You should backup, and depending on your computer needs and usage your backups should occur frequently (sometimes daily). Many computer users equate backing up their computers with their mother's giving them castor oil. It's no fun, but a necessary evil. What is castor oil any way?

Things you should backup on your computer include:

1. Select the files or folders you want to change to a common name by clicking on them ONE time while holding down the Ctrl key 
2. Push F2 on your keyboard OR right click on any file and click Rename OR click on the Rename tool from the Edit menu or the tool bar to the left of the folder
3. Type the new name for your file or folder
4. Press Enter on your keyboard
5. Windows now assigns the same name to all the files and numbers them starting with #1

This method saves loads of time and makes organizing your files much easier. Look through our newly designed Tips Archive for even more Windows tips, including Windows XP tips.

Preventing your computer from becoming infected is infinitely easier and less stressful than cleaning up after an infection. Search my site for tons of information on setting up your computer for security and techniques to avoid scams. However, if you are already bit by one of the most recent nasty forms of software, Antivirus 2008 or Antivirus 2009 (software I call extortionware that installs itself on your computer and then poses as legitimate software you have to pay for to get rid of the problems. Problems they caused), follow the steps at this site to get back up and running and then come back here and learn how to prevent it from happening again.

Two other links that will be helpful in cleaning this and related malware off of your computer are ComboFix and Malwarebytes.org. Some of the first actions these rougue software products accomplish when on your computer is disabling your antivirus, windows updates, and system restore. They also prevent you from visiting legitimate web sites like I have linked in this article to make it harder for you to remove the pests. You are probably best served visiting my site on a non-infected computer, download the two products, change the original file names (this is important because the rouge software will also disable known products from running at all), copy the two tools to a flash drive and then take them to the sick computer and run them. I suggest running the CombFix first and then run full scans with your antivirus software and malwarebytes.org's product as well.

I'm linking to BleepingComputer.com's article because they do a good job of giving you a safe download site and thorough instructions on how to delete Antivirus 2009 or 2008. Even if you aren't infected, it's worth visiting the site to see what kind of work is required if you do get infected. It might motivate you to read my site more often and follow the advice I give to keep you safe and productive with your computer.

Photo by Jim Grandy

Once you get the viewer, however, some people still can't see the slideshows without first saving the attachment to the desktop then double-clicking it from there. It works, but requires a few more steps. Today, I had a call from a customer who was in this situation and really wanted to avoid having to first save the attachment, close email, look for the file and then double-click it to view the slideshow.

Computers have become almost a main stream household appliance. Whether you have been using a computer for fifteen years or one, these skills should be second nature:

1. Cut, Copy, Paste
2. Print just what you want (word processing, email, web)
3. Backup your address book
4. Select (highlight) text or files
5. Properly uninstall unwanted programs
6. Burn a CD
7. Download files from the Internet
8. Use MSCONFIG ; Another MSCONFIG tip
9. Search the Internet
10. Attach Files to an email
    

Both of my ideas involve good systems that will allow college kids to word process, chat, email, listen to music, watch DVD's, browse the web wirelessly(for school research of course), create presentations, spreadsheets, download and edit photos and much more. Neither involve Windows and thus don't require a degree in computer security and maintenance. One of the computers costs between $1200-1800 and the other costs less than $700.

1. Click once on the file?s name (some web sites will have a download button)
2. You will be asked to ?Save? the file before the download initiates. Pay special attention to the ?Save In? box at the top of the save screen so that you know where your file is going. (TIP: I suggest that you download all files to the desktop so that they are easy to find)
3. Click on the Save button and in a few seconds your download will start and you will see a progress meter showing how much of the download has completed

Remember that you can click back to the web and continue surfing, writing email or doing other activities at the same time you are downloading, but you do have to stay connected to your provider for the download to continue.

Also, it is possible to download more than one more file at a time.

Click the "Read more" link underneath this tip to listen and watch the video describing this tip.