of a script that executes as soon as it downloads.

8] Don’t Panic! Stay calm, follow the virus-scanners directions. - If you don’t have a virus-scanner, and are not sure what to do, call an expert. Your friend down the street may not have the expertise to deal with the problem. Remember, you will need to clean all your disks, even removable ones. Scan everything that has been in your computer since the beginning of the infection. If you have networked your systems, you'd better check your other systems as well. If you have shared files or disks with anyone, or perhaps your second computer, these should be checked also. Just remember, if you miss a disk or tape that has been infected, you will get it all over again. Warn who ever might be involved right away, and give them all the details. These things spread rapidly like a "social disease", and although you may think it embarrassing, you will really be doing everyone a giant favor by letting them know right away about the problem.

9] Warn all your contacts by phone, not by email! - This is because the KAK virus and others like it spread by email! As soon as you use your email to send a message, the virus/worm sends itself to everyone on your email list.

10] If your software is three to four years old, consider upgrading to the latest version. Newer versions have been written with security in mind, with fixes for old problems and have more versatility.

I hope you have found this list to be of use. Print it out and keep it handy for emergencies! Don't forget that you can find information about Viruses and Hoaxes from ACUG's Website. Go to the Advanced / Programming / Hardware SIG's page and click on Viruses - Hoaxes - Security. Good luck!