Providing technology advice and guidance to
PC users since 1999
PosiTek New
Direction Coming Soon
We are aggressively moving forward to our new set of
service offerings and virtual support model. Our
new phone service is up and running, so you can now
reach us at (855) POS-ITEK (767-4835) or
support@positek.net.
We expect to 'go-live' with the new website before the
Thanksgiving holidays. Thanks for your patience!
Computer Security and Reliability
Protecting your computer and the information you store on your computer
or allow on the internet.
Welcome! This is our resource for all
things technology-related, which we make available
online to help you with your digital life - hey, that
makes it your resource! We focus on keeping your computer and
your information safe and secure, providing
up-to-the-minute advice on which computer hardware to buy, which
operating system to use, what software to upgrade, how to use technology without spending
tons of time learning, what technology is out there that
is the best at helping you do what you want to do, and
whatever other things we think you'll need and
appreciate. Feel free to check out
our blog and read our latest (or
older) musings.
If you've questions or want info, peruse our website,
use the poll at left or
just
Today's tips:
It's that time of year when we test out the top
PC security suites. This year, we'll pit them
up against two completely messed up PCs, a Windows
XP desktop, and a Windows 7 laptop. This
year's lineup will include the current versions of
Norton Internet Security, McAfee Internet Security,
Kaspersky PURE Total Security, ZoneAlarm® Internet
Security Suite, and CA Internet Security Suite Plus.
We will also look at external reviews from other
trusted sources, and report our top-rated
recommendation here. As always, we don't just
look at statistics in our ratings, but also on
meeting the bar for comprehensive protection and
providing the best value for both the cost and the
ongoing effort that it takes to use the product.
If you use Norton Internet Security (as we
currently recommend), Norton has come out with a new version as they do every year about this time (version 2012). Right-click the NIS icon in your system tray (bottom-right of the screen by the time), and select (left-click) the menu item "Check for new version". Then download and install it. As long as your subscription to Norton is active, you can always get the latest version - and you should! don't put this off!
If you don't have active protection software, get it
now!
Get the latest Windows/Microsoft Updates -
If you haven't yet installed Windows 7 Service Pack 1,
there are a lot of updates that are stacking up
behind it.
Do it after a clean restart of your system, please,
and you should always first backup your important
files to an external drive, thumbdrive, network
drive, or something! Once you've installed SP1,
you'll need to go through an iterative process of
(1) run Windows Update, (2) install all the updates,
(3) restart your computer, and (4) repeat till
Windows Update shows zero available updates.
If you have Windows Vista or 7 and have IE8 or
older, upgrade to IE9 NOW. That said, we currently prefer Google Chrome for
everyday web browsing. Whichever browser you use, keep it up-to-date. And even if you use an alternative browser, keep IE up-to-date as well.
Get the latest version of Adobe Reader and Flash
Player - direct from
Get the latest versions of
iTunes and Quicktime - direct from
Get the latest version of Sun's Java - direct from
Update all your other software - from each
manufacturer's website. Get your hardware
driver updates from the system manufacturer's
website too. And as always, get your updates
from the original source.
Got a new computer? Here's a rundown on
what you should do to set it up right. Here's
how to
We say this so often to folks: It is much easier
to keep a computer safe than it is to fix a computer
that's been compromised - and you'll save a lot of
money in the long run! Please use our
Computer Security: Keeping your Personal Computer Safe Here are just a few critical things to do to keep your PC safe. It
takes just a little time, but will be much worse if
you put these maintenance tasks off,
especially if you have to clean up problems. Here's our
advice:
Put a password on all
Windows user accounts.
Keep your computer system and software up-to-date.
Get, install, and keep a valid
subscription to the best computer security program you can
afford.
Make a copy of all your personal data on
something other than your computer.
Use good passwords for your
internetworking - and use different ones for different
purposes.