Good Computing

(Issued by Frontier Electronics, 20 August  2003) 

OK, so you know that you should check whether your unresponsive PC is actually plugged in before you seek the expert help of Frontier’s technicians. However, there’s more depending on you as a user than that. 

If your otherwise well-behaved computer suddenly picks up the habit of playing dirty tricks on you, you could be the culprit. Think hard. Did you recently install a new programme or application? (There could be a software conflict.) Did you perhaps open a puzzling e-mail attachment? (That’s a big no-no in these computer virus ridden times.)

Straight from the Frontier Electronics workshop, here is a set of rules all computer operators should adhere to. Regularly.

• update virus definitions

• update your software (especially if it’s Windows)

• scan your hard disk drive

• de-fragment you hard disk drive

• back up your data

Yes, it is time consuming and extremely boring. But it helps to remember that the most valuable part of your computer is all the work you as user put into it!