Helpdesk No. 4
Q: I read and enjoy your column and have a question: I have been using AVG Anti-Virus Free for years, have Windows firewall turned on, and wonder whether I need the Superantispyware program you referred to in a recent column? All this is for my home laptop. — Barry Kurian
A: There’s no right or wrong here. You are doing more than most when it comes to protecting your computer and the data stored in it. So you have my blessings if you keep things the way they are. However it is true that there are times when a good program — such as AVG — will miss something. So adding on Superantispyware does create another layer of protection. And, unlike when you add a second anti-virus program, there’s little risk of creating conflicts that could cripple your computer. So the decision really falls into your court as far as whether you want to add a second program.
Q: I have a question about computer security. Actually, it is not about computers, but other devices. A while back, my laptop died. Since then I have subsisted on an iPad, iPhone and iPod, plus a wireless printer. It has worked for me, so, no computer per se. I have never seen anything written up about security in this situation. Are there firewalls, anti-virus/malware, etc. for situations like mine? — Sarah Estes
A: It’s a good question Sarah. And I’m pretty sure that most people who use devices like the ones you mention use no protection at all. But there are good arguments for adding protection. Rather than make my own long-winded argument I’ll let someone else do it for me. Here’s the website: http://informationsecurityhq.com/itunes-security-applications-for-ipad2-ipad-and-iphone/
I’m pretty good at fixing computer problems — both hardware and software. But don’t think I’m bragging. I arrive at this state honestly, leaving a trail of horribly damaged computers and forever scrambled software in my wake as I learned my way.
I learned by doing. And my doing — many times — left a trail of disaster.
Today I’ll do my best to let you skip a few steps, to avoid some of the, uh, learning opportunities I had as I received what I consider to be one of the world’s most expensive educations in technology. So I’ll offer a few rules that may be of help to you.
No. 1: Be simple-minded
I once had a friend who was a pretty good hand at mechanics. He could fix cars with the best of them. One night his wife called to tell him her car had broken down. So he drove over, equipped with an assortment of tools that would have made a professional mechanic envious. And he proceeded to test this, take off that and generally do all sorts of impressive stuff. But none of it worked. The car still wouldn’t start. That’s when he glanced down at the gas gauge. It was below empty.
The lesson here is to check the simple and the obvious first when it comes to computers. Make sure everything is plugged in and set up correctly before you tinker. Some of you are shaking your heads and thinking this couldn’t happen to you. Well, it’s happened to me. I remember working on a computer with no audio for 15 minutes before I noticed that the volume control had been cranked all the way down.
No. 2: Don’t be clueless
In almost every case the computer will try to tell you what’s wrong. You may see an error message on the screen, or the problem may have been accompanied by a strange sound, or perhaps the problem happened right after you installed a new program. Things like that are clues that can lead you to a correct diagnosis of the problem. And, as my friend the mechanic found out in the story I just told, you can’t do much fixing if you don’t know what’s wrong.
If you do dive in without really understanding what the problem is you can — and often do — make things worse. You can take a simple problem and turn it into a disaster. So if you can’t figure out what is wrong, don’t start fixing. You’ll end up in a fix.
No. 3: Speed kills
When your computer stops working correctly there is a human temptation to hurry. When it comes to working on computers — or anything else for that matter — the faster you go, the longer it takes. Going too fast often takes the brain out of the circuit.
After discovering the truth of that over time — often on occasions when I ended up with a computer that smoked more than a coal-burning ocean freighter — I’ve developed a lazy and effective habit. The first thing I do when faced with computer problems is to turn the danged thing off. I write down any clues I noticed while they are fresh in my mind and then take a walk, or a nap. That way I can face the problem without panic. And there’s a side benefit. Given enough time your mind often works in the background — without you noticing — and solves the problem.
No. 4: Check your work
When I was a kid, I enjoyed putting together electronic projects that came in kit form. The best of these kits came from Heathkit. There was a place in the manual, after each step, to place a checkmark showing you had completed the step.
That same kind of process applies to working with hardware and software. Make a mental checkmark as you complete each step. For instance, most fixes for software problems have many steps. First do this, then that in a string that seems to go on forever. It’s important to check your work at each step — to make sure you followed the directions flawlessly — before moving to the next step.
No. 5: Know yourself
I’ve made this point before but it’s important enough to repeat. It’s possible for anyone — amateur or professional — to run into a job that’s over his or her head. Please be aware of that and don’t let pride or stubbornness push you into trying a task that you don’t understand.
Sometimes the best way to fix a computer is by poking it in the back seat of your car and driving to a professional repair shop.
About the Author
