Some simple tips to keep your computer running smoothly

1) Delete temporary files regularly - not only a waste of space, but also a place to collect viruses, trojans and spyware of all kind.  Cleanup! is freeware and is simple and effective.  You can download it Here.

2) Install an effective anti-virus program and keep it updated.  Avg is free for home users. All you have to do is fill out a simple form for the download.  And don't worry, they rarely, if ever, email you about anything.  The link to Avg (from Grisoft) is Here. 

3) Protect your computer from the growing threat of spyware.  Spybot is worth money, but is given freely by its author.  Note the optional donation.  The link is Here.

4) Regularly run defrag and scandisk (also called error-checking) to keep your hard drive healthy.  The path is the same for all Windows versions; double click on "My Computer", right click on the drive (usually C:), choose "Properties" at the resulting dialog box, then click the "Tools" tab. 

5) Beware of downloads.   Be wary of free software.  Check it out before downloading.  Even some applications that claim to remove spyware are themselves spyware.  It can be very difficult to rid your computer of infection.

6) Research.  Not only for downloads, research can sometimes  save you stress and possibly money.  With the advent of the internet, the whole world is at your fingertips.  There are many people that post articles with solutions to computer problems.  Doing an online search can produce results (sometimes) quickly and easily.  If an application gives you an error message, write it down and do a search.  Or try key words with a problem you're having. Try different wording, and you'll get different results. The best search engine is Google.com