Louisiana CST

Is your computer not performing as expected?

Computer Virus - "Computer viruses are called viruses because they share some of the traits of biological viruses. A computer virus passes from computer to computer like a biological virus passes from person to person."
Do you have a reliable firewall and virus scan software installed?
"A firewall is simply a program or hardware device that filters the information coming through the Internet connection into your private network or computer system. If an incoming packet of information is flagged by the filters, it is not allowed through."

Spyware - "Spyware is a general term used for software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent."
Although virus scan software will scan your computer for spyware, here are suggestions for spyware removal software that is also available.

Backup - "If you regularly make backup copies of your files and keep them in a separate place, you can get some, if not all, of your information back in the event something happens to the originals on your computer."
Deciding what to back up is highly personal. Anything you cannot replace easily should be at the top of your list. Before you get started, make a checklist of files to back up. This will help you determine what to back up, and also give you a reference list in the event you need to retrieve a backed-up file.

Where To Backup - Making backup copies of your information doesn't have to be a complicated process—a simple copy and paste will do the trick.
If you're using Windows XP, an easy backup tool is just a few clicks away. After you've decided what files to back up and where to store your backups, you can follow the steps in this article to start making backup copies of your important information.