Skip to content

download

5 Simple Rules to avoid SCD (Slow Computer Disease)

I’ve written about this before, but it bears repeating on occasion with new visitors to our site and long time visitors who haven’t learned yet. The advice is simple: DO NOT DOWNLOAD FREE SCREENSAVERS, EMAIL PROGRAMS (Incredimail, etc), GAMES from the Internet. Unless you are WELL versed in the origin of these items, they can easily destroy your computer’s ability to compute.

The most common computer ailment (for Windows users) searched on the Internet is “slow computers”. Sadly, “slow computer disease”, SCD*, does not have to be the pandemic it is because it is 100% preventable. Here are my 5 simple rules to prevent SCD:

1. Install and keep Internet security software current. Recommendations: AVG Anti-virus, a software or hardware firewall and a good anti-spwyare program or two. Check our Links & Resources section for recommendations.

2. DO NOT DOWNLOAD FREE CRAP FROM THE INTERNET UNLESS YOU KNOW ITS ORIGIN AND SAFETY.

3. Use Mozilla Firefox or Opera as your primary Internet browser instead of Internet Explorer, MSN, or AOL. This tip alone can save your computer.

4. If you have teenagers or young adults who use your computer, forbid the downloading of free music through services like Limewire or any other shady site (refer to #2)

5. If you do suspect SCD, get it looked at immediately. Waiting for it to cure itself will only make SCD worse.

BONUS TIP: If your computer suffers from SCD, Defrag will NOT help it. No matter how many times you Defrag your computer, it will NOT help SCD.

© *SCD is a copyrighted term of Castellini on Computers, HelpMeRick.com and Rick Castellini. Use of the term SCD is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Rick Castellini or administrators of HelpMeRick.com

Should I backup?

Five Days' Backup
photo credit: daryl_mitchell

Should you carry health insurance? Should you carry car insurance? Should you save for retirement? Should you eat every day? Does a bear….  Well, hopefully you get the picture. The answer is a resounding YES!!

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 includeRead More »Should I backup?

A quicker way to Rename folders and files in Windows

Windows XP, Vista and the upcoming version 7 continue to help us accomplish certain computer tasks more quickly.

One of my favorite features involves the renaming of files. You can still use the techniques I outlined in a previous tip, but renaming files can be even faster with the right steps. If you have the need to rename a group of files (for example a group of freshly downloaded pictures from your digital camera), you can select them and rename them in groups. Here’s how:Read More »A quicker way to Rename folders and files in Windows

Cleaning and removing Antivirus 2009, PAV and others from your computer,

Cleaning
Photo by Jim Grandy

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, Antivirus 2009, Personal Antivirus, Internet Security 2009 among others (software I call extortionware that installs itself on your computer and then poses asRead More »Cleaning and removing Antivirus 2009, PAV and others from your computer,

Opening PPS (PowerPoint) files in Outlook Express

PPS files are PowerPoint presentation slide shows that have been saved as a file that can be viewed by anyone. If you get a PPS file and can’t see the slideshow, then click here for our tip on where to find the free PowerPoint viewer.

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.

2 laptop suggestions for college students

Hats Off
photo credit: jarnott

Millions of high schoolers will be graduating soon and will be leaving for their respective campuses (campii?) at the end of the summer. These students will more than likely go to college with a computer…probably a laptop. I would like to suggest two possible laptops ideas for these students.

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.

My recommendations stem from first hand accounts from parents whose college kids call home frequently with tales of woe about a slow, non-functioning new computer. Students need to have their computers operational, and running around to the campus IT people or dropping the computer at a fix-it shop for expensive repairs. These two recommendations will keep calls home for repair money, tales of woe, and computer down time to a bare minimum.Read More »2 laptop suggestions for college students

How to Download Files from the Internet – Video Tip

Once you find a file you would like to view or download, how do you get it to your computer? Follow these steps to get the computer safely and successfully to your computer:

  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

That?s all there is to downloading a file.

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.

Email of the Week – 001

Abandoned Mailbox
photo credit: cindy47452

Starting today, I will be posting a minimum of one email from your submissions here on the web site in addition to my regular weekly feature Rick Answers His Email Videocast. I will title them all the same way and they will have their own category you can access from the Category list on the right of every page here at HelpMeRick.com. I will also include the original email (via submissions from the Ask a question form listed at the top of every page here at HelpMeRick.com).

QUESTION:

Name:  Raymond Lafontaine

From:   Woonsocket RI

OS:      Windows XP

———————-
I have been trying to find the right download for free foxit for my other computer but it keep bringing to other foxit purchase, can you help

ANSWER:

Read More »Email of the Week – 001

Important Newsletter Information!

If you are a weekly newsletter subscriber, please read this information. After two weeks of soul searching, research, and web browsing, I decided to move the email newsletter subscribers to my FeedBlitz service. Feedblitz picks out my newest articles and delivers them to you in an email. The service works great and I will be moving the address list into… Read More »Important Newsletter Information!

Rick answers his email Videocast – 027

A great question this week about how to fill out a paper form using your computer. Many other good questions as well including my answer to a writer who downloaded an illegal copy of Photoshop. This week, the Videocast is brought to you by questions from: Terry, Fern, Marcia, Sudarshin, Richard, Gayle, Kim, Bernie, Bill, Azumah, Jack, and Mike.