1) Lock down your computer (secure it)
2) Possibly make it even faster.
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Since the days of the web, in 2000 your computer would be attacked within a good 15 to 30 minutes. Nowadays its merely 15 seconds and BAM! Your computer has been hit by the sasser worm and all kinds of gunk and worms from the internet.
Why did I write this guide? Well locking down computers is an important aspect of daily computing. Would you like your computer participating in the next DoS (Denial of Service) attack where it could bring down major websites? Would you like your computer to be in control of a hacker?
I think not...
There are several ways a computer can get very unstable. These causes could be:
1) Spyware/Adware downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge (or you didn't know it). These programs for example are adware: KaZaa, Download Accelerator Plus and these programs for example are spyware: Gator, GoZilla!
The difference between spyware and adware is that spyware is a program that intently does harmful things to your computer. They may steal your personal information and transmit it back to a server for example.
To remove spyware I would highly recommend getting an adware/spyware removal utility.
ALTHOUGH MCAFEE ANTI VIRUS AND SYMANTEC ANTI VIRUS CLAIM TO REMOVE SPYWARE, THEY ARE NOT THAT EFFECTIVE YET. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THEM TO BE USED FOR SPYWARE/ADWARE REMOVAL
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
Spybot Search and Destroy 1.3 is the best freeware adware/spyware removal tool I have seen on the net. Download it and follow the easy to use instructions. And get rid of that spyware!
NOTE: Some programs may not work after removing adware/spyware. (Who ever said anything was free??)
2) Fragmentation on your computer
Fragmentation happens. Files are not stored contigously on the Hard Disk. They are placed EVERYWHERE on the hard drive. The File Allocation System determines how many chunks and their sizes will be on a HDD. For example on a 40GB FAT32 HDD the cluster size would be 32KB whereas a 40GB NTFS HDD the cluster size would be 4KB.
NTFS will allow for better efficent use of space, however it is considerably slow compared to FAT32 if your HDD is slow. Let's say you had a 32KB file for example.
For NTFS, It would need to divide the 32KB into 4KB chunks, so it would be 8, 4KB chunks. FAT32 will only need 1 32KB chunk. Reading files in this case would be significantly faster. However then there is efficiency of space.
If there was a 4KB file, it would take only 1 4KB chunk. Whereas on FAT32 it would still take up 1 32KB chunk. Another 32KB chunk will be used when the file goes over the 32KB size.
Okay anyway, now think of fragmentation like this. You have a file cabinet filled with folders (folders of course) and paper (files).
You take a folder out, read the paper and put it back in anywhere you liked it. out of order.
Now do this repeatedly and you'll get a very disorganized folder. Nothing is alpabetical and it will take a very long time to find the folder you want. This is what's happening on the HDD every day and its impossible to eliminate.
BUT it is possible to reduce!
Do not use the Windows Defragmenter. It is slow and hardly does anything. I highly recommend this defragmenter:
http://www.snapfiles.com/download/dldkeeperlite.html
Diskeeper Lite is based on the Diskeeper 7 defragmenter. It contains the DK7 defrag core tech without the fancy stuff like automatic defragging and such. but it does get the job done very well.
3) Errors on your disk.
Time to time your compy will freeze and you'll have to do a "cold boot". Now if you do this frequently, you'll start to get a LOT of write errors on your disk. Your HDD, OS, CPU will need to take time trying to interpret the rather damaged file. Running disk check will correct the errors and thus no need or the computer to think waht the file says everytime!
Start> Run> C:\ > Right Click> Click on Properties> Tools> Error-Checking> Check Now
and restart your computer after it says it'll need to reboot in order to check.
Locking down your computer
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Firewalls
There are two main types of firewalls out there for the hoome user. The more practical and cheap to deploy assuming you update your software regularly software firewall and the hardware firewall which I will explain in a moment what it does.
Software firewalls give users more control over programs and are VERY flexible. You can specify which ports to open or block as you please and you can adjust a program's internet permission if it can send data or if it can recieve data or both. The downside is that software maintenance is a must like Anti-Virus programs and they are rather annoying.
Hardware Firewalls or "routers" as they are often called are simple. They hide every computer port. How? The Router takes control of your IP's assigned IP. The router assigns an independant IP for each computer. You can call it a "mini server" if you'd like.
Anyway, the thing is, a router is NOT a computer!!! therefore it technically does NOT have any ports! Any attack assigned to the router will fail because it does not have a operating system.
Software firewalls, a good free one is Zone Alarm Basic. You can get it at www.zonelabs.com
What exactly does a firewall do?
A firewall essentially hides all ports on your computer so it looks as if your computer is not online. When a ping gets requested, the computer with a firewall will not respond, indicating a dead end for the hacker.
So how are programs able to send and recieve data? Firewalls allow certain programs access. If the request on the incoming packet indicates a program from your computer requested the data, the packet is let in.
Anti-Virus
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AV programs are essential for computers these days. However please do remember that an Anti Virus program is only good as how updated it is. If its outdated (without the latest definitions) it will not be able to detect and get rid of new viruses. Therefore making it useless.
They will block certain trojans and most viruses from running. Modern Anti Virus programs have a module in memory that scans a program for infection before it is ran. If the program is found to be infected, you will be denied access to the program from spreading further infection.
Good AntiVirus programs are: McAfee Anti-Virus, Symantec Antivirus, and Sophos Antivirus from what i've seen.
There are free AV programs out there. The only one I know of is AVG Free-Edition (and yes there are free updates for it
) I do not know its effectiveness is however. And The AVG free edition is ALWAYS the last iteration of the AVG's AntiVirus program.Downloading Guide
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When you download software, just skin through the EULA and check to see the privacy statement of the program.
Read it carefully! some programs actually do state they transmit some personaly identifiable information to servers! these programs include such as Gator, GoZilla!, and Download Accelerator plus.
Also, remember nothing is ever free unless if its really free (like charityware or something).
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