Technology For Agents

I’ve been asked around the office on how I keep my computers and laptops running smooth; free of spyware, viruses, and adware. I’ve setup a routine that I commonly go through weekly that seems to do the trick for my business and personal computer needs. You could use this same system I’ve derived through years of trial and error.

Anti-Virus

Everyone needs some form of anti-virus software; it is a necessity. My anti-virus of choice is free, which makes it even more enticing to use. I currently use AVG Free Edition, and it readily suits the needs that I have day to day.

Grisoft created this software for home use. There is also a commercial program available so if you plan to install these in a larger business that just for personal use, you may want to consider purchasing the commercial license. None the less, installation is a breeze. Simply download the installation program, install, and it will monitor your computer in real time and provide the latest updates all for free. This sure beats renewing a subscription every year.

I do a full anti-virus scan once a week. If you search the internet very often, you may want to consider scanning more often.

Spyware

For those pesky spyware problems, I recommend using the Spybot Search and Destroy program. This is also free software that I use weekly to ensure that my computers are free of that hideous spyware that tends to slow down just about everything. If you search the internet, you are bound to pick up some form of spyware along the way; be it hazardous or just a nuisance.

I like to envision my computer like my car. When you car travels the world, it picks up dirt and mud from various locations. It’s up to you to clean that mud off at some time or another or your car just won’t look that great, and the lack of maintenance my prematurely age the car than if it was well cared for.

When using Spybot, be sure to immunize to protect against many forms of spyware installing itself, and also download updates routinely. I use Spybot Search and Destroy weekly as well to be sure my computer is regularly cleaned of all the “mud”.

Fragmentation

In time, you will install numerous programs and delete others, move files and replace others, and pretty much create on big mess on your hard drive. No worries! Windows comes with a nifty defragmentation tool that isn’t pretty, but it gets the job done.

When a hard drive experiences fragmentation (the mess) in your hard drive, you will easily notice that is slows down. Files take longer to read and programs will take longer to load. One very possibly solution is that your hard drive is fragmented and needs to be defragmented.

Using the program that comes with Windows is quite simple. In Windows, simply navigate to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter. If you have not moved your folders around, you should find this program at that location. Regularly defragmenting your hard drive is harmless maintenance that will keep your hard drive running as efficiently as possible. I defragment my hard drive once a week.

Browsing The Internet and Email

A word of caution: Beware of clicking on pop-ups, banners, and visiting sites that you are not familiar with. Doing so puts you to be a prime candidate to download pesky spyware to your computer or even viruses. When you have viruses and spyware on your computer you can inhibit the computer from running smooth which in turn will be costly to repair when taken to a qualified technician. Be sure to only visit websites that you trust.

When it comes to email, only click on links and view images or attachments in emails from senders that you know and trust. I am always suspicious about following links and opening attachments in emails in any email I receive, be it from a friend or not. Many times a friend may not know that he/she is actually forwarding you a virus!

Conclusion

The above process is my bread and butter. To keep my computers running efficiently, I use the 24×7 monitoring of AVG Free Edition, plus do a virus scan weekly. I also will update my Spybot Search and Destroy program regularly and do a scan to clean spyware weekly.

Next, I will defragment my hard drive once a week just to keep my hard drive running efficiently.

Lastly, I am always suspicious of pop ups advertisements and banners, and am very cautious about following links or viewing attachments from an email I receive. Taking the above steps can ensure that your computer is running in its best condition and in the long run will save you money on repairs.

After this system is put into place, the steps taken become routine and computer maintenance will become a normal part of your week.

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