Virus Protection

There are a lot of nasty viruses out there and if you surf the internet or receive emails you are at risk. Always ensure all computers on your network have up-to-date virus programs, there are many products on the market including a good selection of free programs. Once installed ensure the program is set to automatically update at least once a day with the new virus definitions to ensure you are protected.

Backups

Backing up your computer is essential and something that always gets forgotten until the inevitable happens! If your work documents, reports and emails are essential to your business, don’t risk losing them if something goes wrong. Portable USB hard drives are affordable, reliable and offer huge storage capabilities. Combined with a free backup program such as Cobian, you can backup all your important information automatically and on a daily basis. If you have a fast and reliable internet connection you might want to consider an online backup solution.

Windows Updates

Microsoft release regular updates to keep your software running correctly. It is tempting to set this to automatic and forget about it, but if Microsoft decides to release a major update this could cripple your network, as all the PCs in your business download it at the same time. Although it requires careful management, set Windows to only notify you of downloads and schedule a time each week or month for an experienced IT person to analyse the updates and apply if necessary. (Don’t forget to disable the Notification Settings for Windows Updates).

Email Management

We all know how tempting it is to store every email ever received, but this makes a massive dent in the performance of your email program. The biggest problem is typically forgetting to empty the Deleted Items folder. Often many thousands of emails are lurking here year after year and slowing down your computer to a crawl. Surely you wouldn’t store anything important in the bin, so what are you waiting for, get that folder emptied now and free up some valuable space! Make use of the Compact Folders facility if using MS Outlook to actually regain space after deleting

Browser Management

Every time you visit a website files are downloaded to your machine; these are temporary files such as images, cookies and code. Over time these can slow your browser down and even stop it working altogether. Schedule a regular time to clear up these files using the built-in tools of your Internet Browser program

..and finally

FORGET WINDOWS VISTA! Spec your machine with Windows7 or if possible request a downgrade to XP to speed things up considerably!

Dealing with computers is a complicated business and often requires specialist help. If you need help with any of these aspects, or are having trouble with your Marbella computers contact us today