Defragging Your Hard drive

Defragmentation, when is the right time?

Some people think that defragging a hard drive is how you fix a PC. This is not true but it is a good thing to do, but not every day. Defragging all the time is not necessary and just puts in wear time on the hard drive.

A hard disk is a mechanical device, so any time the disk heads move there will be some amount of wear and tear. However, the physical effect of defragmenting is minimal. In fact, leaving the disk fragmented will in due course cause more wear and tear.

Let me explain: when a disk is fragmented, the data that makes up one file is split into pieces and stored in different locations on the disk. That's why you’re computer gets slower when you try to access data, as the disk gets fragmented. This means the heads have to make more passes each time they access files, in order to go to all the different places on the disk where the pieces of a file are stored. When you defrag, these file pieces are placed together, so not only is access faster, but the disk doesn't have to work as hard and thus you save wear and tear on the physical components.

Note: This is not the only cause of a slow computer. If you computer is slowing down it is more likely that you have good ol’ spyware running that a defragmented disk.

I recommend running a defrag on your disk once a month. It is best to run a scandisk or what XP now calls an error-check on your disk first. These tools can be run by right clicking on your hard drive and then by clicking properties. You will see both tools here in the tools tab.

Check out how to Defrag your hard drive in Windows XP

Computer Repair Lakeland, FL

www.MyComputerGirl.com

863-521-1079

      

Spring Cleaning

I have not posted in some time as you can see from the extensive gap in time here. I have been so swamped that I have not had time to clean my own office. Now I that I have had a day to breath I thought I would do some spring cleaning on my PC & office. PURGE IS THE WORD.

I have ran every tool & backed up all my files. Ghosted my smaller, failing drive to a new larger drive. Updated things ran cleanup programs from ad ware removal to v-scan and even defragged my registry. In cleaning and updating I found that Microsoft offers a free AntiSpyware tool. You can find this tool at Microsofts Site.

Microsoft Antispyware Tool

I have been using for a couple weeks now and have not found any glitches so far. So if you should, then you must...Give it a whirl and don't forget to start on spring cleaning your PC. If you can't, or don't know, how call a professional like me.

863-521-1079

Best Regards,

Christa Harold
My Computer Girl, Inc.

Computer Repair Lakeland, FL

www.MyComputerGirl.com

863-521-1079

      

SPYWARE, BEWARE!!! @@

Caught in a web, free is the price you pay 10 times over.
Revisiting an old subject.
The reason I am going over this again is I see so much of this it is not even funny. I spend hours cleaning up after spyware, adware and malware. Funny enough, viruses have taken a back seat to this epidemic. No matter how much I preach and teach you still seem to come back to me contaminated.
So what do I mean, “free is the price you pay 10 times over?� It goes with the saying that free has no value. If you don’t pay, you surely will later on. Most of us seem to take advantage of that free game or screensaver that you can get anywhere on the web now days. FREE this and FREE that=FREE SPYWARE and COSTLY HEADACHES. Warning, they are loaded with spyware, FOR FREEEEEEEEEE…………
Spyware usually comes with free software applications that you download. It performs some useful purpose, but the price you pay for this "freeware" is having your online behavior (e.g., which Web sites you visit) recorded and that information is transmitted back to the company that provided the free software that you downloaded. This is how you become targeted for advertising, based on the data you inadvertently provided about your interests and habits.
How many of you actually read the licensing agreement that you agree to when you install free software? Often, when you click "I accept," you're agreeing to the spyware installation, monitoring and use of the information collected, DO’H. Though some companies promise not to disseminate the information to third parties you generally have no way of proving whether they do or not.
BEWARE, for there is a plethora of spyware out there, eagerly waiting to get its hooks into your computer. Gator was one of the first to gain notoriety, I am sure you remember that one…GAIN. Of course, not all programs bad. Take Windows XP operating system, it communicates with Microsoft to find updates and report program crashes to better the software and your performance. Other applications send information back to the "mothership". The better ones, such as the Google toolbar, allow you to choose whether to turn that feature on or off while others don't even tell you they're doing it.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, unwanted spyware wastes valuable bandwidth and system resources besides invading your privacy. If you are loaded with it, it can slow your system and/or Internet connection down to a crawl and you will find it impossible to get anything done. Some spyware can even crash your system or cause quirky behavior. The interactive nature of the Internet is what allows it to be so useful.

The federal government is working on making Spyware illegal. This summer, a U.S. House subcommittee approved the SPY ACT (Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass). This law would require a conspicuous warning on programs that gather and transmit information. Keystroke logging would be prohibited. Time will tell if legislation can stop the problem. Just like the increasing amount of unwanted e-mails since the CAN SPAM act was passed last year, the only thing we have notice is there is MORE OF IT. Seems that they have passed an act but are not ACTING UPON IT.


Computer Repair Lakeland, FL

www.MyComputerGirl.com

863-521-1079