7 Things Your Computer Won´t Tell You

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Keep it clean. On a PC, run Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter at least once a month. This will store files more efficiently so your system doesn’tslow down. After about four years, your computer is elderly. If you’re shelling out for a blazing-fast Internet connection, pony up for a new model.•
Check the cables. “People are always shocked that a cable came loose,” says Geek Squad agent Derek Meister. Of course, everything that needspower is plugged into an outlet, right?

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Got neighbors? If you do, protect your home wireless network with a password. “If a person knows what he’sdoing, getting into a computer on a non-encrypted network is easy,” says Schildkraut.

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You backed up your data, right? External hard drives withlots of memory now sell for under $200, and automated programs like Cobian Backup or Apple’s Time Machine make regular backups a no-brainer. Secureonline backup services save your data offsite should anything happen to your home.

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If you travel with your laptop, get a lock. A 2007 survey by theComputer Security Institute found that 50 percent of respondents had a laptop or other mobile device sto-len in the past year. A simple cable lock(starting at about $20) lets you physically secure your laptop anywhere you go.

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Remember: If your company owns the computer, they own what’s on it,too—even your email in some cases. Act accordingly.

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Please remember: We didn’t create the problem; we’re just trying to help you fix it.