Tech Tips 2/5/2003

 By Andy Awald

 In the past few weeks, I have spoke with several people that have had various operating problems with their computers.  In most cases, there has been one common culprit: viruses.   Computer viruses are something we hear about nearly every day in the news, some bad, some not so bad.  In most cases, unless you are a severe e-mail or internet junkie, the chances of receiving a severe virus (the kind that completely destroys your computer) is slim.   In most cases, the viruses we receive are less deadly, but by no means harmless.  They can cause malfunctions, poor operation, connection to websites that you don’t want to visit (trust me!), and nearly always send themselves via email to everyone you send email to, through your address book listings.

 So what can you do about viruses?   Well, the solution is relatively simple.   MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ACTIVE ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE!   Now comes the not so simple part.  How do I know if my antivirus software is active?  In a lot of cases, your computer came loaded with antivirus software.  You probably assumed that was all you needed, right?  Not so, friend.  Antivirus software lives and dies (with your computer) by constantly being updated.  Just because somewhere in the startup of your computer you see a mention of antivirus protection, your computer is protected.  As new viruses come out, which is often, software producing companies update their scanning software to make sure their users are getting protection from all viruses, even the most recent ones.  The funny thing is, the purchase of antivirus software, or the packaging of it with your computer, doesn’t mean your program is current with all the viruses that are out there.   In most cases, a subscription fee is required to “maintain” your antivirus software, and make sure it is covering you on even the most recent viruses.  So essentially, unless you’re paying a fee to someone for your software to be recent, it’s not.   It’s simply scanning for the most recent set of viruses it knows about, which means if you bought your computer for Christmas and it hasn’t had it’s antivirus software updated since then, your missing a lot.   Since January 15, 2003, 30 new viruses have been detected.  Imagine what that means for a computer that hasn’t been updated since 2000!

 So what’s the answer?  Easy.  McAfee Virus Scan Online is the software I use at home and at work, and I highly recommend it.  There are several antivirus programs out there, but McAfee Virus Scan Online is the easiest to purchase, use, & maintain that I have found.  VirusScan Online utomatically checks for virus updates and software upgrades included in your subscription, so your protection is always current.  It can also scan your computer and remove any viruses that may already be on your computer.  That to me makes it the best product to recommend.  And they have a 15% off offer right now!

 So before you find out that everything on your computer is infected and has to be erased to save your computer, get some antivirus software.  It will save you a lot of time and trouble down the road.  And if you have any questions about this or any other tech topic, don't hesitate to email me!