Basic Computer Information

With some simple maintenance and prevention tips you can avoid having your data breeched and your pc from becoming infected with unwanted software. The first rule that every pc owner should abide by is to always have updated anti-virus software installed and running on their computer. Make sure the anti-virus software has internet protection to protect you while using your e-mail account, browsing the internet or downloading files from websites. The internet protection will alert you to any websites that are suspicious, will scan files and links before you open them to tell you if they are safe or not and will use a firewall to keep intruders from entering your online environment.

Updating the anti-virus software is extremely important to keep up with the new malware being created. When you update the software it will add new definitions to the database of the software so it knows what to look for when checking for risks.

Other preventive measure that you can take is to be aware of the dangers surrounding the internet. You cannot rely on your anti-virus to protect you fully, be smart when using the internet. Do not open e-mails from anyone you do not know and never download anything or click links that are on sites that are unknown or un-trusted. Be sure when you create passwords for sites that you make them as strong as possible. Using variations of your name, pet or child's name and your birth date is an easy password to break. If you use social network sites, think about the information that is given about you and what you post and then avoid creating passwords that relate to you personally.

When visiting websites that require you to enter your personal information such as sites where you make purchases, bank sites or credit sites be sure they are secured. The easiest way to tell if a site is secured is to look at the beginning of the URL. Secured sites will have an https:// beginning where as unsecured sites will have the original http:// at the beginning of the URL.

Having the right amount of pc knowledge can come in very handy when an issue arises. It can get expensive to have a tech come out and repair or upgrade your system, so learn to do it on your own. Basic computer skills can help you to diagnose problems with your pc, repair software as well as hardware issues and even allow you to upgrade or replace hardware without issue. Most people see their computers as complex machines and while this may be true, it is still very simple to repair or upgrade them on your own. If you familiarize yourself with the hardware in your system it becomes much easier to understand the mechanics of how things work and how the components all go together.

Some basic computer knowledge about your systems hardware is below with a brief description of each component and what it does for your system.

Case and Power Supply

The case or tower comes complete with a power supply unit that feeds power to the motherboard, hard drive and other drivers such as DVD and CDR drive.

Motherboard

Also known as the heart of the computer the motherboard works as a source of power that ties everything together. There are slots available for various components and every piece of hardware on, in and out of your system will connect to the motherboard.

CPU

The CPU is also known as the brains of the computer and it controls the software that is installed on your system. Without the CPU there would be no operating system control and the computer would be useless.

Video

The video card is responsible for everything you see on your computer when you boot up. Without the video card you would have no picture and no ability to use the programs installed on your computer. Basic video cards are adequate for the majority of computer users, but those that use their PC's for gaming, image editing or creating graphics will require a more high end video card.

Sound

While a sound card is not necessary to make the system work it is necessary of you want to listen to music, have sound with your games or hear any system sounds while using your system.

RAM

Random Access Memory is responsible for temporary storage of data for programs that are in use. The more memory you have the faster your programs will run. It is recommended that you install the maximum amount of RAM allowable in your system to ensure that multiple programs can be running without bogging down your system.

Hard Drive

Your hard drive is responsible for the long term storage of all data, files and applications. Everything you install on your computer will be stored on your hard drive. The faster the rpm on the hard drive the faster it will work to open the files or programs when you request them. Each hard drive has its own storage capacity and depending on what you plan to use your system for your need for space may vary.