Mod 1.

3 – Computer management
(Important to revise Gr 10 and 11 content)

◆ Important to manage your computer to have it perform at its best for

a long time

Factors influencing computer management

◆ Security

Installing and updating anti-virus software

◆ Anti-virus software – Important tool to protect your computer from malware that will try to
steal or corrupt your data
o Check reviews and forums before you make your choice
◆ Important tips
o Only install one anti-virus product
o Download virus definitions automatically
o Automatically scan all removable drives that are connected
o Set a full auto scan at least once a week

Using a firewall
◆ Firewall – Hardware or software that monitors which applications communicate with which
network
◆ Some malware attacks your computer through the network
◆ Some spyware send data to the makers of the malware through the network
◆ Basic firewalls allow for e-mails, internet browsing and basic productivity tasks
◆ Firewalls are usually used when a private network connects to the internet
o Most end users (consumers) don’t use hardware firewalls

Keeping all software up to date

◆ Flaws and bugs in software can cause your computer to be vulnerable to hacking and loss of
data
◆ Software updates – Latest software which includes bug fixes from reports sent to the
company
o Allows software to perform better and data on the computer to be more secure

Being aware of current trends in computer crime

◆ Knowing the current tricks done by computer criminals helps to minimise the risk of getting
caught
 ◆ Using online services (RSS feeds) help be aware of computer crime (hacking, phishing
scams…)
o E.g. Feedly @ www.feedly.com

Applying common sense

◆ Making the right choice, no matter how good it sounds, can prevent major loss
◆ Use search engines to confirm if an e-mail offer is legitimate
◆ Never click links to the bank on emails
◆ Contact the organisation
◆ The e-mail is a scam if the address does not match the one on the organisation’s website

Follow a good password policy

◆ Don’t use the same password across multiple accounts
◆ Long passwords are more effective than short ones with special characters
◆ Avoid dictionary words
◆ Avoid using personal information
◆ Change your password regularly

◆ Saving time
◆ Improving computer performance…

Defragmenting the hard drive

◆ Fragmented disk – Parts of files are scattered in pieces across the disk
o Takes the computer long to read/write files to the disk
◆ Defragmentation – Reorganising parts of files on the disk in a sequence
o Helps to speed up loading time of files
o Should be done one every 6 months

Managing files and folders

◆ Ensure all documents are stored in a root folder
o E.g. Documents in the ‘Documents’ folder
◆ Make sub-folders for files that relate to each other
o E.g. files for a project are stored in one folder
◆ Give files and folders meaningful names
◆ Indexing – Assigning ‘keys’ to files to make it easier and faster to locate
o Only need to know a word or phrase of the document
◆ Ensure the OS indexes your files
◆ Use the OS’s search tool to locate files more easily
o E.g. Windows explorer, Spotlight
Remembering hardware requirements
◆ If your computer does not meet the hardware requirements of the software, it may run very
slow, not run at all or crash

◆ Reliability
◆ Ensures data on the computer is reliable and safe

Following a good backup program

◆ Remember the daily, weekly, monthly, yearly policy
◆ Keep backed up media in a different location from your computer
◆ Keep backed up media away from unauthorised access

Being prepared for a re-build

◆ Re-build – Completely wiping your system and reinstalling all previously installed software
o Necessary for when there is a serious unsolvable computer disaster
◆ Important for rebuilding quickly and efficiently
o Keeping software downloads on removable storage
o Having a hardcopy of all records of your license keys and serial numbers
o Follow a good backup policy of restoring backed up data to software installed

Upgrading software and hardware

◆ Hardware and software are constantly evolving
◆ It can be costly to be constantly unnecessarily buying new devices and software
◆ You may need to ‘re-build’ your computer from an upgrade
◆ Think about a few things
o Before replacing an entire system, check if upgrading hardware and storage is more
effective, as it costs a lot less
o Budget on upgrading hardware every few (3-5) years
o Upgrade software if necessary
o Keep watch of software discounts, these are usually given to those owning the latest
major versions
o Consider SaaS (Software as a Service) to upgrading software every year