Written by Ben Edwards

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Preventative MeasuresOr Delaying the Inevitable
System Crash
A guide to minimizing computer problems and data
loss

• Written by Ben Edwards
• Georgia CTAE Resource Network
• 2010

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(No Transcript)
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Objectives

• Students will learn precautionary measures to
  prevent or minimize computer problems or damage
  resulting from computer failure.

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Overview

• It is said that anyone who claims to understand
  quantum mechanics is either lying or crazy.
• The same can likely be said of computers.
• Computers are so complex and intricate that
  something, somewhere will inevitably go wrong.
• But by following a few guidelines, one can
  minimize problems and the resulting damage.

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Quick Points to Remember

• Save often
• Immunize
• Update
• Minimize human error
• Keep an emergency kit

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Save Often!

• It is important to save your work often, whatever
  youre doing.
• Even for the best equipped and most
  knowledgeable, a crash could occur at any time.
• Probably at the worst time, knowing your luck.

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Save Often!

• For larger projects, it is helpful to save
  various versions of your work by naming them
  differently.
• This way, if your most recent work doesn't work
  or doesn't include some necessary element that it
  previously had, the old versions are at your
  fingertips.

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Save Often!

• Backups can save a lot of trouble in case of hard
  drive failure or accidental deletion.
• You can save backups by saving your files to a
  location other than your working folder, such as
• USB flash drive
• External hard drive
• Internet location

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Save Often!

• Some companies specialize in online backups.
• For a fee, they back up data to a remote location
  in real-time or at scheduled times.
• Mozy and Carbonite are examples.
• It is good practice to backup data to multiple
  locations, such as online and an external
  harddrive.
• That way, if one dies, the data lives on.

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Immunize!

• Keep a virus scanner and spyware/adware/malware
  detection software handy, and have them do
  regular/automatic scans.
• Examples of virus software are Norton
  (commercial) and AVG (freeware).
• Examples of malware detection
• software are Adaware,
• Malwarebytes Anti-Malware,
• and HijackThis.

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Immunize!

• Make sure your browser is equipped with a pop-up
  blocker.
• Be wary of email attachments from strangers, or
  strange attachments from friends.
• Don't go to the dark side. A major source of many
  computer problems is websites and applications
  that you probably shouldn't be using anyway!

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Immunize!

• Watch out for imposters!
• A recent trend in malware has been rogue
  antispyware programs, which impersonate
• antispyware software in an attempt to get the
• user to pay for the full
• version, but is in fact a
• virus!
• -- Dont be fooled! Know
• what software you have!

Imposter!
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Update!

• Keep that virus/malware software up to date!
• Most software includes the option to update
  automatically.
• Make sure your operating system's security
  updates are installed.
• You can also have this done automatically.

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Update!

• Updates for browsers and other software such as
  Flash or Adobe Acrobat are not just cosmetic!
• Often they include patches for important security
  holes.
• Keeping your drivers up to date will also help
  prevent against seemingly hardware related
  issues.
• Peripherals like printers, externals like digital
  cameras, and internals like sound cards all rely
  on drivers to run smoothly with the rest of your
  system.
• But if something else does something new and
  expects the old drivers to follow along, there
  will be trouble.

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Minimize Human Error!

• Try to have your backups, scans, and updates run
  regularly and automatically.
• This gives you less to worry about, and
  eliminates the distinct probability that your
  computer will crash the one day you forgot to do
  all the important stuff.

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Minimize Human Error!

• Keep your workspace tidy.
• This includes keeping cords organized and out of
  the way, keeping food and drinks safely away from
  hardware, and even keeping files and folders well
  organized.
• Many an important document has been lost due to
  pulled plugs, soda spills, and accidental
  deletions due to poor organization.
• So organize!

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Keep an Emergency Kit!

• Keep the phone numbers and web addresses of your
  software and hardware companies nearby.
• These are often included in the manuals, so
  having a drawer full of manuals or a notepad with
  information can come in quite handy.

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Keep an Emergency Kit!

• Keep a list of useful informational sites,
  especially for viruses and malware.
• Since threats are constantly evolving, sometimes
  realtime help is the best.
• To that end, virus/spyware forums such as
  spywareinfoforum.com or bleepingcomputer.com are
  great resources and always up to date.
• In some cases, viruses can disable your antivirus
  software. Keep a list of free online virus scans,
  like those of PandaSecurity, Kaspersky, and
  BitDefender.

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Keep an Emergency Kit!

• Keep a copy of Hiren's Boot CD on hand (and on a
  CD!).
• This collection of freeware and shareware covers
  most problems, and includes antivirus,
  antimalware, backup tools, hard drive and file
  recovery, network tools, browsers, file access
  tools (for when your computer won't boot), and
  many other pieces of software that you'll
  hopefully never have to use.
• www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd
• Have this downloaded and burned to a disk in case
  of internet or computer failure.

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Final Notes

• Know your geek.
• There is likely someone nearby who can answer
  your questions. Know who this is.
• Learn from your mistakes.
• Keep a log of problems encountered and the
  actions which solved them.
• Learn from others mistakes.
• Dont let bad history repeat itself.

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Photo courtesy ThinkGeek.com
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Final Notes

• Remember, computer failure is inevitable.
• Be prepared to minimize data loss before it
  happens.
• But sometimes there is no way to retrieve data.
• When all else fails, install a padded wall for
  head-banging, and a sound-proof room for crying.

BANG HEAD HERE