We feel the need to occasionally publish something like this because we invariably still see these mistakes happening in the field. As technology continues to improve, it becomes more imprtant than ever to stick to the basics.  Below are some of the things you should do and some of the things you should not.

DO

Do make recovery disks if you buy a new PC. Most computer manufacturers do not include a recovery CD and require the user to make them. If you do not and your recovery partition fails, you are out of luck. You might be able to get a copy from HP or Dell, but it will be only after hours of phone calls. Do yourself a favor and buy a couple of blank DVDs and make the recovery disks. It will only take an hour of your time.

Do run an antivirus and keep it up to date. Invest a few dollars in AVG, Nod32, Kaspersky or Bit Defender. While some free antiviruses are adequate, paid versions are better. But even if you choose a free version, at least make sure it is monitoring your web surfing and email. Once you have a virus these days, you’re toast. The best way to combat them, is to keep them off of your system in the first place.

Do update Windows. You must have automatic updates turned on and allow Windows to patch itself every couple of weeks. Otherwise, you’ll forget.

Do change your router password. While many newer routers are shipping with setup security that forces you to change your password, many are still the default passwords that everyone knows. If a neighbor or hacker can guess your router password, then they can access your network.

Do have a backup strategy. Whether you backup to a DVD, external hard drive, or subscribe to an online service, you simply must be backing up your data in at least two locations. Microsoft Mesh and Carbonite are good off-site solutions. External hard drives are great at-home solutions.

Do change your passwords frequently. A simple password or a password you use for every website is as good as having no password at all. There is software available that can brute-force crack a simple password in seconds.

Don’t

Don’t click any pop-ups that say you have a virus and to “Click here to remove it.” This is a typical ploy to have you actually install spyware and viruses on your computer. You may see something like AntivirusXP2008. If you get this, click out of it and download and run a program like SuperAntiSpyware.

Don’t open email attachments. Attachments are a means for viruses to replicate. Viruses have the ability to email themselves to everyone in you email address book. This means you might receive any email from a friend or relative that actually came from a virus.

Don’t use P2P download sites. These places are havens for viruses.

Don’t give anyone from Nigeria $1,000. If you get that email, just delete it. They are not really going to give you $50,000,000 in return. Seriously, they’re not.